Structural and morphological characteristics of (Pb1-x Sr (x) )TiO3 powders obtained by polymeric precursor method

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Nanoindentation mechanical properties characterization of glassy polymeric carbon treated with ion beam

Phenolic resins when heat treated in inert atmosphere up to 1000 degreesC become glassy polymeric carbon (GPC), a chemically inert and biocompatible material useful for medical applications, such as in the manufacture of heart valves and prosthetic devices. In earlier work we have shown that ion bombardment can modify the surface of GPC, increasing its roughness. The enhanced roughness, which depends on the species, energy and fluence of the ion beam, can improve the biocompatibility of GPC prosthetic artifacts. In this work, ion bombardment was used to make a layer of implanted ions under the surface to avoid the propagation of microcracks in regions where cardiac valves should have pins for fixation of the leaflets. GPC samples prepared at 700 and 1500 degreesC were bombarded with ions of silicon. carbon, oxygen and gold at energies of 5, 6, 8 and 10 MeV, respectively, and fluences between 1.0 x 10(13) and 1.0 x 10(16) ions/cm(2). Nanoindentation hardness characterization was used to compare bombarded with non-bombarded samples prepared at temperatures up to 2500 degreesC. The results with samples not bombarded showed that the hardness of GPC increases strongly with the heat treatment temperature. Comparison with ion bombarded samples shows that the hardness changes according to the ion used, the energy and fluence. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Growth of SrBi4Ti4O15 thin films in a microwave oven by the polymeric precursor method

SrBi4Ti4O15 (SBTi) thin films were obtained by the polymeric precursor method and crystallized in a domestic microwave oven. For comparison, films were also crystallized in a conventional furnace at 700 degrees C for 2 h. Structural and morphological characterization of the SBTi thin films was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. Using platinum coated silicon substrates configuration, ferroelectric properties of the films were determined with remanent\polarization P-r and a coercive field E-c of 5.1 mu C/cm(2) and 135 kV/cm for the film thermally treated in the microwave oven and 5.4 mu C/cm(2) and 85 kV/cm for the film thermally treated in conventional furnace, respectively. The films thermally treated in the conventional furnace exhibited excellent fatigue-free characteristics up to 10(10) switching cycles indicating that SBTi thin films can be a promise material for use in non-volatile memories. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of oxidizing atmosphere on the electrical properties of SrBi4Ti4O15 thin films obtained by the polymeric precursor method

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

Effects of carbon nanotube fillers dispersion on mechanical behavior of phenolic/carbon nanotube nanocomposite

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

UV exposure of polymeric geomembranes

The break of polymer chemical bonds may occur due to penetration of sun short wavelengths. In sanitary landfills for instance, ultraviolet radiation affects uncovered materials and can be dangerous during the installation of the liner and before the placement of the waste. Only the ultraviolet part of the light is harmful to the geosynthetic materials, moreover, each material is sensitive to a particular wavelength. This article evaluates the effects of UV degradation and condensation in black HDPE (1.0 and 1.5 mm) and white HDPE (textured - 1.0 mm) geomembrane that were tested in laboratory during 6 months. The tests were performed using a weatherometer assembled at EESC-USP in accordance to ASTM G154. The results have shown variations in punction and tear resistance after each period of exposure.

Thermolysis of octa (hydridodimethylsiloxyl) octasilsesquioxane in pyridine media and subsequent toluidine blue O adsorption

This work describes the synthesis of octa (hydridodimethylsiloxyl) octasilsesquioxane, (Q(8)M(8)(H)) and its thermolysis in pyridine media. The new compound called CPy was characterized by FTIR, NMR-MAS, XRD, MEV spectroscopies and TGA analyses. These results indicate that silsesquioxanes cages (octanion) are maintained after thermal treatment. A cleavage of vertex siloxy groups yielding a nanocomposite with polymeric nature is proposed. Its structure and morphology allows the adsorption/inclusion of electrochemical mediator, toluidine blue O. The square wave voltammetry analysis of resulting composite (CPyTBO) exhibits two redox couple with a formal potential (E-0') 0.1 V and 0.26 V to I and II redox couples respectively, (Britton-Robinson (BR) buffer pH 3, v = 10 Hz versus SCE) ascribed to a monomer and dimmer of the toluidine blue species. This paper opens the use of spherosiloxane derived materials a's host for small molecules in the electrochemical field. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DC Electric Field Dependence of the Dielectric Constant of Pzt Thin Films Prepared by Polymeric Precursor Method

This work reports dielectric measurements performed on Pb(Zr0.53Ti0.47)O3 (PZT) thin films prepared by a polymeric precursor method. The -E curves obtained for the PZT film measured at 100 kHz, under a small ac 0.2 kV/cm signal-test and a dc scan featured a typical butterfly curve. However, the -E curves obtained for PZT film under a dc scan, with a scan rate of 0.003 V/s, shows a pronounced asymmetry. The absence of a symmetric secondary peak in -E curves could be an indication of essentially 180 domain switching.

Bacterial cellulose-collagen nanocomposite for bone tissue engineering

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

Influence of different light sources and photo-activation methods on degree of conversion and polymerization shrinkage of a nanocomposite resin

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Characterization of silica-carbon mesoporous matrix with embedded nickel nanoparticles synthesized by the polymeric precursor method

Nickel nanoparticles into silica-carbon matrix composites were prepared by using the polymeric precursor method. The effects of the polyester type and the time of pyrolysis on the mesoporosity and nickel particle dispersion into non-aqueous amorphous silica-carbon matrix were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis, adsorption/desorption isotherms and TEM. A well-dispersed metallic phase could be only obtained by using ethylene glycol. Weightier polyesters affected the pyrolysis process due to a combination of more amounts of carbonaceous residues and delaying of pyrolysis process. The post-pyrolyzed composites were successfully cleaned at 200 degrees C for I h in oxygen atmosphere leading to an increase in the surface area and without the occurrence of carbon combustion or nickel nanoparticles oxidation. The matrix composites presented predominantly mesoporous with pore size well defined in 38 angstrom, mainly when tetraethylene glycol was used as polymerizing agent. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Potassium niobate thin films prepared through polymeric precursor method

Thin films of potassium niobate were deposited on (100) Si substrates by the polymeric precursor method (Pechini method). Annealing in static air was performed at 600degrees C for 20 h. The obtained films were characterized by X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Electrical characterization of the films pointed to ferroelectricity via hysteresis loop. The dielectric constant, dissipation factor and resistance were measured in frequency region from 10 Hz to 10 MHz. At 1 MHz, the dielectric constant was 158 and the dissipation factor was 0.11. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural characterization of phase transition of Al2O3 nanopowders obtained by polymeric precursor method

Nanocrystalline Al(2)O(3)powders have been synthesized by the polymeric precursor method. A study of the evolution of crystalline phases of obtained powders was accomplished through X-ray diffraction, micro-Raman spectroscopy and refinement of the structures through the Rietveld method. The results obtained allow the identification of three steps on the gamma-Al2O3 to alpha-Al2O3 phase transition. The single-phase alpha-Al2O3 Powder was obtained after heat-treatment at 1050 degrees C for 2 h. A study of the morphology of the particles was accomplished through measures of crystallite size, specific surface area and transmission electronic microscopy. The particle size is closely related to gamma-Al2O3 to alpha-Al2O3 phase transition. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of magnesium on structure and properties of LiNbO3 prepared from polymeric precursors

The effect of magnesium addition on the phase formation and electric properties of LiNbO3 powder prepared from polymeric precursor was analyzed. It was shown that the unit-cell volume of the rhombohedral phase decreased with increasing magnesium concentration. Small amounts of secondary phases were observed in LiNbO3 powder doped with 5 and 10 mol% Mg+2. These results indicated that the Mg+2 ion was substituted for niobium ion in the rhombohedral phase. The addition of Mg+2 promotes densification of LiNbO3 ceramics. It was noticed that the increase in additive concentration leads to a decrease of electric properties, K-p and d(33). This is due to formation of LiNb3O8 and MgNb2O6 phases at the grain boundaries. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. Ltd and Techna S.r.l. All rights reserved.

LiNbO3 thin films prepared through polymeric precursor method

Thin films of lithium niobate were deposited on (100) silicon by the polymeric precursor method (Pechini method). Annealing in static air was performed at 500degreesC for 3 h. The films obtained were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Electrical characterization of the films pointed to ferroelectricity via hysteresis loop. The dielectric constant, dissipation factor and resistance were measured in the frequency region from 10 Hz to 10 MHz. At 1 MHz, the dielectric constant was 46 and the dissipation factor was 0.043. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.