B-MRS Newsletter. Year 11, issue 8.

Paper and books by the community

This paper reports a possible solution for producing electronics using cleaner and more sustainable processes. The authors, from UNESP (Brazil) and the University of Glasgow (Scotland), demonstrated the effectiveness of an innovative method for manufacturing biodegradable and flexible paper electronic devices. They used a laser to draw conductive paths in kraft paper, causing the carbon atoms on the surface to reorganize into graphene-like structures. The conductive paths were used to produce resistive heaters. The group used the life cycle assessment method to measure the environmental impact of this process, showing a reduction in impact of two orders of magnitude compared to conventional methods. Access the paper.

In this article, conducted at Brazilian institutions (UCS, Unicamp and CETENE) and at North Carolina State University (USA), the authors demonstrate a new way to control friction at the nanoscale. In the system prepared for the experiments, consisting of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in aqueous suspension, they observed that exposure to light reduces friction and that, when the light is turned off, friction increases again. The discovery may be a first step towards developing smart lubricants whose properties can be controlled with an external stimulus during use of the product. In addition, the study paves the way for studying the effects of light on other properties of various suspensions. Access the paper.

Using nanocapsules containing minimal doses of herbicide has proven to be a good strategy for achieving better crop results while reducing environmental impact. This research, conducted at UEL and Unesp, further enhanced this effect. The scientific team developed polymeric nanocapsules containing atrazine (a well-known herbicide) and coated them with chitosan (a natural polymer derived from chitin that is biodegradable, biocompatible, and very abundant on the planet). The coating modified the interaction between the nanocapsules and the surface of the leaves, improving the delivery of atrazine to the plants. As a result, the researchers achieved greater weed control using only half the dose applied with the unencapsulated product. Access the paper.

In this work, a Brazilian scientific team developed a process that uses extract from jambolan leaves (Syzygium cumini) as a binder and encapsulator to synthesize iron-doped tin dioxide nanoparticles. The objective of the work was to optimize the properties of the nanoparticles to use them as photocatalysts in environmental remediation processes; that is, to degrade pollutants present in the environment through light-driven oxidation reactions. With the new process, the scientists were able to improve characteristics of this semiconductor oxide that limit its performance in photocatalysis: they expanded its light absorption capacity and increased its quantum efficiency. The work was carried out through the collaboration of researchers from UNIFAL-MG, IFSC-USP, IFMA, UFSCar, UNESP and CDTN. Access the paper.

This book is a reference for students, researchers and teachers who work in the field of Nanobiotechnology and need to understand the unique relationship between physical, chemical and biological properties of oncological drugs and their interactions. The author is Eudenilson L. Albuquerque, retired professor from UFRN and researcher in the areas of Condensed Matter Physics, Biophysics and Biochemistry. Access the book.

Community

Researchers Luiza Amim Mercante (UFBA) and Daniel Souza Correa (Embrapa Instrumentação), B-MRS members and chairs of our 2025 event, received the Academic Jabuti Award in the Chemistry and Materials category for a book in Portuguese about electrofiber spinning and nanofibers. In the work, they brought together 19 chapters on various aspects of the electrospinning technique, all written by authors from Brazilian institutions. In its first edition, the Academic Jabuti Award, a new award from the Brazilian Book Chamber dedicated to scientific, technical and professional areas, had almost 2,000 works entered.

XXII B-MRS Meeting
Santos (SP), September 29 to October 3, 2024

Poster printing service. Visumania printing company offers a poster printing service with delivery to the event location. Interested parties should send the files by email by September 26th. Learn more.

Program. The program at a glance and the presentation schedule are available on the event website. Learn more.

Transfer. The company Central de Fretes & Receptivo will have a transfer service between the airports (Congonhas and Guarulhos) and hotels in Santos for participants of our event who wish to hire it. Reservations must be made up to 15 days before the event. Learn more.

Hosting. Hotels offering special discounts to participants of the XXII B-MRS Meeting are listed on the event website. By clicking on the links, the promotional prices are accessed. Learn more.

Plenary lectures. Seven internationally renowned scientists from universities and companies in Brazil, Canada, the United States, Italy, Poland and Singapore will speak on topics of broad interest and current affairs.The Joaquim da Costa Ribeiro Memorial Lecture will be given by Professor Marília Junqueira Caldas (USP) and the José Arana Varela Prize Lecture by Professor Bluma Guenther Soares (UFRJ). Learn more.

Exhibitors. 31 companies and startups have already confirmed their participation in our booth exhibition. Meet the exhibitors.

Location. The event venue is the Blue Med Convention Center in the city of Santos. More information about the city and the convention center.

Chairs. The general coordinators of the event are Prof. Laura Oliveira Péres, from the Chemistry Department of the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp), and Prof. Lucas Fugikawa Santos, from the Physics Department of the São Paulo State University “Júlio de Mesquita Filho” (Unesp).

Opportunities

-Submissions of scientific articles for a special edition of the new IOP journal on science and technology for sustainability are open until October 31. The edition is dedicated to solutions for Latin America and has two B-MRS members as guest editors: Ana Flavia Nogueira (Unicamp) and Caue Ribeiro (Embrapa). The publication will be open access and free of charge.. Learn more.

– Special issue on materials for energy conversion and storage of the Journal of Alloys and Compounds Communications (Elsevier) accepts papers and review articles. Guest editors are members of the Brazilian materials community. Submissions are open until December 24th. Learn more.

– The call for papers for a special issue of the Journal of Alloys and Compounds Communications on titanium-based alloys, from processing to applications, with a focus on biomedical devices, is open until March 31, 2025. The three guest editors are members of B-MRS (Pedro Nascente, Carlos Grandini and Conrado Afonso). Learn more.

Upcoming events

– VI Latin American Crystallographic Association Meeting. Montevideo (Uruguay). September 23 to 26, 2024. Website.

– XXII B-MRS Meeting. Santos (SP). September 29 to October 3, 2024. Website.

– VI Iberoamerican Conference on Advanced Oxidation Technologies (CIPOA). Florianópolis (SC). October 7-11, 2024. Website.

– São Paulo School of Advanced Science on 4th Generation Synchrotron Techniques. Campinas (SP). October 14-25, 2024. Website.

– Biomaterials and Novel Technologies for Healthcare (4th BioMAH). Rome (Italy) October 15-18, 2024. Website.

– 8th International Workshop on Flow and Fracture of Advanced Glasses. Tokyo (Japan). October 27–30, 2024. Website.

– 8th Meeting on Self Assembly Structures in Solution and at Interfaces (Autoorg). Santos (SP). November 27-29, 2024. Website.

– XXIII B-MRS Meeting. Salvador (BA). September 28 to October 2, 2025. SAVE THE DATE!

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