Mulheres em ciência e tecnologia: ascensão limitada

In contemporary times, women can choose freely to enter any professional field. Along the way they come across stumbling blocks that make their progress difficult. Most of these difficulties are not gender-specific, yet women encounter them more consistently than do men. It is remarkably true for the areas of Science and Technology. However, it is not straightforward to evaluate and to obtain an accurate measure of the effects of gender bias. The factors and consequences associated with the phenomena are multiple, with many shades of regionalism as we look at different countries. Despite of the absence of detailed studies regarding the situation in Brazil, it seems unlikely we would be an exception to a world pattern. In this article, some causes as well as current actions around the world to fight gender bias are presented.

Tecnologia dos nanotubos de carbono: tendências e perspectivas de uma área multidisciplinar

An overview of the properties of carbon nanotubes is presented as a function of the structural characteristics and of the method of synthesis of these novel advanced materials. Emphasis is given to the catalytic decomposition of hydrocarbons over metal-supported catalysts and also the role of the support in obtaining homogeneous carbon nanotubes in high yelds is discussed. Some potential and real applications of carbon nanotubes are presented in a perspective view.

A tecnologia da reciclagem de polímeros

Solid municipal waste contains a large volume of polymers and its final disposal is a serious environmental problem. Consequently, the recycling of the principal polymers present in the solid waste is an alternative. In this review we describe the mechanical and chemical recycling of polymers and the energy recovery from plastic wastes. Polymer recycling involves not only the development of processing technologies, but also the solution of many chemical and analytical problems. The technological, economical and social aspects of polymer recycling are also considered.

Separação de CO2 por meio da tecnologia PSA

This paper describes the separation of CO2 from a gas mixture containing 25% CO2, 4% O2 and 71% N2 using the pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technique. The adsorbent selected was the zeolite 13X due to its great adsorption capacity for CO2 and selectivity towards the other components of the gas mixture. The experimental technique was designed to identify the most important variables for the process and to optimize it. It is shown that the PSA technique can be used to separate CO2 from O2 and N2 to obtain an effluent containing 2% CO2 with 99% separation efficiency.

Aplicação da tecnologia de eletrofloculação na recuperação do corante índigo blue a partir de efluentes industriais

The indigo blue dye is widely used in the textile industry. When discarded, besides polluting the environment, it affects the appearance and transparency of aquatic bodies, causing damage to flora and fauna. The removal of this dye from industrial effluents is difficult due to its resistance towards degradation. This work proposes the recovery of indigo blue by electroflocculation, as a subsidy for the treatment of effluents from the jeans industry.

O Quadrante de Ruetsap e a anti-ciência, tecnologia e inovação

The concept of research and the controversy among classical models for C, T & I, outdated by the development of knowledge and Post-modern society needs were revisited through the (3) Quadrants advanced by Donald Stokes in the mid-nineties. The scientific community to fit into these Quadrants was faced with many difficulties and reacted by issuing pseudo-facts, accepted by under-prepared technocrats as viable justifications for conducting research in face of these new paradigms. In a poor country full of contrast and needs such as Brazil, this attitude satisfies the bureaucracy and academic elite, but frustrates government and society, that do not get, in the expected measure, the benefits of their commitment with the Teaching, Research and Extension Sectors mainly embedded in the Public University system. An extension, in fact a contradictory approach, to Pasteur's Quadrant, is proposed to characterize this situation: The Syndrome of Ruetsap's Quadrant.

A importância do observatório de atividades industriais vis-à-vis tendências em ciência, tecnologia e inovação

Given that innovation is fundamental for competitiveness, and that it is intrinsically linked to knowledge, it has become essential to foster effective interaction between the Brazilian productive sector and universities and R&D centers. This interface should be created by means of the model used in developed countries: Observatory of Industrial Activities and Trends in Science, Technology and Innovation. The present work describes its main functions, using examples of activities undertaken by the Chemical Industry Information System of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro related to production systems of primary and high-tech industries, examining the diffusion of knowledge to decision-makers.

Filmes de nanodiamantes para aplicações em sistemas eletroquímicos e tecnologia aeroespacial

The goal of this work is to show the use of undoped nanodiamond films as a new material for electrochemical and aerospace applications. Correlation between the applications and physico-chemical features of nano and conventional CVD polycrystalline diamond films are presented. An important and innovative application of these nanodiamonds is organic electrosynthesis, including pharmaceutical and water disinfection products, as well as electroanalytical applications, for example, development of biosensors for detection of glucose, glutamate and dopamine. In aeronautics and space developments, these nanodiamonds could be used as electrodes in rechargable batteries and in tribological investigations.

Direcionamentos da tecnologia industrial de células a combustível de óxidos sólidos

This manuscript shows an overview of the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology based on industrial developments. The information presented has been collected mostly at conferences that the authors attended. It is observed that several companies have been pursuing the development of the SOFC technology. Significant advances in stability and power density have raised the economic interest in this technology recently. It is revealed that the SOFC materials are essentially the same ones that have been used in the past decades, and that the two most important designs of pre-commercial SOFC prototypes are the tubular and planar ones.

Feromônios de insetos: tecnologia e desafios para uma agricultura competitiva no Brasil

Pheromones are chemical compounds used by species to communicate intra and inter specifically. As strategy of integrated pest management (IPM), the use of these compounds allows the monitoring of target insects that results in more reliable interventions and consequently avoiding unnecessary use of pesticides. In certain crops these compounds are used as a control measure, not only monitoring. The Brazilian agriculture has a portfolio of 49 major crops that are attacked by 447 species of insects. Of this total, 103 species have already been the subject of study in the research with pheromones. Currently, in the Brazilian market, 28 pheromone products are indicated for the control of 19 insect pests. However, these products are not used regularly in major crops of the country. This stems from the lack of implementation of IPM of these crops. While the research focused on the main species of agribusiness pests, marked of pheromones products is serving to more marginal crops like apples and peaches at the expense of major crops like soybean and corn.

Tecnologia de nanocristais em fármacos

The use of poorly water soluble molecules in pharmaceutical area has grown. Since these molecules exhibit low oral bioavailability, they are not used in intravenous administrations. Therefore, it is necessary to develop their new formulations with the aim to increase their oral bioavailabilities as to enable intravenous applications. One of the few possibilities in achieving this is a nanonization process that can produce crystals smaller than 1 μm by high pressure homogenization and without use of organic solvents. This mini-review describes technical aspects of the nanocrystal production, morphological aspects (polymorphisms), the market relevance of the nanocrystals products that are already in clinical phase or at the market, as well as, perspectives for the near future.

Atual estágio de desenvolvimento da tecnologia GTL e perspectivas para o Brasil

Although the production of liquid fuels from coal, natural gas (CTL and GTL processes) and other carbon sources has been discovered 90 years ago, the interest was renewed in the last years motivated by stranded gas reserves and by petroleum market instability. This review intends to show the scenario of these technologies nowadays, discussing the applied technologies, the steps in an industrial plant, the ways to produce syngas and liquid fuels, the catalysts used, the type of reactors and the operating plants with their respective capacities, besides the technical, economical and environmental viability, challenges and perspectives for Brazil.

Processo de transferência de tecnologia da universidade para a indústria: estudo de caso envolvendo a conversão de glicerol

Currently, public policy has encouraged innovation in universities and also transference of technology to the industry. Another important stage to be considered would be the registration or filing of a patent and the economical viability study. Government programs, such as the innovation incentive program, among others, should facilitate popularization and promote interest by industry. In this work we described the steps, from the conception of the idea to the scale up going through its interest by the industry. The case study is about the glycerol conversion utilizing modified niobia as catalysts.

Desenvolvimento de tecnologia para confecção de eletrodos e conjuntos eletrodo-membrana-eletrodo (MEA) por impressão à tela para aplicação em módulos de potência de células PEMFC

Significant functions in the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) rely on Gas Diffusion Layers (GDLs), such as control the water balance in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA), allow suitable gas permeability and porosity, etc. Aware of the GDL importance in the cell performance and its great demand in scale-up projects, the fuel cell research group at Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN) has developed a Sieve Printing method (innovative in Brazil) as a strategic solution for producing GDL and electrodes used in high power PEMFC stacks. The method has shown to be adequate to fabricate low cost electrodes, GDLs of different dimensions and to produce any amount of MEAs for power stacks.