This study evaluates the influence of milling on the reactivity of drilling cuttings (DC) utilized as supplementary cementitious material in ternary cements (TC). The drilling cuttings milling study varied the time (2, 5, 10, 15, and 20 min) and rotation speed (200 and 300 rpm), determining the specific milling energy and grindability index. The hydration of TC pastes containing DC with different particle size distributions was evaluated by isothermal calorimetry during the first 72 hours, XRD/Rietveld at 3 and 28 days, compressive strength and absorption. The incorporation of milled DC improved the TC hydration kinetics compared to reference pastes of ordinary Portland cement (REF.PC). After 28 days, the TC pastes with the D50% diameter smaller than 11 µm reached at least 70% of the resistance to the strength of the Portland cement paste. Milled DC contributes to the physical and nucleation effect of the TC pastes studied and can be used as an SCM.

The present study reflects on the wear behaviour characteristics of A356 composite with trace addition of copper and copper-coated zinc as reinforcements. Dry sliding wear tests were conducted on fabricated as-cast and heat treated composites by varying load of 20-60 N under constant sliding speed of 1 m/s and sliding distance of 3000 m. Results confirmed that copper-coated zinc was successfully introduced as reinforcement into A356 matrix using two-step casting method. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images confirmed the presence and homogeneous distribution of the added reinforcements in the matrix. T6 treatment with addition of Cu reinforcement facilitated age hardening showing 121% hardness improvement compared to as-cast matrix A356. At lower loads, wear results showed 117-134% enhanced wear resistance in composite reinforced with 1 wt.% Cu and aging at 100°C. However at higher loads, 153-210% improvement in wear resistance was observed. Overall, copper and Cu-coated zinc reinforced composite along with T6 treatment exhibited significant improvement in hardness wear property compared to as-cast matrix A356 alloy.

In this work, mixtures of ceramic powders containing Al2O3 with different amounts of Y2O3 (1%, 3%, 5% and 10wt.%) along their cross-section were fabricated to obtain multilayer composites based on Al2O3 with different levels of Y3Al5O12 (YAG) as reinforcement. Monolithic cylindrical multilayer Al2O3 blocks were compacted and subsequentially, sintered at 1610°C for 4h. Phase stability, microstructural aspects, and physical and mechanical properties of the specimens were acquired by relative density, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Vickers hardness, fracture toughness, Young’s modulus and biaxial flexural strength measurements. The results indicated that monolithic alumina specimens exhibited relative density of 98%, with average hardness of 1203 ±83 HV, fracture toughness of 2.1 ±0.8 MPa.m1/2 and flexural strength of 187 ±64 MPa. Progressive incorporation of Y2O3 into the chemical composition of the specimens led to formation of the YAG phase by solid state reaction during sintering, which reduced hardness and increased densification, fracture toughness and flexural strength, with average values of HV=1023 ±28 HV, KIC=3.5 ±0.3 MPa.m1/2, σf=273 ±58 MPa and 14% Y3Al5O12 for the specimens with 10wt.% Y2O3. This improvement is probably associated with toughness mechanisms, such as crack deflection and residual thermal stresses between the phases present in the composites.

In this paper, the oxidation behavior of silicon nitride with different contents of TiN was evaluated at 1400 oC for 64 hours in air. The oxidized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Weight gain measurements have shown that the oxidation followed a multiple-law model with linear, parabolic, and logarithmic contributions. The samples presented high weight gain at the beginning of the process followed by the formation of an amorphous silica surface layer containing Y2Ti2O7 and rutile crystals. Cracks and holes were detected on the oxide layer. The oxidation resistance of the composites was strongly influenced by the initial content of TiN.

Shape memory alloys (SMA) are now widely studied in academia and have increasing usage in industry, as they allow efficient performance compared to mechanic actuators with reduced dimensions and the possibility of sensing temperature through the material itself. A subclass of the SMAs are the alloys with magnetic shape memory, still little explored as intelligent materials in Brazil. They combine the best properties of SMAs and common magnetostrictive materials. The magnetic shape memory alloys (MSMA) can be activated not only by the presence of a thermal stimulus, but also by the presence of an applied magnetic field. In this research, the polycrystalline magnetic shape memory alloys Ni51.3Mn24Ga24.7 and Ni54Mn21Ga25 were manufactured and characterized. Differential scanning calorimetry, X-Ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy analyzes were performed to thermoanalytically and crystallographically characterize the alloys. Magnetic characterizations were also performed using Magnetic force microscopy. The results of the characterizations showed that the production process and the heat treatment were satisfactory for the fabrication of the ferromagnetic polycrystalline alloys. Besides that, the compositions Ni51.3Mn24Ga24.7 and Ni54Mn21Ga25, presented austenitic and martensitic 5M structures, respectively, at room temperature and it was possible to observe the alignment of the magnetic domains after magnetization.

The mechanical Properties of an experimental 17%Cr multiphase alloy were studied as function of heat treatment parameters. Containing majoritary ferrite and martensite, this type of steel is applied in tubullars and casings in the off shore oil and gas production, where high corrosion and mechanical resistance are required. Quenching and tempering heat treatments produced different combinations of ferrite, martensite, austenite and precipitates. The as quenched material has 35% of ferrite, martensite and 3.8% of retained austenite. The material quenched and tempered at 500oC has lower austenite (1.2%), and tempered martensite with Nb carbides. The tensile properties were excellent, but the low temperature (-46oC) impact toughness was very small. A high toughness was obtained in the material quenched and tempered at 650oC, with a microstructure of ferrite, tempered martensite and 7.2% of reversed austenite, but the mechanical resistance was under 621 Mpa (90ksi), which is considered too low for the application envisioned. The material tempered at 600oC showed an interesting combination of mechanical resistance and low temperature toughness. The flow stress curves of the material were modelled by Hollomon’s equation and Voce’s equation with correlation coefficients (R2) higher than 0.98.

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is a polymer with applications in the medical and aerospace industries that require resistance to gamma radiation. However, the effects caused by gamma radiation on PMMA properties may make its application in situations of exposure to gamma radiation unfeasible. In this study, the impact of commercial additives on the radiolytic stabilization of PMMA will be studied through viscosimetric assays. In a preliminary trial, additives with different mechanisms of action were tested, and the efficacy of two additives (Tinuvin 770 and Tinuvin 622) hindered amine stabilizers (HAS) types were registered. PMMA films with the additives at different concentrations were exposed to gamma radiation and studied through viscosimetric molar mass and G-value. The Tinuvin 622 at 0.3 wt% showed the best performance in the radiolytic stabilization of p PMMA films at the 20-50 kGy range. Antagonism was observed when Tinuvin 700 and Tinuvin 622 mixture was studied in different proportions. These results show the potential of commercial additives, initially produced for other purposes, in the radiolytic stabilization of PMMA.

Biomedical engineering has been constantly looking for the development of new materials that have bioactive surfaces and that are responsible for new bone formation, induce osteoblast differentiation and present antibacterial properties. Here, we present innovative and applied research to evaluate the influence of niobium pentoxide thin films (Nb2O5) deposited on the surface of a Ti-6Al-4V alloy via the reactive sputtering technique on antibacterial activity, on the cellular proliferation of MC3T3 cells and on biomineralization capacity. Results demonstrated the reactive sputtering technique improved the cell viability, the osteogenic performance of cells involved in the osseointegration process, the ability to delay bacterial proliferation within the first six hours of contact with S. aureus as well as the capacity to promote rapid amorphous apatite formation in vitro. These findings confirm the great potential of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy functionalized with Nb2O5 for future applications in implantable devices.