Abstract Two different reactive concentrated magnesium hydroxide (HM) pulps, produced in a lab reactor mill, and a synthetic and non-reactive HM-pulp, for comparative analyses, have been prepared and studied. Sodium polyacrylate was selected as a dispersant for improving the HM pulp fluidity, with concentrations varying from 0.42% to 2.0% on a dry basis. The two reactive pulps differed from each other mainly by the impurity level and for both, a residual MgO amount was detected, implying that the hydration reaction could proceed. Results (with and without dispersant) confirmed the formation of particle clusters as HM concentration rose until a critical value, above which the pulp behaved as a solid. Reactive HM-pulps with high impurities may represent a limiting factor in the drying operation. Among all HM-pulps studied, the purest reactive pulp with 1% dispersant presented the best flow behavior making this reactive pulp the most suitable to be tested in a pilot spray dryer.

Abstract Faraday and Kerr effects as well as the extraordinary optical transmission in a structure that combines magneto-optical and plasmonic properties are studied. The planar structure consists of four layers, namely, dielectric layer, metal strips, once again dieletric layer and magneto-optic one. The magneto-optical layer is magnetized by a DC magnetic field normal to it. Our numerical analysis shows that the Faraday and Kerr rotations in this structure can be increased by more than two times in comparison with the published results. This is achieved due to high Q-factor resonances in magneto-optic layer.

<p>O tungstato de bário (BaWO₄) é um importante material cerâmico da família das <italic>scheelitas</italic>que apresenta aplicações em dispositivos fotoluminescentes como cintiladores, diodos emissores de luz, lasers do estado sólido, entre outros, destacando-se como matriz hospedeira para íons lantanídeos, por apresentar estabilidades química e mecânica. Este trabalho teve como intuito sintetizar, caracterizar estruturalmente e avaliar a propriedade fotoluminescente de pós de tungstato de bário puro e dopado com íons hólmio (Ho³⁺⁾. Os pós de Ba_1-xHo_2x/3WO₄ (x = 0, 0,01, e 0,02) foram obtidos por coprecipitação e caracterizados por difração de raios X, espectroscopias Raman, na região do Infravermelho e de absorção na região do ultravioleta-visível, microscopia eletrônica de varredura e espectroscopia de fotoluminescência. As análises de difração de raios X e espectroscopia Raman revelaram ordenamento cristalino. A morfologia foi caracterizada pela presença de grãos octaédricos com distribuição heterogênea do tamanho dos grãos. Uma banda centrada em 475 nm foi identificada no espectro de fotoluminescência para a amostra de BaWO₄ sob excitação de 350,7 nm. Com a dopagem deste óxido, houve redução significativa do valor do <italic>gap</italic> ótico e transições características de emissão dos íons Ho³⁺(transições f-f) foram identificadas.</p>

<p>Barium tungstate (BaWO₄) is an important ceramic material belonging to the family of scheelites, which is applied as photoluminescent material, as scintillator, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), solid-state lasers, among other, being a host matrix for lanthanide ions, due to its chemical and mechanical stability. This research aims to synthetize, characterize structurally and evaluate photoluminescent properties of barium tungstate powders and Ho³⁺-doped barium tungstate. Powders of Ba_1-xHo_2x/3WO₄ (x= 0, 0.01 and 0.02) were obtained by coprecipitation and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-Transformed Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and photoluminescent spectroscopy. XRD and Raman spectroscopy analyses revealed crystalline ordering for these materials. Their morphology was characterized by the presence of octahedral grains with heterogeneous distribution of grain size. A broad band centered at 475 nm was identified for BaWO₄at 350,7 nm excitation in emission spectrum. The addiction of holmium ions into the BaWO₄ matrix promoted a significant reduction of the optical gap and characteristic transitions (f-f transitions) of ions Ho³⁺were identified.</p>