Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto

About: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto is a based out in . It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Catalysis. The organization has 2143 authors who have published 3674 publications receiving 71071 citations. The organization is also known as: FFCLRP & FFCLRP-USP.

Electrochemical and Electrochromic Properties of Layer-by-Layer Films from WO3 and Chitosan

Abstract: The design of improved materials for electrochromic applications now involves extensive use of novel composites, thus requiring an investigation of the mechanisms responsible for electrochromism in these structures. Using films of WO(3) and chitosan produced with the layer-by-layer (LBL) technique, we demonstrate that characteristics such as the number of electrochemical active sites (K), the molar absorption coefficient (epsilon), and the electrochromic efficiency (eta) can be obtained using the quadratic logistic equation (QLE). The complexation ability between chitosan and WO(3) allowed the growth of visually uniform multilayers of the composite, with the same amount of material adsorbed in each deposition cycle. By fitting the absorbance changes (DeltaA) resulting from the electronic intervalence transfer from W(V) to W(VI) sites in four-bilayer LBL films of WO(3)/chitosan and WO(3)/chitosan with ethanol in the precursor dispersion, K was estimated to be ca. 5.5 x 10(-8) mol cm(-2) and 3.6 x 10(-8) mol cm(-2), respectively. The molar absorption coefficient and electrochromic efficiency vary with the charge injected because of the saturation of W(V) sites and the dissipation and feedback effects implicit in the QLE associated with ion-network interactions, such as the proton trapping effect. The LBL film of WO(3)/chitosan showed a smaller molar absorption coefficient and electrochromic efficiency than that containing ethanol because of a greater proton trapping effect for the LBL film with no ethanol. This enhanced trapping effect was seen as a decrease in the electronic flux involved in intervalence transfer in electrochemical impedance spectroscopy experiments.

Fabrication and characterization of thin films of PbI2 for medical imaging

Abstract: Thin films of lead iodide (PbI2) are promising candidates for applications in X-ray digital medical imaging. In this work we present a new methodology used for the deposition of thin films of PbI2: the spray pyrolysis technique. We investigate the structural properties of the films using X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering experiments. The electronic properties of the obtained films are investigated using dark current versus voltage at room temperature and also using dark current as a function of temperature for a fixed voltage. Post-deposition thermal annealing is also used for induced crystal growth, where the influence of a controlled N2 or ambient atmosphere are compared.

Relative growth and sexual maturity of the hermit crab Paguristes erythrops (Anomura, Diogenidae) from South Atlantic

Abstract: Some morphometric relationships were studied in the hermit crab Paguristes erythrops to describe its relative growth and the size at which sexual maturity is reached, as well as the shell influence on this process. Individuals were collected monthly from January to December/1999, by SCUBA diving and 12 different characters were measured on males and females. Sexual size dimorphism was observed in length and width of left cheliped. Size at sexual maturity was estimated between 2.8 and 3.5 mm shield length based on the left cheliped relations of the males and on the endopod and exopod of the second pleopod of the females. Differences in the allometry of individuals occupying different shell species were observed. The present work demonstrated the importance of characterizing the type of growth of some parts (pleopods) not yet used in other studies on relative growth of hermit crabs that may correspond to indicators of the size at sexual maturity.

Synthesis and characterization of silver/alanine nanocomposites for radiation detection in medical applications: the influence of particle size on the detection properties.

Abstract: Silver/alanine nanocomposites with varying mass percentage of silver have been produced. The size of the silver nanoparticles seems to drive the formation of the nanocomposite, yielding a homogeneous dispersion of the silver nanoparticles in the alanine matrix or flocs of silver nanoparticles segregated from the alanine crystals. The alanine crystalline orientation is modified according to the particle size of the silver nanoparticles. Concerning a mass percentage of silver below 0.1%, the nanocomposites are homogeneous, and there is no particle aggregation. As the mass percentage of silver is increased, the system becomes unstable, and there is particle flocculation with subsequent segregation of the alanine crystals. The nanocomposites have been analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and they have been tested as radiation detectors by means of electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy in order to detect the paramagnetic centers created by the radiation. In fact, the sensitivity of the radiation detectors is optimized in the case of systems containing small particles (30 nm) that are well dispersed in the alanine matrix. As the agglomeration increases, particle growth (up to 1.5 μm) and segregation diminish the sensitivity. In conclusion, nanostructured materials can be used for optimization of alanine sensitivity, by taking into account the influence of the particles size of the silver nanoparticles on the detection properties of the alanine radiation detectors, thus contributing to the construction of small-sized detectors.

Characterization of lipopeptides from Paenibacillus sp. (IIRAC30) suppressing Rhizoctonia solani

Abstract: The main aim was to identify the active compound against Rhizoctonia solani produced by the cassava endophyte Paenibacillus sp. IIRAC-30. The compounds produced were extracted with ethyl acetate and purified by Sephadex column prior to analysis by Q-TOF mass spectrometry. A C15-lipopeptide with an estimated molecular weight of 1036 Da and homologues were identified. The lipopeptide had a cyclic structure, which was deduced by interpreting the ESI–MS/MS spectra of main protonated homologues containing 15:0 FA, and the amino acid composition was Glu-Leu-Leu-Val-Asp-Leu-Leu. Therefore, the lipopeptides produced by isolate IIRAC-30 was characterized as a surfactin series. Thus, the main mechanism used by Paenibacillus sp. IIRAC-30 to suppress R. solani was elucidated. Furthermore, because lipopeptides active against phytopathogens generally show low toxicity to humans and the environment, the positive findings presented here suggest that the isolate IIRAC-30 could be a possible candidate for biocontrol of R. solani.