This work deals with the deposition of a thin layer of porous silica antireflective coating onto glass substrates. The films were deposited with different withdrawal speeds and heat-treated at 425°C for 30 minutes. The effects of heat treatment and film deposition rate on the films reflectance were evaluated. The diffuse reflectance was measured using ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for microstructural evaluation of the films. The water contact angle upon the films surface was evaluated using a tensiometer and was based on the sessile drop technique. The mechanical characteristics of the films were evaluated by tape test and pencil hardness. The obtained sol-gel silica coatings were homogeneous and free of cracks. UV-Vis analysis of the glass substrate revealed a reflectance value of 3.86%, whereas the lowest reflectance value obtained for antireflective coatings was 2.72%. The contact angle measurement showed that, for all films, there was wetting of the film by water, characterizing them as hydrophilic. The adhesion of the films were 4B and the pencil hardness were 3H.

One of the applications of selective surfaces is to improve performance of solar absorbers. The purpose of this work is to produces selective coatings with high absorption of solar radiation in the range of UV/Vis/NIR. It was prepared a selective surface composed of black chromium (Cr/Cr2O3) deposited on substrates of AISI 304 stainless steel using the technique of electrolytic deposition for application in solar thermal absorbers. The great parameters for deposition consisted of a continuous electric current of 2A for 90s, at a constant temperature of 40°C. After deposition, the samples under went to a heat treatment at 600°C for 2h for oxidation. The coatings thicknesses were determined. From the SEM analysis coupled with EDS, it was found that the microstructures reported sample of cermets. The XRD results show diffraction peaks related to metallic chromium (Cr) and chromium oxide (Cr2O3). Spectral absorptance values more 90.0% were found.

The effects of combustion thermal spraying parameters namely combustion pressure, feeding rate, and carrier gas on the wear resistance, friction coefficient, and Knoop hardness of poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films were investigated. The PET coatings were characterized by measuring the wear coefficients by calowear-type testing, the friction coefficients by a pin-on-disk test, and Knoop hardness. The abrasive wear and friction coefficients of the coatings were compared with the values of a post consumer PET bottle chip reference sample. The structural characteristics of the coatings were investigated by X ray diffraction. Statistical analysis of the results allowed for the systematic characterization of the influence of the process variables mentioned above on the coating wear, friction, and microhardness values. Specifically, this study shows that the process parameters affect the wear coefficient and Knoop hardness significantly, but not the friction coefficient. The degree of crystallinity of the PET coatings varied from 20 to 26%.

Sol-gel film in the SiO2-CaO-P2O5 system was prepared from TEOS, TEP, alcohol and hydrated calcium nitrate in an acidic medium. The coatings were deposited on stainless steel using the dip-coating technique. After deposition, the composite was submitted to heat treatment, at different temperatures and exposure times to investigate the influence of such parameters on the surface morphology of the composite. The coated surfaces were characterized by AFM, SEM and FTIR. The present study showed that the formation of different textures (an important parameter in implant fixation) could be controlled by temperature and time of heat treatment.

OBJETIVO: duas marcas comerciais de resinas acrílicas ativadas quimicamente (RAAQ), uma de uso ortodôntico (Orto Cril®) e outra de uso protético (Jet®), polimerizadas em presença e ausência de pressão, foram analisadas em relação ao conteúdo de monômero (MMA) residual liberado em solução, em diferentes intervalos de tempo (0,083; 0,25; 1; 1,25; 2,17; 5; 9; 14 e 21 dias). METODOLOGIA: a espectroscopia de absorção no ultravioleta foi utilizada na análise de soluções aquosas de MMA, com concentrações conhecidas, visando a determinação de uma curva de calibração. Soluções aquosas contendo corpos-de-prova, confeccionados com as citadas RAAQ, foram também submetidas à análise por espectroscopia de absorção no ultravioleta. RESULTADOS E CONCLUSÕES: os resultados foram comparados aos dados da curva de calibração, visando estabelecer a concentração de MMA residual das amostras. Eles permitiram concluir que o nível de MMA residual liberado em solução foi mais elevado durante as primeiras 24 horas, havendo uma tendência à estabilização a partir desse período e que a resina acrílica de uso ortodôntico apresentou níveis mais elevados de MMA em solução do que a de uso protético, em ambas as condições de polimerização empregadas, com presença e ausência de pressão. Além disso, a presença de pressão, durante a polimerização das duas resinas, elevou a concentração de MMA em solução, não havendo, entretanto, efeito da interação entre as marcas das resinas e a presença e ausência de pressão na concentração de MMA em solução, medida ao longo do tempo. Porém, todas as três variáveis (tempo, resina e pressão) foram significantes.

AIM: Two comercial brands of auto polymerizing acrylic resins (one for orthodontics use, Orto Cril®, and the other for prosthetics use, Jet®) were analyzed concerning the amount of methyl methacrilate (MMA) monomer dissolved in solution, processed under and not under pressure, in different intervals (0.083; 0.25; 1; 1.25; 2.17; 5; 9; 14 and 21 days). METHODS: The ultra-violet absorption spectroscopy was used in the analysis of aqueous solutions of MMA, with known concentrations, in order to determine the calibration curve. Aqueous solutions containing samples made with the acrylic resins described above were submitted to ultra-violet absorption spectroscopy analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results were compared to the calibration curve data, in order to establish the MMA concentration. These results led to the conclusion that the residual MMA level dissolved in the solution was higher in the first twenty-four hours, tending to stability from this period on. Auto polymerizing acrylic resins processed under pressure showed higher levels of MMA, even though it was not noticed an interaction effect between the resins brand and the presence of pressure in the level of MMA concentration measured throughout the intervals. In spite of that, the three variables (time, resins and pressure) were of noticeable importance.

Tissue engineering has evolved from the use of biomaterials for bone substitution that fulfill the clinical demands of biocompatibility, biodegradability, non-immunogeneity, structural strength and porosity. Porous scaffolds have been developed in many forms and materials, but few reached the need of adequate physical, biological and mechanical properties. In the present paper we report the preparation of hybrid porous polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/bioactive glass through the sol-gel route, using partially and fully hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohol, and perform structural characterization. Hybrids containing PVA and bioactive glass with composition 58SiO2-33CaO-9P2O5 were synthesized by foaming a mixture of polymer solution and bioactive glass sol-gel precursor solution. Sol-gel solution was prepared from mixing tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), triethylphosphate (TEP), and calcium chloride as chemical precursors. The hybrid composites obtained after aging and drying at low temperature were chemically and morphologically characterized through infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The degree of hydrolysis of PVA, concentration of PVA solution and different PVA-bioglass composition ratios affect the synthesis procedure. Synthesis parameters must be very well combined in order to allow foaming and gelation. The hybrid scaffolds obtained exhibited macroporous structure with pore size varying from 50 to 600 µm.