Structural and spectroscopic characterization of Al2-xCrxO3 powders obtained by polymeric precursor method

Al2O3 and Al2-x Cr (x) O-3 (x = 0.01, 0.02 and 0.04) powders have been synthesized by the polymeric precursors method. A study of the structural evolution of crystalline phases corresponding to the obtained powders was accomplished through X-Ray Diffraction and UV-vis spectroscopy (reflectance spectra and CIEL* a*b* color data). The obtained results allow to identify 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. The results show that the green to red color transition and ruby luminescence lines observed for the powders of Al2-x Cr (x) O-3 are related to the gamma to alpha-Al2O3 phase transition and the temperature and time range for such transition depends on the chromium content.

Preparation and thermal decomposition of solid state cinnamates of alkali earth metals, except beryllium and radium

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

Parental care in the buffy-tufted-ear marmoset (Callithrix aurita) in wild and captive groups

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Obtenção in situ do compósito alfa-SiAlON-SiC

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

Comparison of the tensile bond strengths of cast metal crowns luted with resin cements

The limitation of photoactivation of dual-polymerized resin cements along the margins of metal restorations may adversely affect the mechanical properties of these cements, thus impairing the retention of restorations. The aim of this study was to assess the bond strength of cast metal crowns cemented with three dual-polymerized resin cements, using a chemically-activated resin cement and zinc phosphate as controls. Fifty nickel-chromium alloy crowns were cast and randomly assigned to five groups of equal size. Castings were cemented on their corresponding metal dies with one of the tested luting agents: Scotchbond Resin Cement, Enforce and Panavia F (dual-polymerized resin cements), Cement-It (chemically-activated resin cement) and Zinc Phosphate Cement (zinc phosphate cement). Specimens were stored in distilled water at 37 degreesC for 24 h and then loaded in tension until failure. Panavia F and Zinc Phosphate Cement provided the highest and lowest bond strength means, respectively. Scotchbond Resin Cement, Enforce and Cement-It cements exhibited similar intermediate values, but with statistically significant difference compared to the other materials (P < 0.05). Even with the restriction or absence of light activation, all tested dual-polymerized resin cements produced significantly higher bond strength than did the zinc phosphate cement and yielded similar or better results than the chemically activated cement. It should be pointed out that the findings of this study relate to a test scenario which does not mimic clinical circumstances and that further work is required to identify the clinical significance of the reported tensile bond strength differences between the different luting materials.

Solid-state compounds of 4-methoxybenzylidenepyruvate and cinnamylidenepyruvates with thorium (IV) - Preparation and thermal studies

By close control of experimental variables affecting precipitation, solid-state compounds of the type Th(OH)(m)L4-m.nH(2)O, where L stands for 4-methoxy-benzylidenepyruvate, cinnamylidenepyruvate or 4-dimethylaminocinnamylidene-pyruvate; m=0 to 3 and n=0.5-3 were isolated. Chemical analysis, TG, DTG, DSC and X-ray powder diffractometry have been employed to characterize and to study the thermal behavior of these compounds in dynamic air atmosphere. In all cases, hydration water is slowly lost between 30 and 160degreesC; a continuous, slow rate, mass loss is observed thereafter and beyond 280-400degreesC the rate of decomposition/oxidation increased rapidly, to give ThO2 as the final product, beginning at 412-510degreesC. The results associated with the hydroxo-compounds indicate that the loss of constitution water (OH ions) and the decomposition / oxidation of the organic moieties occur as simultaneous process.

Montmorillonite (MMT) effect on the structure of poly(oxyethylene) (PEO)-MMT nanocomposites and silica-PEO-MMT hybrid materials

In this work we report the effects of incorporation of variable amounts (0.5-25%w/w) of montmorillonite in poly(oxyethylene) based materials in order to decrease the polymer crystallinity. Two different classes of materials were studied: silica-poly(oxyethylene)-montmorillonite hybrids prepared by the sol-gel route and poly(oxyethylene)-montmorillonite nanocomposites prepared by mixing the dry clay or the clay aqueous suspension into the melt poly(oxyethylene). The effects of monternorillonite loading on the poly(oxyethylene) crystallization control and on the nanostructural features were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction, small-angle X-ray scattering and differential scanning calorimetry. Experimental results show that free montmorillonite layers coexist with open aggregates and tactoids in the poly(oxyethylene)-montmorillonite nanocomposites, with different features depending on the filler proportion and preparation route. The intercalation of polymer chains in montmorillonite galleries markedly hinders the crystallization of the poly(oxyethylene) matrix. For hybrids materials the silica phase favors the exfoliation of montmorillonite tactoids, so that samples are predominantly constituted by dispersed platelets. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of an electroless nickel interlayer on the fatigue & corrosion strength of chromium-plated AISI 4340 steel

Despite the fact that chromium electrodeposition results in protection against wear and corrosion, combined with chemical resistance and good lubricity, the reduction in fatigue strength of base metal and environmental requirements causes one to search for possible alternatives. To improve the fatigue and corrosion resistance of AISI 4340 steel, an experimental study has been made for an intermediate electroless nickel layer deposited on base metal. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of nickel underplate on the fatigue and corrosion strength of hard-chromium-plated AISI 4340 steel. Deposition of the conventional wear-resistant hard chromium plating leads to a decrease in mechanical properties of the base metal, especially the fatigue strength. Rotating bending fatigue tests results indicate better performance for conventional hard chromium plating. Good corrosion resistance in salt fog exposure was obtained for the accelerated hard chromium plating. Experimental data showed higher fatigue and corrosion resistance for samples prepared with accelerated hard chromium plate over electroless nickel plate, when compared with samples without electroless nickel underplate.

Role of the surface state and structural feature in the thermoreversible sol-gel transition of a zirconyl aqueous precursor modified by sulfuric acid

The sols produced by admixture of ZrOCl2 acidified solutions to hot H2SO4 aqueous solutions were studied to clarify the effects of Cl- and SO42- ions on the kinetic stability of nanoparticles and to obtain some new evidence concerning the mechanism of a thermoreversible sol-gel transition observed in this system. The study of suspensions prepared with different molar ratios R-S = [Zr]/[SO42-] and R-Cl = [Zr]/[Cl-] revealed domains of composition of formation of thermoreversible gels, thermostable sols, and powder precipitation. The effects of R-S and R-Cl on the structural features of nanoparticles and on the particle solution interface were systematically analyzed for samples of thermoreversible and thermostable sol domains. Small-angle X-ray scattering measurements revealed the presence of small fractal aggregates in all samples of thermoreversible domains, while compact packing aggregates of primary particles are present in the thermostable sol. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure and elemental chemical analysis revealed that irrespective of the nominal value of R-S and R-Cl all studied samples of the thermoreversible domain are constituted by a well-defined compound possessing an inner core made of hydroxyl and oxo groups bridging together zirconium atoms surrounded on the surface by complexing sulfate ligands. zeta potentials of powders extracted by freeze-drying from the thermoreversible gel revealed a point of surface charge inversion attributed to the specific adsorption of SO42- ion. Thermoreversible gel formation is rationalized by considering the effect of the specific adsorption on the electrical double-layer repulsion together with the temperature dependency of the physical chemical properties of ions in solution.

All electron fully relativistic Dirac-Fock calculation for darmstadtium carbide using prolapse free basis set

For the first time, ab inito all electron fully relativistic and correlated Dirac-Fock calculations with prolapse free basis set are reported for a Super Heavy Element. We investigated the relativistic effects on bonding and on some spectroscopic constants for the darmstadtium carbide and our results at DF/CCSD(T) with a prolapse free basis set suggest for R-e, omega(e) and D-e the values of 174 pm, 1114 cm(-1) and 7.29 eV, respectively. These values are very similar to the values for PtC found on literature. It was also found that prolapse free basis set may be important to estimate the dissociation energy using Relativistic 4-components correlated methods. (c) 2007 ELsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Yellow ZnxNi1-xWO4 pigments obtained using a polymeric precursor method

New tungstate-based ceramic pigments, displaying ZnxNi1-xWO4 stoichiometry, were obtained at low temperature using a polymeric precursor method. The powder precursors were milled in an attritor mill in an alcoholic rnedium and heat treated for 12 h. yielding homogeneous and crystalline powder pigments. Characterization (TG/DTA, XRD, IR and colorimetry) showed that mass loss increased with increasing Zn contents. Despite the presence of secondary phases and impurities, the wolframite phase was present in all samples. IR analysis revealed bands related to Me-O and [WO6](6-) group stretching was observed. The intensity of the yellow color of the pigments increased with increasing amount of nickel. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All fights reserved.

Protective effect of nickel chloride on superoxide damage: enhancement of CuZn superoxide dismutase affinity to the oxygen free radical.

The effect of nickel from soluble NiCl2 on Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, as well as on rate of nitro blue tetrazolium reduction, was studied in vitro since lipid peroxidation has been implicated in cell damage by nickel insoluble compounds, whose toxicity and carcinogenicity are well established. The physical and chemical nature of nickel compounds is one of the key determinations of its toxicity. Soluble nickel freely enter cells, but is just as readily excreted reducing the opportunity for production of lipid damage. Nickel from NiCl2 strongly activated SOD activity. In vitro addition of nickel chloride to a crude lung preparation altered the KM for SOD without changing the Vmax. Nickel chloride produced increased enzyme affinity to the substrate, because decreased (O2-) concentration that yields half-maximal velocity. The combination of nickel and SOD may contribute to stabilization of the particular conformation of SOD responsible for maximal catalytically activity.

Structure and properties of donor doped barium titanate prepared by citrate process

Niobium doped barium titanate was prepared using two procedures. First, doped barium titanate was prepared starting from citrate solutions of all components and second, pure barium titanate powder was obtained from the citrate solutions and after that doped. Besides niobium, a small amount of manganese, as acceptor dopant was added. Phase composition, crystal structure, microstructure and dielectric properties were reported. The influence of powder processing on the properties of niobium doped barium titanate was analysed. The grain growth and the concentration of dopants on the dielectric properties were considered. © 2002 Taylor & Francis.

Effect of barium titanate seed particles on the sintering and lattice parameters in PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3 ceramics

PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3 (PMN) powder was prepared by citrate organic solution, and barium titanate (BT) seed particles were added to encourage the perovskite phase formation. Sintering was followed using the constant heating rate mode of a dilatometer, and it was observed that the seed concentration affected the PMN shrinkage rate and crystal structure. The study of the lattice parameters of the samples after the sintering process indicates that the diffusion of the titanium and of the barium inside perovskite and pyrochlore PMN phases occurs. Moreover, this substitution provoked a decrease of the lattice parameters as showed by the Rietveld refinement.

Sinterização de uma mistura de cavaco de aço inoxidável com pó do mesmo material. Uma nova tecnologia para a reciclagem de metais?

The reuse of materials has as its main objective to minimize environmental impacts and to rationalize the use of energy chains. In the present work, samples of scraps of 316 stainless steel mixed with powder of the same material were sintered. For this case, the percentage of scrap was varied from zero to 25% in weight, with 5% increases. After compacting, under a pressure of 600MPa, the samples were sintered simultaneously at a temperature of 1473 K. The mechanical behavior of the final product was evaluated through Assays of Transversal Rupture recommended and normalized by the MPIF - Metal Powder Industries Federation. Using Conventional Quantitative Metallography, the analyses of the sintered samples demonstrated regions of intense diffusion, therefore, regions of sufficiently intense sintering. The mechanical resistance of the samples was compared with the mechanical resistance of the sintered stainless steel with no scrap. The results were greater than expected, demonstrating the viability of this new procedure.