Comportamento magnético de compósitos de matriz polimérica com adição de ferritas

Polymer matrix composites offer advantages for many applications due their combination of properties, which includes low density, high specific strength and modulus of elasticity and corrosion resistance. However, the application of non-destructive techniques using magnetic sensors for the evaluation these materials is not possible since the materials are non-magnetizable. Ferrites are materials with excellent magnetic properties, chemical stability and corrosion resistance. Due to these properties, these materials are promising for the development of polymer composites with magnetic properties. In this work, glass fiber / epoxy circular plates were produced with 10 wt% of cobalt or barium ferrite particles. The cobalt ferrite was synthesized by the Pechini method. The commercial barium ferrite was subjected to a milling process to study the effect of particle size on the magnetic properties of the material. The characterization of the ferrites was carried out by x-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). Circular notches of 1, 5 and 10 mm diameter were introduced in the composite plates using a drill bit for the non-destructive evaluation by the technique of magnetic flux leakage (MFL). The results indicated that the magnetic signals measured in plates with barium ferrite without milling and cobalt ferrite showed good correlation with the presence of notches. The milling process for 12 h and 20 h did not contribute to improve the identification of smaller size notches (1 mm). However, the smaller particle size produced smoother magnetic curves, with fewer discontinuities and improved signal-to-noise ratio. In summary, the results suggest that the proposed approach has great potential for the detection of damage in polymer composites structures

Estudo do efeito dos metabólitos do benzeno e tolueno sobre as mitocôndris cerebrais e hepáticas de ratos

Aim: The aim of this work was to investigate the hypothesis that catechol and 3MC inhibit FADH2-linked basal respiration in mitochondria isolated from rat liver and brain homogenates. Moreover, catechol ability to induce DNA damage in rat brain cells through the comet assay (alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis assay) was also observed. Methods: Two different catechols were evaluated: pirocatechol (derived from benzene) and 3-methylcatechol (derived from toluene); rat liver and brain homogenates were incubated with 1mM catechol at pH 7.4 for up to 30 minutes. After that, mitochondrial fractions were isolated by differential centrifugation. Basal oxygen uptake was measured using a Clark-type electrode after the addition of 10 mM sodium succinate for a period of 12 minutes. In additional experiments, rat brain cells were treated with 1, 5 and 10mM pirocatechol for up to 20 minutes at 37º C, and submitted to electrophoresis. Results: Catechols (pirocatechol and 3methylcatechol) induced a time-dependent partial inhibition of FADH2-linked basal mitochondrial respiration. Indeed, pirocatechol was able to produce a dosedependent DNA oxidative damage in rat brain cells by 2 and 4 injury levels. These results suggest that reactive oxygen species generated by the oxidation of catechols, induced an impairment on mitochondrial respiration and a DNA damage, which might be related to their citotoxicity. Conclusion: Catechols produced an inhibition of basal respiration associated to FADH2 in isolated liver and brain mitochondria; 3-methylcatechol, at the same concentration, produced similar toxicity in the mitochondrial model. Indeed, pirocatechol induced a DNA damage in rat brain cells, mainly observed in comets formation and consequent DNA degradation

Produção, acúmulo e decomposição da serrapilhadeira e repartição da precipitação pluviométrica por espécies da caatinga

This study aimed to establish patterns of dynamics of litter and redistribution of rainfall of Caatinga vegetation. Sampling was done monthly for twenty three months in four areas: degraded, successional primary stage, secondary stage and late stage. We installed 72 collectors of 1.0 mx 1.0 m, with nylon fabric background in three areas. Litter deposited was fractionated into leaves, twigs, reproductive structures and miscellaneous, dried and weighed. To assess the stock of accumulated litter we used metal frame with dimensions of 0.5 mx 0.5 m, thrown randomly and collected monthly, taken to the laboratory for oven drying and weighed. To evaluate the decomposition, 40g of litter were placed in nylon bags (litterbags) mesh 1 mm ², dimensions 20.0 x 20.0 cm, being distributed on the soil surface and removed monthly, cleaned, dried and weighed. To evaluate the contribution of rainfall we used interceptometers installed 1.0 m above the ground surface, distributed under the canopy of six species of the caatinga, which evaluated the stemflow through collecting system installed around the stems of these species. The deposition of litter in the primary stage was 2.631,26 kg ha-1; 3.144,89 kg ha-1 in the secondary stage; 3.144,89 kg ha-1 in the late stage. The fraction of leaves was the largest contributor to the formation of litter in three stages. The degraded area showed greater accumulation of litter and decomposition has been sluggish during the dry period. We conclude that occurred greater litterfall in later stages. The late successional stage showed faster decomposition of litter, the evidence that is a better use of litter in nutrient cycling processes and incorporation of organic matter to the soil. The time required to decompose 50 % of the litter in the later stages of succession was lower indicating greater speed of release and reuse of nutrients by the vegetation. The specie jurema preta with less leaf area and consists of leaflets, showed greater internal precipitation in rain events of greater magnitude. The stemflow was not influenced by DAP and basal area. The water lost by trapping represented the largest proportion of total rainfall in all species studied

Obtenção de pós de Nb a partir da redução aluminotérmica com ignição por plasma

The aluminothermic reduction consists in an exothermic reaction between a metallic oxide and aluminum to produce the metal and the scum. The extracted melted metal of that reaction usually comes mixed with particles of Al2O3 resulting of the reduction, needing of subsequent refine to eliminate the residual impure as well as to eliminate porosities. Seeking to obtain a product in powder form with nanometric size or even submicrometric, the conventional heat source of the reaction aluminothermic , where a resistor is used (ignitor) as ignition source was substituted, for the plasma, that acts more efficient way in each particle of the sample. In that work it was used as metallic oxide the niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) for the exothermal reaction Nb2O5 + Al. Amounts stoichiometric, substoichiometric and superestoichiometric of aluminum were used. The Nb2O5 powder was mixed with aluminum powder and milled in planetarium of high energy for a period of 6 hours. Those powders were immerged in plasm that acts in a punctual way in each particle, transfering heat, so that the reaction can be initiate and spread integrally for the whole volume of the particle. The mixture of Nb2O5 + Al was characterized through the particle size analysis by laser and X-ray diffraction (DRX) and the obtained product of reaction was characterized using the electronic microscopy of sweeping (MEV) and the formed phases were analyzed by DRX. Niobium powders with inferior sizes to 1 mm were obtained by that method. It is noticed, through the analysis of the obtained results, that is possible to accomplish the aluminothermic reduction process by plasma ignition with final particles with inferior sizes to the original oxide

Análise da lubricidade do biodiesel brasileiro de ésteres etílicos de soja e girassol

Fuel is a material used to produce heat or power by burning, and lubricity is the capacity for reducing friction. The aim of this work is evaluate the lubricity of eight fossil and renewable fuels used in Diesel engines, by means of a HFRR tester, following the ASTM D 6079-04 Standard. In this conception, a sphere of AISI 52100 steel (diameter of 6,000,05 mm, Ra 0,050,005 μm, E = 210 GPa, HRC 624, HV0,2 63147) is submitted to a reciprocating motion under a normal load of 2 N and 50 Hz frequency to promote a wear track length of 1.10.1mm in a plan disc of AISI 52100 steel (HV0,05 18410, Ra 0,020,005 μm). The testing extent time was 75 minutes, 225,000 cycles. Each one test was repeated six times to furnish the results, by means of intrinsic signatures from the signals of the lubricant film percentage, friction coefficient, contact heating, Sound Pressure Level, SPL [dB]. These signal signatures were obtained by two thermocouples and a portable decibelmeter coupled to a data acquisition system and to the HFRR system. The wettability of droplet of the diesel fuel in thermal equilibrium on a horizontal surface of a virgin plan disc of 52100 steel, Ra 0,02  0,005 μm, were measured by its contact angle of 7,0  3,5o, while the results obtained for the biodiesel B5, B20 and B100 blends originated by the ethylic transesterification of soybean oil were, respectively, 7,5  3,5o, 13,5  3,5o e 19,0  1,0o; for the distilled water, 78,0  6,0o; the biodiesel B5, B20 and B100 blends originated by the ethylic transesterification of sunflower oil were, respectively, 7,0  4,0o, 8,5  4,5o e 19,5  2,5o. Different thickness of lubricant film were formed and measured by their percentage by means of the contact resistance technique, suggesting several regimes, since the boundary until the hydrodynamic lubrication. All oils analyzed in this study promoted the ball wear scars with diameters smaller than 400 μm. The lowest values were observed in the scar balls lubricated by mixtures B100, B20 and B5 of sunflower and B20 and B5 of soybean oils (WSD < 215 μm)

Degradação fotoquímica de hidrocarbonetos da gasolina em efluentes aquosos

Photo-oxidation processes of toxic organic compounds have been widely studied. This work seeks the application of the photo-Fenton process for the degradation of hydrocarbons in water. The gasoline found in the refinery, without additives and alcohol, was used as the model pollutant. The effects of the concentration of the following substances have been properly evaluated: hydrogen peroxide (100-200 mM), iron ions (0.5-1 mM) and sodium chloride (200 2000 ppm). The experiments were accomplished in reactor with UV lamp and in a falling film solar reactor. The photo-oxidation process was monitored by measurements of the absorption spectra, total organic carbon (TOC) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Experimental results demonstrated that the photo-Fenton process is feasible for the treatment of wastewaters containing aliphatic hydrocarbons, inclusive in the presence of salts. These conditions are similar to the water produced by the petroleum fields, generated in the extraction and production of petroleum. A neural network model of process correlated well the observed data for the photooxidation process of hydrocarbons