Erbium-activated silica-zirconia planar waveguides prepared by sol-gel route

Er(3+) doped (100-x)SiO(2)-xZrO(2) planar waveguides were prepared by the sol-gel route, with x ranging from 10 up to 30 mol%. Multilayer films doped with 0.3 mol% Er(3+) ions were deposited on fused quartz substrates by the dip-coating technique. The thickness and refractive index were measured by m-line spectroscopy at different wavelengths. The fabrication protocol was optimized in order to confine one propagating mode at 1.5 mu m. Photoluminescence in the near and visible region indicated a crystalline local environment for the Er(3+) ion. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Qualidade de um sistema latossolo-argissolo como receptor de efluentes no município de Lins(SP)

Este trabalho objetivou caracterizar um sistema de solos, evidenciando a propriedades que possam esclarecer sua dinâmica e contribuir para a definição de critérios que condicionem a aptidão destes solos como receptores de efluentes. Trata-se de uma área experimental de estudos, contígua à Estação de Tratamento de Esgoto do município de Lins (SP), onde o efluente é gerado a partir do tratamento de esgoto por sistema de lagoas de estabilização. Os solos, situados ao longo de uma vertente com ligeira inclinação, foram caracterizados por meio de análises, morfológica, granulométrica, química, mineralógica e micromorfológica, realizadas em amostras coletadas em cinco trincheiras em toposseqüência. Os solos são desenvolvidos a partir dos sedimentos arenosos da Formação Adamantina (Grupo Bauru) e constituem um sistema Latossolo - Argissolo onde a transição Bw - Bt ocorre lateralmente do topo para a base da vertente. Foram identificadas três fases pedogenéticas nesta associação de solos. A primeira, argiluviação e adensamento de partículas, responsável pela formação dos horizontes texturais, foi superposta pelos processos de latossolização e hidromorfismo, atuantes na dinâmica atual destes solos. Análises micromorfológicas mostraram tratar-se de solos com intensa porosidade, caracterizada pelo empilhamento dos grãos do esqueleto quartzoso amplamente predominante e pelo arranjo entre os microagregados granulares. A permeabilidade é ainda favorecida pela intensa ação da mesofauna. Os solos são distróficos e compostos por caulinita e óxidos de Fe na fração argilosa. Por constituírem um sistema frágil, a disposição de quaisquer tipos de resíduos nestes solos requer o monitoramento constante de suas propriedades, tanto para a manutenção, quanto para a recuperação da qualidade desta cobertura pedológica.

Mineralogical characterization of clays used in the structural ceramic industry in west of S. Paulo State, Brazil

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

Processamento de cerâmicas reticuladas a partir de matérias-primas naturais

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Determinação de diagramas de bandas de energia e da borda de absorção em SnO2, depositado via sol-gel, sobre quartzo

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

Addition of sedimentary rock to kaolinitic clays: influence on sintering process

Foram avaliadas, durante o processo de sinterização, as propriedades mecânicas de peças cerâmicas a base de argila com adição de rocha sedimentar. Foram preparados corpos de prova com 0, 20, 40, 60 e 80% em peso de rocha adicionada ao material argiloso. As peças foram sinterizadas nas temperaturas de 500, 800, 900, 1000, 1100 e 1200 °C e, posteriormente, submetidas à análise de difração de raios X e a ensaios tecnológicos Os resultados de difração de raios X mostram que a rocha sedimentar apresenta argilominerais micáceos enquanto o material argiloso possui a caulinita como fase principal. Técnicas de análises térmicas e difração de raios X das diferentes misturas mostram reações que indicam transformação (inversão do quartzo), decomposição (perda de hidróxidos) e formação de fase (mulita) durante o aquecimento das amostras. Os ensaios tecnológicos mostram que a adição da rocha sedimentar melhora algumas propriedades do material sinterizado, auxiliada pela presença de fundentes. Entretanto, a presença de quartzo na rocha dificulta a formação da fase mulita. A formação de novas fases e as transformações ocorridas no aquecimento e resfriamento das amostras ajuda explicar as propriedades tecnológicas dos materiais cerâmicos.

Propriedades reológicas de matérias-primas do Pólo Cerâmico de Santa Gertrudes provenientes da Formação Corumbataí (região de Rio Claro, SP)

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

Caracterização petrográfica e aspectos diagenéticos dos arenitos do Grupo Bauru na região sudoeste do Estado de São Paulo

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Avaliação da resistência à corrosão de aços inoxidáveis com Nb endurecíveis por precipitação

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The Ni-Cu-PGE sulfide ores of the komatiite-hosted Fortaleza de Minas deposit, Brazil: Evidence of hydrothermal remobilization

The Fortaleza de Minas Ni-Cu-PGE sulfide deposit is hosted by Archean komatiitic rocks of the Morro do Ferro greenstone belt, near the southwestern margin of the Sa (aFrancisco) over tildeo Francisco craton, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The deposit contains 6 million tonnes of ore with an average grade of 2.2 wt% Ni, 0.4% Cu, 0.05% Co and 1.2 ppm PGE+Au, and comprises (i) a main orebody, which is metamorphosed, deformed and transposed along a regional shear zone, consisting mainly of disseminated, brecciated and stringer sulfide ores that are interpreted to be of early magmatic origin, and (ii) PGE-rich discordant veins that are hosted in N-S- and NE-SW-trending late faults that cross-cut the main orebody. The discordant PGE-rich ore (up to 4 ppm total PGE) is characterized by thin, discontinuous and irregular veins and lenses of massive sulfides hosted by serpentinite and talc schist, and is relatively undeformed if compared with the early types of ore. It is composed mainly of pyrrhotite, pentlandite, chalcopyrite, magnetite, carbonates, and amphiboles, with minor cobaltite-gersdorffite, sphalerite, ilmenite, and quartz, and rarely maucherite (Ni11Asg), tellurides and platinum-group minerals (PGM). Omeeite, irarsite, sperrylite, and Ni-bearing merenskyite are the main PGM, followed by minor amounts of testibiopalladite and an unknown phase containing Ru, Te, and As. The PGM occur either included in, or at the margins of, sulfides, sulfarsenides, silicates and oxides, or filling fractures in pyrrhotite, pentlandite, and chalcopyrite, suggesting that they started to precipitate with these minerals and continued to precipitate after the sulfides were formed. The mantle-normalized metal distribution of the two samples of discordant veins shows distinct patterns: one richer in Ni-Pd-Ir-Rh-Ru-Os and another with higher amounts of Cu-Pt-Bi. Both are strongly depleted in Cr if compared with the metamorphosed magmatic ore of this deposit, which follows the general Kambalda-type magmatic trend. on the basis of structural, mineralogical and geochemical evidence, we propose that the PGE-rich discordant ore may have formed by remobilization of metals from the deformed, metamorphosed magmatic orebody (which shows a depleted pattern in these elements) by reduced (pyrrhotite - pentlandite - pyrite are stable), neutral to alkaline and carbonic fluids (carbonate-stable). The PGE may have been transported as bisulfide complexes, and precipitated as tellurides (mainly Pd) and arsenides (Pt, Rh, Ru, Os, Ir) in the late N-S and NE-SW-trending faults owing to a decrease in the activity of S caused by the precipitation of sulfides in the veins.

Microstructure of organometallic derived PLZT ceramics

The PLZT powders with the formula Pb0.905La0.095(Zr0.65Ti0.35)(0.976)O-3+3.5 wt.% PbO were prepared by the organometallic precursor method (Pechini and partial oxalate processes). The microstructure of sintered 9.5/65/35 PLZT ceramics obtained from a partial oxalate procedure shows that the outstanding feature of this microstructure is its fairly uniform grains of about 1.8 mum. The microstructure of sintered PLZT ceramics obtained by the Pechini process consists of uniform small randomly- oriented grains tightly bonded together in the central part of the sample with,a grain size of about 1.2 mum. Cubic and elongated grains are formed at the sample's border. The microstructures of hot pressed PLZT ceramics obtained from both processes are dense and rather uniform. After a double stage of hot pressing (2 plus 20 h) the microstructure of PLZT is fully dense, uniform and homogeneous with a grain size of approximately 2.5 mum. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Petrological and geochemical evolution of the alkaline Valle Chico Massif, southeastern Uruguay

The Valle Chico Massif is a member of the Early Cretaceous alkaline magmatic suite of rocks distributed around the Parana Basin. Three magmatic associations are recognized: (1) the Plutonic Association, characterized by syenites, quartz syenites, and syenogranites; (2) the Volcanic Association, mainly composed of porphyritic quartz trachytes; and (3) the Porphyritic Dike Association consisting of rhyolites and trachytes. Judging by their geochemical behavior, the rhyolites exhibit a weak peralkaline affinity, and are genetically connected by progressive melting processes, whereas the other lithologies have a metaluminous nature, and are products of mineral fractionation. An enriched mantle of Transamazonian age, geochemically similar to OIB, is postulated as a possible source.

Knoop hardness of dental resin cements: Effect of veneering material and light curing methods

This study evaluated the Knoop hardness of one resin cement (dual-cure mode or light-cure mode) when illuminated directly or through restorative materials-ceramic (HeraCeram) or composite (Artglass)-by two light curing units. Light curing was carried out using a conventional quartz tungsten halogen (QTH) light source (XL2500) for 40 s, and a light emitting diodes (LED) light source (Ultrablue Is) for 40 s. Bovine incisors had their buccal faces flattened and hybridised. on these surfaces, a mould was seated and filled with cement. A disc of the veneering material (1.5 mm thickness) was positioned over this set for light curing. After storage (24 h/37 degrees C), samples (n = 10) were sectioned for hardness (KHN) measurements. Data were submitted to ANOVA and to Tukey's test (alpha = 0.05). In general, light curing with LED resulted in higher hardness values than QTH. Distinct cement behaviour was observed with different veneering material in association with different light curing units (LCUs). (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural characterization of undoped and Sb-doped SnO2 thin films fired at different temperatures

SnO2 thin films were obtained by the sol-gel method starting from inorganic precursor solutions. In this work, we compare the structure of undoped and Sb-doped SnO2 films prepared by dip-coating. The films were deposited on quartz substrates and then fired at different temperatures ranging from 383 up to 1173 K. The density and the thickness of the films were determined by X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and their porous nanostructure was characterized by grazing-incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS). XRR results corresponding to undoped and Sb-doped samples indicate a monotonous decrease in film thickness when they are fired at increasing temperatures. At same time, the apparent density of undoped samples exhibits a progressive increase while for Sb-doped films it remains invariant up to 973 K and then increases for T = 1173 K. Anisotropic GISAXS patterns of both films, Sb-doped and undoped, fired above 573 K indicate the presence of elongated pores with their major axis perpendicular to the film surface. For all firing temperatures the nanopores in doped samples are larger than in undoped ones. This suggests that Sb-doping favours the pore growth hindering the film densification. At the highest firing temperature (1173 K) this effect is reversed.

EFFECT OF THE ADDITION OF CR AND NB ON THE MICROSTRUCTURE AND ELECTROCHEMICAL CORROSION OF HEAT-TREATABLE AL-ZN-MG ALLOYS

The effect of the addition of Cr and Nb on the microstructure and the electrochemical corrosion of the weldable, high-strength and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) resistant Al-5%Zn-1.67%Mg-0.23%Cu alloy (H) has been studied. Combined additions of the alloying elements, J (with Nb), L (with Cr) and O (with Cr and Nb) and different heat treatments, ST (cold-rolled), A (annealed), F (quenched), B (quenched and aged) and C (quenched in two steps and aged), to obtain different microstructures and hardness have been performed. To correlate the electrochemical corrosion with the microstructure of the specimens, corrosion potential (E(cor)) measurements in different chloride solutions were performed and optical microscopy, SEM, TEM and EDX were applied. In chloride solutions containing dissolved O-2 or H2O2, the present alloys were polarized up to the pitting attack. It was shown that the E(cor) measurements were very sensitive to the alloy composition and heat treatment, increasing in the order H < J < L < O < Al (for a given heat treatment) and F < A approximate to ST < B < C (for a given alloy). The MgZn2 precipitates of the annealed (A) and cold-rolled (ST) specimens were dissolved in chloride solutions containing oxidizing agents and pitting attack was shown to develop in the cavities where the precipitates were present. In the specimens B and C, the compositions of the precipitate free zones was found to be equal to that of the matrix solid solution and preferential intergranular attack was not evident, this being in agreement with their SCC resistance. The addition of Cr and Nb increased the pitting corrosion resistance. The effects of Cr and Nb were additive, that of Cr being predominant, either, in the E(cor) shift or in the increase in the pitting corrosion resistance.