This work aims the production of luminescent materials based on MgB4O7 (MBO) and Li2B4O7 (LBO), doped and undoped, by alternative routes, verifying the influence of the route on the optical properties and grain size. Sol-gel protein (SGP) and Pechini (MP) methods were chosen for the production of the samples. Structural characterization of the materials was performed through thermal measurements and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Thermal analyses indicate that the crystallization process of the samples at intervals of 700 to 1000 C for MBO and 500 to 700 C for LBO by both production methods. XRD measurements confirm the formation of single crystalline phase under synthesis conditions 900 C/2h (SGP) and 800 C/2h (MP) for MBO crystal and 650 C/2h (SGP) and 600 C/2h (MP) for MBO. These conditions also were used to doped samples but single phases for doped LBO cannot be obtained. All samples present a coloration that could disrupt the luminescent signal during thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) readings. Samples were washed with hydrogen peroxide aiming to test the influence of coloration in optical properties. Optical measurements showed that the samples no washed with hydrogen peroxide have more efficient TL signal than washed samples. As a rule, the unwashed samples of MBO:Ce,Li produced by both methods showed the best TL signal. The MBO:Dy,Li – SGP – washed samples showed only 10% of the batch discharge units 20 tablets with homogeneity tests. On the other hand, for both MBO:Dy,Li (SGP,MP) were verified that the TL signal decays with the decrease of the grain size and occurs a displacement of the position of the TL peaks. The minimum detectable dose calculated for the washed samples of the MBO:Ce,Li and MBO:Dy,Li were 0.02 Gy and approximately 0.3 Gy respectively for both production methods. The OSL measurements showed MBO:Dy,Li – SGP have the best signal and that grain size have no influence in OSL signal. Phototransferred thermoluminescence effect (PTTE) occurred to MBO:Dy,Li – washed samples. Photoluminescent (PL) measurements indicate high symmetry in the dopant region for the MBO:Ce,Li – MP - washed sample. The LBO samples produced by both methods presented high sensitivity to the production method, precursor reagents used and dopants. / Esse trabalho propõe a produção de materiais luminescentes baseados em MgB4O7 (MBO) e Li2B4O7 (LBO), puros e dopados, por rotas alternativas, verificando a influência da rota sobre as propriedades ópticas e o tamanho do grão. Os métodos sol-gel proteico (SGP) e Pechini (MP) foram escolhidos para a produção das amostras. A caracterização estrutural dos materiais foi realizada através de medições térmicas e difração de raios X (XRD). As análises térmicas indicam que o processo de cristalização das amostras ocorre em intervalos de 700 a 1000 C para MBO e 500 a 700 C para LBO por ambos os métodos de produção. As medidas de XRD confirmam a formação de fase monocristalina em condições de síntese 900 C/2h (SGP) e 800 C/2h (MP) para o MBO; e 650 C/2h (SGP) e 600 C/2h (MP) para o LBO. Essas condições também foram usadas para a preparação de amostras dopadas, porém não foram obtidas fases únicas das amostras de LBO dopadas. Todas as amostras apresentaram uma coloração que poderiam atrapalhar o sinal luminescente durante a termoluminescência (TL) e as leituras de luminescência opticamente estimulada (OSL). Os procedimentos de lavagem com peróxido de hidrogênio foram realizados nas amostras com o objetivo de testar a influência da coloração nas propriedades ópticas. As medições ópticas mostraram que as amostras sem lavagem com peróxido de hidrogênio apresentaram sinais TL com maior intensidade que as amostras lavadas com peróxido de hidrogênio. Em regra, as amostras não lavadas com peróxido de hidrogênio de MBO:Ce,Li produzidas por ambos os métodos mostraram o melhor sinal TL. As amostras lavadas MBO:Dy,Li - SGP mostraram apenas 10% das unidades em lote 20 comprimidos em testes de homogeneidade foram descartadas. Por outro lado, tanto para MBO:Dy,Li (SGP, MP) foram verificados que o sinal TL decai com a diminuição do tamanho do grão e ocorre ao deslocamento da posição dos picos TL. A dose mínima detectável calculada para as amostras lavadas do MBO:Ce,Li e MBO:Dy,Li foram 0,02 Gy e aproximadamente 0,3 Gy, respectivamente, para ambos os métodos de produção. As medidas OSL mostraram MBO:Dy,Li - SGP têm o melhor sinal e que o tamanho do grão não tem influência no sinal OSL. O efeito de termoluminescência fototransferido (PTTE) ocorreu em amostras lavadas com MBO:Dy,Li. As medidas fotoluminescentes (PL) indicam uma simetria elevada na região dopante para a amostra lavada com MBO:Ce,Li - MP. As amostras LBO produzidas por ambos os métodos apresentaram alta sensibilidade ao método de produção, reagentes precursores utilizados e dopantes. / São Cristóvão, SE

Avaliou-se a atividade conservante do Borato de Sódio para amostras de tecidos com lesão tuberculosa. Inicialmente, foi feito um teste de inoculação experimental em hamsters. A partir dos resultados observados neste estudo, foram selecionadas as variáveis para a segunda etapa do experimento, com lesões de abatedouro de bovinos. Noventa hamsters foram inoculados experimentalmente com Mycobacterium bovis e foram eutanasiados 40 dias após a inoculação, quando foi feita a colheita dos baços. Esses órgãos foram, individualmente, armazenados em solução saturada de Borato de Sódio, em quatro períodos de armazenamento distintos (30, 60, 90 e 120 dias após a eutanásia), em duas temperaturas (27ºC e 37ºC), exceto o grupo controle processado no dia da eutanasia. Na segunda etapa do experimento, 69 lesões de órgãos de bovinos foram colhidas de um abatedouro e armazenadas em solução de borato de sódio em três períodos de armazenamento distintos (30, 60 e 90 dias após a colheita), na temperatura de 27ºC, exceto o grupo controle, processado no dia de entrada no laboratório. As análises dos dois experimentos foram feitas separadamente e mostraram-se concordantes. Em relação aos períodos de armazenamento dos órgãos em Borato de Sódio foram consideradas duas variáveis, a proporção de isolados de micobactérias a partir dos órgãos e o número de U.F.C. de micobactérias desses mesmos órgãos. Com base nos resultados observados em ambos os testes, concluiu-se que o armazenamento de tecidos com lesões tuberculosas em solução de Borato de Sódio pode ser feito por até 30 dias em altas temperaturas, 27ºC a 37ºC. Além disso, observou-se que conforme a temperatura ambiente aumenta, diminui a sensibilidade do isolamento de M. bovis a partir de amostras armazenadas em solução saturada de Borato de Sódio. / The preservative activity of Sodium Tetraborate was evaluated for tissues with tuberculous lesion. Initially, an experimental infection essay was performed in hamsters. Based on the results observed in this essay, the variables for the second experiment, involving samples from a slaughterhouse, were selected. The 90 animals were euthanized 40 days after inoculation when the spleens were colected. These organs were individually stored in saturated Sodium Tetraborate solution, in four distincts storage periods (30, 60, 90 and 120 days after the euthanasia), in two temperatures (27º and 37ºC), except for the control group processed on the euthanasia day. On the second part of the experiment, sixty nine samples of bovine organs with tuberculous lesions were collected from a slaughterhouse. The samples were stored in saturated Sodium Tetraborate solution, in three distincts storage periods (30, 60 and 90 days after collection), at the temperature of 27ºC, except for the control group processed on the day of entry in the laboratory. The analysis of both experiments were done separately and were concordant. In relation to the storage periods of the organs in Sodium Tetraborate solution, two variables were considered, the proportion of mycobacterial isolates from the organs and the number of mycobacterial C.F.U from the same organs. Based on the results observed on both essays, it was concluded that tissues with tuberculous lesions can be stored in Sodium Tetraborate solution up to 30 days in high temperatures, 27ºC a 37ºC. Furthermore, it was observed that as the environmental temperature increases the M. bovis isolation sensibility from the samples stored in Sodium Tetraborate decreases.

Lithium tetraborate (Li2B4O7) has aroused interest of scientists since 1960s by the courtesy of the thermoluminescence (TL) property it possesses. Over and above, it found widespread use in surface acoustic wave apparatuses, in sensor sector and in laser technology due to its non linear optical characteristics. For the uses in thermoluminescence dosimetry lithium tetraborate is activated by addition of a variety of metals as dopants. This study comprises the synthesis of lithium tetraborate by two methods (high temperature solid state synthesis and water/solution assisted synthesis) as well as doping and characterization of the material. Lithium tetraborate is readily commercially available in TL dosimetry / hence, the main aim is to specify practical production conditions to pioneer domestic production. In high temperature synthesis, the initial heating was performed at 400oC for 3 hours. Then the samples were heated at 750oC for two hours, intermittently mixed to enhance diffusion and exposed to the same temperature for another two hours. In water/solution assisted synthesis, stoichiometric quantities of reactants were mixed in water by heating and agitating in order to achieve homogenous mixing and good dispersion of the material. The remnant of water was removed from the system by 3 hours initial heating at 150oC. The synthesis stage is followed by doping step where the metals Cu, Ag and In in different proportions were doped in lithium tetraborate by solid state and solution assisted synthesis techniques. Powder X-ray diffraction method was employed for the characterization of the material. The thermal properties of doped and un-doped materials were studied by DTA (Differential Thermal Analyses). Besides, FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infra red) spectrometry analyses were performed in order to detect differences in the bond structure caused by doping The XRD patterns obtained showed that lithium tetraborate production was successful by both high temperature solid state synthesis and solution assisted synthesis Moreover, it was inferred from the XRD results that addition of dopants did not have a sound effect on the crystal structure. Furthermore, the DTA results displayed that addition of different dopants to the structure of lithium tetraborate did not cause any noticeable difference. The extensive TL measurements showed that the TL response of the material produced is affected by production and doping methods.

In this study, differences in glow curves of Mn doped LTB powder samples synthesized with solid and wet synthesis methods and doped by using solid and wet doping techniques were investigated. Firstly, LTB was synthesized by using wet synthesis method which mainly comprises dissolution of reactants in water as solvent. Second way to produce LTB which was used in this study was solid synthesis method. In solid synthesis method, reactants were mixed in powder form. In the second part of the study, LTB produced by two different methods were doped with Mn and additionally Ag, Mg or P by using two different doping techniques. In order to see structural differences between differently synthesized and differently doped LTB samples which contained different amount of dopant powder X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) method was employed. Besides, FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) spectroscopy analyses were performed in order to detect differences in the bond structure caused by doping. Additionally, Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES) was used to determine the actual amount of dopant in LTB. Also morphological structures of samples were compared by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Thermoluminescence measurements were performed with (TLD) Thermoluminescence Dosimeter equipment. XRD and FTIR analysis showed that syntheses of products were done in well success. Addition of dopants did not cause any changes in structural or bonding properties of LTB. It was possible to observe that, synthesis and doping methods and dopant concentration effect the thermoluminescence glow curves of doped LTB.

Avaliou-se a atividade conservante do Borato de Sódio para amostras de tecidos com lesão tuberculosa. Inicialmente, foi feito um teste de inoculação experimental em hamsters. A partir dos resultados observados neste estudo, foram selecionadas as variáveis para a segunda etapa do experimento, com lesões de abatedouro de bovinos. Noventa hamsters foram inoculados experimentalmente com Mycobacterium bovis e foram eutanasiados 40 dias após a inoculação, quando foi feita a colheita dos baços. Esses órgãos foram, individualmente, armazenados em solução saturada de Borato de Sódio, em quatro períodos de armazenamento distintos (30, 60, 90 e 120 dias após a eutanásia), em duas temperaturas (27ºC e 37ºC), exceto o grupo controle processado no dia da eutanasia. Na segunda etapa do experimento, 69 lesões de órgãos de bovinos foram colhidas de um abatedouro e armazenadas em solução de borato de sódio em três períodos de armazenamento distintos (30, 60 e 90 dias após a colheita), na temperatura de 27ºC, exceto o grupo controle, processado no dia de entrada no laboratório. As análises dos dois experimentos foram feitas separadamente e mostraram-se concordantes. Em relação aos períodos de armazenamento dos órgãos em Borato de Sódio foram consideradas duas variáveis, a proporção de isolados de micobactérias a partir dos órgãos e o número de U.F.C. de micobactérias desses mesmos órgãos. Com base nos resultados observados em ambos os testes, concluiu-se que o armazenamento de tecidos com lesões tuberculosas em solução de Borato de Sódio pode ser feito por até 30 dias em altas temperaturas, 27ºC a 37ºC. Além disso, observou-se que conforme a temperatura ambiente aumenta, diminui a sensibilidade do isolamento de M. bovis a partir de amostras armazenadas em solução saturada de Borato de Sódio. / The preservative activity of Sodium Tetraborate was evaluated for tissues with tuberculous lesion. Initially, an experimental infection essay was performed in hamsters. Based on the results observed in this essay, the variables for the second experiment, involving samples from a slaughterhouse, were selected. The 90 animals were euthanized 40 days after inoculation when the spleens were colected. These organs were individually stored in saturated Sodium Tetraborate solution, in four distincts storage periods (30, 60, 90 and 120 days after the euthanasia), in two temperatures (27º and 37ºC), except for the control group processed on the euthanasia day. On the second part of the experiment, sixty nine samples of bovine organs with tuberculous lesions were collected from a slaughterhouse. The samples were stored in saturated Sodium Tetraborate solution, in three distincts storage periods (30, 60 and 90 days after collection), at the temperature of 27ºC, except for the control group processed on the day of entry in the laboratory. The analysis of both experiments were done separately and were concordant. In relation to the storage periods of the organs in Sodium Tetraborate solution, two variables were considered, the proportion of mycobacterial isolates from the organs and the number of mycobacterial C.F.U from the same organs. Based on the results observed on both essays, it was concluded that tissues with tuberculous lesions can be stored in Sodium Tetraborate solution up to 30 days in high temperatures, 27ºC a 37ºC. Furthermore, it was observed that as the environmental temperature increases the M. bovis isolation sensibility from the samples stored in Sodium Tetraborate decreases.

Axial offset anomaly (AOA) in pressurized water reactors (PWR) refers to deviation of the measured neutron flux in the top half of the core from the predicted values. Among other difficulties, AOA reduces the shutdown margin, and may force the plant to reduce power output. AOA is believed to be caused by three related phenomena occurring in the core while operating at full power: sub-cooled nucleate boiling concentrated mainly in the upper half of the core, corrosion product deposition on the cladding surface (crud), and the deposition of boron within the porous crud layer in regions of vigorous sub-cooled boiling. This study replicates the conditions within the PWR primary coolant; specifically, the temperature, pressure, peak surface heat flux, coolant velocity and water chemistry are simulated in order to produce prototypical crud on an electrically heated Zircaloy-4 test element. At the conclusion of each test run, the heated Zircaloy-4 test element is rapidly isolated from the coolant in order to trap any soluble boron species that may be present in the crud layer. The results of this investigation indicate that prototypical crud with significant boron deposition can be produced. The deposited boron compound has been determined to be lithium tetraborate (Li2B4O7). Comparative experiments have been run to determine the effect of coolant pH, concentration and type of additives, and duration of exposure on the thickness of the crud deposit. The data obtained in this investigation can be used to validate mechanistic models for crud deposition and AOA in pressurized water reactors.

In Medizin und Technik besteht ein Bedarf an flexiblen, miniaturisierten Dosisleistungs-messgeräten mit hoher Ortsauflösung für den Einsatz in Strahlungsfeldern hoher Dosisleistung und Dosisleistungsgradienten. Lichtwellenleiterbasierte Dosisleistungsmess-systeme können diese Anforderungen erfüllen. Sie bestehen aus einem strahlungssensitiven Leuchtstoff, welcher über einen flexiblen Lichtleiter an einen Lichtdetektor gekoppelt ist. Die Eliminierung des dominierenden Störeinflusses, des bei Bestrahlung des Lichtleiters generierten Stem-Effekts, ist eine inhärente Herausforderung aller lichtwellenleiter¬basierten Dosisleistungsmesssysteme. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird ein solches System unter Verwendung der Lumineszenz der gewebeäquivalenten Detektormaterialien Berylliumoxid und Lithiumtetraborat realisiert. Der Schwerpunkt liegt dabei auf der Untersuchung von Methoden der Stem-Eliminierung unter Nutzung der zeitlichen Charakteristik der Lumineszenzmaterialien sowie der zeitlichen Struktur des Strahlungsfeldes oder einer modulierten optischen Stimulation. Eine performante Ausleseelektronik auf FPGA-Basis ermöglicht Echtzeit-Messungen mit einer Abtastung von 10 ns. Verschiedene Auswertemethoden generieren aus den Rohdaten in Zeitstempelform eine stem-unabhängige, dosisleistungsproportionale Detektorantwort. / In medicine and technology there is a demand for flexible, miniaturized dose rate measurement systems with high spatial resolution for the application in radiation fields of high dose rates and dose rate gradients. Fiber optic coupled dosimeters can meet these requirements. They consist of a radiation sensitive luminescent material which is connected to a light detector with a flexible light guide. The elimination of the dominant perturbation, which is the stem effect generated by irradiation of the light guide, is one inherent challenge of all fiber optic dosimeters. In the present work such a system is realized, using the luminescence of the two tissue equivalent detector materials beryllium oxide and lithium tetraborate. The main focus is on the investigation of methods of stem elimination, exploiting the temporal characteristics of the luminescent materials, as well as the time structure of the irradiation or a modulated optical stimulation. For this purpose, capable FPGA-based read out electronics are employed, which enable real time measurements with 10 ns sampling. Different methods of analysis process the time stamp raw data and generate a stem-free, dose rate proportional detector response.

Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq / Many materials with luminescent properties are used for ionizing radiation dosimetry through the thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) techniques. Detectors based on lithium fluoride (LiF), calcium sulphate (CaSO4) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3), doped or codoped with various elements, are the TL or OSL commercial dosimeters most widely used currently. However, several researches are focused to the development of new TL /OSL materials aiming to enhance the dosimetric properties, since no TL/OSL dosimeter has all the ideal characteristics for monitoring radiation. In this context, magnesium tetraborate (MgB4O7), which has been presented in the literature as a material for TL dosimetry, was investigated in this work. As there are no reports on the structural characterization of this material or regarding its applicability in OSL dosimetry, the proposal of the present work was to develop compounds based on MgB4O7, with different doping, by solid state synthesis. It was made the structural, optical, TL and OSL characterization of the compound to verify its feasibility for application in radiation dosimetry. Initially, it was determined the calcination temperature and time for MgB4O7 formation, with the use of thermal analyses and x ray diffraction. We produced , in powder form, the compounds:MgB4O7, MgB4O7:Dy, MgB4O7:Dy,Li, MgB4O7:Ce, MgB4O7:Ce,Li, MgB4O7:Nd and MgB4O7:Nd,Li. For TL and OSL analyses it were produced pellets sintering at 950º C for 2 hours. The radioluminescence (RL) results from the MgB4O7:Dy and MgB4O7:Dy,Li composites shows wavelength emissions at 490, 590, 670 and 760 nm. For MgB4O7:Ce and MgB4O7:Ce,Li composites, we observed a wide emission band in the ultraviolet region. With the results obtained from the TL characterization, we also discuss aspects such as: effect of sintering and dopant concentrations in emissions, influence of doping and codoping with Li in MgB4O7 matrix, thermal treatment reuse, TL signal reproducibility, dose response curve, relative sensitivity and we analyzed the kinetic parameters of the TL emission curves. The OSL analyses of MgB4O7:Dy,Li,MgB4O7:Ce,Li and MgB4O7:Nd,Li indicate that the compounds have high cross section for photoionization to the wavelength emitted by blue LEDs, and from three compounds analyzed the MgB4O7: Ce,Li showed greater sensitivity.Partial preheating and partial cleaning methods allowed to elucidate the OSL phenomenology in compounds. / Muitos materiais com propriedades luminescentes são utilizados para dosimetria das radiações ionizantes através da técnica da termoluminescência (TL) e da luminescência oticamente estimulada (LOE). Os detectores à base de fluoreto de lítio (LiF), o sulfato de cálcio (CaSO4) e o óxido de alumínio (Al2O3), dopados ou codopados com diversos elementos, são os dosímetros comerciais TL ou LOE mais utilizados atualmente. Porém, diversas pesquisas estão focadas para o desenvolvimento de novos materiais TL/LOE com intuito de aprimorar as propriedades dosimétricas, tendo em vista que nenhum dosímetro TL/LOE possuem todas as características ideais para a monitoração da radiação. Neste contexto, o tetraborato de magnésio (MgB4O7), que tem sido apresentado na literatura como um material para dosimetria TL, foi investigado. Como não há relatos sobre a caracterização estrutural desse material nem quanto à sua aplicabilidade em dosimetria LOE, a proposta do presente trabalho foi desenvolver compostos à base de MgB4O7, com diferentes dopagens, através da síntese de estado sólido. Foi realizada a caracterização estrutural, ótica, TL e LOE do composto para se verificar a viabilidade dele para aplicações em dosimetria das radiações. Inicialmente, foi determinada a temperatura e o tempo de calcinação para a formação do MgB4O7, com uso de análises térmicas e difratometria de raio X (DRX). Foram produzidos, na forma de pó, os compostos: MgB4O7, MgB4O7:Dy, MgB4O7:Dy,Li, MgB4O7:Ce, MgB4O7:Ce,Li, MgB4O7:Nd e MgB4O7:Nd,Li. Para a análise TL e LOE, foram produzidas pastilhas sinterizadas a 950º C por 2 horas. Os resultados de radioluminescência (RL) dos compostos MgB4O7:Dy e MgB4O7:Dy,Li mostram emissões em 490, 590, 670 e 760 nm. Para o compostos MgB4O7:Ce e MgB4O7:Ce,Li foi observada uma larga banda de emissão RL na região do ultravioleta. Com os resultados obtidos da caracterização TL, também foram discutidos aspectos como: efeito das sinterizações e das concentrações de dopantes nas emissões, influência dos dopantes e do codopante Li na matriz MgB4O7, tratamento térmico de reutilização, reprodutibilidade do sinal TL, curva dose-resposta, sensibilidade relativa e foram feitas análises dos parâmetros cinéticos das curvas de emissões TL. As análises LOE dos MgB4O7:Dy,Li,MgB4O7:Ce,Li e MgB4O7:Nd,Li indicaram que os compostos apresentaram alta secção de choque para fotoionização para o comprimento de onda emitido por LEDs azuis, e que dos três compostos analisados o MgB4O7:Ce,Li apresentou maior sensibilidade LOE. Os métodos de aquecimentos parciais e limpeza parcial permitiram elucidar a fenomenologia LOE nos compostos.

A busca por alternativas viáveis de produção de energia limpa e renovável, utilizando recursos naturais, tem sido um grande desafio. Em especial, o interesse no uso da energia solar para obter energia elétrica tem aumentado. Todavia, as células solares convencionais que são confeccionadas a partir de silício cristalino (Si-c) apresentam uma eficiência de conversão limitada, principalmente, devido às perdas por incompatibilidade espectral. Sendo assim, um dos objetivos dos pesquisadores na área de fotovoltaicos tem sido converter eficientemente fótons da região do visível do espectro solar para a região do infravermelho, onde a célula solar de Si-c possui maior eficiência. A eficiência desta conversão poderia ser melhorada de 28% até 40% usando conversores de energia compostos por íons terras raras. Neste trabalho foram estudadas as propriedades espectroscópicas dos íons terras raras Térbio (Tb3+) e Itérbio (Yb3+), embebidos em três diferentes materiais: vidro aluminosilicato de cálcio com baixa concentração de sílica (7%) (LSCAS), vidro tetraborato de cálcio-lítio (Calibo) e nano-cristais de óxido de zircônia (ZrO2). Sendo assim, nossos estudos visam elucidar os mecanismos geradores dos processos de conversão ascendente e descendente de energia. No processo de conversão ascendente de energia há conversão dos fótons de excitação de baixa energia na região do infravermelho em fótons de alta energia na região do visível. Por outro lado, no processo de conversão descendente de energia ocorre a conversão dos fótons de excitação de alta energia na região do ultravioleta/visível em um ou mais fótons de baixa energia na região do infravermelho. As propriedades espectroscópicas dos materiais estudados foram discutidas a partir das medidas de absorção, luminescência, excitação, evolução temporal da luminescência, curva de potência, difração de raios-X, X-Ray Absorption Near Edge Structure e ressonância paramagnética eletrônica, em função da concentração dos íons Tb3+ e Yb3+. Os resultados mostraram que todas as amostras apresentam conversão ascendente de energia. Assim como, em todas as amostras ocorre o processo de conversão descendente de energia. Em ambos os processos foram identificados os mecanismos geradores dos mesmos. Estes resultados mostram um avanço nos estudos dos processos de conversão ascendente e descendente de energia em sistemas co-dopados com íons Tb3+ e Yb3+. Os resultados sugerem que os materiais estudados podem ser empregados para aumentar a eficiência de conversão da célula solar de Si-c via conversão descendente de energia. / The search for possible alternatives to produce clean and renewable energy using the natural resources has been a great challenge. In particular, the interest to use the solar energy to produce electricity has been increased. However, crystalline silicon-based (c-Si) conventional solar cells have limited conversion efficiency, mainly due to spectral mismatch losses. Thus, one of the goals of some researchers in the photovoltaic field has been to efficiently convert photons in the visible region of the solar spectrum to the infrared region, where the c-Si solar cell has its higher efficiency. The efficiency of this conversion could be enhanced from 28% up to 40% using energy converters based on rare-earths ions. In this work, the spectroscopic properties of rare earth ions, such as Terbium (Tb3+) and Ytterbium (Yb3+) embedded in three different materials were studied: low- silica calcium aluminosilicate glass (7%) (LSCAS), lithium calcium tetraborate glass (Calibo) and zirconium oxide nano-crystals (ZrO2). Thus, our studies aimed to elucidate the mechanisms that generate the Up-conversion and Down-conversion processes. In the Up-conversion process, there is the conversion of the low-energy excitation photons in the near-infrared to high-energy photons in the visible. On the other hand, in the Down-conversion process there is the conversion of the high-energy excitation photons in the ultraviolet/visible region to low-energy photons in the near-infrared region. The optical properties of the studied materials were discussed through absorption, luminescence, excitation, temporal evolution of the luminescence, power curve, X-ray diffraction, X-Ray Absorption Near Edge Structure and electron paramagnetic resonance measurements, as a function of the concentration of Tb3+ and Yb3+ ions. The results showed that all samples exhibit Up-conversion process. In addition, in all samples occurs the Down-conversion process. In both processes were identified the mechanisms that produce them. These results show a breakthrough in the studies of the Up-conversion and Down-conversion processes in Tb3+ and Yb3+ co-doped systems. The results suggest that the materials are applicable in enhancing the conversion efficiency of the Si-c solar cell via NIR Down-conversion.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:07:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 EricaNMGP.pdf: 6433422 bytes, checksum: bf4255596957765009ee816c080d6b9a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-04-23 / The development of activities in the oil and gas sector has been promoting the search for materials more adequate to oilwell cementing operation. In the state of Rio Grande do Norte, the cement sheath integrity tend to fail during steam injection operation which is necessary to increase oil recovery in reservoir with heavy oil. Geopolymer is a material that can be used as alternative cement. It has been used in manufacturing of fireproof compounds, construction of structures and for controlling of toxic or radioactive waste. Latex is widely used in Portland cement slurries and its characteristic is the increase of compressive strength of cement slurries. Sodium Tetraborate is used in dental cement as a retarder. The addition of this additive aim to improve the geopolymeric slurries properties for oilwell cementing operation. The slurries studied are constituted of metakaolinite, potassium silicate, potassium hydroxide, non-ionic latex and sodium tetraborate. The properties evaluated were: viscosity, compressive strength, thickening time, density, fluid loss control, at ambient temperature (27 ?C) and at cement specification temperature. The tests were carried out in accordance to the practical recommendations of the norm API RP 10B. The slurries with sodium tetraborate did not change either their rheological properties or their mechanical properties or their density in relation the slurry with no additive. The increase of the concentration of sodium tetraborate increased the water loss at both temperatures studied. The best result obtained with the addition of sodium tetraborate was thickening time, which was tripled. The addition of latex in the slurries studied diminished their rheological properties and their density, however, at ambient temperature, it increased their compressive strength and it functioned as an accelerator. The increase of latex concentration increased the presence of water and then diminished the density of the slurries and increased the water loss. From the results obtained, it was concluded that sodium tetraborate and non-ionic latex are promising additives for geopolymer slurries to be used in oilwell cementing operation / O desenvolvimento das atividades do setor petr?leo e g?s tem promovido a busca de materiais mais adequados para cimenta??o de po?os de petr?leo. No estado do RN, a integridade da bainha cimentante tende a ser prejudicada durante a inje??o de vapor, procedimento necess?rio para aumentar a recupera??o do petr?leo em reservat?rios com ?leo de alta viscosidade. O geopol?mero ? um material que pode ser utilizado como cimento alternativo, uma vez que vem sendo empregado na produ??o de componentes resistentes ao fogo, na constru??o de estruturas, e para o controle de res?duos t?xicos ou radioativos. O l?tex ? extensamente usado em pastas de cimento Portland e tem como caracter?stica o aumento significativo da resist?ncia ? compress?o das pastas. O tetraborato de s?dio ? usado em cimentos odontol?gicos como retardador de pega em resinas. A adi??o deste aditivo tem a finalidade de melhorar a propriedades das pastas geopolim?ricas para cimenta??o de po?os de petr?leo. As pastas estudadas s?o constitu?das de metacaulim, silicato de pot?ssio, hidr?xido de pot?ssio, l?tex n?o i?nico e tetraborato de s?dio. As propriedades avaliadas foram: viscosidade, resist?ncia mec?nica, tempo de espessamento, densidade e controle de filtrado, na temperatura ambiente (27?C) e de especifica??o de cimento. Os testes foram realizados seguindo as recomenda??es pr?ticas da norma API RP 10B. As pastas aditivadas com tetraborato de s?dio n?o modificaram as propriedades reol?gicas em rela??o a pasta sem aditivo, assim como n?o modificaram as propriedades mec?nicas e a densidade das pastas. O aumento da concentra??o de tetraborato de s?dio aumentou o volume de filtrado das pastas nas duas temperaturas estudadas. A propriedade que o tetraborato de s?dio obteve o melhor desempenho foi em rela??o ao tempo de pega, onde a adi??o do aditivo conseguiu triplicar o tempo de espessamento das pastas. Com rela??o ?s pastas aditivadas com l?tex observou-se que a adi??o desse aditivo diminuiu as propriedades reol?gicas e a densidade do sistema. Na temperatura ambiente, o aditivo funcionou como acelerador de pega e aumentou a resist?ncia mec?nica das pastas. A presen?a de ?gua reduziu a densidade das pastas e aumentou o volume de filtrado a medida que aumentou a concentra??o do aditivo. A partir dos resultados obtidos concluiu-se que o tetraborato de s?dio e o l?tex n?o i?nico s?o aditivos promissores para pastas geopolim?ricas para cimenta??o de po?os de petr?leo