Synthesis and Characterization of Ordered Intermetallic Nanostructured PtSn/C and PtSb/C and Evaluation as Electrodes for Alcohol Oxidation

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Hydrogen oxidation on ordered intermetallic electrodes covered with CO

This describes an experimental evaluation of the electrocatalytic activity of the hydrogen oxidation reaction on electrodes of platinum and the ordered intermetallic phases PtSb and PtSn, on which CO has previously been deposited. The experiments were carried out in perchloric acid solution and the analysis based on steady-state polarization curves and Tafel plots derived from chronoamperometric data. Both intermetallics, PtSb and PtSn, performed better than Pt towards the HOR, when their surface was deliberately covered with CO. It is suggested that the intermetallic surfaces have a lower affinity for CO molecules, causing a lower CO coverage on these surfaces, and/or a weaker surface-CO interaction, compared to Pt under the same conditions. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of bismuth layered thin films grown on (100) Pt electrodes

The effect of film orientation on piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties of bismuth layered compounds deposited on platinum coated silicon substrates was investigated. Piezo-force microscopy was used to probe the local piezoelectric properties of Bi(4)Ti(3)O(12), CaBi(4)Ti(4)O(15) and SrBi(4)Ti(4)O(15) films. Our measurements on individual grains clearly reveal that the local piezoelectric properties are determined by the polarization state of the grain. A piezoelectric coefficient of 65 pm/V was attained after poling in a grain with a polar axis very close to the normal direction. The piezoelectric coefficient and the remanent polarization were larger for a-b axes oriented than for c-axis-oriented films. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

Leakage current behavior of Bi3.25La0.75Ti3O12 ferroelectric thin films deposited on different bottom electrodes

Bi3.25La0.75Ti3O12 (BLT) thin films were grown on LaNiO3 (LNO), RuO2 (RuO2) and La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 (LSCO) bottom electrodes by using the polymeric precursor method and microwave furnace. The bottom electrode is found to be an important parameter which affects the crystallization, morphology and leakage current behaviors. The XRD results clearly show that film deposited on LSCO electrode favours the growth of (117) oriented grains whereas in films deposited on LNO and RuO2 the growth of (001) oriented grains dominated. The film deposited on LSCO has a plate-like grain structure, and its leakage current behavior is in agreement with the prediction of the space-charge-limited conduction model. on the other hand, the films deposited on RuO2 and LNO electrodes present a rounded grain shape with some porosity, and its high field conduction is well explained by the Schottky and Poole-Frenkel emission models. The remanent polarization (P-r) and the drive voltage (V-c) were in the range of 11-23 mu C cm(-2) and 0.86-1.56 V, respectively, and are better than the values found in the literature. (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Setting the preheating and steady-state operation of electronic ballasts, considering electrodes of hot-cathode fluorescent lamps

This paper presents a new methodology for the adjustment of the preheating process and steady-state operation of electronic ballasts intended for hot-cathode fluorescent lamps. The classical series-resonant parallel-loaded half-bridge inverter is the power stage analyzed in this paper. In addition, the preheating process is based on the imposition of a constant rms current through the electrodes, in order to provide a proper value of the R-h/R-c ratio before the lamp start. According to the proposed methodology, it is possible to set suitable operating points for, the electronic ballast, considering optimal conditions for the lamps electrodes. Therefore, the proposed methodology for setting the preheating and steady-state operation is a complete platform to the design of electronic ballasts for hot-cathode fluorescent lamps.

Conciliação entre modelos de mecanismos avançados de oxidação eletroquímica

Many pollutants dumped in waterways, such as dyes and pesticides, have become so ubiquitous that they represent a serious threat to human health. The electrochemical oxidation is presented as an alternative clean, efficient and economic degradation of wastewater containing organic compounds and a number of advantages of this technique is to just not make use of chemical reagents, since only electrical energy is consumed during the removal of pollutants organic. However, despite being a promising alternative, still needs some tweaking in order to obtain better efficiency in the elimination of persistent pollutants. Thus, this study sought a relationship between a recently discovered phenomenon that reflects the participation of dissolved oxygen in solution in the electrochemical oxidation process, as an anomaly, present a kinetic model that shows instantaneous current efficiency (ICE) above 100% limited by theory, manifested for some experiments with phenolic compounds with H2SO4 or HClO4 as supporting electrolyte with electrodes under anodic oxidation on boron doped diamond (BDD). Therefore it was necessary to reproduce the data ICE exposes the fault model, and thus the 2-naphthol was used as phenolic compound to be oxidised at concentrations of 9, 12 and 15 mmol L-1, and H2SO4 and HClO4 to 1 mol L-1 as a supporting electrolyte under a current density of 30 mA cm-2 in an electrochemical reactor for continuous flow disk configuration, and equipped with anodes DDB at room temperature (25 oC). Experiments were performed using N2 like as purge gas for eliminate oxygen dissolved in solution so that its influence in the system was studied. After exposure of the anomaly of the ICE model and investigation of its relationship with dissolved O2, the data could be treated, making it possible for confirmation. But not only that, the data obtained from eletranálise and spectroscopic analysis suggest the involvement of other strongly oxidizing species (O3 (ozone) and O radicals and O2 -), since the dissolved O2 can be consumed during the formation of new strong oxidizing species, not considered until now, something that needs to be investigated by more accurate methods that we may know a little more of this system. Currently the performance of the electrocatalytic process is established by a complex interaction between different parameters that can be optimized, so it is necessary to the implementation of theoretical models, which are the conceptual lens with which researchers see

Micromorphologic assessment of CVD (chemical vapor deposition) and conventional diamond tips and their cutting effectiveness

The aim of this study was to compare the micromorphology of CVD diamond tips coupled to ultrasound with conventional high speed diamond tips after cavity preparations, and to measure the width and depth of the cavities obtained. Two hundred bovine teeth were divided into 20 subgroups. Each of the diamond tips (10 CVD and 10 conventional) were used to prepare 10 standardized cavities, using an apparatus that controlled the time (t: 27 s), speed (5.3 mm/s) and load (0.012 KGF) of the tip against the teeth during preparation. The unused and the used (after one, five and 10 preparations) tips were analyzed by scanning electronic microscopy. The images were randomly assessed by 3 examiners with regard to the presence or absence of micromorphologic alterations. Cavity measurements were made after visualization under a stereoscopic microscope. Cavity widths and depths were analyzed by the ANOVA Factorial test (p < 0.05). The CVD diamond tips presented less wear than the conventional tips after all the cavity preparations performed, but produced shallower cavities that were equivalent in width to those made by conventional tips after the fifth preparation. CVD diamond tips may be suggested as an alternative to conventional diamond tips due to their conservative preparation and greater longevity.

Evaluation of the Smear Layer and Hybrid Layer in Noncarious and Carious Dentin Prepared by Air Abrasion System and Diamond Tips

Purpose: To analyze the smear layer and the hybrid layer in noncarious and carious dentin prepared by different cutting instruments and restored with composite resin. Study design: Cavities were randomly prepared in 160 specimens (noncarious and artificial carious dentin) by high-speed diamond tips (KG Sorensen 1013), air abrasion system (Prepstart, Danville Engineering), ultrasonic tip (CVDentus 8.3231-1), and ultrasonic tip associated with ultrasonic cavitation by water for 10 s. Half of the cavities in each group were conditioned with 37% phosphoric acid for 15 s. The amount of smear layer and dentinal tubules present were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and graded from 0 to 3. Cavities were prepared in another 20 noncarious specimens and 20 carious specimens and restored with adhesive composite resin system. The restorations were hemisected longitudinally and analyzed using scanning electron microscopy to evaluate the hybrid layer and resinous prolongation characteristics, using scores ranging from 1 to 6. Results: The data were statistically analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests at 5% of significance level. There was evidence that the most efficient smear layer removal was the acid etching in the noncarious dentin and the water ultrasonic cavitation in the carious dentin. The hybrid layer formed on the noncarious and carious dentin prepared by the ultrasonic tip was more regular than in the specimens prepared by high-speed diamond tip, with many resinous prolongations. Conclusion: The ultrasonic tip seems to be a promising tool for carious dentin cavity preparation. Microsc. Res. Tech. 73:597-605, 2010. (C) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Electroanalytical determination of carbendazim and fenamiphos in natural waters using a diamond electrode

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

Treatment of simulated wastewater containing n-phenyl-n-isopropyl-p-phenylenediamine using electrolysis system with Ti/TiRuO2 electrodes

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

Photocatalytic Degradation of Phenol by Thermal Titanium Dioxide Thin Layer Electrodes

Electrochemical processes in industrial effluents have been studied as a means to obtain higher efficiency in wastewater treatment. Heterogeneous photocatalysis appears as a low-cost alternative through the use of lower wattage lamps and thermal TiO2 films. Photocatalysis became a clean process for water treatment due to hydroxyl radicals generated on semiconductor surface. Such radicals are able to degrade several organic compounds. This study used different electrodes and analytical methods for degradation of phenol molecules to reduce treatment costs, improve efficiency, and identify compounds formed during the decomposition of phenolic molecules. Thermal growth of TiO2 film was observed on the titanium electrode in rutile form. Application of an electrical potential on the Ti/TiO2 working electrode increases efficiency in reducing concentration of phenol after photocatalytic treatment. Still, high energy radiation (UVC) showed best degradation rates in photolytic process. Different compounds formed during the degradation of phenol were also identified in the UVC-PE treatment.

Microshear Bond Strength of Self-etching Bonding Systems to Ultrasound Diamond Bur-prepared Dentin

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of dentin abrasion on the microshear bond strength of two self-etching adhesive systems, using either an ultrasound diamond bur or a high-speed diamond bur.Materials and Methods: Twenty noncarious human third molars were sectioned mesiodistally into halves. The enamel was ground to expose a flat dentin surface on both sections. The dentinal surfaces were randomly assigned to two groups, depending on the method of smear layer preparation: ultrasound diamond bur (UB) or conventional diamond bur (CB). The prepared dentin surfaces received one of two self-etching systems: Clearfil SE Bond (CF) and One-Up Bond F (OB). A composite cylinder with a 0.95-mm diameter was bonded to each specimen and the microshear bond test was performed. The results were expressed in MPa and were subjected to two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's test (alpha = 0.05).Results: There was no significant difference in dentin bond strength when comparing the conventional and ultrasonic abrasion methods. When the adhesive systems were compared, Clearfil SE Bond achieved higher bond strength means than did One-Up Bond F.Conclusion: The dentin surface preparation method did not influence the microshear bond strength and the Clearfil SE Bond adhesive system, independent of bur type used, Clearfil SE Bond showed higher bond strengths than did the One-Up Bond F adhesive system.

Optimization of the use of carbon paste electrodes (CPE) for electrochemical study of the chalcopyrite

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