On the essential graph of a commutative ring

Abstract

Let [Formula: see text] be a commutative ring with identity, and let [Formula: see text] be the set of zero-divisors of [Formula: see text]. The essential graph of [Formula: see text] is defined as the graph [Formula: see text] with the vertex set [Formula: see text], and two distinct vertices [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are adjacent if and only if ann[Formula: see text] is an essential ideal. It is proved that [Formula: see text] is connected with diameter at most three and with girth at most four, if [Formula: see text] contains a cycle. Furthermore, rings with complete or star essential graphs are characterized. Also, we study the affinity between essential graph and zero-divisor graph that is associated with a ring. Finally, we show that the essential graph associated with an Artinian ring is weakly perfect, i.e. its vertex chromatic number equals its clique number.