Under the leadership of Dr Leslie Petrik, the Environmental and NanoSciences group (ENS) in the Chemistry Department has a broad suite of nanoscience, environmental remediation and water related research and industrial projects funded via NRF, WRC, and THRIP with industry partners Coaltech, Eskom and Sasol as well as SMME’s.
Nanoscience research objectives are aimed at gaining fundamental understanding of the design, fabrication and performance of nanophase structures in order to engineer novel functional nanophase metal alloys and catalysts for fuel production, emission control etc.
Environmental research focuses on the treatment of mining effluents, brines and solid wastes, CO2 sequestration via mineral carbonation and biofuels production.
The ENS currently hosts two nanoscience related flagship projects, (one funded by the DST and the other by the Water Research Commission) and collaborates on a third DST Flagship project “Nano in Water” in collaboration with the University of Stellenbosch.
Petrik is a grantholder of the THRIP programme “Sustainable salt sinks” which was nominated as finalist for the 2009 DTI award in the category research collaboration.