Synthesis of polymorphous of nanoparticulate alumina has been the subject of many works. The stabilization of these nanoparticles in aqueous suspensions is necessary in many technologic application and industrial products. Recently, a number of routes have been developed using various dispersants to prepare these nanoparticles dispersed in aqueous solution. In this work, nanoparticulate alumina prepared by precipitation and freezing drying was investigated as potential material for aqueous dispersion. These nanoparticles were dispersed in methylethylglycol (MEG), polyvinylalcohol (PVA) and polymethacrylate (PMA). The alumina nanoparticles and the dispersions were characterized physical-chemically and tested in the preparation of thin films.

Crystalline films of pure titanium oxide have been prepared on soda lime slide glasses by sol-gel process and dip-coating. The definition of various parameters such as chemical concentration, viscosity, catalyst type and withdrawal speed led to the preparation of transparent, crystalline and adherent coatings with hydrophobic characteristics. Their crystalline structure was evaluated as anatase phase by low angle X-ray diffraction. Thicknesses were measured by perfilometry, and the refractive indices were determined from transmittance spectrum taking into consideration the layers deposited onto the two sides of the substrate. Porosity was also estimated by UV-visible spectroscopy by using the Lorentz - Lorenz equation. The average grain size was evaluated by atomic force microscopy. The thicker and denser films presented hydrophobicity, which decreased when the film porosity increased.

Cobalt ferrite composite thin films, CoFe2O4/SiO2, were prepared by sol-gel process, using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as a precursor for silica, and metallic nitrates as precursors for ferrite. The obtained dip-coated films thermally treated at 550, 750, and 950 ºC were transparent, homogeneous and adherent. Their magnetic properties were measured from 2.5 K to 300 K using a SQUID magnetometer. Superparamagnetic behaviour was observed at room temperature and below a blocking temperature appears with coercivity values increasing with annealing temperature.

Um ferrofluido foi obtido a partir da magnetita e da beta-ciclodextrina, com a formação de um complexo de inclusão. A caracterização físico-química do complexo magnétita: beta-ciclodextrina foi realizada através de espectroscopia de absorção na região do infravermelho com transformada de Fourier, difração de raios X, análise térmica (TG/DTA), microscopia eletrônica de transmissão (TEM) e espectroscopia de absorção atômica. É a primeira vez que se relata na literatura a formação de um complexo de inclusão de um óxido metálico em ciclodextrinas

A ferrofluid has been obtained from magnetite and beta-cyclodextrin, with the formation of an inclusion complex. The magnetite and beta-cyclodextrin complex was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis (TG/DTA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic absorption spectroscopy. As far as we know, this is the first report on an inclusion compound between a metal oxide and cyclodextrins.