The continuous interest in the synthesis and properties study of materials has permitted the development of semiconductor oxides. Zinc oxide (ZnO) with hexagonal wurzite structure is a wide band gap n-type semiconductor and interesting material over a wide range. Chemically sprayed aluminium-doped zinc oxide thin films (ZnO:Al) were deposited on soda-lime glass substrates starting from zinc pentanedionate and aluminium pentanedionate. The influence of both the dopant concentration in the starting solution and the substrate temperature on the composition, morphology, and transport properties of the ZnO:Al thin films were studied. The structure of all the ZnO:Al thin films was polycrystalline, and variation in the preferential growth with the aluminium content in the solution was observed: from an initial (002) growth in films with low Al content, switching to a predominance of (101) planes for heavily dopant regime. The crystallite size was found to decrease with doping concentration and range from 33 to 20 nm. First-order Raman scattering from ZnO:Al, all having the wurtzite structure . The assignments of the E2 mode in ZnO:Al differ from previous investigations. The film composition and the dopant concentration were determined by Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES); these results showed that the films are almost stoichiometric ZnO. The optimum deposition conditions leading to conductive and transparent ZnO:Al thin films were also found. In this way a resistivity of 0.03 Ω-cm with a (002) preferential growth, were obtained in optimized ZnO:Al thin films.

Cordierite (Mg2Al4Si5O18), Mullite (Al4+2xSi2-2xO10-x) and Cordierite-Mullite ceramic materials were obtained from a stoichiometric mixture of coal fly ash (CFA) as a source of SiO2 and Al2O3, plus high-purity MgO and Al2O3. The starting stoichiometric mixtures were homogenized, and then uniaxially pressed, cold isostatically pressed, and sintered at 1200-1600 °C for 2-5 h. The sintered materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Vickers microhardness, density and four-point flexural strength. In general, the desired phases tended to form in the composites at temperatures of 1350 or 1400 °C, with a considerable amount of glassy phase developing from 3 h onwards at one of those two temperatures, depending on the composite composition. The microstructure of the composites consisted of a matrix of Cordierite and interwoven needles of Mullite. The bulk density decreased, while the flexural strength and the Vickers microhardness increased with increasing nominal content of Mullite in the composites. A synergistic effect taking place between Cordierite and Mullite enhances the mechanical properties of the composites.

AISI 4140 steel is a popular low alloy steel due to its wide applications as workpiece in the metal-mechanic industry; there are extensive research about surface modification to enhance its properties for specific applications. The focus of this study was to investigate the influence of the nature of lubricants, mineral and vegetable oils, on the tribological performance of the hardened and tempered AISI 4140 steel against alumina (Al2O3). For this purpose, friction tests were conducted in a pin on disc tribometer according to ASTM standard G 99-05, at room temperature of 25 °C and in air with about 30% relative humidity. Lubricants were selected to be commercial Holifa B22/2 oil as mineral oil and Castor Oil as bio-lubricant, with kinematic viscosity at 25 °C of 667 and 662 cSt respectively. The following conditions were settled for all the experiments: relative sliding speed of 0.05 ms-1, sliding distance of 1000 m and wear track radius of 2 mm. Friction behaviour was reported as the average kinetic friction coefficient (µK) while wear performance was evaluated as wear rate (K). In order to identify and determine wear mechanisms, worn surfaces were analyzed by optical microscopy and profilometry. It was found that, for these tribosystems, hardened and tempered AISI 4140 steel had the best friction and wear performance under lubrication with Castor Oil. The lowest µK achieved was 0.035, whereas the lowest K was 1.02x10-8 mm3/Nm. With this bio-lubricant, there were reductions in friction and wear up to 72% compared with those under mineral oil lubrication.

We have studied the structural and morphological properties on the pyrochlore (Er2-x Srx)Ru2O6 system, for x = 0.0, 0.02, 0.05, 0.07, 0.10, and 0.15. Polycrystalline samples were prepared by solid-state reaction (SR) and sol-gel acrylamide polymerization (SGAP). Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) was used to follow the thermal transformations such as reagents decomposition, phase transformation, chemical stability, and volatilization of organic material of samples. The reagents and synthesized products by the different methods of synthesis were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). All samples crystallize Er2Ru2O6 PDF (72-7620) in the cubic unit cell with Fd$\bar{3}$m (No. 227) space group and form a solid solution up to x = 0.15. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows considerable variations and similitudes in sizes, very few phases and shapes of polycrystals can be observed. Polycrystalline samples prepared by solid-state reaction (SR) present a grain size varies between 77 nm to 250 nm.

The aim of this research is to ameliorate the dispersion of pristine and functionalized Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) into polystyrene with hydroxyl end groups (PSOH) matrices using low magnetic fields. The Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) were synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using benzene as carbon source; to produce CNTs with and without functional groups two catalysts were used (stainless steel and ferrocene). The obtained nanotubes contained iron nanoparticles inside. PSOH were synthesized using styrene as monomer, azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator and 2-MeOH as chain transfer agent. The MWCNTs-PSOH matrices were formed using 1.6 wt % of carbon nanotubes into PSOH and ultrasonic mixing for 30 min. The mixing materials were poured into containers and dry at room temperature. While the material was drying, constant magnetic fields of 0.24 T were being applied for 50 min. The MWCNTs-PSOH composites were analysed by SEM, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. SEM micrographs showed that MWCNTs without functional groups were incorporated in the middle of PSOH. The MWCNTs functionalized perform differently; a better dispersion through the entire polymer matrix was achieved, because the polymer embedded the CNTs. FTIR and Raman spectroscopy showed chemical interaction between PSOH and MWCNTs functionalized. The CNTs dispersion into PSOH was ameliorated through the use of low magnetic fields and functionalization.

The objective of this research work is to study the weldability of a Nb microalloyed TWIP steel through welding nuggets generated by Gas Tungsten Arc Welding process. Weldability was examined by microstructural changes in the fusion zone (FZ) and heat affected zone (HAZ) using light optical metallography (LOM), segregation in the nuggets was evaluated using elemental mappings of chemical analysis by Scanning Electron Microscopy and Electron Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), phase transformations were evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the hardness properties were examined using Vickers microhardness testing (HV25). Experimental results show that microstructure of welding nuggets consists of austenitic dendritic grains in the FZ and equiaxed grains in the HAZ. FZ width and HAZ grain growth tend to increase as the heat input increases. Additionally, the studied Nb-containing TWIP steel showed segregation in the FZ, where Mn and Si segregated in the interdendritic regions, while Al and C preferentially segregated in dendritic areas. In general, the data obtained by XRD indicated that GTAW process did not affect austenite stability. Finally, the welding nuggets of studied TWIP steel showed lower microhardness values than the as-solution condition (starting condition). However, the heat affected zone showed hardened areas, which are associated with NbC precipitation hardening.

Phenylcoumarin glucoside (4-PC) is a compound extracted from the plant Hintona latiflora and was studied as inhibitor for AISI 1018 steel corrosion in 3% NaCl solution using potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques, which may find application as eco-friendly corrosion inhibitors. The 4-PC provides inhibitor properties that protect AISI 1018 low carbon steel against corrosion at low concentrations (5 ppm) obtained by EIS. Polarization studies showed that the inhibitor was of mixed type. The inhibition efficiency by the two electrochemical techniques shows similar results. The inhibitor adsorption was demonstrated to be a combined process (physisorption and chemisorption) according to the Langmuir isotherm.

The objective of this research is to evaluate the microstructure of a coating layer composed of Zn / Zn-5 % Al. It was performed by the double-dip method of a steel AISI 1020. The temperature of the immersion bath was 550°C and the coatings were performed using different immersion times. Microstructural characterization was done using optical microscopy, SEM, EDX and XRD. All coatings showed three defined zones. The first zone, corresponding to the steel/coating interface, it presents typical properties of a traditional galvanization process at high temperatures. In zone II, a very heterogeneous microstructure was observed; zone III showed a Zn-Fe matrix with compounds particles of Fe2Al5Znx. The XRD characterization detected the presence of Zn and Fe2Al5Zn0,4. It was concluded than microstructural properties of the coatings were similar for the three immersion times. It is important to remark that the presence of Fe and Al throughout the coating, due to the diffusion of iron from the base metal and aluminum, presents in the second immersion bath.