Poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) crystallization behavior is modified by blending it with acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymers (ABS). The effects of ABS on melting and crystallization of PBT/ABS blends have been examined. Most ABS copolymers of different rubber content and styrene/acrylonitrile ratios studied showed little effect on the melting behavior of PBT crystalline phase. However, ABS copolymer with high acrylonitrile content had a significant effect on the crystallization behavior of the PBT/ABS blends. The nucleation rate of the PBT crystalline phase decreased due to the presence of the high acrylonitrile content ABS, whereas the spherulitic growth rate increased significantly. These phenomena are attributed to changes in nucleation and growth mechanisms of PBT crystalline phase promoted by ABS.

Resumo: Blendas de poli(tereftalato de butileno) (PBT) e copolímero ABS foram estudadas usando-se três tipos diferentes de ABS. As blendas foram caracterizadas mecanicamente através de ensaios de tração e de impacto, e termo-mecanicamente através da determinação da temperatura de deflexão térmica (HDT). Uma influência mais pronunciada foi observada para a variação da composição química do ABS, em relação às diferentes composições de fase, onde blendas com ABS de maior proporção de acrilonitrila mostraram melhor comportamento. Foi observado que baixos níveis de ABS nas blendas proporcionam principalmente um aumento pronunciado da HDT e sem variação da resistência ao impacto, em relação ao PBT puro. Por outro lado, baixos níveis de PBT nas blendas não alteram as propriedades em relação ao ABS puro, com exceção da resistência ao impacto, que mostrou uma redução significativa.

Zirconia containing 12 mol-% cerium oxide ceramics were prepared by solid state reaction utilising the conventional, fast firing and two-step sintering methods. The sintering temperature and time were varied aiming to determine ideal sintering profile for these methods. The monoclinic and tetragonal phase contents, microstructure and electrical conductivity of dense specimens were investigated. The linear shrinkage was found negligible up to 1100°C and the maximum rate of shrinkage was achieved at 1150°C. Densification increased up to 2 h for conventional sintered specimens. Stabilisation of tetragonal phase in non-isothermally sintered specimens occurred at a high temperature (1500°C). Specimens sintered by the two-step method attained high density along with small grain sizes. Optimised sintering profiles were determined for all the sintering methods used.

The effects of small amounts (up to 5 wt.%) of scandia-and ceria-stabilized zirconia on the electrical conductivity, and the elastic modulus and hardness of yttria-stabilized zirconia were investigated by impedance spectroscopy and nanoindentation tests, respectively. The main purpose of this work was to obtain solid electrolyte compounds with improved properties compared to those of the base materials. Solid electrolytes compounds were prepared by solid-state reaction synthesis with sintering at 1450 ºC for 4 h. All prepared compounds exhibit a cubic fluorite-type structure. The microstructure of the compounds consists of polygonal grains with low (< 2%) porosity. The mean grain size estimated by the intercept method was 5 ± 1 μm. The electrical conductivity of the compound ceramics is lower than that of the base material. Addition of scandia-stabilized zirconia is found to exert a beneficial effect on the matrix by increasing the elastic modulus, achieving 221 MPa for 5 wt.% of the additive.