The aim of this work was to study the stability and morphological properties of polystyrene latex containing kaolinite as a filler during the process of synthesis of nanocomposites viaemulsion polymerization. Nanocomposites with 1, 3, and 5 wt% of kaolinite were prepared. Latexes with 1 to 3 wt% of kaolinite were stable during the polymerization reaction. Hydrodynamic diameters of 93.68 and 82.11 nm were found for latexes with 1 and 3 wt% of kaolinite, respectively. The quantities of 1 to 3 wt% of kaolinite added during the reaction did not influence the reaction conversion curves or the number of particles. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and unconventional techniques of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) showed the presence of exfoliated and intercalated structures of the kaolinite.

This research presents the results of different periods of T6 heat treatment (homogenization and artificial aging) for A356 aluminum alloy used in the fabrication of motorcycles. The samples were cast using gravity die casting, and industrial furnaces for T6 were used in the experiment. Two heat treatment conditions were used, with a total time of 7 h and 12 h, and the results were compared with the alloy without heat treatment. The effects of the reduction of treatment time on mechanical behavior were evaluated in terms of hardness, Charpy and tensile tests, as well as morphological analysis of fractures and microstructural behavior via optical microscopy, SEM-EDS, measurement of eutectic Si evolution, and XRD. Excellent mechanical properties were achieved with a treatment period of 7 h, which achieved a yield strength of 226.58 (±3.76) MPa, tensile strength limit of 264.78 (±4.27) MPa and elongation of 3.41 (±0.47) %. This is competitive with other cast alloys subjected to T6 heat treatment in longer treatment cycles. The peak of hardness and highest impact resistance was recorded for the sample treated for 12 h; however, in the impact test, there was no significant difference between the two experiments.

In this study, a hydroxyapatite (HA) coating derived from the scales of the Amazonian fish pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) was produced using calcination at 500 and 750 °C and deposited on AISI 316 stainless steel substrate using the process of thermal spraying, high velocity suspension plasma spray (HVSPS). To verify its potential, this material was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), by which characteristic peaks of hydroxyapatite were evidenced. Via X-ray fluorescence (XRF) of the samples, it was observed that the Ca/P ratio was equal to 2.00. Using the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy, it was possible to observe the characteristic bands of the HA. For the coating, the mechanical nanoindentation test showed mean Vickers microhardness (VH) values of 93.25 VH for the hydroxyapatite and of 196.57 HV for the substrate. The modulus of elasticity (EIT) was 77.85 GPa for the hydroxyapatite coating and 136.45 GPa for the substrate. Optical microscopy showed that the coating was homogeneously deposited.

Efeito de Diferentes Tratamentos Térmicos na Microestrutura e Propriedades Mecânicas de Ligas Al-Si Fundidas por Gravidade / Effect of Different Heat Treatments on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Al-Si Alloys Cast by Gravity