Effect of interstitial impurities on internal friction measurements in niobium

Measurements of internal friction as a function of temperature were carried out in samples of mobium containing different amounts of interstitial solutes (oxygen and nitrogen) and one sample of mobium containing initially only nitrogen as interstitial solute. The experimental spectra of internal friction as a function of temperature were obtained with a torsion pendulum of the inverted Ke-type and resolved, using the method of successive subtraction, into a series of constituent Debye peaks corresponding to different interactions. For each relaxation process it was possible to obtain the height (Q(max)(-1)) and temperature (T-p) of the peak, the activation energy (E) and the relaxation time (t(o)). The height, shape and temperature of these peaks depend on the concentration of interstitial elements. The observed peaks were associated with matrix-interstitial (Nb-O, Nb-N) and interstitial-interstitial (O-N) interaction processes. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Shear bond strengths of a ceramic system to alternative metal alloys

Statement of problem. The success of metal-ceramic restorations is influenced by the compatibility between base metal alloys and porcelains. Although porcelain manufacturers recommend their own metal systems as the most compatible for fabricating metal-ceramic prostheses, a number of alloys have been used.Purpose. This study evaluated the shear bond strength between a porcelain system and 4 alternative alloys.Material and methods. Two Ni-Cr alloys: 4 ALL and Wiron 99, and 2 Co-Cr alloys: IPS d.SIGN 20 and Argeloy NP were selected for this study. The porcelain (IPS d.Sign porcelain system) portion of the cylindrical inetal-ceramic specimens was 4 mm thick and 4 mm high; the metal portion was machined to 4 x 4 mm, with a base that was 5 nun thick and 1 mm high. Forty-four specimens were prepared (n=11). Ten specimens from each group were subjected to a shear load oil a universal testing machine using a 1 min/min crosshead speed. One specimen from each group was observed with a scanning electron microscope. Stress at failure (MPa) was determined. The data were analyzed with a 1-way analysis of variance (alpha=.05).Results. The groups, all including IPS d.Sign porcelain, presented the following mean bond strengths (+/-SD) in MPa: 4 ALL, 54.0 +/- 20.0; Wiron, 63.0 +/- 13.5; IPS d.SIGN 20, 71.7 +/- 19.2; Argeloy NP, 55.2 +/- 13.5. No significant differences were found among the shear bond strength values for the metal-ceramic specimens tested.Conclusion. None of the base metal alloys studied demonstrated superior bond strength to the porcelain tested.

Electrochemical studies with copper-based alloys: open-circuit potential oscillations in alkaline media

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Optical properties and frequency upconversion fluorescence in a Tm3+-doped alkali niobium tellurite glass

Optical spectroscopic properties of Tm3+-doped 60TeO(2)-10GeO(2)-10K(2)O-10Li(2)O-10Nb(2)O(5) glass are reported. The absorption spectra were obtained and radiative parameters were determined using the Judd-Ofelt theory. Characteristics of excited states were studied in two sets of experiments. Excitation at 360 nm originates a relatively narrow band emission at 450 nm attributed to transition D-1(2)-->F-3(4) of the Tm3+ ion with photon energy larger than the band-gap energy of the glass matrix. Excitation at 655 nm originates a frequency upconverted emission at 450 nm (D-1(2)-->F-3(4)) and emission at 790 nm (H-3(4)-->H-3(6)). The radiative lifetimes of levels D-1(2) and H-3(4) were measured and the differences between their experimental values and the theoretical predictions are understood as due to the contribution of energy transfer among Tm3+ ions. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.

THE INFLUENCE OF THE ELECTROCHEMICAL TREATMENT ON CU-AL-AG ALLOYS IN DEAERATED 0.5M NAOH

The effect of consecutive cyclic polarization in de-aerated 0.5 M NaOH solutions on the surface microstructure of mechanically polished Cu-Al-Ag alloys of different compositions and heat treatments has been studied using optical microscopy, SEM and EDS. The current peaks of the cyclic polarization curves do not depend on the alloy composition in the composition range studied. The repetitive potential scans between H2 and O2 evolution in alkaline media lead to preferential dissolution of aluminium, the roughness and phase composition of the surface of the alloys changing significantly. The quasistationary I-E curves of the different Cu-Al-Ag alloys studied consist in the superposition of the quasistationary I-E curves of high-purity Cu and Ag, the EDS microanalysis showing that aluminium is not present on the surface of the alloy in these conditions.

Kinetics of eutectoid decomposition in Cu-Al and Cu-Al-Ag alloys

The kinetics of eutectoid decomposition beta(1)' --> gamma(2) + (alpha + gamma(2)) in Cu-12.86 wt% Al and Cu-12.84 wt% Al-1.98 wt% Ag alloys was studied by hardness measurements, using the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami equation. The results indicate that the presence of silver seems to influence the nucleation rate and the activation energy of the reaction.

Study of the most suitable new glass laser to incorporate ytterbium: alkali niobium tellurite, lead fluorborate or heavy metal oxide

Diode-pumped Yb-doped glass lasers have received considerable attention for applications such as high-power beam production or femtosecond pulses generation. In this paper, we evaluate the laser potential of three different glass families doped with Yb3+ : alkali lead fluorborate (PbO-PbF2-B2O3), heavy metal oxide (Bi2O3-PbO-Ga2O3) and niobium tellurite (TeO2-Nb2O5-K2O-Li2O). Spectroscopic properties were studied for the samples and calculations of the minimum laser pump intensity (I-min), saturation fluence (U-sat) and the theoretical limit of peak power (P-max) are also presented. A comparison of laser properties of these three different glasses and their importance is shown and analyzed. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of glass ionomer cements properties obtained from niobium silicate glasses prepared by chemical process

Glass ionomer cements (GICs) are glass and polymer composite materials. These materials currently find use in the dental field. The purpose of this work is to obtain systems based on composition 4.5SiO(2)-3Al(2)O(3)-XNb2O5-2CaO to be used in Dentistry. The systems were prepared by chemical route at 700 degrees C. The results obtained by XRD and DTA showed that all systems prepared are glasses. The structures of the obtained glasses were compared to commercial material using Al-27 and Si-29 MAS NMR. The analysis of MAS NMR spectra indicated that the systems developed and commercial material are formed by SiO4 and AlO4 linked tetrahedra. The properties of glass ionomer cements based on the glasses prepared with several niobium contents were studied. Setting and working times of the cement pastes, microhardness and diametral tensile strength were evaluated for the experimental GICs and commercial luting cements. It was concluded that setting time of the cement pastes increased with increasing niobium content of the glasses (X). The properties to the GICs such as setting time and microhardness were influenced by niobium content. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Raman scattering, differential scanning calorimetry and Nd3+ spectroscopy in alkali niobium tellurite glasses

Alkali niobium tellurite glasses have been prepared and some of their properties measured by differential scanning calorimetry and Raman scattering. The vitreous domain was established in the pseudo ternary phases diagram for the system TeO2-Nb2O5-(0.5K(2)O-0.5Li(2)O). Raman scattering shows that for samples in the TeO2 rich part of the phase diagram the vitreous structure is composed essentially of (TeO4) units connected by the vertices, as in the alpha-TeO2 crystal. The addition of alkali and niobium oxides causes depolymerization to occur with structures composed essentially of (TeO3) and (NbO6) units. Samples with the composition (mol%) 80TeO(2)-10Nb(2)O(5)-5K(2)O-5Li(2)O, stable against crystallization, were prepared containing up to 10% mol Nd3+. The addition of this oxide increases the rigidity of the vitreous network shifting characteristic temperatures to higher temperatures. For the 10% Nd3+ sample amorphous phase separation is assumed to exist from the observation of two glass transition temperatures. Spectroscopic properties such as Judd-Ofelt Omega(lambda) intensity parameters, radiative emission probabilities, and induced emission cross sections were calculated. From these results and also from the emission quenching observed as a function of Nd3+ concentration, we suggest that these glasses could be utilized in optical amplifying devices. (C) 1999 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.