Limits and colimits of Hopf algebras (Q536177)

Let \(R\) be a commutative ring, Bialg\(_R\) the category of \(R\)-bialgebras, Hopf\(_R\) the category of \(R\)-Hopf algebras. The main theorem of the paper is that Hopf\(_R\) is closed under colimits in Bialg\(_R\), and that if \(R\) is von Neumann regular, then Hopf\(_R\) is closed under limits in Bialg\(_R\). The proof is given in a categorical framework, starting with a symmetric monoidal category, and, in fact, a more general categorical version is actually proved. As a corollary, the category Hopf\(_R\) is locally presentable. The main theorem implies that cofree Hopf algebras on an algebra exist, and that, if \(R\) is von Neumann regular, then free Hopf algebras on coalgebras exist. The latter result, when \(R\) is a field, is due to \textit{M. Takeuchi} [J. Math. Soc. Japan 23, 561--582 (1971; Zbl 0217.05902)]. In the paper under review, this construction is analyzed as a composition of standard categorical constructions.