The objective of the present work was to evaluate welding of thin sheets (thickness < 1 mm) of similar and dissimilar NiTi alloys with AISI 304 stainless steel using the Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) process and to study the mechanical and metallurgical properties of the joints with and without post-welding heat treatment (PWHT). The GTAW process was chosen because it is more economical than the usual welding processes for NiTi alloys, such as the Laser Beam Welding (LBW). The welded joints were characterized by the techniques of SEM, OM, electrical resistance in temperature (ERT), tensile test and Vickers microhardness. It was observed that the dissimilar joints presented a brittle behavior due to the formation of brittle elements along the weld metal by the excessive increase of the hardness in this region with peaks of hardness higher than 900HV. Similar joints presented superior mechanical behavior, with extensive plastic deformation before rupture and fracture surface with ductile appearance. The PWHT in the similar joints promoted a decrease in the rigidity of the material by minimizing the thermal stresses from the welding process, the PWHT did not influence the dissimilar joints mechanical behavior.

The purpose of this work was to produce submicrometric hydroxyapatite (HA) and beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) biphasic fibers by means of solution blow spinning (SBS). This method was chosen due to its lower cost and higher production rate than those of electrospinning, which is normally employed in ceramic fiber production. The fibers thus obtained were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The in vitro bioactivity and cytotoxicity of the fibers were also investigated. The XRD patterns indicated the formation of biphasic HA/βTCP fibers. SEM analysis revealed an interconnected cylindrical morphology with the presence of beads. Fiber diameters in the submicrometric range varied from 374 to 451 nm. TGA results indicated that organic losses occurred solely below 600ºC. All the fibers were non-cytotoxic, presenting an inhibitory concentration (IC) of > IC50. All the samples successfully formed acicular apatite layers when immersed in SBF, indicating a high potential for in vivo bone bioactivity.

CuO structures were synthesized by microwave hydrothermal treatment using two different mineralizing agents (NaOH and NH4OH) and were evaluated as photocatalysts. The materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis. The XRD patterns indicated the formation of the monoclinic phase in both samples with 13.78 and 14.23 nm crystallite size. SEM analysis showed different agglomerates morphologies based on the mineralization agent employed. The CuO nanostructure synthesized with NH4OH presented agglomerated like-plates which results in a spherical shape, whereas the material synthesized with NaOH presented an agglomerate of larger plates. Both samples showed photocatalytic activity against RNL azo dye. The quasi-spherical shape CuO material reached 93 % of the discoloration.