Morphotropic phase boundary and electrical properties of 1-x[Bi 0.5Na0.5]TiO3 -xBa[Zr0.25Ti 0.75]O3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics

Lead-free solid solutions (1-x)Bi0.5Na0.5TiO 3 (BNT)-xBaZr0.25Ti0.75O3 (BZT) (x=0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, and 0.07) were prepared by the solid state reaction method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld refinement analyses of 1-x(BNT)-x(BZT) solid solution ceramic were employed to study the structure of these systems. A morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) between rhombohedral and cubic structures occured at the composition x=0.05. Raman spectroscopy exhibited a splitting of the (TO3) mode at x=0.05 and confirmed the presence of MPB region. Scanning electron microcopy (SEM) images showed a change in the grain shape with the increase of BZT into the BNT matrix lattice. The temperature dependent dielectric study showed a gradual increase in dielectric constant up to x=0.05 and then decrease with further increase in BZT content. Maximum coercive field, remanent polarization and high piezoelectric constant were observed at x=0.05. Both the structural and electrical properties show that the solid solution has an MPB around x=0.05. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l.

On the electrochemical behavior of Cu-16%Zn-6.5%Al alloy containing the β'-phase (martensite) in borate buffer

In this work, the electrochemical behavior of Cu-16(wt.%)Zn-6.5(wt.%)Al alloy containing the β'-phase (martensite) was studied in borate buffer solution (pH 8.4) by means of open-circuit potential (EOC), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The alloy EOC was -0.29 V vs. Hg/HgO/OH-, similar to that of pure copper in this medium, indicating that the processes which occur on the alloy surface are mainly governed by copper. EIS response was related to the dielectric and transmission properties of the complex oxide layer. The CVs showed peaks concerning the redox reactions for copper and zinc. These peaks were assigned to the formation and reduction of copper and zinc species. Furthermore, they showed that the copper oxidation was suppressed by the presence of zinc and aluminum in the alloy composition. The copper and zinc oxidation to form complex oxide layers and the reduction of the different metallic oxides generated in the anodic potential scan suggest that a solid state reaction could determine the metallic oxide formation. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of yttrium doping in barium zirconium titanate ceramics: A structural, impedance, modulus spectroscopy study

In the current article, we studied the effect of yttrium [Y3+] ions' substitution on the structure and electric behavior of barium zirconate titanate (BZT) ceramics with a general formula [Ba1-x Y 2x/3](Zr0.25Ti0.75)O3 (BYZT) with [x = 0, 0.025, 0.05] which were prepared by the solid-state reaction method. X-ray diffraction patterns indicate that these ceramics have a single phase with a perovskite-type cubic structure. Rietveld refinement data confirmed [BaO 12], [ZrO6], [TiO6], [YO6] clusters in the cubic lattice. The Y3+ ions' effects on the electric conductivity behavior of BZT ceramics as a function of temperature and frequency are described, which are based on impedance spectroscopy analyses. The complex impedance plots display a double semicircle which highlights the influences of grain and grain boundary on the ceramics. Impedance analyses showed that the resistance decreased with the increasing temperature and resulted in a negative temperature coefficient of the resistance property in all compositions. Modulus plots represent a non-Debye-type dielectric relaxation which is related to the grain and grain boundary as well as temperature-dependent electric relaxation phenomenon and an enhancement in the mobility barrier by Y3+ ions. Moreover, the electric conductivity increases with the replacement of Ba 2+ by Y3+ ions may be due to the rise in oxygen vacancies. © 2013 The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and ASM International.

Local order of Pb1-xLaxZr0.40Ti 0.60O3 ferroelectric ceramic materials probed by X-ray absorption and Raman spectroscopies

This paper reports on the structural characterization of Pb 1-xLaxZr0.40Ti0.60O3 (PLZT) ferroelectric ceramic compositions prepared by the conventional solid state reaction method. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and Raman spectroscopy were used to probe the local structure of PLZT samples that exhibits a normal and relaxor ferroelectric behavior. From the Zr K-edge and Pb LIII-edge EXAFS spectra, a considerable dissymmetry of Zr and Pb sites was observed in all samples, including those showing a long-range order cubic symmetry and a relaxor behavior. The Raman spectroscopy results confirmed the existence of a local disorder in all PLZT samples through the observation of Raman active vibrational modes. The variation in the intensity of the E(TO 3) mode in the PLZT relaxor samples indicates that the process of correlation between nanodomains stabilizes at temperatures lower than T m. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estudo das reações no estado sólido entre a liga de composição 'PT'-'RH'85:15%(m/m) e 'HG'

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Espectroscopia mecânica em ruteno-cupratos: mobilidade de vacâncias de oxigênio intersticial

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estudo das reações em estado sólido dos sistemas 'PT' - 6% e 'PT' - 10% 'IR' na ausência e presença de 'HG'

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estudo do comportamento térmico e eletroquímico do sistema 'PT 'RH' 15%- 'HG/CU'

Pós-graduação em Química - IQ

Martensite decomposition in Cu-Al-Mn-Ag alloys

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Oxygen Interstitial Dynamics in Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta) Oxides Measured by Mechanical Spectroscopy

Many researchers became interested in the discovery of Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta) oxides with critical temperature of around 80 K. It is known that the critical temperature is related to the CuO2 planes of the material. For this reason, the study of the interstitial oxygen in these oxides is of great relevance. The samples were prepared by means of conventional solid state reactions, through the stoichiometric mixture of precursory powders. After the sinterization, the samples were submitted to measurements of density, electrical resistivity, x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersion spectroscopy, with the objective of performing their characterization. The measurements of mechanical spectroscopy were performed by a torsion pendulum. The results show three relaxation processes in the temperature range of 200 and 700 K, with activation energy of approximately 0.9 eV, which has been attributed to the dynamics of the interstitial oxygen present in the material.

Synthesis and reactivity in salt metathesis reactions of trivalent [La(Tp(Me2))(2)X] (X = Cl, I) complexes: crystal structures of [La(Tp(Me2))(2)Cl] and [La(Tp(Me2))(2)(kappa(2)-pz(Me2))]

Reaction of LaX3(THF)(n) (X = Cl, 1) with two equiv. of K(Tp(Me2)) gave good yields of the bis-Tp complexes [La(Tp(Me2))(2)X] (X = Cl (1); I (3)). However, the formation of 1 and 3 is always accompanied by significant amounts of La(Tp(Me2))(2)(kappa(2)-pz(Me2)) ([pz(Me2)](-) = 3,5-dimethyl-pyrazolato) (2). The pyrazolato complex 2, which presumably arises from decomposition of the [Tp(Me2)](-) moiety during salt metathesis, was independently prepared in good yield from 1 and in situ generated [pz(Me2)](-). The solid-state structures of 1 and 2 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Subsequent reactions of halogeno-Tp(Me2) complexes 1 and 3 with various alkali metal salts MR (M = Li, R = CH2SiMe3, Ph, N(SiMe3)(2); M = K, R = OAr) gave M(Tp(Me2)) as the major product. Alternatively, the mono-Tp bis(aryloxide) derivatives [Ln(Tp(Me2))(OC6H2-2,6-'Bu-4-Me)(2)] (Ln = La (4); Nd (5)) were obtained in high yields by salt metathesis of [Ln(OC6H2-2,6-'Bu-4-Me)(3)] with one equiv. of K(Tp(Me2)). (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study of the carbon dioxide chemical fixation-activation by guanidines

Fixation of CO2 is one of the most important priorities of the scientific community dedicated to reduce global warming. In this work, we propose new methods for the fixation of CO2 using the guanidine bases tetramethylguanidine (TMG) and 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-2H-pyrimido[1,2-a]-pyrimidine (TBD). In order to understand the reactions occurring during the CO2 fixation and release processes, we employed several experimental methods, including solution and solid-state NMR, FTIR, and coupled TGA-FTIR. Quantum mechanical NMR calculations were also carried out. Based on the results obtained, we concluded that CO2 fixation with both TMG and TBD guanidines is a kinetically reversible process, and the corresponding fixation products have proved to be useful as transcarboxylating compounds. Afterward, CO2 thermal releasing from this fixation product with TBD was found to be an interesting process for CO2 capture and isolation purposes. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Towards coherent optical control of a single hole spin: Rabi rotation of a trion conditional on the spin state of the hole

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Synthesis, characterization and thermal studies on solid 3-methoxybenzoate of some bivalent transition metal ions

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Synthesis, characterization and thermal behaviour on solid pyruvates of light trivalent lanthanides

Foram sintetizados compostos Ln-L no estado sólido, onde Ln significa os lantanídeos leves trivalentes e L é o piruvato. Estes compostos foram caracterizados e estudados utilizando-se a Termogravimetria e Termogravimetria derivada (TG/DTG), calorimetria exploratória diferencial (DSC) difratometria de raios X pelo método do pó, espectroscopia na região do infravermelho, análise elementar e complexometria. Os resultados permitiram obter informações com respeito a composição, desidratação, sitio de coordenação, comportamento térmico e a decomposição térmica destes compotos.