Three composite materials with different CaZrO3/MgO fractions (2/3, 1/2, 1/3) and two single-phase materials (CaZrO3 and MgO) were fabricated and their thermal conductivity was investigated. Complete thermal and mechanical characterizations (thermal expansion coefficient, thermal diffusivity, specific heat, hardness and toughness) of the materials were performed. Values of the thermal conductivity up to 480 ◦C of the composites were compared with those calculated with the main analytical models. From the real microstructures of the three composites, representative volume elements (RVE) were built and used for finite element modelling (FEM) of thermal conductivity using conductivities of the single-phase materials as inputs. The FEM results showed no differences for the 3 spatial directions of the RVE, nor for the different edge lengths (11, 14 and 17 μm). Results of all analytical models are statistically different from the experimental ones, being those from the Bruggeman model the closest. Results of the proposed FEM are statistically coincident with the experimental ones, showing sensitivity to temperature variation.

Potassium tetratitanate (K2Ti4O9) and sodium trititanate (Na2Ti3O7) were synthesized by solid state reaction at 800°C and wet impregnated using Mg2+/La3+ or nanoparticles of MgO/La2O3 varying ion/oxide content in 1, 5 or 10% of matrix weight. MgO and La2O3 synthesized by precipitation method and their mean crystallite size calculated in 11 nm and 72 nm, respectively. Synthesized materials were characterized by X ray diffractometry, termogravimetry, N2 adsorption, mid-infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and they were applied on transesterification reactions using mixtures of methyl acetate/ethanol and ethyl acetate/methanol. Interlayer distance calculated for solids is about 8 Å. Impregnation of ion/oxide in matrices K2Ti4O9 and Na2Ti3O7 produced structural changes like loss of crystallinity for some of them including peak broadening or disappearing. All synthesized materials, after burning in an atmosphere of N2 (g), lost mass related to the exit of surface water and interlamellar water. Materials showed low surface area, with values below 5 m2/g. In general, powder utilized had conversion rates between 10 and 80%. Emphasis should be given to pure matrices which presented conversions rates equal or higher than impregnated powders, and the use of matrix K2Ti4O9 led to better results. Among the oxides chosen for impregnation, higher efficiency was observed for MgO. Some powders were reused for the same reactions and its activity decreased in each reaction cycle. Reaction mixture analysis after reuse tests to K2Ti4O9 revealed partial leaching of K+ ions, however XRD patterns profile analysis did not show structural changes occurrence. A proposal to explain layered titanate activity on transesterification reactions is made based on acid-base properties of layers and output of K+ from interlamellar area.

Resumo O TiO2 tem sido objeto de diversos estudos devido ao seu excelente desempenho como fotocatalisador. Aditivos como o MgO têm sido introduzidos para melhorar o desempenho fotocatalítico do TiO2. No entanto, a físico-química destes sistemas de óxidos e suas relações com suas demais propriedades são pouco compreendidas. Neste trabalho, nanopartículas de xMgO-(1-x)TiO2 (0≤ x≤ 0,05) foram sintetizadas pelo método dos precursores poliméricos a 500 °C por 15 h. Os resultados de difração de raios X mostraram que somente a fase anatásio é formada e que o tamanho de cristalito diminui com o aumento da concentração de MgO. A lavagem dos pós em solução aquosa de HNO3 solubilizou grande parte do MgO evidenciando que ocorre excesso de superfície do aditivo. Análises de FTIR confirmaram que a lavagem em ácido altera a superfície das partículas e, portanto, é proposto que a redução do tamanho de cristalito ocorre devido à segregação de MgO na superfície.

Abstract Mullite is a refractory material with singular properties, although high temperatures and long sintering times are required to obtain this material with good densification. In this study, aluminum hydroxide and colloidal silica were used to produce mullite through reactive sintering and MgO was employed as a sintering additive. The compositions were prepared with different amounts of MgO and sintered at 1350, 1450, and 1550 °C, and then analyzed using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and measurements of apparent porosity (AP) and flexural strength. The results showed that the raw materials used allowed the mullite formation at relatively low temperatures (1350 °C), regardless of the amount of MgO added but with the increase in MgO content, a spinel phase appeared, resulting in a fraction of residual α-alumina. The MgO addition lowered the densification temperature at around 50 °C. Furthermore, the higher the sintering temperature and the MgO content, the larger and more anisotropic the mullite grains were. At sintering temperatures above 1450 °C, AP was reduced to approximately 10%. The MgO addition and increase in sintering temperature improved the flexural strength of mullite materials.

The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) parameters (g factors and the hyperfine structure constants) for Ni2+ and Co+ in MgO are theoretically studied from the perturbation formulas of these parameters for a 3d8 ion in octahedral crystal-fields. In the computations, the ligand orbital and spin-orbit coupling contributions are taken into account using the cluster approach. The calculated EPR parameters are in good agreement with the experimental data. The larger g factor and the smaller magnitude of the hyperfine structure constant for Ni2+ as compared with those for Co+ can be attributed to the higher spin-orbit coupling coefficient and the lower dipolar hyperfine structure parameter of the former, respectively.

MgO is an important inorganic material, which can be used in many aspects, such as catalyst, toxic-waste remediation agent, adsorbent, and others. In order to make use of MgO, nano-MgO was prepared by ultrasonic method using Mg (CH3COO)2.2H2O as precursor, NaOH aqueous solution as precipitant in this paper. Effect factors on MgO nano-particle size were investigated. Characteristics of samples were measured by TGA, XRD, TEM, and others techniques. The results showed that the size of nano-MgO about 4 nm could be obtained under the following conditions (ultrasonic time 20 min, ultrasonic power 250 W, titration rate of NaOH 0.25 mL/min, NaOH concentration 0.48 mol/L, calcinations temperature 410 °C, calcination time 1.5 h, heating rate of calcination 5 °C/min). It was a very simple and effective method to prepare nano-MgO.

The influence of MgO and La2O3 on the fast sintering of mullite was evaluated in this work. High-purity mullite was doped with MgO and La2O3, conventionally sintered, fast sintered, and microwave-sintered in rapid sintering cycles. The results showed that MgO and La2O3 strongly affected the densification of fast sintered samples; and only doped bodies reached high densities when fast sintered. However, the densification behavior of doped samples was dependent on the amount of sintering aids. MgO doped samples presented better densification behavior than La2O3 doped samples. Microwave-processed samples required a balance between power, time and amount of additives to obtain highly dense and homogenous microstructures.

The acid-base cements are materials developed by means of reactions between an acid component and another basic one. This type cement belongs to the family of the so called "chemically bonded phosphate ceramics" (CBPCs), new types of inorganic materials that have special physico-chemical properties and that, in contrast to most advanced ceramics, are made by processing the material at ambient temperature. In the present work, cylindrical specimens were molded (30 mm × 50 mm) with magnesium phosphate cement and grinding dust (waste from an automobile industry) which was added to ceramic matrices in varied contents (0% to 40% in mass). The influence of this addition with regard to phase formation and to mechanic resistance (axial compression and traction by diametrical compression) of the compositions (3, 7 and 28 days after the molding) was evaluated using a universal test machine. The samples of magnesium phosphate cement mortars containing grinding dust were then analyzed after being subjected to an accelerated aging test for a period of 1200 hours (50 days), equivalent to one year of natural aging. The results obtained showed a decrease in the compressive strength of the mortar between 28 days and 1 year of age but this loss in performance is not associated with the presence of grinding dust and the CBPCs proved highly satisfactory for the encapsulation of hazardous wastes.

The antibacterial activity of MgO nanoparticles prepared by a sonication method was evaluated in this paper. The effect of calcination conditions on the size and antibacterial activity of MgO nanoparticles was investigated. MgO nanoparticles were characterized for purity (TGA), crystallinity and crystal size (XRD), particle size and morphology (TEM) and surface area (BET). Results showed that the smallest size of 6 nm could be obtained. The lethal effects of nanocrystalline MgO were evaluated on Lactobacillus plantarum. At a concentration of 100 ppm, the killing effect of MgO was close to 1 log reduction for L. plantarum after 24 h exposure. At 1000 ppm and 24 h exposure, the killing effect of MgO was more than a 2.8 log reduction. With the increase of calcination time, the lethal effect of MgO nanoparticles increased after 6 h or 24 h exposure at 100 ppm or 1000 ppm. 2.86 log and 2.89 log were killed at 1000 ppm after 24 h exposure using the sample MgO, sonication, A, and the sample MgO, sonication, B, respectively. When the sample MgO, sonication, C, was used, the lethal quantity of L. plantarum was increased to a 3.36 log reduction.

O óxido de etileno (EO) é um intermediário muito importante na fabricação de uma série de produtos petroquímicos tais como etileno glicol, surfactantes, anticongelantes, adesivos, lubrificantes e solventes. Atualmente, sua produção excede 20 milhões de ton/ano, representando cerca de 40-50% do valor total de substâncias químicas orgânicas produzidas mundialmente. Industrialmente, esse epóxido é obtido através da oxidação parcial do etileno usando ar ou oxigênio sobre catalisadores de Ag suportados em α-Al2O3, um suporte de baixa área superficial. Apesar desse processo ter sido desenvolvido por volta da década de 40, uma questão prática importante que não tem sido sistematicamente investigada é o papel do suporte na catálise do óxido de etileno. A singularidade da alumina como suporte na obtenção de catalisadores altamente seletivos foi atribuída a sua baixa área superficial. No entanto, existem outros suportes de área superficial igualmente baixa que resultaram em catalisadores não seletivos ao EO. Algumas evidências na literatura indicam que os suportes podem ser ativos na conversão do óxido de etileno a acetaldeído e a CO2. Além disso, a natureza do suporte pode influenciar na distribuição dos tamanhos de partícula de prata e, consequentemente, na atividade e seletividade ao óxido de etileno. Assim, o objetivo desse trabalho é comparar o efeito do suporte no desempenho dos catalisadores de prata suportados em α-Al2O3, ZrO2 e MgO. Os três materiais possuem área superficial bem distintas, além de características neutra, ácida e básica, respectivamente. Os catalisadores foram caracterizados por medidas de área específica, difração de raios X e dessorção a temperatura programada de O2. O catalisador Ag/α-Al2O3 se mostrou o mais promissor na produção seletiva de óxido de etileno dentre os estudados, apresentando rendimentos desse produto de até 18% e seletividade de até 28%. O catalisador Ag/MgO também se mostrou seletivo ao EO em todas as temperaturas de reação, porém com seletividades (até 18%) e rendimentos (até 14%) inferiores ao catalisador de Ag/α-Al2O3. Já o catalisador Ag/ZrO2 demonstrou ser muito ativo, promovendo somente a oxidação total do etileno a CO2 e H2O, observada também pelo desprendimento de calor e consequente aumento da temperatura durante a reação. A seletividade ao EO praticamente nula para esse catalisador foi atribuída à presença de sítios ácidos no suporte que catalisam a reação de oxidação total, por correlação com a literatura