Optical Properties of Bismuth Tellurite Based Glass

A series of binary tellurite based glasses (Bi2O3)x (TeO2)100−x was prepared by melt quenching method. The density, molar volume and refractive index increase when bismuth ions Bi3+ increase, this is due to the increased polarization of the ions Bi3+ and the enhanced formation of non-bridging oxygen (NBO). The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results show the bonding of the glass sample and the optical band gap, Eopt decreases while the refractive index increases when the ion Bi3+ content increases

Ion conducting and paramagnetic d-PCL(530)/siloxane-based biohybrids doped with Mn 2+ ions

Amorphous α,ω-hidroxylpoly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL(530))/siloxane ormolytes doped with manganese perchlorate (Mn(ClO4)2) (d-PCL(530)/siloxanenMn(ClO4)2) with n = 20, 50, and 100), thermally stable up to at least 200 ºC, were synthesized by the sol-gel method. Ionic conductivity values up to 4.8×10−8 and 2.0×10−6 S cm−1 at about 25 and 100 ºC, respectively, where obtained for n = 20. FT-IR data demonstrated that the hydrogen bonding interactions present in the non-doped d-PCL(530)/siloxane host hybrid matrix were significantly influenced by the inclusion of Mn(ClO4)2 which promoted the formation of more oxyethylene/urethane and urethane/urethane aggregates. In addition, the Mn2+ ions bonded to all the “free” C=O groups of the urethane cross-links and to some of the “free” ester groups of the amorphous PCL(530) chains. In the electrolytes, the ClO4 − ions were found “free” and bonded to the Mn2+ ions along a bidentate configuration. The magnitude of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) hyperfine constant of the analyzed samples (A ≈ 90×10-4 cm−1 ) suggested that the bonding between Mn2+ ions and the surrounding ligands is moderately ionic. The synthetized d-PCL(530)/siloxanenMn(ClO4)2 biohybrids have potential application in paramagnetic, photoelectrochemical and electrochromic devices.This work was supported by Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) and Feder (contracts PTDC/CTM-BPC/112774/2009, PEst-OE/QUI/UI0616/2014 and PEst-C/QUI/UI0686/2013) and COST Action MP1202 "Rational design of hybrid organic-inorganic interfaces". R.F.P.P. acknowledges FCT for a grant (SFRH/BPD/87759/2012). M.M.S. acknowledges CNPq (PVE grant 406617/2013-9), for a mobility grant. The financial support of the Brazilian agencies Capes and CNPq are gratefully acknowledged. Research was partially financed by the CeRTEV, Center for Research, Technology and Education in Vitreous Materials, FAPESP 2013/07793-6.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Structural Insights and Intermolecular Energy for Some Medium and Long-Chain Testosterone Esters

Testosterone (17β-Hydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one) is the primary male anabolic-androgenic steroid. The crystal structures of two medium and two long esterified forms of testosterone, including enanthate, cypionate, decanoate and undecanoate, were determined by X-ray single crystal diffraction. The samples were also characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy and thermal analysis (DTA, TG). Crystal packings and supramolecular features were described. The analysis of structural features was accomplished by computational methods in terms of the type of intermolecular interactions, crystal energies and Hirshfeld surfaces analysis. From a pharmaceutical point of view, the solubility of compounds was investigated

Mechanical Properties of Wood Fiber Reinforced Geopolymer Composites with Sand Addition

Fly ash-based geopolymers can be considered as a greener alternative to ordinary Portland cement, featuring comparable properties and cost yet with lower CO2 emissions. New wood fiber reinforced geopolymer composites with sand addition (WFSGC) have been synthesized at room temperature by mixing powder (fly ash, sand and randomly reinforced wood fiber) with sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide as alkaline activators. New WFSGC were cured at 90°C for 24 h. The design and investigation of WFSGC were based on a fix 5 wt.% percentage of sand, with variable wood fiber (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 wt.%) and fly ash percentages. These WFSGC showed decreasing mechanical properties with increasing wood fiber addition as measured by the compressive strength at the cylindrical test (21.76–42.52 MPa), the compressive strength at the cubic test (31.79–39.17 MPa), the force load at upper yield at the cylindrical test (1.27–3.58KN), the flexural strength (7–10.76 MPa), compressive modulus at the cylindrical test (590,75–1021.17 MPa), the compressive modulus at cubic test (787.92–1059.79 MPa) and the flexural modulus (298.03–737.83 MPa). The density of WFRGC decreases with the addition of wood fiber (1.49–1.71 g/cm3). WFSGC with addition wood fibers up to 15 wt.% could be the limit for a promising green material for construction

Composite compacts of Fe/Fe 3 O 4 type obtained by mechanical milling- sintering-annealing route

Abstract. Fe/Fe 2 O 3 composite powders were obtained by mechanical milling of iron and hematite up to 120 minutes in a high energy planetary ball mill. The particles size decreases by mechanical milling upon the formation of the Fe/Fe 2 O 3 composite particles. After 120 minutes of milling the median particles size is at 7.2 µm. The Fe/Fe 3 O 4 type composite were obtained by reactive sintering in argon atmosphere at 1100 °C of the Fe/Fe 2 O 3 composite powders milled for 60 and 120 minutes. After sintering a FeO-wüstite residual phase is formed and this phase is eliminated by applying a subsequent annealing at a temperature of 550 °C. The sintered compact before and after annealing is composed by a quasi-continuous iron matrix in which are embedded iron oxides clusters (Fe 3 O 4 and FeO before annealing and Fe 3 O 4 after annealing). The iron oxide clusters are analogous with the Widmanstatten structure observed in steels before and after annealing. The materials have been investigated using laser particle size analysis, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry and X-ray diffraction

Preparation and soft magnetic properties of spark plasma sintered compacts based on Fe-Si-B glassy powder

International audienceAmorphous powder of Fe75Si20B5 (at.%) was prepared by wet mechanical alloying route using benzene as surfactant. The amorphous phase is obtained after 60 h of milling. Structural, morphological, and thermal characteristics were investigated. The as-milled powder consists in micrometric particles with a mean diameter of 10.4 mu m which are formed by the agglomeration of smaller particles. The amorphous powder is thermally stable up to the temperature of 490 degrees C. Spark plasma sintered compacts were prepared from the amorphous powders at sintering temperatures of 800, 850 and 900 degrees C. The phases formation and their evolution was investigated by X-ray diffraction technique showing that Fe3Si and Fe2B are the main phases formed during the spark plasma sintering process. Fe75Si20B5 (at.%) samples in the form of a ring were investigated in DC and AC magnetization regime. It was found that the boride phase formation (during sintering) and the low density of the compacts affect the magnetic properties of the compacts. In addition, a superficial contamination of the compacts with carbon (a layer of 2-3 mu m) was evidenced, contributing thus to their soft magnetic deterioration. Increasing of the saturation induction, maximum relative permeability and initial relative permeability was observed by increasing both sintering temperature and time. It was generally observed that the compacts with high density have higher total core losses at high frequency

Electrospun Membranes Based on Polycaprolactone, Nano-Hydroxyapatite and Metronidazole

The aim of this research was to develop new electrospun membranes (EMs) based on polycaprolactone (PCL) with or without metronidazole (MET)/nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAP) content. New nHAP with a mean diameter of 34 nm in length was synthesized. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) were used for structural characterization of precursors and EMs. The highest mechanical properties (the force at maximum load, Young’s modulus and tensile strength) were found for the PCL membranes, and these properties decreased for the other samples in the following order: 95% PCL + 5% nHAP > 80% PCL + 20% MET > 75% PCL + 5% nHAP + 20% MET. The stiffness increased with the addition of 5 wt.% nHAP. The SEM images of EMs showed randomly oriented bead-free fibers that generated a porous structure with interconnected macropores. The fiber diameter showed values between 2 and 16 µm. The fiber diameter increased with the addition of nHAP filler and decreased when MET was added. New EMs with nHAP and MET could be promising materials for guided bone regeneration or tissue engineering