Injective edge chromatic number of sparse graphs.

A k -edge coloring ϕ of graph G is injective if any two edges at distance 2 or in the same triangle get different colors. The minimum k in such an edge coloring is the injective edge chromatic number of G , written as χ i ′ (G). We prove in this paper that for any graph G with Δ (G) ≤ 5 , χ i ′ (G) ≤ 18 if m a d (G) < 16 5 , χ i ′ (G) ≤ 19 if m a d (G) < 7 2 and χ i ′ (G) ≤ 20 if m a d (G) < 15 4. • The results obtained in this paper enrich the previous work concerning on the study of injective coloring of sparse graphs. • The discharging method used in this paper is especially useful to solve the problem of injective coloring. • Some important reducible configurations are presented and the discharging rulers are well designed. • It is the first time to study the sufficient conditions for graphs with maximum degree Δ = 5 satisfying χ i ′ (G) ≤ Δ (Δ − 1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]