College of College of Graduate Studies
Generous equipment donation enhances Unisa's research capability
The donation of state-of-the-art equipment worth R27m by international institutions to the UNESCO-Unisa-ITLABS/NRF Africa Chair in Nanosciences and Nanotechnology (U2ACN2) allows postgraduate students and scientists to generate world-class data, according to Prof Malik Maaza, incumbent of the chair.
Incumbent of the UNESCO-Unisa-ITLABS/NRF Africa Chair in Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies, Prof Malik Maaza, with researchers and postdoctoral fellows
U2ACN2's international visitors’ programme played a pivotal role in securing the equipment for advanced research purposes.
The Canadian National Institute for Scientific Research (INRS-Montreal-Quebec/Canada) donated an X-ray photoelectrons spectroscopy (XPS) unit worth R14m. Dr Itani Madibai of U2ACN2 spent a month at INRS for training and packaging of the equipment for shipment to South Africa. He is providing leadership and guidance on the use of the equipment.
According to Maaza, the equipment will further cement collaboration between Canada and South Africa through the activities of the Canadian chair in energy and U2ACN2.
The X-ray photoelectrons spectroscopy (XPS) unit worth R14m
The XPS equipment is currently hosted at the U2ACN2 node of the Western Cape at the National Research Foundation iTemba Laboratories for Accelerator-Based Science (NRF-iTemba LABS).
The XPS is an advanced piece of equipment that can identify the surface chemistry of materials. Because of its powerful measurement technique, the XPS not only shows what elements are present but also to which other elements they are bonded.
"The advantage of having the XPS facility is that it is accessible and cost-effective for a broader community," Maaza says. The other donation was made by the University of Namur in Belgium, in the form of an X-ray diffraction (XRS) unit worth R13m. The advanced high-resolution X-ray unit is used for research, and it gives postgraduate students an opportunity to learn how to use the equipment in a hands-on way. Maaza and Unisa's Research Directorate collaborated to finalise both these donations.
Maaza expects that the modern equipment will enhance Unisa's visibility through quality research and development output and the overall professional capacity building of researchers and postgraduate students. "These outcomes align with Unisa's long-term objectives, while also serving the Vice-Chancellor's internationalisation focus," Maaza says.
* By Hanli Wolhuter, Communication and Marketing Specialist, College of Graduate Studies
Publish date: 2024/11/05
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