Open photoacoustic cell for thermal diffusivity measurements of a fast hardening cement used in dental restoring

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Effects of fetuin on zona pellucida hardening, fertilization and embryo development in cattle

Mammalian oocytes can undergo spontaneous meiotic maturation when they are liberated from their follicles and cultured in vitro; however, the zona pellucida (ZP) becomes resistant to chymotrypsin digestion, or hardens, when spontaneous maturation occurs in serum-free medium. Schroeder et al. [Biol. Reprod. 43 (1990) 891] described that fetuin, a component of fetal calf serum (FCS), inhibits ZP hardening during oocyte maturation. The aim of this experiment was to study the effect of the presence of cumulus cells and addition of hormones to maturation media on bovine zona hardening and embryo development in medium with and without fetuin. In Experiment 1, different concentrations of fetuin were added to the maturation medium. The time necessary for digestion of 50% of the ZP (d50) was not different when oocytes were matured in presence of 10% FCS, 1 mg/ml polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), or 4, 1 and 0.25 mg/ml of fetuin; cleavage rates were also similar. However, significantly more blastocysts (P < 0.05) were formed when FCS was used compared to PVA and 0.25 mg/ml of fetuin. In Experiment 11, we examined the influence of the presence of cumulus cells and hormones during the maturation of oocytes in media with PVA, BSA, FCS and fetuin. The d50 was significantly higher (P < 0.05) when oocytes were matured in presence of cumulus cells. The cleavage rate of cumulus-intact oocytes was similar for all groups. However, when oocytes were partially stripped before maturation, the cleavage rate was significantly higher (P < 0.05) when FCS or fetuin was used. In both stripped and non-stripped groups, significantly more blastocysts (P < 0.05) were formed when oocytes were matured with FCS compared to BSA and PVA. These results indicate that zona hardening, as described for mouse and human oocytes, does not have a large effect on bovine cumulus-intact oocytes. Apparently fetuin can be used as a substitute for FCS during bovine oocyte maturation, since it leads to similar developmental rates as FCS in intact and partially stripped oocytes. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier B.V. B.V.

Hardening of a dual-cure resin cement using QTH and LED curing units

Objective: This study evaluated the surface hardness of a resin cement (RelyX ARC) photoactivated through indirect composite resin (Cristobal) disks of different thicknesses using either a light- emitting diode (LED) or quartz tungsten halogen (QTH) light source. Material and Methods: Eighteen resin cement specimens were prepared and divided into 6 groups according to the type of curing unit and the thickness of resin disks interposed between the cement surface and light source. Three indentations (50 g for 15 s) were performed on the top and bottom surface of each specimen and a mean Vickers hardness number (VHN) was calculated for each specimen. The data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and Tukey-Kramer test was used for post-hoc pairwise comparisons. Results: Increased indirect resin disk thickness resulted in decreased mean VHN values. Mean VHN values for the top surfaces of the resin cement specimens ranged from 23.2 to 46.1 (QTH) and 32.3 to 41.7 (LED). The LED curing light source produced higher hardness values compared to the QTH light source for 2- and 3-mm-thick indirect resin disks. The differences were clinically, but not statistically significant. Increased indirect resin disk thickness also resulted in decreased mean VHN values for the bottom surfaces of the resin cement: 5.8 to 19.1 (QTH) and 7.5 to 32.0 (LED). For the bottom surfaces, a statistically significant interaction was also found between the type of curing light source and the indirect resin disk thickness. Conclusions: Mean surface hardness values of resin cement specimens decreased with the increase of indirect resin disk thickness. The LED curing light source generally produced higher surface hardness values.

Optimization procedures in the design of continuous induction hardening and tempering installations for magnetic steel bars

An inverse problem concerning the industrial process of steel bars hardening and tempering is considered. The associated optimization problem is formulated in terms of membership functions and, for the sake of comparison, also in terms of quadratic residuals; both geometric and electromagnetic design variables have been considered. The numerical solution is achieved by coupling a finite difference procedure for the calculation of the electromagnetic and thermal fields to a deterministic strategy of minimization based on modified Flctcher and Reeves method. © 1998 IEEE.

Distortional buckling of simple lipped channel in bending results of the experimental analysis versus direct strength methods

Cold-formed steel members are subject to failure caused by buckling, normally under loads smaller than those corresponding to partial or total yielding of the cross section. The buckling of members in bending can be classified as local or global, and the occurrence of one or the other type is expected by the members' geometric characteristics and by the constraints and load conditions. One of the local instability modes that can characterize a member's failure is distortional buckling of the cross section occurring on its own plane and involving lateral displacements and rotations. This paper presents and discusses the procedures and results obtained from experimental tests of cold-formed steel members under bending. Forty-eight beams were carried out on members in simple lipped channel, in pairs, with 6-meter spans and loads applied by concentrated forces at every 1/3 of the span. The thickness, width and dimensions, of the stiffeners were chosen so that the instability by distortion buckling of the cross section was the principal failure mode expected. The experimental results are compared with the obtained results by using the direct strength method.

Caracterização mecânica e microestrutural de aços Bake hardening graus 180 e 210 aplicados na indústria automotiva

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estudo do efeito bake hardening nos aços BH 180 e BH 220 galvanizados pelo processo de imersão a quente

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Effects of substituting ytterbium for scandium on the microstructure and age-hardening behaviour of Al-Sc alloy

In order to reduce the cost of Al-Sc alloys and maintain their mechanical properties, the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-0.24 wt% Sc-0.07 wt% Yb in comparison with Al-0.28 wt% Sc alloys were studied. The aging behaviour, precipitate morphologies, precipitate coarsening and precipitation hardening of both alloys were investigated. The average diameter and the size distribution of nanoscale Al3Sc and Al-3(Sc,Yb) precipitates at various aging conditions were measured. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution TEM were used to deeply understand the precipitate evolution. A maximum hardness around 73 (HV30) was obtained with a precipitate diameter from 4.3 to 5.6 nm for both alloys. (c) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estresse hídrico em plantio de Eucalyptus grandis vs. Eucalyptus urophylla, em função do solo, substrato e manejo hídrico de viveiro

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Comportamento plástico do aço inoxidável austenítico em baixa temperatura

Ensaios de tração uniaxiais foram empregados para deformar aços inoxidáveis austeníticos do tipo 304, em diferentes temperaturas abaixo da ambiente (de 77 K a 300 K). A relação entre a estabilidade da austenita e o encruamento, em função da temperatura de teste, é discutida quanto à transformação martensítica induzida por deformação e ao deslizamento de discordâncias na austenita. em curvas tensão-deformação que assumem a equação de Ludwik sigma = sigmao + képsilonn, na qual sigma é a tensão verdadeira e e a elongação plástica verdadeira, um modo conveniente para analisar o encruamento é por meio do diagrama log dsigma / dépsilon versus log épsilon. O aspecto significativo é a variação da taxa de encruamento dsigma / dépsilon com a elongação plástica verdadeira nas diferentes temperaturas. As mudanças no comportamento do encruamento motivando até três estágios de deformação são associadas a diferentes processos microestruturais. A transformação martensítica pode ser considerada como um processo de deformação que compete com o processo usual de deslizamento. A investigação desses estágios, na região plástica, produz uma referência qualitativa de como diferentes fatores, tais como o grau de deformação, temperatura e composição química da austenita, afetam a transformação austenita-martensita.

Orientation dependence of stored energy of cold work in semi-processed electrical steels after temper rolling

Microhardness measurements were carried out in a low carbon lamination steel after 6% of temper rolling, in order to evaluate local variations of work hardening as a function of crystallographic orientation. EBSD (electron back scattered diffraction) was used to determine grain orientations with respect to individual rolling planes and rolling directions. Hardness was shown to increase with the local Taylor factor. TEM observations and a well-known dislocation hardening model were used to confirm the equivalence between hardness values and the stored energy of cold work. A definite correlation between stored energy and Taylor factors could therefore be established, being more consistent than previous data reported in the literature. The improvement was thought to be related to the rather small plastic deformation, during which Taylor factors could be considered to remain constant. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the performance of a dual-mode non-linear vibration energy harvesting device

The research trend for harvesting energy from the ambient vibration sources has moved from using a linear resonant generator to a non-linear generator in order to improve on the performance of a linear generator; for example, the relatively small bandwidth, intolerance to mistune and the suitability of the device for low-frequency applications. This article presents experimental results to illustrate the dynamic behaviour of a dual-mode non-linear energy-harvesting device operating in hardening and bi-stable modes under harmonic excitation. The device is able to change from one mode to another by altering the negative magnetic stiffness by adjusting the separation gap between the magnets and the iron core. Results for the device operating in both modes are presented. They show that there is a larger bandwidth for the device operating in the hardening mode compared to the equivalent linear device. However, the maximum power transfer theory is less applicable for the hardening mode due to occurrence of the maximum power at different frequencies, which depends on the non-linearity and the damping in the system. The results for the bi-stable mode show that the device is insensitive to a range of excitation frequencies depending upon the input level, damping and non-linearity.

Hydrogen embrittlement in an AISI 1045 steel component of the sugarcane industry

This paper will present a failure analysis of a chain component, manufactured with AISI 1045 steel and used for sugarcane transport. During the fabrication process, this component is submitted to induction hardening, just on one surface, before the galvanizing process. The occurrence of surface cracks, during storage, disables the usage of these components. Chemical and metallographic analyses, tensile, fracture toughness, and hardness tests, and fractography were conducted in order to determine the causes of failure. The steel chemical composition was in accordance with AISI 1045. The metallographic analyses and fractography did not exhibit the presence of zinc into the cracks; this is an indication that the cracks occurred after the galvanizing process. Tensile and fracture toughness test results are as expected. The crack surface and the fracture toughness specimen surfaces showed two different fracture micromechanisms: dimples and intergranular. The delayed fracture associated with the predominance of intergranular fracture micromechanism at the induction hardened layer and the high hardness level is a clear indication of the hydrogen embrittlement. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Resposta tecidual a implantes de discos de poliuretana de mamona nas formas pré-moldada ou biomassa moldada

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Uso das técnicas de infravermelho e de ressonância magnética nuclear na caracterização da reação ácido-base de um cimento odontológico experimental

Glass ionomer cements (GICs) are products of the acid-base setting reaction between an finely fluoro-alumino silicate glass powder and poly(acrylic acid) in aqueous solution. The sol gel method is an adequate route of preparation of the glasses used to obtain the GICs. The objective of this paper was to compare two powders: a commercial and an experimental and to investigate the structural changes during hardening of the cements by FTIR and Al MAS NMR. These analyses showed that the experimental glass powder reacted with organic acid to form the GICs and it is a promising material to manufacture dental cements.