Year of birth: 1975
Fields of activity: Explosives
Applied research
robert.matyas@upce.cz
Associate Professor Robert Matyáš completed his doctoral studies at the University of Pardubice, where he defended his PhD thesis in the field of Organic Technology in 2005. In 2006, he joined the Institute of Energetic Materials at the University of Pardubice as an assistant professor. From 2006 to 2007, he completed a one-year postdoctoral fellowship at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. In 2014, he defended his habilitation thesis entitled “Study of improvised explosives”. In this year, he was appointed Associate Professor at the Institute of Energetic Materials. He has been working at this institute ever since.
Scientific interests
- Characterisation of improvised explosives
- Synthesis and characterisation of modern primary explosives
- Preparation, characterisation and testing of components of modern explosives and propellants
- Chemistry of pyrotechnic compositions
Scientific activity
Associate Professor Matyáš is professionally involved in the preparation and characterisation of selected groups of explosives. He has been involved in characterisation of improvised explosives (or explosives illegally manufactured by persons either with an interest in this field or by persons intending to misuse them for criminal purposes) since his doctoral studies. The issue of improvised explosive devices has become increasingly important with the rise of terrorist bomb attacks in Europe in the second decade of the 21st century. He is also active in this field as a lecturer in other organisations. Since 2007, he has been lecturing for specialists at the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic and since 2013, he has worked as a lecturer and instructor providing specialist training at the NATO Explosive Ordnance Disposal Centre of Excellence. In the field of primary explosives, doc. Matyáš focuses on the synthesis and characterisation of non-toxic primary explosives for initiators, in particular for blasting caps, primers and fuseheads. These primary explosives are gradually replacing the existing heavy metal-based compounds, the explosive fumes of which contaminate the environment. In the field of preparation, characterisation and testing of components of modern primary explosives and propellants, doc. Matyáš has enjoyed long-term cooperation with Explosia a.s. in the form of grant projects, this company being a key Czech producer of primary explosives and propellants. Research in this field focuses on components which enhance the functional parameters of products.
Prominent international cooperation
- Joint Research Centre, European Commision, Geel, Belgium
- Centrum of Excellence NATO, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Trenčín, Slovakia
- Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna, Warszawa, Poland
Results of applied research
Patents 4, Utility models 6, Certified technologies 2, Licence 1, Certified methodologies 1
Two most important projects carried out from the position of principal investigator or co-investigator
- Study on acids for TATP synthesis, 2013 - 2014, European Commission tender (JRC/GEE/2013/D.3/0039/RC)
- Propellants with increased a specific impulse, 2018 - 2021, Technology Agency of the Czech republic ( TH03020263)
Two most important results of applied research
- Production of a training kit for detection of improvised explosive devices by dogs (patent, licensed)
- Non-toxic explosive for detonator (patent)
Awards
- Commemorative medal of the Centre of Excellence for Explosive Ordnance Disposal, NATO, Slovensko 2015
- Honorary Plaque of the Director of the Police Education and Training Unit, Police of the Czech Republic, Czech Republic 2023
