Resumo em Inglês:

The slow process of the discovery of the elements led to a need to investigate their relations with one another; this was the path, which ultimately produced Mendeleev’s classification, the ancestor of the present Periodic Table. Once established, the Table, in its turn, became a guiding thread leading to the discovery of yet other new elements. This whole process can be likened to a two-way avenue, the first way leading to the establishment of the classification, whereas the latter, once established, inverted the traffic, completing our present 118-element Periodic Table. In this sesquicentennial year of its inception, it is appropriate to survey the fascinating history of the long and arduous path of the creation of what can be rightly called the most concise encyclopedia devised by the human mind.

Resumo em Inglês:

Iron is the 4th most abundant element on the earth crust and it has an important role in several geochemical and biological processes. The importance of the steel for the industrial development of a country makes the iron ore extraction a strategic input responsible for part of the world commerce. Brazil is one of the largest iron ore producers in the world: actually, it is a primary commodity and one of the most important items of its exports. In the present paper, the main sources of iron, how it is available in the nature, its occurrence, its processing and the steel production will be presented. A critical analysis of its importance for the economical and social development of the country will be briefly discussed.

Resumo em Inglês:

This article is dedicated to element copper in honor to International Year of the Periodic Table celebrated in 2019. Copper is one of the oldest discovered chemical elements and manipulated by human being. In this sense, aspects about the element copper and its importance in different areas are described, from its mineral exploration through its processing and applications. Inorganic aspects such as structure of copper compounds and their main properties are presented as well the importance of this element in biological systems and organic reactions is explored, showing how essential copper is for life and society.

Resumo em Inglês:

Indium have been widely investigated by scientists because of its several interesting properties and its use in different applications in the manufacture of TVs screens, computers, cell phones, solar panels, electroluminescent diodes (LEDs), organic electroluminescent diodes (OLEDs), DNA and antibody sensors, electrocatalysts, architectural glass coatings, low melting alloys, thermal interface materials, aircraft engine bearings, among others. The economic urge to make devices more cost effective and efficient has guide developments in different deposition technologies, such as dip-coating, plating, thick and thin film deposition. However, indium is classified as a critical metal. In this sense, we discussed the economic viability and spatial distribution of the indium resources in Brazil and worldwide considering that its supply still remains a concern. On top of that, the present review discusses the scientific and technological aspects of indium materials and highlights the major advances regarding their synthesis, properties and applications.

Resumo em Inglês:

This work describes the occurrence and the economic importance of manganese in Brazil, covering a period of almost 130 years. After the gold cycle, manganese ores became the most important mineral commodity of Brazil’s export agenda until 1945. Brazil has one of the largest world reserves and has been among the world’s largest producers of manganese ore for over a century. The influence of international scenario on the manganese market affected its trade balance throughout the twentieth century. The Brazilian manganese ore production was strongly stimulated by external events (such as the I and II World Wars) and the development of the US and the European steel industries in the early XXth century. However, internal consumption increased as the Brazilian steel industry developed. The chief use of manganese in Brazil and in the world is in the steel production. Nonmetallurgical uses include battery cathodes, fertilizers, animal feed, water treatment, analytical chemistry (permanganometry), pigments, cosmetics and glasses. The perspectives for manganese in Brazil in the future are encouraging, but it is necessary to search for new deposits and develop processing of tailings and low grade ores.

Resumo em Inglês:

Niobium, in fact, is an essential element for Brazil. Their applications are so many and so special that they put it as one of the subjects treated by the wikiLeaks site as strategic and that it should be treated in the USA. It is one of the elements most exported by Brazil and is mainly used in the production of special alloys for use in gas pipelines, air turbines, among other applications. It is believed that niobium-based materials can be obtained for applications with higher added value and in equally strategic areas. Research to obtain active and selective drugs, materials to maximize the use of renewable energy, and new nanostructured materials to improve the performance of different components are ongoing and promise a revolution for the next few years.

Resumo em Inglês:

Tin chemistry sometimes is considered boring, colourless and with irrelevant applications. Archaeological, historical and technological facts show otherwise. These facts demonstrate that tin became vital for man in a distant past and its importance lasts thereafter. In this paper, it is introduced some historical arguments that reveal the significance of tin or cassiterite as strategic materials in ancient tools, beginning from the Bronze Age. This paper shows as well the importance of this metal in current times. It also describes the importance of Brazil in this scenario, given the large reserves of cassiterite and its crucial participation in the world market. In addition, it provides a revision of the main classes of tin compounds {Sn (IV) and Sn (II), among other oxidation states}. Additionally, it summarises some main applications of tin compounds, such as PVC stabilizers, antifouling paint and in the manufacturing of foams and polymers, discussing its strategic role in modern technologies. Finally, it highlights the importance of tin in the preparation of Nb3Sn, a superconducting alloy with niobium, and in the synthesis of new materials, for example, a two-dimensional polymer, structurally similar to graphene.

Resumo em Inglês:

Human population growth and development has been largely dependent on non-renewable natural resources, which cannot be indefinitely sustained. Beyond, coal and other abundant resources cannot continue to be used at current rates due to their impact on the environment and climate. It is thus important to replace as much as possible the fossil fuels and scarce minerals as sources of energy and industrial raw materials. Biomass plays a key role in this scenario, since its availability depends on abundant but often misused resources: air, water, sunlight and land. The “oil shocks”, the recognition of impending resource shortages, the global pollution and climate change led many governments and organizations to create roadmaps to Bioeconomy. This includes the growing use of plants and animals to produce energy and raw materials, but it cannot create food scarcity. Agriculture depends on the plant macronutrients N, P and K, and this article discusses their role in plant and animal growth, production and consumption, dependence on non-renewable minerals and energy and perspectives for increasing their efficiency. Special attention is given to Brazilian agriculture that is heavily dependent on imported NPK, requiring strategic action and research.

Resumo em Inglês:

In the ~150 years comprised between the discovery of yttrium (1794) and promethium (1947), the rare earth metals were an incomplete chapter and a stone in the shoe of the periodic classification of the chemical elements. This group of 17 elements with remarkable chemical similarity raised confusion on many brilliant scientists, including Mendeleev, and led to the consolidation of many theories in Chemistry, from atomic spectroscopy to quantum theory. Nowadays we know that the special properties of these elements arise from filling 4f orbitals, which results in unique spectroscopic, magnetic and catalytic behavior. Such properties make rare earths essential elements on optical devices, lasers, telecommunications and magnetic materials for sustainable energy. The importance of rare earths far exceeds the science and technology domains, reaching the same level of other strategic materials for energy and defense. Hence, this work presents a brief discussion about the historical path of the rare earth elements in the Periodic Table and about the exploration of these resources in Brazil, detailing some of the extractive activities since the 19th century and some perspectives for future activities concerning this group of elements in Brazil.

Resumo em Inglês:

Undoubtedly, the chemical element carbon is strategic for the development of any country and herein we show some specific impacts in the economical, industrial and scientific sovereignty of Brazil, with emphasis on sp2 carbn structures, namely graphite, carbon black, carbon nanotubes and graphene. Brazil comprises the second greatest natural reserve of graphite worldwide and ranks as third in world production. Carbon black also has important industrial impact in Brazil, especially in the automobile industry, specifically in tires. Some of world leading companies in the production of carbon black are installed in Brazil. Finally, carbon nanotubes and graphene are addressed as the next generation of materials that have and will have great impact in the next years. Their impressive properties have enabled innumerous commercial products worldwide and Brazil already stands out with some innovative initiatives. Indeed, Brazil has installed capacity in universities and research institutes to meet and foster demands in the area, and can be competitive worldwide.