Use of slag/sugar cane bagasse ash (SCBA) blends in the production of alkali-activated materials

Blast furnace slag (BFS)/sugar cane bagasse ash (SCBA) blends were assessed for the production of alkali-activated pastes and mortars. SCBA was collected from a lagoon in which wastes from a sugar cane industry were poured. After previous dry and grinding processes, SCBA was chemically characterized: it had a large percentage of organic matter (ca. 25%). Solutions of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate were used as activating reagents. Different BFS/SCBA mixtures were studied, replacing part of the BFS by SCBA from 0 to 40% by weight. The mechanical strength of mortar was measured, obtaining values about 60 MPa of compressive strength for BFS/SCBA systems after 270 days of curing at 20 °C. Also, microstructural properties were assessed by means of SEM, TGA, XRD, pH, electrical conductivity, FTIR spectroscopy and MIP. Results showed a good stability of matrices developed by means of alkali-activation. It was demonstrated that sugar cane bagasse ash is an interesting source for preparing alkali-activated binders. © 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Ferroelectric and structural instability of (Pb,Ca)TiO3 thin films prepared in an oxygen atmosphere and deposited on LSCO thin films which act as a buffer layer

Structural, microstructural and ferroelectric properties of Pb0.90Ca0.10TiO3 (PCT10) thin films deposited using La0.50Sr0.50CoO3 (LSCO) thin films which serve only as a buffer layer were compared with properties of the thin films grown using a platinum-coated silicon substrate. LSCO and PCT10 thin films were grown using the chemical solution deposition method and heat-treated in an oxygen atmosphere at 700 °C and 650 °C in a tube oven, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy results showed that PCT10 thin films deposited directly on a platinum-coated silicon substrate exhibit a strong tetragonal character while thin films with the LSCO buffer layer displayed a smaller tetragonal character. Surface morphology observations by atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that PCT10 thin films with a LSCO buffer layer had a smoother surface and smaller grain size compared with thin films grown on a platinum-coated silicon substrate. Additionally, the capacitance versus voltage curves and hysteresis loop measurement indicated that the degree of polarization decreased for PCT10 thin films on a LSCO buffer layer compared with PCT10 thin films deposited directly on a platinum-coated silicon substrate. This phenomenon can be described as the smaller shift off-center of Ti atoms along the c-direction 〈001〉 inside the TiO6 octahedron unit due to the reduction of lattice parameters. Remnant polarization (P r ) values are about 30 μC/cm2 and 12 μC/cm2 for PCT10/Pt and PCT10/LSCO thin films, respectively. Results showed that the LSCO buffer layer strongly influenced the structural, microstructural and ferroelectric properties of PCT10 thin films. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l.

Soft-chemical synthesis, characterization and humidity sensing behavior of WO3/TiO2 nanopowders

Tungsten oxide/titania (WO3/TiO2) nanopowders were synthesized by the polymeric precursor method which varied the WO3 content between 0 and 10 mol%. The powders were thermally treated in a conventional furnace and their structural, microstructural and electric properties were evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectrometry, N 2 physisorption, NH3 chemisorption, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) in situ XANES and extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XRD and Raman spectrometry confirmed the homogeneous distribution of an amorphous WO3 phase in the TiO 2 matrix which stabilized the anatase phase through the generation of [TiO5·V0] or [TiO5·V 0] complex sites. Conventional TPR-H2 (temperature programmed reduction) along with XANES TPR-H2 and XANES TPR-EtOH showed that WO3/TiO2 sample reduction occurs through the formation of these complex clusters. Moreover, the addition of WO3 promoted an increase in the surface acidity of doped samples as revealed by NH3 chemisorption. The WO3/TiO2 bulk-ceramic samples were further used to estimate their potential application in a humidity sensor in the range of 15-85% relative humidity. Probable reasons that lead to the different humidity sensor responses of samples were given based on the structural and surface characterizations. Correlation between the sensing performance of the sensor and its structural features are also discussed. Although all samples responded as a humidity sensor, the W2T sample (2 mol% added WO3) excelled for sensitivity due to the increase in acid sites, optimum mean pore size and pore size distribution. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Inomogeneidades estruturais em amostras nanoscópicas de supercondutores de alta temperatura crítica

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

Propriedades de transporte eletrônico em filmes finos policristalinos de diboreto de magnésio (MGB IND.2') analisados pelo modelo de Bloch-Grüneisen

Pós-graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia de Materiais - FC

Influência das microestruturas bainítica e martensítica nas propriedades tribológicas do par aço AISI/SAE 4340 e liga bronze-alumínio 630

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Mecânica - FEG

Efeito da temperatura de pré-aquecimento e características do pulso na microestrutura de aço estrutural de alta resistência e baixa liga soldado com arco elétrico e proteção gasosa

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Influência do óxido de cromo nas propriedades varistoras do óxido de estanho

Pós-graduação em Química - IQ

Preparação de espuma cerâmica à base de zircônia pelo processo sol-emulsão-gel

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Organização do conhecimento em bibliotecas digitais de Teses e Dissertações: análise da aplicabilidade das teorias macroestruturais para categorização de áreas de assunto

Pós-graduação em Ciência da Informação - FFC

Estudo da formação do cavaco no torneamento de superligas de níquel

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Mecânica - FEG

Caracterização mecânica e microestrutural de juntas de alumínio 6013 T4 soldados a laser

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

A influência da microestrutura e dos tratamentos superficiais na vida em fadiga de aços inoxidáveis martensítico e austenítico usados na fabricação de válvulas para motores a combustão interna

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Efeito do tratamento térmico nas propriedades mecânicas e resistência ao desgaste de um ferro fundido branco multicomponente

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Caracterização microestrutural de um aço baixo carbono e baixos teores de elementos de ligas com estrutura contento ferrita acicular

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)