Brno University of Technology

About: Brno University of Technology is a education organization based out in Brno, Czechia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Fracture mechanics & Filter (video). The organization has 6339 authors who have published 15226 publications receiving 194088 citations. The organization is also known as: Vysoké učení technické v Brně & BUT.

Biochar – Recovery Material from Pyrolysis of Sewage Sludge: A Review

Abstract: The treatment of sewage sludge (SS) is becoming one of the most important issues of the wastewater treatment cycle in European Union. Pyrolysis of SS is typically accompanied by production of pyrolysis oil, gas (syngas) and solid char product called either charcoal or biochar, when applied in agriculture. The main aim of this review is to summarize the knowledge on disposal of SS, thermal treatment of SS, especially pyrolysis, the characterization of produced sludge-derived biochar and to summarize the requirements for certification of SS biochar in agricultural application. The description of analyses includes determination of solid yield of biochar, immobilization of heavy metals in SS biochar, and structure of biochar including the surface morphology and specific surface area. It is concluded that pyrolysis represents an eco-friendly treatment of SS giving eco-friendly products, particularly biochar, and therefore it may represent a solution in terms of circular economy, carbon sequestration, contaminant immobilization, greenhouse gas reduction, soil fertilization and improvement of water retention.

The Art of Finding Accurate Memristor Model Solutions

Abstract: One of the main issues preventing a large-scale exploration of the full potential of memristors in electrical circuits lies in the convergence issues and numerical errors encountered in the computer-aided integration of the differential algebraic equation set governing the peculiar dynamical behavior of these nonlinear two-terminal electrical components. In most cases the complexity of this equation set prevents an analytical derivation of closed-form state solutions. Therefore the investigation of the nonlinear dynamics of memristors and circuits based upon them relies on software-based integration of the mathematical equations. In this paper, we highlight solution accuracy issues which may arise from an improper numerical integration of the equations, and then propose techniques addressing the problems properly. These guidelines represent a useful guide to engineers interested in the numerical analysis of memristor models.

Transition Metal Dichalcogenides for the Application of Pollution Reduction: A Review.

Abstract: The material characteristics and properties of transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDCs) have gained research interest in various fields, such as electronics, catalytic, and energy storage. In particular, many researchers have been focusing on the applications of TMDCs in dealing with environmental pollution. TMDCs provide a unique opportunity to develop higher-value applications related to environmental matters. This work highlights the applications of TMDCs contributing to pollution reduction in (i) gas sensing technology, (ii) gas adsorption and removal, (iii) wastewater treatment, (iv) fuel cleaning, and (v) carbon dioxide valorization and conversion. Overall, the applications of TMDCs have successfully demonstrated the advantages of contributing to environmental conversation due to their special properties. The challenges and bottlenecks of implementing TMDCs in the actual industry are also highlighted. More efforts need to be devoted to overcoming the hurdles to maximize the potential of TMDCs implementation in the industry.

HotSpot Wizard 2.0: automated design of site-specific mutations and smart libraries in protein engineering

Abstract: HotSpot Wizard 2.0 is a web server for automated identification of hot spots and design of smart libraries for engineering proteins' stability, catalytic activity, substrate specificity and enantioselectivity. The server integrates sequence, structural and evolutionary information obtained from 3 databases and 20 computational tools. Users are guided through the processes of selecting hot spots using four different protein engineering strategies and optimizing the resulting library's size by narrowing down a set of substitutions at individual randomized positions. The only required input is a query protein structure. The results of the calculations are mapped onto the protein's structure and visualized with a JSmol applet. HotSpot Wizard lists annotated residues suitable for mutagenesis and can automatically design appropriate codons for each implemented strategy. Overall, HotSpot Wizard provides comprehensive annotations of protein structures and assists protein engineers with the rational design of site-specific mutations and focused libraries. It is freely available at http://loschmidt.chemi.muni.cz/hotspotwizard.