Development of an Electrochemical Biosensor Platform and a Suitable Low-Impedance Surface Modification Strategy

In this work, a flexible biosensor platform based on impedance spectroscopy and comprising of gold electrodes, polymeric flow cells and a suitable surface modification were developed. Initially, several surface modification techniques described in literature were implemented and optimized for impedimetric biosensors but their individual limitations rendered them unsuitable for this biosensor platform. A novel method based on photobleaching was developed and tested showing satisfactory results

A Review of the Impact of Hydrogen Integration in Natural Gas Distribution Networks and Electric Smart Grids

Hydrogen technologies have been rapidly developing in the past few decades, pushed by governments’ road maps for sustainability and supported by a widespread need to decarbonize the global energy sector. Recent scientific progress has led to better performances and higher efficiencies of hydrogen-related technologies, so much so that their future economic viability is now rarely called into question. This article intends to study the integration of hydrogen systems in both gas and electric distribution networks. A preliminary analysis of hydrogen’s physical storage methods is given, considering both the advantages and disadvantages of each one. After examining the preeminent ways of physically storing hydrogen, this paper then contemplates two primary means of using it: integrating it in Power-to-Gas networks and utilizing it in Power-to-Power smart grids. In the former, the primary objective is the total replacement of natural gas with hydrogen through progressive blending procedures, from the transmission pipeline to the domestic burner; in the latter, the set goal is the expansion of the implementation of hydrogen systems—namely storage—in multi-microgrid networks, thus helping to decarbonize the electricity sector and reducing the impact of renewable energy’s intermittence through Demand Side Management strategies. The study concludes that hydrogen is assumed to be an energy vector that is inextricable from the necessary transition to a cleaner, more efficient, and sustainable future.publishersversionpublishe

Rationalizing transportations service: a case study on the standardization of logistics service providers

Due to high competitiveness on supply chains, small economies tend to become very important to overall costs reduction and represent marketing gains. The aim of this study is to analyze if the rationalization in low value deliveries, lower than R$ 2,000.00, will be able to generate a considerable cut of costs. To perform this exploratory study, company historic was analyzed and surveys were performed with several suppliers. The studies showed it is possible to reduce freight average impact in relation to the sold value at 44.03%. This result points to the advantages in coordinating more rationally the process of hiring transportation providers