BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//CERN//INDICO//EN BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Nuclear Orientation Thermometry using the UCT Dilution Refrigerato r DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9151@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Yanga Ntolosi (NMISA)\nThe development of a Nuclear Orientation (NO) thermometer system for use at the University of Cape Town is essential to address the significant challenge in the accurate measure ments at ultra-low temperatures (down to 8mK). A $^{60}CoCo(hcp)$ gamma-ra y thermometry source was irradiated using the NECSA SAFARI-1 research reac tor for 6 minutes and a preliminary activity value of 1.3 MBq was achieved . The activity of this source has been validated using an absolute gamma-r ay coincidence technique and verified using a well-type ionizing chamber. Preliminary temperature measurements were taken by placing the $^{60}Co$ s ource within the University of Cape Town Department of Physics dilution re frigerator using a vertical sample holder and measuring the anisotropy of the radiation at a 90 ⁰ angle using a Sodium Iodide (NaI) scintillation detector. These results were promising\, but inconclusive\, prompting a se cond set of measurements. Modifications were made to the experimental set up by re-designing the sample holder to hold the source horizontally and t ake measurements at 0 ⁰ angle along the c-axis. A Lanthanum Bromide $(La Br_3)$ scintillation detector was also used to measure the radiation at te mperatures ranging from 10 mK to 100 mK. These experimental improvements p rovided more accurate and conclusive results.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.z a/event/239/contributions/9151/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9151/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Artificial neural network-based photodiode radiometer for instanta neous global solar irradiance measurements DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T124000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T130000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9152@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Olebogeng Tlhapane ()\nA low-cost\, BPW21 Si-photodi ode-driven solar radiometer was designed and used for long-term measuremen t of global horizontal solar irradiance. This was necessitated by the fact that the Kipp & Zonen CMP11 pyranometer available in the department and u sed as the secondary standard pyranometer\, is expensive for most of our r unning renewable energy projects. A data acquisition system (DAS) was used to simultaneously measure the radiometer and the CMP11 voltages\, as func tions of time of day. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) were then used to calibrate the radiometer voltages against the CMP11 calculated irradiances . A data set spanning four months was collected and used to create\, train \, test\, and validate the networks. During training\, radiometer voltages and time of day were inputs to the ANNs\, while CMP11 irradiances were th e targets. Data for selected days not used in the training were then used to test and validate the ANNs. The photodiode sensor used has an acute spe ctral response compared to the CMP11. Despite this setback\, ANNs were suc cessfully used to match radiometer and CMP11 irradiances. This novel appro ach returns instantaneous global horizontal irradiances for the entire day . Root-mean-square error (RMSE)\, mean absolute error (MAE) and mean absol ute percentage error (MAPE) was used to assess the performance of the radi ometer. The design matched the CMP11 with RMSE values ranging from 10 W/m2 to about 22 W/m2\, with a standard deviation of about 1 W/m2. The average MAPE was 3.5%\, while the average MAE was 6 W/m2.\n\nhttps://events.saip. org.za/event/239/contributions/9152/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9152/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Evaluating Essential Skills DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T132000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T134000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8827@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Derek Fish (University of Zululand)\nOperating from the University of Zululand\, Unizulu Science Centre (USC) had been running face to face matric workshops for 25 years\, presenting practicals and sh arpening skills for over 200 000 matric science students. The 2020 lockdow n presented a dilemma: matrics needed assistance more than ever\, but scho ols were closed and large gatherings impossible. USC piloted a unique offl ine\, digital video project (Essential Skills for Matric Science – ES) w hich was reported on at the 2021 SAIP conference. USC worked to convert a 4 hour contact workshop into first 8\, then later 16\, one-hour videos\, highlighting the essential skills for Matric Science Paper 1 – the physi cs paper. While these videos were made available on the internet (via the SAIP website) for download or streaming\, they were physically distributed on memory sticks to teachers\, along with an accompanying workbook. Local industry funding initially and then further SAIP funding (with support fr om Allan Gray) saw 100 000 booklets printed and 2 000 memory sticks manufa ctured over the next three years. These have been distributed to schools i n all nine provinces and also used as the basis for teacher training\, esp ecially by the SAIP. The framework for ES has already been used to generat e a similar tool for Life Science and Chemistry. Videos and booklets for M athematics are under development.\n\nLooking back over three years\, it is essential to try to measure the impact of this project and how it can be made more effective for the future. A simple evaluation tool was used with key stakeholders who had been very involved in ES during this time\, to g ather their inputs on the ES project\, how well it had worked and what cou ld be improved. A synthesis of their responses will be presented to inform an evaluation of what has been achieved and what can be achieved in futur e. In particular the transition of ES from a distance only model (during l ockdown) to a hybrid one (after lockdown) will be discussed. The inputs of the Physics Education Group members (many of whom had personal experience of ES) will be much appreciated.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/ contributions/8827/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8827/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Shaping a kaleidoscope of colours DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9153@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Leerin Michaela Perumal (University of the Witwaters rand)\nSince the late 1990s\, laser beam shaping has experienced a surge i n activity. With the use of modern digital tools\, one has the power to ta ilor light in its many degrees of freedom (polarisation\, amplitude and ph ase) to create so-called ‘structured light’. In recent years we have s een structured light used in various fields such as optical communication\ , information processing\, detection\, imaging and even industrial manufac turing. With advancements in the various fields\, the demand for broadband structured light has increased as it offers an additional degree of freed om to manipulate. In the past decade modulation of multiple wavelengths ha s been achieved with devices such as spatial light modulators (SLMs). Howe ver\, these devices are polarisation dependent\, costly and have slow resp onse rates- making it unsuitable for many commercial uses. Digital micromi rror devices (DMDs) on the other hand are polarisation and wavelength inde pendent\, compact\, cheaper and have an extremely fast response rate. In t his work we show how broadband beam shaping can be achieved by adding a si ngle lens after the DMD and observing the beam in the image plane. The exp erimental results correlate well with the theory\, thus validating the app roach. In this way\, we offer a simple cost-efficient and versatile tool f or the modulation of broadband or in theory any desired wavelength of ligh t.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9153/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9153/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Imaging with X-rays and prospect of a cold neutron source at Necsa DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9154@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Robert Nshimirimana (NECSA)\nThe South African Nucle ar Energy Corporation (Necsa) is in the process of establishing a neutron beam line center (NBLC) that will benefit South African researcher communi ty and industries. The NBLC will grow and expand its capabilities at a pro posed new build of a multi-purpose reactor facility which will include a c old neutron source. Imaging instruments with neutron/X-ray/gamma source\, will form part of the NBLC to support and fulfil the mandate of Necsa in u ndertaking and promoting research and development in the field of nuclear energy\, radiation sciences\, and technology development. Currently\, a fa cility capable of imaging with X-ray is well-established at Necsa\, and a thermal neutron imaging facility is under an upgrade at SAFARI-1 research reactor. The imaging center has become a multidisciplinary research facili ty with utilization in non-destructive testing\, cultural heritage\, agric ulture\, energy sector\, civil engineering\, bio-sciences\, metallurgy\, a nd geo-sciences. This talk showcases the capabilities of imaging with X-ra ys\, and the prospect of imaging with a cold neutron source at Necsa.\n\nh ttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9154/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9154/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Surreptitiously feeding education theory to physics students DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T122000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8830@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Jennifer Williams (Rhodes University)\nPhysics is ac knowledged to be one of the academic disciplines that students find the ha rdest\, certainly to master but even simply to succeed in. Reasons propos ed for this are varied but often incorporate the necessity of working in b oth the abstract (mathematical) and concrete (physical) realms and the nee d to transfer knowledge between these realms\, while\, at the same time\, expending great cognitive effort to make sense of the physical world in ma ny\, often seemingly different and unrelated\, contexts.\n\nI have found t he education theory of LCT (Legitimation Code Theory) and its concept of s emantic waves to be a powerful explanatory device for this process. I bri efly introduce this theory and then give examples of the ways in which I m ake these processes explicit to physics students during lectures.\n\nhttps ://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8830/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8830/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Button Optics: On-demand generation and diagnosis of structured li ght DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T122000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9158@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Bertus Jordaan (University of the Witwatersrand)\nUn derstanding and controlling structured light has led to many exciting oppo rtunities in physics\, optics\, biophysical and related research fields. H owever\, the required technical knowledge to use this promising technology remains an obstacle for non-experts. At Button Optics\, we provide turnke y solutions that use digital technology to generate and diagnose structure d light. We briefly present the underlying physics and technology and show case the current state-of-the-art capabilities of our prototype.\n\nhttps: //events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9158/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9158/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The case for using diagrams to navigate between multiple represent ations in physics in order to improve conceptual understanding DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8831@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Jennifer Williams (Rhodes University)\nThrough an in terpretation of Greeno’s model of the domains of problem-solving and the application of the theory of cognitive load\, this paper shows why linkin g representations through a model aids understanding. The use of a drawing can help physics students to translate more easily between the abstract\, concrete and symbolic representations of a physics problem. Physics teach ers may find that an awareness of these theoretical underpinnings and thei r importance in assisting movement between representations informs the way in which they scaffold learning activities.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za /event/239/contributions/8831/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8831/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The work of Physics to mitigate greenhouse gases to address climat e change. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T074000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9161@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mmantsae Diale (University of Pretoria)\nThe earth h as experienced extreme weather changes due to irresponsible human activiti es done ignorantly by passengers. The passengers are contaminating the atm osphere with greenhouse gases\, polluting the environment with non-degrada ble materials\, not considered renewable and green. This paper presents th e status quo of the world methods to produce clean and green energy\, with better methods due to physics innovations. These includes using physics i n waste recycling\, synthesis of new materials and devices\, and green ele ctronics\, collection of electricity from sun\, wind and hydroelectric ene rgy.Using of solar panels instead of diesel generators during load sheddin g\, consciously cleaning the environment by using packaging that is biodeg radable and calculating the carbon footprint.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.z a/event/239/contributions/9161/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9161/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:O2 adsorption on PtSb2 (100) surface DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T122000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9162@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Samuel Mangwejane ()\nIn order to understand the oxi dation of the PtSb2 minerals by either weathering or exposure to air\, we considered the adsorption of oxygen molecules on mineral surfaces. The ads orption properties will give more insight into the interaction of the oxyg en with the atoms on the surface. Generally\, minerals are exposed to atmo spheric air during crushing or storage. It had been reported previously th at oxidation depresses sulphide minerals\, resulting in poor grade-recover y performance and the brittle nature of PtSb2 may result in difficulty of its recovery from such ores. The surface energy of (100) has been found to be 0.920 Jm-2 as compared to (110) 1.194 Jm-2 and (111) 0.939 Jm-2. We pe rformed oxidation on the PtSb2 (100) surface where O2 was adsorbed in a pe roxo\, superoxide and Pt-O-O-Sb bridging on the surface Pt and Sb atoms.\n \nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9162/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9162/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Effect of temperature on β-TiCl3 medium DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T134500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T134600Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8923@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Andile Mazibuko (University of Limpopo)\nThe magnesi othermic reduction of titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) results in the format ion of titanium subchlorides such as titanium trichloride (TiCl3) and tita nium dichloride (TiCl2). However\, this process occurs extremely fast and it is not suitable for the development of a continuous reduction process. In this study\, classical molecular dynamic calculations were performed to understand the influence of temperature on the TiCl3 (β-TiCl3) structure (using rigid ion and shell model) with P63/mcm space group\, employing th e DL_POLY code. It was found that for the rigid ion model chlorine diffuse s at 300 K. The entropy and Gibbs free energy was used to deduce the behav iour of atoms and the spontaneity of the structure. Positive entropy is no ted at 600 K – 700 K for the rigid ion model and at 700 K for the shell model\, indicating possible melting. In addition\, the system was also obs erved to be spontaneous (favourable) for both models at 50 K – 2000 K. T he results of this study give us more insight into the TiCl3 medium as a p otential medium for evaluating titanium.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/eve nt/239/contributions/8923/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8923/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The varying and invariant properties of vectorial light for robust communication through a 270m free space optical link with no pre- or post -correction DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9156@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Cade Ribeiro Peters (University of the Witwatersrand )\nVectorial structured light has found numerous applications due to its u nique properties and has many advantages over scalar light fields. However \, there has been a lot of debate regarding the robustness of these modes to certain aberrations and distortions which has significant implications for the uses of these forms of light\, including for communications\, imag ing and sensing. In this work examine the behaviour of vectorial light thr ough the dynamic and highly aberrated medium of atmospheric turbulence usi ng a real-world 270m free space optical link. We definitively show the amp litude\, phase and polarisation distortions induced by the medium. We pres ent the first ever experimental demonstration of the invariance of the con currence (a quantity that measures the non-separability and variations in the beam's polarisation structure) through real-world atmospheric turbulen ce. Such a quantity allows for the encoding of information without the nee d for a shared basis and requires no error correction and thus holds many advantages over alternative means of communication. The invariance holds f or multiple beam types over long periods of time through the dynamically c hanging medium and through various degrees of distortions induced by the a tmosphere. The results of this work are therefore highly interesting for t he use of vectorial light through various\, complex media and for both cla ssical and quantum communications and imaging.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org. za/event/239/contributions/9156/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9156/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Density functional theory study of Porphyrin dye molecule adsorbed on TiO2 (010) Anatase surface. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9149@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Ronel Ronella Randela (University of Venda)\nDye-sen sitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted considerable attention in recen t years as they offer the possibility of low-cost conversion of photovolta ic energy. DSSCs use the dye molecules adsorbed on the TiO2 semiconductor in nanoarchitecture with the role of absorbing photons from the sun. In th is study\, Density functional theory (DFT) has been used to study the geom etric\, electronic\, and optical properties of Pheophytin dye and its adso rption behaviour on (010) TiO2 anatase surface. The generalized gradient a pproximation (GGA) was used in the scheme of Perdew-Burke Ernzerhof to des cribe the exchange-correlation function as implemented in the CASTEP packa ge in the material studio of BIOVIA. The results obtained show that Pheoph ytin dye molecules can improve the efficiency of DSSCs as they show an abs orption shift to the near-infrared region\, which increases the absorption range on the visible solar spectrum.\n\nKey words: DSSC\, DFT\, Porphyrin Dye\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9149/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9149/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Topic: Conversion of biomass into carbonaceous material: Making sy nthetic graphite DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T122000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9041@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Pfano Nemakonde (University of Venda)\nGraphite is t he most valuable material with many applications such as lithium-ion batte ries as anode material. The increase in demand for storage devices prompte d researchers to consider other possible\, low cost and commercially viabl e alternatives to meet the demand. The synthesis and application of biomas s as carbon have drawn attention due to the host of biomass available for conversion\, sustainability and cost effective. The current work focuses o n converting biomass wastes into synthetic graphite. Heat is used to proce ss biomass into desired carbon product. The FTIR and UV-vis spectra sugges ts successful conversion of biomass into carbon. The results show that the obtained graphite-like crystallite-based nanomaterials with tunable dimen sions and morphologies has remarkable features\, such as high water solubi lity\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9041/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9041/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Effect of concentrator geometry on wind velocity augmentation DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9115@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Chipo Shonhiwa (UFH)\nSouth Africa is experiencing a cute energy shortages leading to prolonged load shedding. Renewable energy can be a solution to this energy problem. From the renewable energy resou rces\, wind has a great potential of increasing the energy mix and help in abatement of climate change. It is one of the fastest growing energy tech nologies that can substitute fossil fuels in electricity production. Most wind turbines that are available on the market need wind speeds above 5 m/ s to produce meaningful electricity. Regrettably some areas don’t have s uch high wind speeds. Several researches have been done in coming up with techniques for improving wind turbine power output in low wind speed areas . Concentrator Augmented Wind Turbines (CAWTs) have been proved to increas e the effectiveness of the wind turbines in low wind speed areas by increa sing the wind speed upstream of the turbine. However\, the effect of conce ntrator geometry on the velocity augmentation capability of the concentrat or is not clearly understood to enhance the designing of competitive CAWTs . This study investigated the effect of concentrator geometry on velocity augmentation. Computational fluid dynamics was used for the investigation s. A model was analysed in ANSYS Fluent® software and validated by experi ments. The performance of 45 concentrators was investigated in terms of co ncentrator efficiency and velocity augmentation ratio (*vr*). The concentr ators had the same outlet radius and their geometry was varied by changing the concentrator length (*L*) and the outlet radius (*R*). It was observe d that the changes vr was affected by the change in both the *L* to *2R* r atio (*Lr*) and the difference between inlet and outlet radii to *2R* rati o (*Rr*). As *Lr* was increased from *Lr* = 0.1\, the *vr* increased to pi ck at *Lr* = 0.4 and then decreased with farther increase in *Lr*. Also\, as *Rr* was increased from 0.025\, the *vr* increased to peak at *Rr* = 0. 1 and then decreased as *Rr* was increased. It was also shown that the ene rgy losses due to friction have more negative impact on velocity augmentat ion than energy losses due to large concentrator tilt angle at high *Lr* b ecause friction on the walls occurred over a large range. From a distance L before the inlet\, the wind accelerated constantly to a maximum speed at the concentrator outlet. It continued with this speed up to *0.5L* distan ce behind the concentrator and started to decelerate. The velocity was max imum from the concentrator centre to 80% of the outlet radius. It decrease d to 0 m/s on the concentrator wall. At any distance greater than *0.1r*\, the wind velocity was higher than the concentrator inlet velocity. For op timum Lr and Rr\, maximum velocity was achieved at the concentrator outlet . It was concluded that when constructing a CAWT\, the turbine rotor shoul d be placed at any distance between the concentrator outlet and *0.5L* beh ind the concentrator and the blade tips of the turbine in a CAWT system sh ould be at least 10% smaller than the concentrator outlet radius\, for the rotor to receive wind with augmented velocity.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org .za/event/239/contributions/9115/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9115/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Low-budget atmospheric monitoring system. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T152000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T154000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9140@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Marco Mariola (University Of Kwazulu Natal)\nGeneral systems to monitor the atmospheric condition\, such as humidity\, tempera ture\, and pollution are extensively used in research and also even for pu blic health purposes. In terms of pollution\, the atmospheric analysis can be performed by LIDAR\, a local measuring station\, or a ballon-based sen sor.\nThe atmospheric sensor proposed aims to be a payload for a balloon o r drone. As with other atmospheric sensors\, the proposed system includes sensors\, a Global Positioning System (GPS)\, and a radio transmitter to r eceive data about the position of the station and the data collected by th e sensors. The aim of the project is to be a system that is easy to modify and to be able to be adapted to the research needs. For this purpose\, th e system is entirely based on open-source electronics\, except for some se nsitive parts\, such as the transmitter.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/eve nt/239/contributions/9140/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9140/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:A review of the South African Institute of Physics (SAIP) roles in Physics for development\, Education\, and Outreach: Hindsight\, foresight \, and opportunities for South Africa through the hub-and-spoke model DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T074000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9042@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Brian Masara (SAIP)\, Makaiko Chithambo (Rhodes Univ ersity)\nThe SAIP plays a pivotal role creating a platform for physicists to network\, collaborate\, support one another\, communicate their subject \, influence science and technology policies\, promote the study and appli cations of physics\, monitor the quality standards of physics training\, a nd foster the development of physics in South Africa. This presentation hi ghlights how the SAIP has delivered on these critical roles\, reviews oppo rtunities for improvement\, and how the physics community can be involved. SAIP education\, outreach and women in physics activities are implement ed through the hub-and-spoke model\, providing an opportunity for broad-ba sed participation and involvement. \nSAIP has over the years engaged wit h physics development\, initiatives include hosting the Word Conference on Physics and Sustainable Development in 2005\, the review on shaping the f uture of physics in South Africa\, the formation of NITheP\, SA-CERN resea rch\, SANReN\, entrepreneurship for physics\, and physics in industry day\ , among others. However\, reviewing publications on WOS authored by South Africans about Physics and sustainable development\, one finds less than 5 articles showing a dire need for the physics community to be involved in matters related to physics and sustainable development. Under outreach and public understanding of physics\, SAIP has developed resources ranging fr om careers booklets to videos such as the Physics in our Everyday Life ser ies\, participates in the National Science Week\, Science Festivals\, and radio campaigns. Programmes such as “Physics in my Village Competition ” and the South African Physics Olympiad (SAPhO) have facilitated naturi ng young talent into physics. Through the Women in Physics in South Africa (WiPiSA) programme\, projects such as the Women in Physics lunches\, and Women in Physics August month celebrations are now a permanent feature. Ov er the last three years\, the average impact from these outreach programme s was over 2 million people per annum. In 2008\, Physics HoDs raised conce rns about the weak background of new first-year students\, the SAIP commi ssioned a review and produced a benchmark statement on physics training th at was adopted in 2019. During the period\, 2020-2023\, 18 teacher worksho ps were held where 1017 teachers participated\, and 146 facilitators were trained. Given the shortage of physics laboratory facilities in schools\, training on virtual physics experiments was introduced in 2022. Prelimina ry evaluations showed that teachers’ confidence in facilitating the Phys ical Science Virtual experiments improved by 32.96 %\, i.e.\, from 51.80 % to 84.76 %. The Essential Skills for Matric resources were introduced in 2020 and over 30 000 booklets and 2000 USBS were distributed reaching ove r 330 schools and 11537 learners in 7 provinces. An additional 2952 indivi duals accessed the materials online. \nA monitoring and evaluation report based on qualitative and quantitative programme evaluation results from th e teacher development and outreach programmes will be discussed. Prelimina ry analysis indicate that the education programme is making a positive imp act. Quantitative feedback indicated that teachers’ competence improved by between 10% and 40%\, however\, rigorous impact analysis is required\, and this presents a research opportunity. From a strategic point\, the SAI P is probing the effectiveness of these interventions\, how they can be im proved\, how can more physicists be involved\, can we track the beneficiar ies\, etc.? These are research questions for physicists to help SAIP answe r.\n\nKey Words: Physics education\, physics outreach\, physics for develo pment\, women in physics\, hub-spoke model\, monitoring and evaluation\, i mpact assessment\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/904 2/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9042/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Thermal conductivity enhancement in gold decorated graphene nanosh eets in ethylene glycol based nanofluid DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T140200Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T140300Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8905@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Makhangele Mbambo (Cape Peninsula University of Tec hnology)\nABSTRACT\n\nWe report on the synthesis and thermal conductivity of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) decorated graphene nanosheets (GNs) based na nofluids. The GNs-AuNPs nanocomposites were synthesised using a nanosecond pulsed Nd:YAG laser (wavelength = 1064 nm) to ablate graphite target foll owed by Au in ethylene glycol (EG) base fluid to obtain GNs-AuNPs/EG hybri d nanofluid. The characterization of the as-synthesised hybrid nanofluid w as carried out using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR- TEM)\, scanning electron microscopy (SEM)\, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX)\ , X-ray diffraction (XRD)\, Raman spectroscopy\, Fourier transform infrare d (FT-IR) spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). The thermal conductivity of the as-synthesised hybrid nanofluid was measured b y a guarded hot plate (GHP) apparatus at different temperatures in the ran ge 25 – 45 °C. The characterization of the as-synthesised GNs-AuNPs/EG hybrid nanofluid confirmed a sheet-like structure of GNs decorated with cr ystalline AuNPs with an average particle diameter of 6.3 nm. The thermal c onductivity analysis showed that GNs-AuNPs/EG hybrid nanofluid exhibits en hanced thermal conductivity of 0.41 W/mK compared to GNs/EG (0.35 W/mK) an d AuNPs/EG (0.39 W/mK) nanofluids\, and EG base fluid (0.33 W/mK). The enh anced thermal conductivity of the hybrid nanofluid is due to the synergist ic effect between AuNPs and graphene sheets which have inherent high therm al conductivities. GNs-AgNPs/EG hybrid nanofluid has the potential to impa ct on enhanced heat transfer technological applications.\n\nKEYWORDS: Lase r ablation\; graphene nanosheets\; Au nanoparticles\; Ethylene glycol\; Th ermal conductivity\; Nanofluid\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/con tributions/8905/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8905/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Exact Quantitative Analysis of Low-Dimensional Quantum Structure s using Alkali-Metal based Molecular-ion SIMS: Perspectives and Challenges DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T064000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T074000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9166@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Purushottam Chakraborty ()\nContinuous progress in t he understanding of fundamental and instrumental aspects of Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) has made this technique extremely powerful for th e analysis of materials. Secondary ion-emission is a complex phenomenon an d amongst various mechanisms\, the ‘electron-tunnelling model’ based o n the survival probability of an escaping ion above the surface is the wid ely accepted notion in the understanding of ionization probability for pos itive and negative ions. As the secondary-ion intensity of a particular el ement strongly depends on the ionization efficiency of a sputtered atom or molecule\, instantaneous local chemistry of the sample surface plays a si gnificant role in the secondary-ion emission. This is the so-called “Mat rix Effect”\, which makes the SIMS technique challenging for quantificat ion in spite of its highest detection sensitivity (2 (M= Ti\, V\, Mn) ON (110) SURFACE OF Na-AIR BATTERY DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T134600Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T134700Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8925@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: PERCY NGOBENI (UL)\nMetal-air batteries have a far h igher theoretical energy density than lithium-ion batteries and are freque ntly proposed as a possibility for next-generation electrochemical energy storage for applications like electric vehicles and grid energy storage. T he Na-air battery is an energy storage system with moderate catalytic acti vity in the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) and Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER). The current study uses the Density functional theory (DFT) to devel op a deeper understanding of the catalytic activity of rutile types of MO2 for the ORR and OER in Na-air batteries. As oxygen is adsorbed on Na/MO2 (110) surfaces\, the electronic properties of several configurations (diss ociated\, superoxide\, peroxo on Na-M\, and dissociated’) are examined t o determine the catalytic influence towards the generation of the discharg e product in Na-O2 batteries. Using the density of states analysis\, the M nO2 system was found to be more stable than TiO2 and VO2 systems. These di scoveries are significant for the nucleation and development of Na2O2 and NaO2\, as well as for understanding the reactivity of Na/MO2 (110) surface s.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8925/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8925/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The Minimal load potential of elastic membranes DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T134800Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T134900Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9077@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Seyyed Abbas Mohammadi (Wits University)\nThe versat ility of elastic membranes as building blocks in mechanical vibration has led to their widespread use in various fields of science and technology\, including architecture and construction\, medical devices\, industrial app lications\, consumer goods\, aerospace and defense\, energy applications\, and the entertainment industry. Their unique ability to stretch and retur n to their original shape has made them a crucial material for many applic ations. To design more efficient membranes\, it is essential to study the physical properties of these structures in-depth\, gaining further insight into their behavior. This study focuses on a steady state\, homogeneous e lastic membrane and its optimal load potential under the presence of a ver tical load. By assuming a fixed amount of total load energy\, we aim to ad just the vertical force to achieve the minimum load potential energy. Our goal is to find a distribution pattern for the force over the membrane tha t results in the lowest load potential. Mathematically\, this leads to an optimization problem with an elliptic partial differential equation as a c onstraint\, resulting in a PDE-constrained optimization problem. It has be en established that this problem has a unique solution\, and for circular membranes\, the optimal load can be derived analytically or in closed form . However\, for membranes of general shape\, a numerical method has been d eveloped to compute the optimizer. Our numerical approaches have been demo nstrated to be robust and efficient through several numerical results for non-circular membrane shapes. These results provide a distribution pattern for vertical forces that optimizes the load potential.\n\nhttps://events. saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9077/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9077/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Binding nature of fibrin molecules on to Au92 and Ag92 nanoparticl es DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T134900Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8928@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Malesela Walter Makgoba (Student)\nDensity functiona l theory\, and molecular dynamics simulations were used to study the natur e of binding on Au- and Ag-nanoparticles and 1\, 2\, and 3-fibrin molecule s. In the process\, the negative adsorption energies acquired suggest that the fibrin molecules + Au-/Ag-nanoparticles reaction process is exothermi c and energetically stable. Moreover\, radial distribution functions and r adius of gyration were utilised to explore the binding distance between th e fibrin molecules functional groups atoms and Au-/Ag-nanoparticles surfac e atoms. To probe the mobility of the atoms in the fibrin-nanoparticle com plexes\, the mean square displacements graphs were plotted. Such plots tog ether with the extracted diffusion constants suggest that H\, C\, N and O from the fibrin molecules functional groups\, may diffuse easily into Au- and Ag-nanoparticles. Qualitatively\, the H\, C\, N\, and C atoms diffuse more readily in the Ag-nanoparticles compared to Au-nanoparticles.\n\nhttp s://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8928/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8928/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Reactive molecular dynamics simulations of the atomic oxygen impac t on Poly(2\,5-benzimidazole) DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135200Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135300Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9164@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Ernst Ellis (North-West University)\nThe development of radiation shielding for spacecraft found in low Earth orbit (LEO) has been an ongoing campaign since 2001 [1\, 2]. In the LEO range\, various t hreats cause extensive degradation of spacecraft materials. Considering or ganic materials such as polymers have one threat that significantly affect s them: atomic oxygen (AO). Atomic oxygen is formed via photo-disassociati on of diatomic oxygen caused by solar radiation [3] with a flux of $\\sim 10^{14} AO⁄cm∙s$ at energies of ~5eV [4]. AO is the most abundant spec ies found in the LEO environment and causes oxidative erosion of organic m aterial. Testing the erosive nature of AO on a polymer proves difficult wh en considering the experimental apparatus required to replicate the AO imp act on the material [4]. This difficulty is the availability of apparatus that can have AO as the bombardment species while performing the bombardme nt experiment at the required energy. In South Africa\, very few nuclear a ccelerators have AO as the bombardment species\, but these have energy con straints. A model is created for this investigation to perform AO bombardm ent on the poly(2\,5-benzimidazole) (ABPBI) material and composite variati ons using reactive molecular dynamics (MD). The results from the MD simula tions include mass loss\, AO penetration depths\, and temperature evolutio n with regards to AO impact on the material. In previous work\, the author s performed AO bombardment on the polymer and its composite at the iThemba labs Gauteng. The intention of this work is to\, through the reactive MD\ , compare changes to the samples as a result of varying energies.\n\n\n\n1 . de Groh\, K.K.\, et al. MISSE PEACE polymers: an international space sta tion environmental exposure experiment. in Proceedings of the AIAA Confere nce on International Space Station Utilization. 2001.\n2. Kaminski\, C.\, et al. MISSE PEACE Polymers-An International Space Station environmental e xposure experiment. in 2001 Conference and Exhibit on International Space Station Utilization.\n3. Dever\, J.\, et al.\, Chapter 23 - Degradation of spacecraft materials\, in Handbook of Environmental Degradation of Materi als\, M. Kutz\, Editor. 2005\, William Andrew Publishing: Norwich\, NY. p. 465-501.\n4. Kleiman\, J.\, et al.\, Atomic oxygen beam sources: A critic al overview. Materials in a Space Environment\, 2003. 540: p. 313-324.\n\n https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9164/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9164/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:V2O5 nanostructures for gas sensing: doping\, and low temperature detection of Methanol\, Ethanol and NO2 with superior response of H2S DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T140300Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T140400Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8955@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mick Molukie Mokwena (University of limpopo)\nA faci le reflux method was used to synthesize the undoped and Au-doped V2O5 nano particle powder samples at concentrations ranging from 1 wt% to 5 wt%. XRD \, SEM\, BET\, FTIR and UV-Vis analysis revealed a change in morphology fr om spherical to nanorod-like nanostructures upon doping with the gold. The Au-doped V2O5 nanostructures tend to increase in surface area\, and also become more crystalline with increase in Au concentration. The V2O5 nanost ructures were found to have a larger optical band gap when compared with b ulk V2O5. The undoped V2O5 sample was tested against ethanol (C2H5OH)\, hy drogen sulphide (H2S)\, methanol (CH3OH) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)\, at l ow temperatures ranging from 25oC to 150oC and concentrations from 5 ppm t o 100 ppm. A high response of 130 towards 100 ppm H2S at 75oC\, was exhibi ted by the undoped sensor. The sensitivity of the V2O5 sensor in the low t emperature range of 25oC to 150oC was found to follow the sequence of H2S > C2H5OH > CH3OH > NO2.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributi ons/8955/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8955/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Cluster expansion calculations on the discharge product of magnesi um-ion batteries DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T140400Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T140500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8956@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: KHUMBULANI TIBANE (UL)\nMagnesium batteries have poo r cycle performance\, which limits their commercial use. In magnesium batt eries\, sulphur (S) performs poorly and reduces the battery’s performanc e\; however\, when selenium (Se) is added\, the issue is improved and the material's energy density is enhanced. Therefore\, in this study\, cluster expansion technique was employed to determine phase changes of mixed MgSc 2S1-xSex\, MgY2S1-xSex\, and MgIn2S1-xSe systems\, which then generated 97 \, 61\, and 12 new mixed phases\, respectively. Furthermore\, the potentia l of Se\, a d-electron possessing periodic table element with excellent el ectrical conductivity\, as an electrode material for rechargeable magnesiu m batteries is explored. The systems created a miscibility gap\, leading t o the introduction of Monte Carlo simulations. Monte Carlo simulations pro duced thermodynamic properties for Se concentrations obtained from cluster expansion\, and it demonstrated that all the systems are phase separating at 0K. Temperature was varied and the systems changed to mixed systems at an approximately 250K-400K range. Finally\, Monte Carlo simulations yield ed consistent results on phase separation and high-temperature behaviour f or all the systems at 50% sulphur and selenium.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org .za/event/239/contributions/8956/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8956/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Effects of defects on gas sensor performance of β-Ga2O3 DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142200Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142300Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8963@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Nyepudzai Charsline Gatsi (University of the Witwate rsrand\, Johannesburg)\nThe gas sensing performance of a material partly d epends on its defect property\, especially the oxygen vacancy (VO) content [1]. The trace amounts of common impurities such as Cr3+ and N in Ga2O3 n anostructures significantly influence their defect-emission profiles [2\,3 ]. In this work\, we investigated the effect of unintentionally doped Cr3+ and N defects in conjunction with the intrinsic donor (VO) and acceptor ( VGa) defects on the gas sensing performance of β-Ga2O3 nanorods. The phot oluminescence and gas sensing results demonstrate a significant influence on the response/recovery times from the unintentionally doped Cr3+ and N d efects in β-Ga2O3. Fast response times are key in rapid detection of toxi c gases such as CO and quick recovery is important for reusability of the sensing material. \n\nKeywords: Ga2O3\; intrinsic defects\; oxygen/gallium vacancies\; gas sensing.\n\nReferences\n\n[1] M. Al-Hashem\, S. Akbar\, P . Morris\, Role of oxygen vacancies in nanostructured metal-oxide gas sens ors: A review\, Sens. Actuators\, B Chem. 301 (2019) 126845. \n[2] G. Pozi na\, M. Forsberg\, M.A. Kaliteevski\, C. Hemmingsson\, Emission properties of Ga2O3 nano-flakes: Effect of excitation density\, Sci. Rep. 7 (2017) 1 –8.\n[3] A. Luchechko\, V. Vasyltsiv\, L. Kostyk\, O. Tsvetkova\, B. Pav lyk\, The effect of Cr3+ and Mg2+ impurities on thermoluminescence and dee p traps in β-Ga2O3 crystals\, ECS J. Solid State Sci. Technol. 9 (2020) 0 45008.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8963/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8963/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The structural\, electronic and dynamical properties of pyrite-typ e minerals: DFT and Atomistic Simulations. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142800Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142900Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8910@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mofuti Mehlape (University Of Limpopo)\nPyrite is th e most common sulphide gangue mineral occurring in base metal sulphide ore s around the world. FeS2 is one of the most commonly occurring metal sulph ide minerals. Despite its low economic value\, its properties have been ex plored extensively over the years. However\, the study of properties of ot her pyrite-type minerals are still lacking. This work use computational mo delling simulation methods to examine the properties of the pyrite-type mi nerals (MS2\, where M = Co\, Ni)\, that have a similar chemical compositio n. The work will be conducted through the derivation of interatomic potent ials. Density Functional Theory (DFT) method was used to calculate the str ucture and elastic properties of pyrite-type minerals. Subsequently\, the DFT data was used for the derivation of interatomic potentials for atomist ic simulation. The constructed interatomic potentials were validated by su bjecting the minerals to extreme conditions\, i.e. temperatures and pressu re through molecular dynamics simulations. The structure and elastic prope rties are in qualitative agreement with DFT data and those from literature . Furthermore\, the potentials will be useful into the fundamental underst anding of the collectors and surface interaction mechanisms involved in mi neral processing.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/89 10/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8910/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Self-Consistent Charge Density-Functional Tight-Binding Parameteri zation for the Mg–Si system DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142600Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142700Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8909@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Katlego Phoshoko (University of Limpopo)\nLithium-io n batteries have been widely used as a solution for portable energy storag e over the years\, however\, the rising demand for high-energy-density bat teries calls for the design of new high-performing electrode materials. Ma gnesium-based batteries emerged among alternatives to lithium-ion batterie s\, however\, further studies are still required to help accelerate develo pments toward their commercialisation. In this work\, we present the self- consistent charge density-functional tight-binding (SCC-DFTB) parameteriza tion of the Mg-Si system. The developed parameters are validated against a vailable experimental data and calculated DFT results using Mg\, Si and Mg -Si systems. The structural properties obtained by applying the parameter set show good agreement with the experimental values\, and by modelling th e electronic properties of the Mg2Si supercell the set is shown to handle large systems. The Mg-Si SCC-DFTB parameters from this work paves the way for further investigations\, as they will make it possible to study and pr edict the behaviour of Mg-Si-based electrode materials through computer si mulations.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8909/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8909/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Improve physical properties of rare earth metal doped strontium su lphide for optoelectronic purpose DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143200Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143300Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8986@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Samuel Shaka (Delta State University Abraka)\nThe el ectrochemical deposition was used to synthesize SrS-doped zirconium materi als at varying dopant concentrations of 0.01 to 0.03 mol. The surface micr ograph of the zirconium doped films is well structured on the surface of t he FTO used for the synthesis without any crack or lattice strain. The spe ctrum is polycrystalline with a cubic structure and a prominent peak at (1 11) orientation for SrS film. At the introduction of the zirconium dopant 0.01 mol\, the peak intensity increases with a prominent peak at (211) whi ch indicate acceptance of zirconium dopant in the precursor and as the dop ant concentration rises the peak intensity decreases which depicts that a higher concentration of zirconium reduces the peak intensity of the films. The Williamson-Hall plot's slope increases as the dopant concentration inc reases. The materials exhibit a thickness increase of 121.32 to 126.13 nm and a decrease in film resistivity from 1.12 x 109 to 1.32 x 109 ohm.m\, w hich further led to an increase in conductivity from 7.57 x 108 to 8.26 x 108 S/m.The bandgap energy of SrS is 1.50 eV while SrS-doped zirconium is 1.35 eV – 2.52 eV.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions /8986/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8986/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:2D/3D heterojunction of MAPbI3/OA2PbI4 thin films for Photovoltaic Hydrogen Evolution DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142700Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142800Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8979@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sandile Thubane ()\nThree-dimensional (3D) halide pe rovskites have emerged as a promising class of inexpensive and easy-to-mak e semiconductors for photocatalytic application in hydrogen evolution due to their exceptional visible light response. Their high sensitivity to hum idity\, however\, resulted in significant instability issues. This led to the development of 2D/3D halide perovskites (HaP)\, which showed efficient charge-carrier transport\, humidity resistance\, and higher stability in ambient conditions. In this study\, a pure 3D MAPbI3\, 2D OA2PbI4\, and 2D /3D OAxMA1−xPbI3 HaP were synthesized using the spin-coating method. Fro m the X-ray diffraction (XRD) results\, a 3D HaP was confirmed at 14.1° a nd 28.4°\, whilst a 2D HaP depicted its characteristic peaks in the low 2 θ area at 5.5°. Also\, the 2D/3D HaP powder shows identifiable reflectio ns assigned to the OA2PbI4. The morphological studies of the 2D\, 3D\, and 2D/3D powders were studied using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Th e HaP materials exhibit particle sizes of 100 nm for 3D\, 400 nm for 2D\, and around 200 nm for 2D/3D HaP with mixed phases. The pristine 3D nanopar ticles with clear grain boundaries have relatively different appearances\, while the 2D/3D particles with different cation ratios all show good crys tallinity as confirmed by XRD. In contrast to the MAPbI3\, which exhibits a significant absorption over the entire visible range\, the OA2PbI4 exhib its a major absorption peak in the UV spectrum at 375 nm\, which is above the visible range. Furthermore\, the 2D/3D displays a longer onset than th e pristine 3D HaP and similar strong visible light absorption across the e ntire visible range. Pure 2D perovskite exhibits the lowest photocatalytic hydrogen evolution (PHE) rate of 192.1 mol g-1 h-1 while the pristine per ovskite exhibits a PHE rate of 323 mol g-1 h-1 within 5 hours. The PHE rat es are\, however\, 219.3\, 430.2\, 960.2\, and 274.5 mol g-1 h-1 for the 2 D/3D HaP with octadecylamine (OA) concentrations of 5\, 10\, 15\, and 25%\ , respectively. The outcomes show that the 2D/3D perovskite with the ideal OA content of 15% had the best performance. The 2D/3D HaP show the same c haracteristic peaks before and after the PHE\, indicating a high stability of the materials. The transient photocurrent responses (i-t curves) and e lectrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of the perovskites coated on f luorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) were performed under illumination with a sin gle wavelength of light at 420 nm. The results showed that the OA0.15MA0.8 5PbI3 exhibits the strongest photocurrent\, indicating the most effective electron-hole separation and transportation.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za /event/239/contributions/8979/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8979/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Electronic Stability and Surface Study of Tin Dioxide DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143100Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8911@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: khomotso Maenetja (University Of Limpopo)\nIn lithiu m-air batteries\, metal oxides are frequently regarded as excellent cataly sts that help produce stable discharge products and deliver better electro chemical performance. The metal-air battery is a type of electrochemical c ell or battery that generates electricity by oxidizing a metal\, such as L i\, K\, Na\, or Mg\, at the anode and reducing oxygen at the cathode. In t his study\, we use the density functional theory calculation to investigat e the bulk properties and surfaces stability of tin dioxide. Tin dioxide w as found to be a stable semiconductor with a band gap of 0.63 eV. The phon on dispersion curves indicate that the structure is vibrationally stable s ince it shows no soft mode along the brillouin zone direction. The elastic constants show that our structure is mechanically stable since the C’ i s positive and obey the mechanical stability criteria for a tetragonal cry stal. Furthermore\, we modelled the low Miller index surfaces which are (1 10)\, (101)\, (111)\, (001) and (100) from the fully optimised bulk struct ure using METADISE code. From the modelled surfaces\, (110) had the lowes t surface energy which is in agreement with the reported literature. The a ddition of two oxygen atoms revealed the most stable adsorption energy is the bridging configuration was the most favourable. This study will lead t o understanding if tin dioxide will catalyse the oxygen reduction reaction in metal air batteries\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributi ons/8911/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8911/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Investigating the effect of sodium partial substitution on nanost ructured Li2MnO3 cathodes during the simulated charge process DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143100Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143200Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8985@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Tshidi Mogashoa (UL)\nThe exploration of new electro de materials exhibiting improved electrochemical performance and low cost for high-density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) applicable in electric vehic les is one of today’s most challenging issues in material research. Li2M nO3\, as a prospective high-capacity (459 mAh.g-1) cathode\, suffers from capacity degradation and voltage decay during the cycling process. Incorpo rating sodium ions in the lithium sites can mitigate voltage decay by limi ting transition metal migration\, impeding oxygen loss\, and improving lit hium diffusion of Li-rich layered host materials. In this work\, the struc tural stability of the spherical Li2MnO3\, generated through the simulated amorphisation and recrystallisation (A+R) technique was improved by intro ducing a certain amount of sodium into its lattice structure. The molecula r dynamics (MD) calculations were carried out at temperatures between 1600 -1800 K\, employing the DL –POLY code. Characterisation of the x-ray dif fraction (XRD) patterns revealed peak broadening along with the shifting o f peaks at 2Θ~38 to the right due to the enlarged lithium layers occupied by sodium ions to facilitate lithium diffusion. Moreover\, the undesired phase transformation from layered to spinel was observed at a later stage of charge for the sodium-doped systems\, suggesting that the presence of s odium stabilizes the structure and minimizes the migration of manganese in to lithium layers. These findings shed insights on the role of sodium subs titution on the nanostructured Li2MnO3 cathodes and will help guide the en hancement of high-capacity energy storage.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/e vent/239/contributions/8985/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8985/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:STUDY OF THE IMMOBOLISATION OF PALLADIUM BY SILICON AND ZIRCONIUM IN GRAPHITE. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143600Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8950@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: GCOBANI MTWAZANA (ASTROPHYSICS)\nCurrent high temper ature gas reactor designs use TRISO-coated particles as fuel. The TRISO-co ated particle consists of a fuel kernel and coating layers of porous pyrol itic carbon (PyC)\, inner high-density PyC\, silicon carbide (SiC) and out er high-density PyC. The SiC layer serves as the main barrier to fission p roduct release1. However it has been reported that the radioactive fission product Ag110m can escape from intact TRISO particles2. It was also found that the fission product palladium (Pd) significantly enhances the migrat ion of silver along grain boundaries in SiC3\,4.\n\nThis paper investigate s the feasibility of using Pd traps such as Si and ZrC in the inner PyC la yer of TRISO particles to capture the Pd and prevents it from migrating to the SiC layer by forming immobile silicide compounds in the case of Si. I t is proposed that without Pd in the SiC\, the migration rate of Ag in SiC will be significantly reduced.\n\nGraphite discs (used to simulate PyC) w ere implanted with 137\,5 keV Si and 190 keV Zr ions to doses of 8\,27 x10 15 Si ions cm-2 and 5x1015 Zr ion cm-2. Pieces of implanted graphite discs \, with a layer of Pd powder on the implanted surface\, were subsequently annealed for 20 min. at temperatures of 600 and 900 °C. TEM samples were cut using a focused Ion Beam (FIB) and analysed using a JEOL 2100 TEM.\n\n Fig. 1 (a) is a cross-sectional HAADF STEM micrograph of Si implanted grap hite annealed in contact with Pd powder at 600 °C for 20 min. The bright particles are the Pd on the Si implanted graphite as indicated in the figu re. Fig. 1 (b) is a HAADF STEM micrograph showing the location of the EDS line scan across a Pd particle and into the Si implanted graphite. The cor responding EDS line scans for Pd\, C and Si are shown in (c) together with the location of the implanted graphite surface. The similarity of the Pd and Si line scans indicate that at 600 °C\, the Si rapidly diffused out o f the graphite and into the Pd particles. The same result was obtained aft er annealing at 900 °C for 20 min. which is indicative of the high chemic al reactivity of Pd and Si to form a silicide3. The current study revealed that the palladium silicide formed will most likely be immobile in graphi te (and PyC) at temperatures up to 900 °C.\n\nThe EDS results of the Zr i mplanted graphite annealed in contact with Pd at 600 and 900 °C indicated that Zr did migrate into Pd but the reaction was less pronounced than tha t found for Si. The incorporation of Si into the inner PyC layer of a TRIS O particle during manufacturing would be easier and more effective as Pd t rap than ZrC.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8950/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8950/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Synthesis and Characterization of Ti3C2 MXene electrode via In-sit u HF and direct HF etching methods for application in battery-supercapacit or hybrid devices. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143800Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143900Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8944@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Tsholo Talane (TUT)\nThe need for cleaner\, renewabl e energy to tackle issues such as global warming and the rapid consumption of fossil fuels has led to an increased interest in developing high-energ y and high-power density energy-storage devices. While batteries were exte nsively used for energy storage in the past\, they suffer from a limited n umber of charge cycles and longer recharge times. Electrochemical capacito rs have high power provision but possess comparatively low energy density. To mitigate this\, a hybrid solution combining battery and supercapacitor electrochemical performance is necessary.\n\nHerein\, we report on the fa brication and structural optimization of a Ti3C2 MXene pseudo-capacitive e lectrode via In-situ HF and direct HF etching of the Ti3AlC2 MAX phase for use in battery-supercapacitor hybrid devices.\n\n\nThe SEM results showed a stacked multilayer with highly delaminated morphology\, clearly exhibit ing significant openings of the MXene lamellas. The EDX analysis confirmed that the MXene sample has a lower percentage of Al element\; 0.78% and 0. 59% for direct HF and In-situ method respectively compared to the as-prepa red MAX sample (12.72%). This indicates successful etching of the Al eleme nt from the precursor sample. However\, EDX showed small traces of F and C l elements in samples synthesized using the in-situ method\; a clear indic ation that this method requires further treatment with chemical substances such as NH4HF2 and NH4F for complete HCl etching. From the XRD pattern\, the eradication of (104) peak at ~39.0 ͦ 2θ for all samples indicates th e full conversion of Ti3AlC2 to Ti3C2\, with no notable impurity signals a s seen on the EDX data\, further cementing the SEM and EDX analyses.\n\nTh e electrochemical properties of the MXenes are discussed\, followed by the ir application in various fields of the energy storage industry\, especial ly in multifunction electronics\, hybrid electric vehicles\, and industria l equipment.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8944/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8944/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:A study of thermal response of chromium-tin (Cr-Sn) bimetal films using in-situ RBS by Artificial Neural Networks DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144200Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144300Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9010@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Ingrid Segola (TUT/iThemba LABS)\nBimetallic thin fi lms of chromium-tin (Cr-Sn) were prepared using electron beam evaporator\, the films were prepared such that a layer of chromium was deposited onto a thin film of tin. The first sample was then annealed in the Rutherford B ackscattering Spectrometry (RBS) chamber under high vacuum\, while probing with alpha particles. The RBS spectra were collected in-situ while anneal ing at a ramp rate of 3℃/min\, from room temperature to 600℃. A 2 MeV He$^{2+}$ ion beam was used to probe the sample for atomic depth profiling evolution. The collected spectra were analysed using Artificial Neural Ne tworks (ANNs). The ANN model was trained using a set of simulated RBS spec tra generated using the SIMNRA software package. The results of stochiomet ric analysis showed that the layers of Cr-Sn start phase changing at tempe ratures of ~275℃ and ~475℃ for the CrSn and Cr$_2$Sn phases respective ly. \nThe second sample was heated using femtosecond laser with the wavele ngth of 1064 nm\, and a pulse duration of 190 fs\, with the repetition rat e of 200 kHz\, the net-fluence used were ranging from 300 J/cm$^2$ to 970 J/cm$^2$. The two-temperature model was performed using the finite element method to study the thermal behaviour of the films\, the results revealed that the films absorbed the laser heat within a few picoseconds. The resu lts of this study demonstrate the potential of ANNs in the analysis of RBS spectra and the importance of considering the thermal effects during ther mal treatment.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9010/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9010/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Chemical Trends in defect stability and electronic properties of 3 d transition metal doped WS2 DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144600Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144700Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9165@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Brian Nyandoro (Unisa)\nDilute magnetic semiconducto rs (DMSs) offers an alternative pathway towards achieving electronic hybri d devices capable of combining the three critical functionalities of logic \, communication and data storage\, within a single IC chip. Such DMS hybr id devices can use both voltage and light to simultaneously manipulate bot h the charge and spin of an electron promising more affordable\, compact a nd faster multifunctional chips with lower power consumption. Two dimensio nal (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have promising magnetic properties suitable for DMS applications due to their superior spin relaxa tion times and diffusion lengths. In contrast to graphene\, TMDCS exhibit a tuneable bandgap and stronger spin-orbit coupling which are a prerequisi te for spin logic and non-volatile data storage. However\, TMDCs are not i ntrinsically magnetic\, hence\, it is important to engineer magnetism in t hem in order to realize their potential as DMS materials. \n\nIn this work \, we investigate the energetic stability and electronic properties of 3d transition metal defects in single layer WS2 at different lattice location s\, using Density Functional theory electronic structure calculations. We find that the chemical stability of a transition metals in WS2 is strongly dependent on the doping lattice site\, and its ‘d’ character across t he 3d series.\nSpecifically\, from Sc to Co\, the substitutional site is f ound to be energetically more favorable with lower formation energies in c omparison to the adatomic and interstitial doping. However\, from Ni to Zn \, the energetic stability shifts towards the adatomic doping location\, w ith the substitutional site becoming highly unfavourable. Even though intr insic monolayer WS2 has a direct bandgap\, we find that doping does not al ways preserve the direct bandgap. Furthermore\, incorporating 3d transitio n metal atoms into its lattice introduces defect energy levels within the bandgap\, with the band gap of doped WS2 increasing by 1.2 eV from Sc to M n\, while narrowing down by 1.3 eV from Mn to Zn. Furthermore\, we find th at increasing the dopant concentration lowers the formation energy in WS2\ , favouring clustering. These results present important implications to th e understanding of the properties of transition metal dopants in WS2\, as well as in other dilute magnetic semiconductors where the effect of aggreg ation of dopants has generally been neglected.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org. za/event/239/contributions/9165/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9165/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Gas sensing properties of rare-earth substituted MgFe2O4 ferrite n anoparticles DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144800Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144900Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9039@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Prince Mkwae (University of KwaZulu-Natal)\nMgCexFe 2-xO4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.4) nanoparticles have been produced by the glycol-the rmal technique and characterized by X-ray diffraction\, electron microscop y\, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy\, Mössbauer spectroscopy\, and gas s ensing analyses. The X-ray diffraction results indicated that a pure cubic spinel phase was formed for samples having a low concentration of Ce\, bu t the high Ce doping (x < 0.2) of magnesium ferrite resulted in the format ion of secondary phases. The crystallite size of the compounds ranged from 2.2 nm to 15.3 nm. The 57Fe Mössbauer spectra showed the transformation from an ordered to a paramagnetic spin state with an increase in Ce concen tration. Gas sensors fabricated from the spinel ferrites were tested towar ds various organic compound vapours (acetone\, methanol\, p-xylene\, ethyl benzene\, toluene\, and benzene) at an operating temperature of 225 °C. T he MgCe0.2 Fe1.8O4 nano ferrite proved to possess quality sensor character istics of high sensitivity and selectivity to acetone vapour\, with a resp onse of over 500@100 ppm concentration as well as reproducibility\, revers ibility\, and stability of over 120 days.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/ev ent/239/contributions/9039/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9039/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Sinc related Basis functions with predetermined nodes DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T142300Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T142400Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8997@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Obiageli Lovenda Ezenwachukwu (University of South A frica(UNISA))\nThe sinc function is defined by\n\n$$\nsinc(x) =\\frac{sin πx}{nx}.\n$$\n\nwith \n$$\nsinc(0) = 1\n$$\nand \n$$\nsinc(i ) = 0 \n$$\nfor \n$$\ni \\neq 0.\n$$\n\n\nDefining\n\n$$ \ns_{i}^{(h)} sinc \\frac {(x-i)}{h}\n$$\ngives a set of inte rpolating functions with nodes $ih$. However in some instances it is more desirable to have such a set of sinc related functions with nodes that can be defined freely. In this contribution we show how this can be done by u sing cubic splines.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/ 8997/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8997/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The use of Machine learning to improve quality control in electron ics for CERN. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T134600Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T134700Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9048@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Khathutshelo Phadagi (University of the Witwatersran d)\nThis paper demonstrates how using deep neural networks can improve qua lity control of Low Voltage Power Supply (LVPS) Boards. Deep Neural Networ ks (DNNs) as a machine learning algorithm is used to analyze complex data from the LVPS Boards. The first initial testing done on the boards determi nes their reliability and performance. A total of eleven tests with a bina ry metric of PASS/FAIL make up the initial test station. The measurements are stored in a database. The multi-dimensional data that Is labelled is e xplored and then anlayzed by a DNN algorithm. The DNN model classifies the data\, and produce significant insights with predictions about the qualit y of the LVPS boards. These forecasts will help the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) with Quality Control of the Toroidal Large Had ron Collider Apparatus (ATLAS) Tile Calorimeter (TileCal) Phase-II LVPS Br ick upgrading Bricks. Preproduction and production has been approved for t his year\, the LVPS boards will produce more data than prior research used . I will explain the importance of the LVPS bricks and how Machine Learnin g is improving the quality control of electronics.\n\nhttps://events.saip. org.za/event/239/contributions/9048/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9048/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Optimization of the Performances of a Silicon Solar cell using a N on-uniform Doping Distribution DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T134200Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T134300Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9114@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Kapim Kenfack Abraham Dimitri (Tshwane University of Technology)\nDespite several techniques of optimization of the yield of a solar cell\, we remark that the use of a non-uniform doping distribution has not yet been explored. This work studies the effect of a non-uniform d oping profile\, on the output electrical power of a silicon solar cell. Th e uniform doping profile commonly used in conventional solar cells is repl aced by a Gaussian doping distribution. The new doping profile leads to a nonlinear continuity equation that is solved using the Tri Diagonal Matrix Algorithm (TDMA). The simulations made under standard test conditions on the output electrical parameters reveal that\, the Gaussian doping profile increases the leakage photocurrent at the edge of the solar cell and redu ces the photogeneration process of the minority carriers in the solar cell . Additionally\, by varing the doping concentration at the top surface and back contact of the solar cell\, to vary the parameters of the Gaussian p rofile\, the solar cell achieve an electrical power and efficiency of abou t 50 mW/cm2 and 50% respectively.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/ contributions/9114/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9114/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Effect of polymer coating on the calcium ferrite nanoparticles for biomedical applications DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T134300Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T134400Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9017@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Wendy Mdlalose (UKZN)\nMagnetic nano ferrites with s uperparamagnetic behaviour have attracted great interest in biomedicine. W hen these nano ferrites are coated\, surface oxidation and aggregation can be reduced\, enhancing their stability. In this work\, CaFe2O4 nanopartic les (NPs) were synthesized through a glycol-thermal reaction method and co ated with polymers viz: chitosan (CH) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to yield CH–CaFe2O4 and PVA– CaFe2O4 NPs\, respectively. Both naked and coated NPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD)\, which revealed the co nfiguration of the cubic spinel structure. The crystallite sizes for CaFe2 O4\, CH–CaFe2O4 and PVA–CaFe2O4 NPs are 6.13 nm\, 5.61 nm and 6.36 nm\ , respectively. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electr on microscopy (SEM) showed spherical morphology for all NPs. The hydrodyna mic size distribution observed for naked NPs (92 ± 4 nm) increased upon c oating with CH and PVA to 169 ± 4 nm and 151 ± 14 nm\, respectively. Mag netic analysis using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) revealed that a ll NPs exhibited superparamagnetic behaviour with saturation magnetization s of ~38.52 emu/g\, 11.27 emu/g and 37.73 emu/g for CaFe2O4\, CH–CaFe2O4 and PVA–CaFe2O4 NPs\, respectively. Further\, in vitro cytotoxicity pro filing using the MTT assay showed that CH-CaFe2O4 NPs are well tolerated b y the human embryonic (HEK 293) cell lines at concentrations of up to 100 µg/ml. This trend was also observed in the human cervical cancer (HeLa) c ell lines. Moreover\, in HeLa cell lines\, there was no significant toxici ty with all NPs. The lowest reported viabilities were 67.6% at the high 40 0 µg/ml concentration for CH-CaFe2O4 NPs. Polymer coating seemed to resul t in improved cytotoxicity profiles. To this end\, calcium ferrites and th eir polymer-coated derivatives can be explored as potential nanocarriers i n gene and drug delivery.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contribu tions/9017/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9017/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Developing the Temperature Mapping Plugin of the Tile Calorimeter of the ATLAS Detector within Tile-in-One DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135400Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9059@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Lungisani Sipho Phakathi (Department of Physics and Engeneering\, University of Zululand\, kwaDlangezwa campus\, kwaZulu Natal \, South Africa.)\nIn order to continuously analyse the tile hadron calori meter temperature data of the ATLAS off-line\, the Tile-in-One (TiO) must be fully exploited. The Tile Calorimeter (TileCal) is a sampling hadronic calorimeter covering the central region of the ATLAS experiment\, with ste el as the absorber and plastic scintillators as the active medium. Wave Le ngth Shifting fibres (WLS) gather light produced in each plastic scintilla tors. The WLS subsequently transmit that light into Photo Multipliers Tube s (PMTs). The TiO is a collection of small\, independent web tools called plugins. Plugins assess the quality of data and conditions for ATLAS TileC al. The TiO web platform needs to be highly flexible and simple to maintai n in order to be beneficial to plugin developers as well. An environment w as created that allows users to use the Detector Control System (DCS) Data Viewer (DDV)\, to request temperature information from the DCS. This pape r shows the successfulness of developing the temperature plugin and the ma pping of it. The work aims to study the variation of temperature inside th e drawers. Reason for this\, is to know the stability of the electronics\, and gain stability of the PMTs. Finding a simple way to display not only the state of one specific module but also the status of the entire detect or is the main goal of the stable temperature plugin.\n\nhttps://events.sa ip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9059/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9059/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Performance Operation of a Greenhouse Biogas Digester DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135700Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135800Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9125@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mandilakhe Mzobotshe (University of Fort Hare)\nSout h Africa is faced with an energy crisis as it relies more on energy from f ossil fuels. The use of Renewable energy technologies can be a solution to current energy crisis in South Africa leading to continuous load shedding . Waste-to-energy conversion is playing a significant role in advancing e conomic development and health quality in society. One of the technologies that exploit waste-to-energy conversion is biomass technology. Renewable energy biogas from biomass can be used for electricity generation\, heatin g\, lighting purposes and fuel for vehicles. For optimum biogas productio n\, solar energy can be used to provide suitable digester temperatures. In this research\, a portable plastic biogas digester housed inside a greenh ouse cavity was assembled and fed with cow dung. The pH\, ambient temperat ure\, slurry temperature\, and temperature inside the greenhouse cavity me asured taken daily. The biogas yield was measured by the serial residentia l (SR) diaphragm biogas flow meter\, and the methane composition was measu red with the use of the SAZQ biogas analyser. The influence of temperature on biogas fermentation was investigated in the study. A heat transfer mod el of biogas fermentation was built based on the project and as a result t he influence of temperature on biogas fermentation was investigated in the study. The results depicted that the gas production rate of biogas fermen tation increases with the increase of temperature within a certain range\, and the maximum biogas production occurred when the pH was in the range o f 6.84 to 7.03. The methane composition of the biogas was above 50%. it w as observed that a digester housed inside a greenhouse envelope can keep t he slurry temperature in the optimal mesophilic temperature range of 34oC –36oC\, which is ideal for anaerobic digestion.\n\nhttps://events.saip.o rg.za/event/239/contributions/9125/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9125/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Geant4 simulation for detector development and PET imaging DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135800Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135900Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9091@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Busani Bhengu (Student)\nThe main aim of this projec t will be to perform GEANT4 simulation as part of the medical imaging proj ect which will be done using the Modern African Detector Laboratory (MANDE LA) at University of Zululand. The university of Zululand Physics departme nt is collaborating with the university of York Physics department and the university of the Western Cape in this research. Through this research th e Watts et al.\, have identified a number of potential benefits by using Q E in PET. Part of this project is to investigate some of these benefits. P ositron Emission Tomography (PET) is a nuclear medicine imaging technique used for medical research and for imaging of cellular and anatomical proce sses\, and medical diagnosis. This imaging technique is based on two gamma photons produce by the annihilation of positron-electron pair. These two gamma photons of at least 0.511 MeV are predicted to the entangled. Gean4 simulations is an important tool used to investigate the predicted entangl ement. Recently\, research predicts that the PET scanners based on quantum entanglement will be more economically and sensitive than the present tec hnology. PET has been in existence since the 1970s due in large part to th e pioneering work of Michael Phelps\, PhD\, Michel Ter-Pogossian\, PhD\, a nd others in the fields of medical physics and nuclear medicine. Through d etailed experiments and simulations\, the benefits of take advantage of th e quantum entanglement of linear polarization between the two positron ann ihilation photons utilized in PET will be investigated. Implementing Geant 4 simulation\, which have included the predicted influence of quantum enta nglement is confirmed by comparison with experimental data from a PET demo nstrator apparatus. The development of quantum-entangled PET provides fres h approaches to major problems in next-generation imaging. We describe a s traightforward technique to measure and eliminate in-patient dispersion an d random backgrounds using only the quantum entanglement information in th e PET events as an example of the potential advantages.\n\nhttps://events. saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9091/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9091/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Density functional theory study of transitional metal doped ZnO na nostructures for gas sensing: Interaction of NH3 and NO2 with the doped Zn O surface DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140100Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140200Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8858@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Ratshilumela Steve Dima (University of venda)\nThe a dsorption and interaction mechanisms of gaseous molecules on ZnO surfaces have received a substantial amount of attention recently as a direct resul t of the technical uses that they offer in gas sensing. The adsorption beh aviour of molecules of NH3 and NO2 was examined using density functional t heory on surfaces of undoped and M-doped ZnO (101) where (M = Ni\, Co\, an d Cu). It was discovered that each of the adsorption energy values had a n egative value\, which suggests that both molecules absorb through the proc ess of chemisorption rather than physisorption. According to the results o f the adsorption energy calculations\, the molecule of NH3 has an energeti c profile that is more compatible with adsorption on the exposed ZnO surfa ce than the NO2 molecule does. On the other hand\, it was found that the s urface of all the M-doped ZnO could support a robust adsorption arrangemen t for the NO2 molecule. The redistribution of charge density showed that t he adsorbent and the adsorbate each had charge accumulation and depletion on their respective surfaces. The density of states and band structures we re also studied in order to study the electronic behavior of molecules of NH3 and NO2 that had been adsorbed on surfaces of undoped and Sn-doped ZnO (101)\, respectively.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributio ns/8858/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8858/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Comparative performance analysis for optimally designed on-grid an d off-grid hybrid power systems for a Limpopo\, South Africa Community Dev elopment Centre energy system DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140600Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140700Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9137@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Shandukani Muronga ()\nThe current global energy cri sis is threatening sustainable development. In South Africa\, the continuo us increase in power outages (load shedding) is crippling the country's ec onomic growth\, as evidenced by the recently witnessed closure of several small businesses. An avalanche in implementing different renewable energy technologies has been witnessed\, with several residential buildings and f irms turning their roof space to photovoltaics renewable energy generators . Local municipalities have different by-laws for connecting distributed r enewable energy generators to the local grid\, making it difficult to impl ement these PV systems . Additionally\, PV systems configurations require an understanding of optimal configuration and proper scheduling to match t he load demand. Thus\, off-grid grid-tied\, and grid-interactive hybrid PV energy systems design\, scheduling and performance analysis are gaining i ncreasing attention from academia and industry to enhance their integratio n as an alternative energy source. However\, choosing the most appropriate system configuration for specific load characteristics\, especially when the utility grid is available\, can result in losses due to sub-optimal pl anning and operational strategy. This study aims to provide a comprehensiv e understanding and fill the knowledge gap on grid-connected photovoltaic and hybrid power systems design and operation using Masia Development Cent er\, Limpopo as a case study . The idea of this study is not to claim or c onfirm the performance of an installed PV system but to show the feasibili ty of off-grid and grid-interactive hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) in a residential house or on a small scale. The solar resource data for th is study were analysed for PV applications. Load characteristic data of th e system were collected and used for optimisation simulations with a hybri d electric renewable energy optimisation model (HOMER). Different dispatch strategies were applied to determine the optimal configuration for the th ree most common PV system configurations (off-grid/isolated hybrid and gri d-tied) per case. The study aims to help residents\, non-profit organisat ions\, and the government better share scarce resources to achieve energy goals and meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) \, ensuring access to su stainable\, affordable\, reliable\, and modern energy.\n\nhttps://events.s aip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9137/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9137/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Characterization of Natural Polymeric Fibres with Resonance Acoust ic Spectroscopy DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140700Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140800Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9139@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sekhants'o Lara (University of the Free State\, Depa rtment of Physics)\nNatural polymers are now being considered for composit e materials because of their biodegradability in comparison to synthetic p olymers. Hence much of scientific research is directed toward unleashing u nknown and technologically applicable properties of these organically deri ved materials. Resonance acoustic spectroscopy uses sound waves as a probi ng medium to trigger vibrations of an elastic object. In this project\, th e resonance acoustic spectrometer was designed and constructed using porta ble radio speakers\, a signal generator and a spectrum analyser. Natural p olymeric fibres\, disposed of as solid waste from the industrial extractio n process of organic oils from rosehip (Rosa Canina)\, were then character ized for size\, shape and composition. The preliminary results show some p romising behaviour and more probing is currently underway.\n\nhttps://even ts.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9139/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9139/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Using NLP to predict Alert Signals from the ATLAS TileCal Detector Control System at CERN DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140800Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140900Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9064@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Nicholas Perikli ()\n**Using NLP to predict Alert Si gnals from the ATLAS TileCal \nDetector Control System at CERN**\n\n*Nicho las Perikli on behalf of Tile Calorimeter Systems Team.\nSchool of Physics and Institute for Collider Particle Physics\, University of the Witwaters rand\, Johannesburg\, South Africa*\n\nParticle physics data consists of p atterns in measurements that can be separated into hot topics and more mun dane data. This approach is analogous to looking for keywords or topics in huge text data by separating more specific words and phrases from the gen eralities of text through the application of NLP. This will be done using the TileCal DCS alarm data of the ATLAS experiment. The NLP models that we re constructed or fine-tuned for text classification included SVM\, BERT- basecased\, RoBERTa-base\, as well as stacked LSTM and bi-LSTM. This was d one on Google Colab using Pytorch and Python libraries\, and the hyperpara meters were optimised using the WandB platform\, in which an extensive Bay e’s optimisation search was performed. The idea is to use the bestperfor ming models i.e.\, BERT or RoBERTa and train them by fine-tuning their hyp erparameters in order to classify the alarms\, as well as predict future a larm signals\, and then follow the same procedure for an LSTM model and co mpare the results. The inputs would contain information about the date and time the alarm was received\, the physical variable involved\, the type o f error as well as the particular system\, component or sub- component aff ected.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9064/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9064/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Novel thermally reduce graphene oxide microsupercapacitor fabricat ed via mask-free axi-draw direct writing DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T141300Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T141400Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9110@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Vusani Muswa Maphiri (SMU)\nWe demonstrate a simple method to fabricate all-solid-state thermally reduced Graphene Oxide (trGO ) microsupercapacitors (µ-SCs) prepared using the atmospheric pressure ch emical vapour deposition (AP-CVD) and a mask-free axidraw sketching appara tus. This is a quick\, easily operational\, cheap\, safe\, photoresist fre e\, readily scalable method and requires no hazards reducing chemical. The XRD\, FTIR and EDS suggest that increasing thermal reducing temperature i ncreases the carbon content within the µ-SC active material. The electroc hemical performance of the µ-SCs showed cyclic voltammetry (CV) potential window of 0 - 0.8V at various scan rates (5 – 1000 mVs-1) with a rectan gular shape\, depicting characteristics of electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) behaviour. The comb-style number of digits per unit area giving th e highest capacitance was determined to be 14. The trGO-500 exhibits volum etric energy and power of 13.71 mW h cm-3 and 2677.31 W cm-3\, respectivel y. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed the decrease in the equivalent series resistance (ESR) as a function of reducing temperat ure allotted to reduction of the resistive functional groups present in th e sample. Bode plot showed a phase angel of -85 ° for the trGO-500 µ-SC device. The electrochemical performance of the µ-SC devices can be tailed by varying the reducing temperature\, number of digits per unity area\, a nd connection configuration (parallel or series).\n\nhttps://events.saip.o rg.za/event/239/contributions/9110/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9110/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Analysis of calculated and measured entrance skin dose of common r adiographic procedures. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T141700Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T141800Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9099@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Ochai-Ejeh Faith (University of Nigeria\, Nsukka)\nT his work reports the result of the comparison between calculated entrance skin dose (ESD) and measured entrance skin dose using thermo-luminescent d osimeter (TLD) in a teaching hospital in North Central\, Nigeria. The expo sure parameters and anthropometric characteristics of twenty (20) adult pa tients exposed to X-ray radiation at the Benue State University Teaching H ospital\, Makurdi\, North Central for chest X-ray examination (10 patients ) and abdomen X-ray examination (10 patients) were recorded. The measured ESD data were compared to Edmonds model\, Faulkner model\, Chougule model\ , Davies model\, and Kepler model. The entrance skin doses (ESD) of two co mmon radiographic examinations determined by the use of Lithium Fluoride T hermo-luminescent dosimeter were found to be generally low when compared t o the ESD obtained by mathematical model. The measured ESD from this work was lower than the DRLs values.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/co ntributions/9099/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9099/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Exploring the spectroscopy of the low and medium spin states in ^{ 148}Sm Nucleus. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T142400Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T142500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9102@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mfundo Zuma (none)\nThe $^{148}$Sm nucleus has Z=60 protons and N=86 neutrons. The neutron number represents only 4 neutrons a bove the N=82 shell gap. In the N=86 isotones\, the competition between c ollective and single-particle modes of excitation results in a formation o f different kinds of excited level structures. \nThe observed structures a re interpreted as due to octupole vibrational states coupling with the sin gle particle excitation resulting in alternating-parity bands linked by el ectric dipole 𝐸1 transitions. The dynamical fluctuations associated wit h the coupling to low-lying quadrupole and octupole vibrations( 𝝀 = 𝟑) are also expected in these isotones. The low-lying quadrupole vibrat ional states in $^{148}$Sm have not been measured\, and the spins and pari ties in some states of this nucleus remains unknown. Thus\, this work seek s to search for the low- and medium states in 148Sm\, and to also determin e the spins and parities of the excited states\, which could subsequently allow one to understand the microscopic nature of the structures reported in the previous studies. In the present study\, the excited states in $^{1 48}$Sm are populated following the $^{148}$Nd ($^{4}$He\, 4n) $^{148}$Sm r eaction at a beam energy of 47.0 MeV. The iThemba LABS AFRODITE array is u sed for detection of $\\gamma$- radiation from the reaction\, the establis hed level scheme will be expanded based on the $\\gamma-\\gamma$ coinciden ce measurements. The AFRODITE array consisted of 9 High-Purity Germanium ( HPGe) detectors\, 5 positioned at 90° and 4 at 135°. Spin and parity as signments are made based on angular distribution and linear polarization m easurements\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9102/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9102/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Search for a Higgs boson decaying to a four lepton plus missing tr ansverse energy final state via four vector bosons DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T142500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T142600Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9071@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Xola Mapekula (University of Johannesburg)\nThis ana lysis presents the search for the Standard Model Higgs that decays to a pa ir of dark Higgs to an eight-lepton final state via four dark vector boson s.\nIn this scenario\, the SM Z boson can kinetically mix with the $U(1)_D $ gauge boson $Z_D$ while the dark Higgs S and the SM Higgs can exhibit ma ss mixing. Either of the Higgses can can be formed from gluon-gluon fusion and decay to the other type of Higgs which in turn can decay to a $Z_D$ p air.The overall topology envisioned is $H \\rightarrow SS \\rightarrow Z_D Z_D Z_D Z_D \\rightarrow 8 \\ell$\, which gives an eight lepton final sta te where $\\ell$ could be $\\nu\, e$ or $\\mu$. \nThe probability of obser ving different configurations of the final states was calculated. We compa red these results to the observed final states from generated samples and found that they agreed. In the case where we observe four detectable lepto ns($e$ or $\\mu$) and four undetectable leptons ($\\nu$)\, an investigatio n was then done to see whether the visible leptons pairs from the same $S$ particle (denoted as the 4-4 case) or different $S$ particles (2-2-2-2 ca se). We then developed a discriminator based on the angular kinematics of each event in order to separate the 4-4 case from the 2-2-2-2 case. The di scriminator was found to work for specific values of the parameter phase s pace\, while in the other phase space th data was found to be irreducible. \n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9071/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9071/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Phase characterisation of a deformable mirror through digital Stok es polarimetry DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T142600Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T142700Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9155@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Light Mkhumbuza ()\nDeformable mirrors have predomin antly been used in a wide range of fields such as adaptive optics due to t he robustness they possess in terms of aberration correction. In this work we utilise the combination of interferometry and digital Stokes polarimet ry to characterize the wavefront emerging from a deformable mirror. We ach ieve this by interfering two fields of orthogonal polarisation whereby one polarisation acts as the reference beam with a known phase and the other is reflected from the deformable mirror with an unknown phase. These two b eams then propagate to a Spatial Light Modulator and subsequently a polari sation grating to separate the orthogonal polarisation components\, allowi ng one to extract all four Stokes parameters needed to determine the intra modal phase.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9155/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9155/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Fitting NOvA and T2K data with the revamped $A_4$ symmetry model f or the poorly constrained neutrino oscillation parameters DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T143000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T143100Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9072@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Thabo Msiza ()\nThe Standard Model is widely accepte d as one of the most successful predictive theories of Physics\, providing insight into the fundamental building blocks of the universe. Over the la st few decades this model has shown signs of incompleteness\, most of whic h are attributed to Neutrinos. Within the confines of the standard model a discrepancy exists related to vanishing Neutrino masses\, which contradic ts the experimental observation of Neutrino Oscillation. Neutrino oscillat ion depends on 7 parameters (3 mixing angles $\\theta_{12}$\, $\\theta_{23 }$\, $\\theta_{13}$\, a Dirac Phase due to CP violation $\\delta_{CP}$\, a nd the 3 mass states $m_1$\, $m_2$\, $m_3$). Values of the parameters $\\t heta_{12}$\, $\\theta_{13}$\, $\\Delta m^2_{21}$\, $|\\Delta m^2_{32}|$ ar e well determined whilst $\\theta_{23}$\, $\\delta_{CP}$ and the mass Hier archy\, whether ($m_1< m_2 \n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contri butions/9072/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9072/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Achieving reliable and robust optical communication through a chan ge of basis DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T143200Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T143300Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9157@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Cade Ribeiro Peters (University of the Witwatersrand )\nFree space optical communication has proven to be an effective form of transmitting information over large distances. Structured light has proven to be a valuable tool in improving such channels but is quickly reaching its limits due to the distortions induced by atmospheric turbulence. It ha s been shown that certain shapes of light\, the eigenmodes of turbulence\, remain invariant to these effects and can pass through the atmosphere una ffected. However\, current methods produce eigenmodes that are not always viable to generate for real world use\, lack an analytical description and are ineffective in practical applications. In this work we put forward a new method for calculating these eigenmodes by using an operator in the OA M basis. This basis is chosen because it is complete\, meaning any light f ield can be decomposed into a superposition of OAM modes\, and because the se modes show low divergence in the paraxial regime. The new operator is f ound by first defining the transformations in the position basis and then decomposing this operator into the OAM basis. This has numerous benefits o ver previous approaches as it provides an analytical description of these eigenmodes\, gives us insight to their propagation dynamics and relationsh ip to the channel distortions and most importantly outputs modes that are reliably robust through turbulence. These results are not only of interest to the field of communications\, but will also have applications to imagi ng\, sensing and quantum optics.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/c ontributions/9157/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9157/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Comparison of A12O3 and Fe2O3 surfaces using First Principle metho d DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T143300Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T143400Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9002@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Patricia Dibakwana ()\nComparison of A12O3 and Fe2O3 surfaces using First Principle method\n\nP.M Dibakwana*^1\, D.M Tshwane^3 \, R. Modiba^2 and M.E ’Sithole^1\, \, \n1^Department of physics\, Sef ako Makgatho Health Sciences\n University\, Garankuwa\, P retoria\, 0001\n2^Future Manufacturing\, Advanced Materials Engineering\, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research\, P.O Box 395 Pretoria 0001\ , South Africa.\n3^Next Generation Enterprises and Institutions Cluster\, Council for Scientific and Industrial\nResearch\, Pretoria 0001\, South Af rica\n \nEmail:* patriciadibakwana.27@gmail.com\n\nABSTRACT\nAl2O3 and Fe2 O3 are oxide materials that are widely used in a variety of applications\, including catalysis\, ceramic-based semiconductors\, corrosion protection \, and thermal barrier coatings. However\, most of the material strength a pplications depend on its surface properties. The purpose of the study was to investigate the structural. In this study First Principle calculations based on density functional theory were performed with Cambridge Serial T otal Energy to investigate the surface stability between Al2O3 and Fe2O3 s urfaces. \nThe results show that the surface energy of Al2O3 is lower tha n that of Fe2O3 in all three planes. Therefore\, the surface energy values of Al2O3 increase in this order 100< 111<110 Al2O3 and for Fe2O3 it incre ases in this order 111<110<100\, which explains that the 100 plane has the lowest surface energy for Al2O3 and 111 has the lowest surface energy for Fe2O3 The results suggest that Al2O3 is more stable and energetically fav orable\, since it exhibits a low surface energy on all planes than Fe2O3su rfaces. In addition\, partial density of states and work function were com puted and analyzed.\n \nKeyword: Oxide materials\, First principle\, Milla r index\, Aluminum oxide\, Iron oxide\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/ 239/contributions/9002/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9002/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Applied Physics Division Meeting DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T142000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T152000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9167@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Alan Matthews (UKZN)\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/eve nt/239/contributions/9167/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9167/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Long-term kimberlite activation for Radiological Assessment for th e Min-PET technique. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9150@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Thendo Emmanuel Nemakhavhani (University of Johannes burg)\nThis study presents the activated and background sample activity re sults of different mined rocks from the Letseng diamond mine and the radio logical impact due diligence simulated activation stage of the Mineral-Pos itron Emission Tomography (Min-PET) technique performed at Aarhus Universi ty. The activated and background-specific activities were validated by irr adiating the kimberlite rocks with a 40 MeV photon beam and will not lead to any long-term radiological concerns. The Min-PET technique is the proce ss by which a diamond is detected within the activated kimberlite rocks by the Min-PET detectors. The 100 MeV Aarhus microtron injector has been deg raded to 40 MeV using a 2.3 mm stainless steel\, 5 mm copper plate. The be am was a further incident on a 3 mm thick tungsten layer to produce bremss trahlung photons for a long-term kimberlite activated to transmute the $^{ 12}$C ($\\gamma$\, n)$^{11}$C to release back-to-back 511 keV gamma photon s to be detected by two planar Min-PET detectors. The rocks were placed 80 0 mm away from the beam exit and were irradiated for 10 minutes and cooled for another 10 minutes. The longer cooling period leads to the activated isotopes such as oxygen that have a half-life of fewer than 10 minutes to decay off to the background level. After cooling time\, the rocks were se nt to High Purity Germanium detectors (HPGe) for data/spectra of the long half-life isotope acquisition. This step was also done for non-irradiated rock samples to identify the naturally occurring background isotopes. The energy spectra from the HPGe detectors data were used to identify the ener gy of each peak in the spectra and the online nuclear database was used to identify the isotope of each energy peak. The specific activities of the natural background and activated radionuclides were calculated by fitting a Gauss in each energy peak on the energy spectra. The natural background- specific activities resulting from an unirradiated sample were found to be 4.95 mBq/g for $^{40}$K\, and 2.85 mBq/g for 511 keV. The specific activi ty results for activated isotopes were studied in three stages of data acq uisition\, firstly a short-term activation (between 10 minutes and 15 hour s after activation) where it was found to be 1004 mBq/g for 511 keV\, 5.32 mBq/g for $^{40}$K\, and 400 mBq/g for $^{24}$Na\, secondly for medium-te rm activation (between 15 hours to 1 day after activation) were found to b e 3.0 mBq/g for 511 keV\, 4.2 mBq/g for $^{40}$K\, and 0 mBq/g for $^{24}$ Na respectively. The activated sample’s specific activities decrease wit h time\, but\, still within the acceptable range recommended by IAEA for l ong-term activation. The natural background-specific activities and specif ic activities from activated rocks remain constant and are comparable in a ll different samples. These results proved and validated the Min-PET techn ique to be safer for any long-term radiological concerns.\n\nhttps://event s.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9150/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9150/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:EFFECT OF NANO-SCALED METAL OXIDES ON THE CARBON-NITROGEN RATIO OF COW DUNG FOR SUSTAINABLE BIOGAS PRODUCTION DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T124000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T130000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9108@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Takalani Nethavhanani (University of the Western Cap e)\nOver the past decade\, South Africa has experienced massive scheduled power outages due to the inadequate generation capacity of coal-fired powe r plants. This ongoing crisis is likely to continue if researchers do not look for alternative methods to solve South Africa's poor energy supply. O ne alternative solution that could prevent South Africa from this crisis i s using clean energy such as solar\, wind\, biomass\, etc. Studies have sh own that methane produced by anaerobic digestion offers enormous potential as a renewable energy source. Anaerobic digestion (AD) technology is one of the most popular renewable energy technologies. During AD\, bacteria br eak down organic matter - such as animal manure\, solid wastewater\, and f ood waste -into biogas without oxygen. Biogas consists primarily of methan e (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2)\, with minimal water vapour and other gas es. Although AD technology is widely used\, its low biodegradability and b iogas production limits its commercial application. Hence\, the use of nan oparticles (NPs) as additives has been extensively investigated and shown to significantly improve AD performance and biogas production. The NPs mos tly used as additives in the AD process are zero-valent metallic NPs\, met al oxide NPs\, carbon-based nanomaterials\, and multi-compound NPs. Howeve r\, recent studies have found that metal oxide NPs are more suitable for e nhancing biogas and CH4 production. This study\, therefore\, investigates the effect of metal oxide nanoparticles on anaerobic digestion with the ai m of experimenting using local organic materials for biogas production. Th e potential nano-additives to be explored are calcium oxide (CaO)\, iron o xide (Fe2O3/Fe3O4)\, potassium oxide (K2O)\, magnesium oxide (MgO)\, manga nese oxide (MnO2)\, and phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5)\, and titanium oxide ( TiO2).\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9108/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9108/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:An Internet-Of Things pilot project as a primer for future technol ogical development for high-energy physics detector control systems. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T122000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9138@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Ryan Mckenzie (University Of the Witwatersrand)\nDet ector Control Systems (DCS) and Data AQuisition (DAQ) Systems are suscepti ble to technological development due to the intricate relationship between their design and currently available hardware. This when coupled to the m anner in which particle detectors are required to evolve in order to accom modate ever-increasing instantaneous luminosities provides a unique opport unity for the development of novel DCS and DAQ systems. Once such emerging technology that has the ability to bring about a great shift in detector design is referred to as the Internet-of-Things (IoT). IoT can be defined as wireless communication amongst various devices (sensors) as well as an external network. The technology has broad applications to current and fut ure detectors associated with the Large Hadron Collider and Future Circula r Collider e-e+. The Wits Institute for Collider Particle Physics is under taking a pilot project in order to develop the core skills required for th e future development of IoT technology within particle detectors while als o facilitating technology transfer. This project involves creating an air quality monitoring system comprising a mesh network of individual sensor n odes. The sensor array samples numerous air quality metrics and transmits them to a cloud for offline processing. An overview of the project will be provided with an IoT use case within particle detectors being discussed a nd will culminate in the presentation of the pilot\nproject.\n\nhttps://ev ents.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9138/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9138/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:DEVELOPING GRADE 12 LEARNERS CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF CHEMICAL EQUILIBRIUM USING PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T074000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8829@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Prudence Modjadji Mamabolo (University of Limpopo)\n This study aimed to develop learners' conceptual understanding of chemical equilibrium\, using problem-based learning. The study used a qualitative research approach with ethnography as a design. Data was gathered from a r ural school in Dimamo circuit of the Capricorn district in the Limpopo Pro vince. The school had 24 learners in the grade 12 Physical Science classro om. Participatory observation\, learner activities\, and interviews were u sed in the initially in the study to identify learners' lack of skills and their learning difficulties. Problem-based learning was then applied cont inuously and repeatedly during the teaching and learning activities. It wa s shown that problem-based learning helped develop learners' conceptual un derstanding of chemical equilibrium. Thematic analysis was used to categor ise and present data-related themes. Descriptive statistics was used to an alyse the data generated during the intervention. The study discovered tha t learners lacked the mathematical computational skills and procedural flu ency required for competence in this subject. Furthermore\, the ability to apply Le Chatelier's principle to problems and identifying factors that a ffect kc and the equilibrium constant was also a hindrance to effective le arning. The post-test revealed that learners' conceptual understanding imp roved following problem-based learning instruction. Moreover\, the study a lso discovered that integrating new concepts with mathematical calculation s\, and theoretical justification can help learners improve their conceptu al understanding. In conclusion\, the concept requires the use of problem- based learning to further motivate learners and help them grasp the conten t and learn with understanding.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/co ntributions/8829/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8829/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Vectors in Physics: Challenges for First-Year University Entering Students DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8836@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: vhutshilo 1st mountaineer nekhubvi (UNIVERSITY OF VE NDA)\nPhysics education covers various topics\, including classical mechan ics\, electromagnetism\, thermodynamics\, quantum mechanics\, and relativi ty. In most topics in physics\, vectors are essential because they represe nt physical quantities such as displacement\, velocity\, acceleration\, fo rce\, and momentum. These quantities have both a magnitude and a direction \, and vectors provide a convenient way to represent them mathematically. In summary\, vectors are essential in mathematics\, science\, engineering\ , and technology. They provide a way to express and manipulate complex phy sical and mathematical quantities and are used in various applications. Te aching about vectors in the first year includes theoretical and practical aspects. It aims to equip learners with the mathematical and scientific sk ills necessary for higher levels and career paths. This paper investigates how first-year physics students deal with vector problems in physics. The study formally assessed over 200 students\, focusing on vector concepts t o explore the challenges students face in answering questions\, intending to equip first-year students with the right skills to solve vector problem s. The study aimed to investigate the conceptual difficulties that the Fir st year entering students have in understanding vector concepts. The resul ts show that most students need help understanding vectors in physics. The study has highlighted the areas where these students need help understand ing vectors.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8836/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8836/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Test Abstract 29 September 2023 DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230703T170000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230703T172000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9276@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Tebogo Mokhine (SAIP)\nFor presentation purposes...\ n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9276/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9276/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Repositioning the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the Unive rsity of the Western Cape for Learners Programme DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T144000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T150000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8840@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Bako Nyikun AUDU (University of the Western Cape)\nT he Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of the Western Ca pe (UWC) has been involved in collaborating with stakeholders in the engag ement of High school learners for better achievement at various stages of basic education. This is done to enhance and improve learners’ retention in the education system\, access to next-level movement within the system \, success at standard examinations\, and throughput for the general healt h of the education system and its beneficiary systems. The Department of P hysics and Astronomy in collaboration with the Metro South Education Distr ict has taken this quest further by engaging with High Schools in the Cape Flats to design intervention at the community level with high schools to ensure significant growth and improvement in learners’ achievement\, lea rners’ interest and learners’ participation in Mathematics and Physica l sciences. Within the scope of the department’s outreach is the focus on the need to produce students who can follow careers in the Sciences\, T echnology\, Engineering\, and Mathematics (STEM) stream and to develop ind ividuals to attain their full potential in life. The programmes undertaken by the Department of Physics and Astronomy improved the pass rate for gra des 8 and 9 mathematics for 2018 was over 10%\, grade 11 for 2019\, and gr ade 12 for 2022 were inconclusive due to data protection issues respective ly. The plan for the 2023 engagement is on the verge of being concluded an d will form part of the presentation. The study will present the goal of t he intervention\, identify factors that encourage learners’ retention in such programmes\, challenges\, and successes.\n\nKeywords: Physical Scie nce\, Mathematics\, Intervention\, Retention.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.z a/event/239/contributions/8840/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8840/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Computer simulation of Silver (Ag) and Nickel (Ni) Nanomaterials DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135100Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8901@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Malili Matshaba (University of Limpopo)\nSilver and nickel nanomaterials have attract increasing attention for the wide range of applications. Most of their applications are for industrial purposes\, high electrical conductivity\, automotive catalytic converters\, health ca re\, etc. Their applications can be maximized by studying their structural and electronic properties. In this work we utilize molecular dynamics sim ulation to investigate their properties and energies in relation to differ ent temperature. We also investigate their radial distribution functions f or both systems. All calculations will be performed using Sutton-Chen pote ntials and a computer code called DL Poly code.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org .za/event/239/contributions/8901/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8901/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Electronic\, elastic and thermoelectric properties of hexagonal Cu Se phase DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135300Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135400Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8933@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: MOSHIBUDI RAMOSHABA (University of Limpopo)\nDensity functional theory using full-potential all-electrons linearised augmented plane waves was implemented to study electronic\, elastic\, and thermoele ctric properties of hexagonal CuSe phase. Electronic bands suggest a metal lic compound of zero energy gap. Density of states further expose the elec tron density responsible for this metallic behaviour. Elastic properties r eveal mechanical stability and the possibility of being synthesisable. The compound is less compressible with positive calculated Cauchy pressure. H igh values of the power factor and the Seebeck coefficient allow considera tion of the phase for thermoelectric applications.\n\nhttps://events.saip. org.za/event/239/contributions/8933/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8933/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Computational and Experimental Studies on Mn-rich LiMn1.5Ni0.5O2 Cathode Material DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135600Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8935@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Moloko Kgoedi ()\n**Abstract** \nLithium-ion recharg eable batteries\, in particular the cathode materials\, are now more essen tial than ever before as improved\, reliable\, and effective energy storag e systems. Lithium cobalt oxide (LCO)\, the cathode material now in use\, has a reputation for being toxic\, expensive\, and cobalt-scarce. Due to t heir accessibility\, affordability\, and non-toxicity\, Nickel Manganese C obalt (NMC) has been suggested as an alternative cathode material for lith ium-ion batteries. In addition\, due to their high capacity and improved s tructural stability\, lithium\, and manganese-rich composites LiMnNiO2 hav e gained a lot of interest as potential cathode materials for Li-ion batte ries.\nIn this study\, we employed experimental and computational modellin g techniques to investigate the stability of manganese nickel oxide LiMn1. 5Ni0.5O2 system. The heats of formations indicated that the structure is t hermodynamically stable. The results of the lattice parameters\, elastic p roperties and x-ray diffraction agreed with computational and experimental data. A cluster expansion technique generated new thermodynamically stabl e phases of LiMn1.5Ni0.5O2 system doped with Co and F which could be used for future battery developments.\n\nKeywords: Computational\, Doping\, Exp erimental\, Structural Properties\, Stability.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org. za/event/239/contributions/8935/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8935/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Development of $TiO_{2}$ nanotube arrays with a modified energy ba nd gap for hydrogen evolution DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135700Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135800Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8937@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Arnold Mutubuki (Nelson Mandela University)\nArnold Mutubuki[1]\, Nyasha Joseph Suliali[2] and Johannes Reinhardt Botha[1] \ n 1 Physics Department\, Nelson Mandela University\, P.O. Box 77000\, Gqeb erha 6031\, South Africa\n2 School of Physics\, Engineering and Technology University of York\, Heslington\, York YO10 5DD\, United Kingdom\nCorresp onding author email address: s226046524@mandela.ac.za\n\n\nPhotoelectroche mical water splitting (PECWS) for hydrogen evolution through solar exploit ation is a potential alternative way of harnessing energy [1]. $TiO_{2}$ i s a well-known photocatalyst with exceptionally reliable chemical properti es [1]. Highly ordered $TiO_{2}$ nanotube arrays prepared by electrochemi cal anodization have widely been used as photocatalysts due to their uniqu e structure\, large specific area\, and fast unidirectional charge transfe r [1\,2]. Pristine $TiO_{2}$ has a band gap energy of 3.0 – 3.2 eV\, ma king the material inefficient as a photoelectrode in PECWS\, since absorpt ion is limited to the UV region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Narrowin g the band gap energy consequently extends its absorption into the visible region\, which improves the photocurrent density [2\,3].\nIn this work\, the envisaged surface modified $TiO_{2}$ photoelectrodes are fabricated t hrough a multi-step electrochemical anodization process. The final anodiza tion step detaches the crystalline $TiO_{2}$ nanotube film from the opaqu e titanium substrate. Thereafter\, the film is transferred and pasted onto transparent fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass. Surface modifications o f the nanostructured thin film are achieved through successive ionic layer adsorption reaction (SILAR) to deposit nanostructured metal oxides. The s ynthesized samples are characterized by X-ray diffraction\, SEM\, EDS\, TE M and UV-Visible spectroscopy.\nThe results confirm the impregnation of $ TiO_{2}$ by copper oxide nanoparticles. The optical characterization indic ates a red shift in the absorption edge of the $CuO/TiO_{2}$ towards the v isible light range. The effect of the number of SILAR cycles on the absorp tion edge has also been investigated in this study. The structural charact erization reveals that the loading of CuO on the $CuO/TiO_{2}$ nanotubes d oes not alter the morphology of the nanotubes.\nThis work demonstrates a f acile method to prepare $TiO_{2}$ nanostructured heterojunction thin films on a transparent substrate\, which could be a promising photoelectrode.\n Future work includes optimizing the fabrication process of the photoelectr odes\, optical and electrochemical characterization and thereafter\, PECWS experiments and hydrogen evolution efficiency measurements.\n\n**Key word s**: $TiO_{2}$ nanotube arrays\, CuO nanoparticles\, SILAR\, heterojunctio n\, photoelectrode.\n\n**References**\n\n 1. Lixia\, S.\, Jing\, Z.\, Yudo ng\, Z. & Yangbo\, Z.\, 2015. Preparation of $CuO/TiO_{2}$ nanotube arrays and their photoelectrochemical properties as hydrogen-evolving photoanode . Solar Hydrogen and Nanotechnology.\n 2. Loı¨\, A.\, Vasile\, H.\, Marg rit\, H. & ken\, L. S.\, 2013. **$Cu_{2}O$**\, Fabrication of p/n heteroju nctions by electrochemical deposition of onto $TiO_{2}$ nanotubes. Comptes Rendus Chimie\, p. 89 -95.\n \n 3. Marica\, M.\, Roberto\, A.\, Laura\, C . & Ilaria\, D. S.\, 2020. Hydrogen production through photoreforming proc esses over $CuO/TiO_{2}$ composite materials: A mini-review. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy\, Issue 45\, p. 28531-28552.\n\nhttps://events .saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8937/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8937/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Single crystal growth and physical properties of tetragonal BaMn$_ 2$P$_2$ DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T124000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T130000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8906@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Bincy Susan Jacobs (University of Johannesburg)\nThe discovery of unconventional superconductivity (SC) in doped iron-based ar senide BaFe$_2$As$_2$ [1] crystallizing in ThCr$_2$Si$_2$-type structure i gnited interest in 122 tetragonal systems. Substituting iron with other 3$ d$ or 4$d$ transition metal ions that constitute the metal-pnictide sublat tice in similar systems have yielded interesting results including\, but n ot limited to\, low-temperature SC [2]\, half-metallic behaviour [3]\, new layered magnetic phases [4] and highly frustrated itinerant magnetism [5] . The Mn based BaMn$_2$$Pn_{2}$ compounds [$Pn$ = P\, As\, Sb\, Bi] are sm all band gap semiconductors with stacked-square-lattice of Mn ions that or der antiferromagnetically at temperatures higher than room temperature. Al though As\, Sb and Bi based compounds have been thoroughly investigated [6 -9]\, the experimental work on BaMn$_2$P$_2$ is dated and limited [10\,11] . In this contribution\, we report the synthesis and growth of single crys tals of BaMn$_2$P$_2$ as well as its structural\, electronic\, magnetic an d thermal properties. Electrical resistivity and heat capacity measurement s indicate that BaMn$_2$P$_2$ has an insulating ground state with a small band gap. Anisotropic magnetic susceptibility measurements show that simil ar to its As-\, Sb- and Bi- counterparts\, BaMn$_2$P$_2$ has collinear Né el type antiferromagnetism below $T_{\\rm N}$ = 795(15) K\, which is the h ighest value for 122- pnictide compounds reported so far. The magnetic sus ceptibility increases above $T_{\\rm N}$ suggesting that antiferromagnetic correlations persist above the magnetic ordering temperature—a feature which was also observed in the As-\, Sb- and Bi- based compounds. This can be explored further through hole-doping studies as in the case of BaMn$_2 $As$_2$ with $T_{\\rm N}$ = 618 K\, which resulted in half-metallic behavi our with $T_{\\rm c}$ = 100 K which is of significance as high $T_{\\rm c} $ half-metals are ideal for spin-polarized transport-based applications. T hese results were recently published in Phys. Rev. Mater. **7**\, 044410 ( 2023).\n\n[1] D. C. Johnston\, Adv. Phys. **59**\, 803 (2010).\n[2] V. K. Anand\, H. Kim\, M. A. Tanatar\, R. Prozorov\, and D. C. Johnston\, Phys. Rev. B **87**\, 224510 (2013).\n[3] A. Pandey and D. C. Johnston\, Phys. R ev. B **92**\, 174401 (2015).\n[4] A. Pandey\, S. L. Samal\, and D. C. Joh nston\, Inorg. Chem. **57**\, 3206 (2018).\n[5] A. Sapkota\, B. G. Ueland\ , V. K. Anand\, N. S. Sangeetha\, D. L. Abernathy\, M. B. Stone\, J. L Nie dziela\, D. C. Johnston\, A. Kreyssig\, A. I. Goldman\, and R. J. McQueene y\, Phys. Rev. Lett. **119**\, 147201 (2017).\n[6] Y. Singh\, A. Ellern\, and D. C. Johnston\, Phys. Rev. B **79**\, 094519 (2009).\n[7] N. S. Sange etha\, V. Smetana\, A.-V. Mudring\, and D. C. Johnston\, Phys. Rev. B **97 **\, 014402 (2018).\n[8] B. Saparov and A. S. Sefat\, J. Solid State Chem. **204**\, 32 (2013). \n[9] S. Calder\, B. Saparov\, H. B. Cao\, J. L. Nie dziela\, M. D. Lumsden\, A. S. Sefat\, and A. D. Christianson\, Phys. Rev. B **89**\, 064417 (2014).\n[10] S. L. Brock\, J. E. Greedan\, and S. M. K auzlarich\, J. Solid State Chem. **109**\, 416 (1994).\n[11] S. L. Brock\, J. E. Greedan\, and S. M. Kauzlarich\, J. Solid State Chem. **113**\, 303 (1994).\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8906/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8906/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Leveraging MeerKAT to train the next generation of South African a strophysicists DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T100000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T110000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9168@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Kenda Knowles ()\nWhen South Africa applied to host the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project in the mid-2000s\, a decision was made that\, irrespective of the outcome of the bid\, the country should b uild and host a premier radio telescope of their own. Thus the MeerKAT was born and has become a world-renowned instrument during its first five yea rs of operation\, producing ground-breaking science in a wide range of res earch areas. With South Africa to host the mid-frequency component of the SKA\, MeerKAT plays a critical role in developing local human capital who will use the major radio observatories of the future. In this talk I will discuss some of the science being done with MeerKAT and how these projects are helping to train the next generation of African astronomers.\n\nhttps ://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9168/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9168/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Topological Materials with Intriguing Magnetic Textures. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T064000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T074000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9169@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Jeffery Lynn ()\nThe topic of magnetoelectronic prop erties of topological materials is of high interest from both the fundamen tal physics and applications viewpoints. Our focus is on systems that exhi bit long range magnetic order\, investigated via neutron scattering\, and how that order tailors the electronic properties. One interesting example is provided by the tetragonal CeAlGe material\, where the strong coupling of the magnetic order with the Fermi topology allows a singular angular ma gnetoresistance to emerge. For YMn 6 Sn 6 \, on the other hand\, the magne tic structures in the appropriate temperature and magnetic field regime ar e incommensurate in nature with concomitant strong spin fluctuations that give rise to a large topological Hall effect. This topological Hall effect has a completely new origin based on thermal fluctuations\, which natural ly develop at elevated temperatures. Both of these examples beautifully de monstrate the synergy between transport measurements\, neutron scattering determinations\, and theoretical calculations to understand the properties . Finally\, we present recent work on systems where the large moment magne tism of the isotropic spin-only Eu 2+ rare earth ions provide platforms fo r field-induced topological Hall regimes\, or coupled charge and spin orde rs\, or a system with an exceptionally high electron mobility that allows an intrinsic spin Moiré superlattice to emerge\n\nhttps://events.saip.org .za/event/239/contributions/9169/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9169/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Physics in the financial markets DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T102000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T112000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9170@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Anthonie Kotze ()\nWhat can a physicist do in the fi nancial markets? I will discuss the plenty of opportunities to practise ph ysics\, mathematics and statistics and that one can survive and thrive. Ph ysicists in the financial markets are named quants (quantitative analysts) \, rocket scientists and financial engineers.\nAn applied mathematician an d two economists reshaped the financial markets in 1973. Two received the Nobel prize for economics in 1997. I will discuss the Black-Scholes-Merton equation and why it is so significant and necessary in our modern age of trading and hedging foreign exchange\, equities and interest rates. Instru ments like swaps\, options\, futures and credit default swaps are called d erivatives and are traded daily at banks and stock exchanges around the gl obe. Global trade and investments cannot blossom without these instruments \, and we will show you why.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contr ibutions/9170/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9170/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Opto-functional characteristics of merit in graphene oxide and red uced graphene oxide from synthetic graphite feedstock for potential incorp oration in thin film organic solar cells DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T134000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T154000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9171@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Marry Thekhwe (University of Venda)\nThis work deriv es from the problematic low performance of organic solar cells (OSCs) and attempts to make a contribution to its improvement through an empirical ex ploration of the potential of graphene derivatives\, graphene oxide (GO) a nd reduced graphene oxide (rGO)\, for incorporation in OSCs. Along this\, GO and rGO were synthesized from the primary feedstock\, synthetic graphit e (SG). GO was synthesized using the modified Hummers’ method\, while rG O was synthesized using the modified Tour method. The intrinsic properties of these graphene derivatives were searched for through characterization technique engagements due to Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscop y and Ultraviolet (UV-vis) spectrophotometry\, followed by analysis. GO an d rGO have been found to be having properties (for example\, improved elec trical conductivity and light absorbance) that favour their incorporation in organic solar cells\, for performance enhancement of the cells.\n\nhttp s://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9171/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9171/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Effect of Ruthenium dopant on the sensitivity of alpha iron oxide (α-Fe2O3) to Flammable and Hazardous Gases DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T074000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8961@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Ntokozo God-knowledge Cebekhulu (Univesirty of Zulul and)\nThe increase in the number of manufacturing industries in the recent time has both positive and negative impact on our environment and the hum an health. The use of heavy duty machines in manufacturing industries caus es the release of flammable and hazardous gases\, which affect the human h ealth\, into the atmosphere. A lot of research efforts have been focused o n the detection and monitoring of these gases using metal oxide semiconduc tor materials. This study investigates the gas sensing performance of Ruth enium-doped alpha iron oxide towards the flammable and hazardous gases. Th e alpha iron oxide doped with different weight percentage of Ruthenium wer e synthesized by co-precipitation method. The samples underwent some chara cterization techniques\, such as X-ray diffractometry\, thermogravimetric analysis\, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy\, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surfa ce area analysis\, scanning electron microscopy\, and high resolution tran smission electron microscopy\, to study certain properties of the material . The sensors were fabricated by using the drop-casting method\, and the s ensors were tested for gas sensing performance\, at 225 ⁰C operating tem perature\, toward LPG\, Ethanol\, Propanol\, Ammonium (NH3) and H2S. The p ure sample (α-Fe2O3) was more sensitivity to the target gases with the re sponse being 24.41 toward LPG\, while the response decreased upon addition of ruthenium to alpha iron oxide. Ruthenium was found to be unsuitable as dopant material in alpha iron oxide for gas sensing application.\nKeyword s: Gas sensing\, Dopant concentration\, Alpha-Fe2O3-based sensor\, Sensiti vity\, Flammable gases.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributi ons/8961/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8961/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Preparation of highly sensitive Cr doped ZnFe2O4 fiber-like sensor s for selective acetone detection DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8980@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Murendeni Nemufulwi (University of free state)\nSemi conducting metal oxides are widely recognized as key sensing materials tha t are used for gas detection in several fields. In particular\, zinc ferri te has attracted growing attention because of its sensitivity to volatile organic compounds\, making it a potential sensing material for food spoila ge detection/monitoring [1]. However\, the high operating temperatures an d poor selectivity hinder practical application. This work aims to overcom e these challenges by using Cr dopant to reduce the operating temperature and enhance the response variance for accurate gas classification using pr incipal component analysis. A combustion method was used to synthesize Cr- doped ZnFe2O4 (0.0\, 0.5\, 1.0\, and 1.5 Cr mol%) fiber-like products. XRD and HRTEM were used to analyse microstructure and morphology of the produ cts. TEM confirmed that the morphology of the synthesized products possess es fiber-like structures. Optical properties of the products were studied using PL and XPS was used for surface composition analysis. The gas sensin g results showed that the sensor based on 1.0% Cr-doped ZnFe2O4 had an enh anced response of 283-90 ppm acetone at a low operating temperature of 90 °C. Moreover\, the sensor based on ZnFe2O4 doped with 1.0% Cr can be used as a single array sensor for gas classification. The improved sensing pro perties are attributed to structural defects and proper gas diffusion.\n\n https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8980/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8980/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Simulating the position sensitivity of a large-volume segmented ge rmanium clover detector DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T144000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T144200Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9106@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sive Noncolela (UWC)\nThe iThemba LABS segmented clo ver detector (TIGRESS type) comprises four HPGe crystals\, each one segmen ted eight-fold. Such new generation Ge detectors are able to perform γ-ra y tracking but are more complex to work with. In order to properly maximis e the use of this detector a method to locate gamma-ray interaction points within the detector was developed. The gamma ray interaction points were reconstructed at different radial and azimuthal positions around the detec tor volume. Multi Geometry Simulation (MGS) and Advanced Detector Librarie s (ADL) were used to simulate the detector response at different positions . The response of an HPGe detector was also experimentally determined for certain positions around the detector to a particular energy deposited at a well-defined (x\,y\,z) location. This was done by using a scanning table where gamma rays were collimated to target a particular interaction point on the detector and digitized pulses were recorded for those points. An a verage of all characteristic waveforms was performed for each point to min imize noise fluctuations. The experimental waveforms were compared to the simulated ones where experimental corrections such as crosstalk were also performed. Corrections for the response function of the preamplifier were also incorporated in the signal output.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/even t/239/contributions/9106/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9106/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Derivation of empirical interatomic potentials for interactions th at emanate from doping Li-Mn-O spinel with nickel and cobalt. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T130000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T132000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8976@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: DONALD HLUNGWANI (university of limpopo physics depa rtment)\nMolecular dynamics (MD) simulations which generally rely on empir ically parameterized functions are currently the only practical option for large-scale computational studies of materials. The process of determinin g these parameters is quite a challenge\, particularly given that the fina l potential parameters are extensively dependent on the initial parameters . Hence\, finding initial parameters that are linked to the physical char acteristics of the interaction is pivotal to the process\, as such\, we em ploy a machine-learning technique (to determine initial parameters) and th e General Utility Lattice Program (GULP) (to determine final parameters) t o develop accurate Buckingham interatomic potentials for interactions that arise from doping Li-Mn-O spinel with Co or Ni. The potentials will enabl e the correlation of various properties linked to the electrochemical perf ormance of the Li-M-O spinel (M = Mn\, Co\, Ni) cathode materials to their microstructural changes through large-scale MD simulations. The explorati on will provide insights on how to curtail the reported capacity fading of Li-Mn-O spinel which is a promising cathode material for lithium-ion batt eries. A curve_fit function of the SciPy library was used to determine the initial potential parameters\, which are thereafter refined with GULP. Mo reover\, the developed potentials are tested by performing MD simulations with the DL_POLY code. The final Buckingham potential parameters for all t he interactions that arise from doping Li-Mn-O spinel with Ni and Co were successfully derived. The fitted and calculated lattice parameters were co mparable with a percentage difference of less than 4 %. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) graphs of the simulated spinel structures (LiCo2O4\, LiNi2O4\, LiMn1 .875Ni0.125O4\, and LiMn1.875Co0.125O4) showed the presence of the LiM2O4 and M3O4 (M = Mn\, Co\, Ni) phases which are in line with findings in lite rature. The RDF graphs of the doped structures show that doping Li-Mn-O sp inel with Co could enhance structural stability.\n\nhttps://events.saip.or g.za/event/239/contributions/8976/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8976/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Design of a PV power system for grid-connected Facilities energy r etrofitting: A case study of 15 SAI Battalion\, Limpopo Province in South Africa DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T144000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T144200Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9160@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sophie Mulaudzi (University of Venda)\nWith global t hreats to energy security\, the need for diverse energy sources is becomin g increasingly important. Nations\, communities\, and individual energy co nsumers need more locally available and accessible renewable energy source s to form part of diverse energy sources mix for a sustainable supply of t heir local energy demand. A country like South Africa\, overwhelmed with d emand against dwindling power supply\, which has led to the implementation of load shedding\, can only put its hopes to a decentralised distributed generation where individual consumers generate power onsite to cover their needs partially or wholly. Besides serving local consumers with an uninte rrupted energy supply\, distributed local renewable energy generation cont ributes to easing pressure on the electricity grid and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This study comprehensively analyses the calculation of an optimally designed grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system's energy output . Monthly solar radiation data was assessed\, and average sunshine hours w ere generated to design the 15 SAI Battalion sick bay electric power suppl y connected to the grid. Individual rooms appliances inventory with electr ic parameters and time of use data was done for all rooms for energy use a udit. Due to the high total load power and financial constraints\, the pow er systems were designed to cover part of the load of the building. PVSyst and HOMER software were used to design and optimise the system dispatch. The analysis of this study highlights the potential benefits of grid-conne cted PV systems\, underlining their role in improving local energy supplie s and relieving the electricity grid's burden.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org. za/event/239/contributions/9160/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9160/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Synthesis of Mn-rich transition metal carbonate precursors as cath ode materials for lithium ion batteries: Carbonate co-precipitation method DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8915@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mogahabo Tebogo (Black)\nSynthesis of Mn-rich transi tion metal carbonate precursors as cathode materials for lithium ion batte ries: Carbonate co-precipitation method\nTebogo Morukuladi\, Noko Ngoepe\, Clifton Masedi and Phuti Ngoepe\nMaterials Modelling Centre\, School of P hysical and Mineral Sciences\, University of Limpopo\, Private Bag x1106\, Sovenga\, 0727\ntebzamorukuladi@gmail.com\nAbstract\nThe synthesis of NMC CO3 precursors for lithium and manganese rich materials was carried out vi a the co-precipitation method. Co-precipitation method is a widely used pr ocess in various applications to carry down by precipitate of substances n ormally soluble under the conditions employed. For this study\, carbonate co-precipitation was used to synthesize our materials using the continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR). The advantage of using carbonate co-precipit ation is that most of the transition metal cations remains in the divalent oxidation state. The intensions of this study were to investigate the ele ctrochemical properties for Mn-rich NMC’s. After the synthesis of NMCCO3 precursors\, tap density was measured\, morphology\, particle size distri bution and XRD’s were determined. A particle size distribution of 9.7 µ m was observed\, while the morphology shows secondary particles of the mat erial. This findings implies that layered Mn rich LiNMCO2 is so far a good material for cathodes in lithium ion batteries.\nKeywords: Tap density\, Morphology\, Particle size and XRD’s.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/even t/239/contributions/8915/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8915/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Ion beam Modification and Characterization of Materials Two exampl es from measurements at the rib facility ISOLDE at CERN DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T100000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T110000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9172@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Krish Bharuth-Ram ()\nTwo initiatives drive our curr ent research in ion beam modification of materials: a) Search for spintron ic oxide and nitride semiconductors\, i.e. semiconductors doped with very low concentrations (≤ 5 at. %) TM ions\, the so-called dilute magnetic s emiconductors (DMS)\, which if realized would have room temperature ferrom agnetism (RTFM) coexisting with the charge carrier semiconducting function ing of the system\, and b) Determination of the lattice occupancy of heavy ions implanted in diamond. Studies (a) were conducted in 57 Fe-emission M össbauer Spectroscopy (eMS) measurements following implantation of precur sor radioactive 57 Mn * ions into host substrates at the online radioactiv e ion beam facility ISOLDE at CERN. EMS measurements on ZnO show strong ma gnetic sextets in the spectrum but the magnetic field shows no dependence on temperature\, hence ruling out ferromagnetic behaviour. Further measure ments on ZnO pre-implanted with C\, Ar\, Fe and Co ions show similar resul ts. In studies (b)\, over the years (since 1993) we have conducted Emissio n Channeling (EC) measurements on a range of radioactive (Li\, P\, Fe\, Cu \, Ce\, Gd\, Er) ions implanted in diamond. The lattice occupancy of the p robe ions is extracted from channeling effects on the emitted decay produc ts of the probe nuclei by the positively charged atomic rows of the crysta l lattice. These lead to anisotropic yields of the -particles\, convers ion electrons or -\nparticles emitted by the nuclear probes with respec t to the major lattice directions of the host. Sample results will be pres ented of eMS measurements on ZnO and of EC measurements on Er and TM ions implanted in diamond.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contribution s/9172/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9172/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Structural investigation of Pd/Zr/Pd/Ti/Pd multilayered system im planted with 150 keV argon ions for hydrogen storage application DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8932@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Charles Thulani Thethwayo (University of Zululand)\n A multi-layered system of titanium (Ti)\, zirconium (Zr)\, and palladium ( Pd) was successfully prepared on different substrates using an electron be am evaporator (NEE-4000) for hydrogen storage applications. Ti alloy (Ti-6 Al-4V) and pure commercial Ti (cp-Ti) were used as substrates to prepare s tacked layers of Pd/Ti/Pd/Zr/Pd. The phase transformation was studied usin g X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) \, which allowed a deep understanding of how these metals interact with ea ch other before and after introducing hydrogen. These techniques were also used to investigate the effect of ion implantation\, and the results were compared to those of as-prepared samples. XRD reveals that there was a di ffusion of atoms between the layers\, resulting in the formation of Ti-Pd and Zr-Pd alloys before implantation and hydrogenation\; this was also con firmed by RBS. When the samples were implanted with argon ions at differen t fluencies (1012\, 1013\, 1014\, 1015\, and 1016\, respectively)\, a shif t in crystal angle (2) was observed but no noticeable alteration in the cr ystal structures. The Pd layer was used to reduce oxidation between the Ti and Zr layers. Both prepared and implanted samples showed evidence of oxi dation between the two layers\, which resulted from the chamber’s residu al gases.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8932/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8932/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The effect of acids precipitants on the synthesis of WO3 hierarchi cal nanostructures for highly selective and sensitive H2S detection DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8971@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Thokozani Mpanza (University of Zululand)\nThe detec tion and monitoring of H2S gas at high and lower concentrations is very\nc rucial since this gas is highly toxic and can affect tissues and organs\, especially in occupational environment. This work reports on the synthesis of WO3\nnanostructures-based sensors for highly sensitive and selective H 2S detection\nat low operating temperatures. These WO3 nanostructures were synthesized\nusing pressurized hydrothermal process. Different acids from weak to strong\n(HNO3\, H2SO4\, and HCl) were employed as precipitants to form supposedly\nhierarchical and cube-like nanostructures of WO3. These WO3 nanostructures\nwere characterized by XRD\, SEM\, TEM\, XPS and BET an alysis. The fabricated WO3\nsensors were exposed to different target gases (CO2\, H2\, CH4\, NH3\, LPG and H2S)\nat different concentrations. They w ere found to be selective to H2S\, and the WO3\nprecipitated by HCl otherw ise referred to as WO3-HCl was found to be highly\nsensitive\, with high r esponse of S = 1394.04 towards 150 ppm of H2S at 125°C\noperating tempera ture. The WO3 precipitated by H2SO4 named WO3-H2SO4\nshowed a high respons e of 141.64 at 125°C operating temperature. Lastly\, WO3\nprecipitated by HNO3 called WO3-HNO3\, recorded a H2S response of 125.75 also\nat 125°C operating temperature. The HCl-precipitated WO3 is a promising\ncandidate for selective detection of H2S\, being the most sensitive in the series.\n \nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8971/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8971/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Evolution of magnetic ground state in $A$Co$_2$As$_2$ ($A$ = K\, C a\, Sr\, Ba) system DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T122000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8931@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Abhishek Pandey (School of Physics\, University of t he Witwatersrand)\n$A$Co$_2$As$_2$ ($A$ = K\, Ca\, Sr\, Ba) and BaMn$_2$$X _{2}$ ($X$ = P\, As\, Sb\, Bi) compounds that both crystallize in ThCr$_2$ Si$_2$-type tetragonal structure together present a text-book type example of how the structural parameters and electronic band structure can indire ctly govern the magnetic ground state of a crystalline system. $A$Co$_2$As $_2$ compounds exhibit properties that delicately depend upon the interlay er As-As distance $d_{\\rm As-As}$ which regulates the oxidation state of Co-ions by controlling the extent of the interlayer As-As bonds. As a resu lt\, it controls the magnetic ground state of these materials. On the othe r hand\, $d_{X-X}$ does not show any significant variation within BaMn$_2$ $X_{2}$ compounds and because of the localized nature of $d$-bands\, it do es not affect the oxidation state of the Mn-ions as well as the magnetic g round state of these compounds. In this work\, we present a comparative st udy on $A$Co$_2$As$_2$ and BaMn$_2$$X_{2}$ systems. Further\, we explore t he combined effect of the change of electron count as well as the increase in $d_{\\rm As-As}$ introduced through the partial substitution of alkali ne-earth ions in the $A$Co$_2$As$_2$ system. We report on the magnetic cha racteristics and electron transport properties of this hole-doped system a nd explore the interdependency of structural parameters\, charge density a nd many-body interactions within the material.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org. za/event/239/contributions/8931/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8931/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Alloying on β2-ordered FeAl with Ru and Ir for ductility enhancem ent: A cluster expansion and MD approach DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T134000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T140000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8919@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: CHRESTINAH MKHONTO (SAIP MEMBERSHIP)\nIntermetallic iron aluminides alloys of Fe3Al and β2-ordered cubic FeAl structure among st other various compounds of transition metals and aluminium compositions have been of interest to researchers for application in different industr ies to increase corrosion-resistance for high temperature application stee l coating. The FeAl compound exists between 35-50 % of aluminum concentrat ions. This alloy possesses far much better oxidation and corrosion resista nce and hardness qualities than the Fe3Al. Their long-range-ordered superl attices\, which minimizes dislocation and diffusion at increased temperatu res make them desirable for high temperature applications. We have employe d the cluster expansion (CE) technique to construct the stability phase di agrams of Fe-Ru/Ir-Al ternary systems for stable compositions identificati on\, Monte Carlo (MC) to determine the temperature needed to stabilize the system and ab-initio approach to predict the mechanical and dynamical pro perties using LAMMPS code. The cluster expansion results showed that the F e1-XRuXAl ternary alloy has no thermodynamically stable compositions due t o positive enthalpies of formation values\, while the Fe1-XIrXAl alloy has values that are marginally above 0 eV. It was observed that the Fe1-XIrXA l system has three thermodynamic stable structures\; the stability of the system increases with Ir concentration until the Fe:Ir reaches an equiatom ic composition and began to decrease. Hence\, FeIr2Al3 system was found to the most thermodynamically stable composition. Our findings showed that d oping the β2-FeAl with Ru and Ir significantly enhanced the hardness and ductility for high-temperature application for steel-It component coating. \n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8919/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8919/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Proton beam and femtosecond laser writing lithography method for s emiconductor microstructures DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T150900Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T152900Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8973@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Aluwani Guga (University of Cape Town )\nWe herein r eport on the fabrication of patterns using proton beam writing (PBW) and f emtosecond laser lithography. In femtosecond laser lithography\, high-reso lution patterns can be created on semiconductor materials using the energe tic photons from a laser source as it has been done for the fabrication of microfluidic lab on chip photonic devices and biochips applications. In t he pattern fabrication for this study\, a femtosecond laser with a wavelen gth of 1034 nm\, a repetition rate of 200 kHz\, and a pulse duration of 19 0 fs will be used. The structures will be created using pre-programmed in the X-Y stage controller software.On the other hand\, PBW uses focused hig h-energy beams of protons to probe the material to fabricate patterns or s tructures at the micro- and nanoscale. This will be achieved using a 3MV T andetron accelerator at iThemba LABS\, proton beam focusing is achieved by using Oxford triplet quadrupole lenses and scanning uses an electrostatic scanning system positioned in front of the lenses. In contrast to femtose cond laser writing\, PBW tends to have a deeper penetration into the targe t material due to the higher energy of the protons\, which leads to three- dimensional structures with higher sub-micrometer precision. Patterns were created on a PMMA using 3 MeV protons and the fluence was counted as elec trical charge per unit monitored by exposure time\, beam current\, and irr adiated area. A Femtosecond laser was also used to fabricate the cross-lik e patterns from pre-programmed patterns by focusing a laser pulse onto PMM A for comparison. The morphological and microstructural characterization o f the samples was conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a tomic force microscopy (AFM). The fabricated cross-like patterns will be u sed in a study of low-temperature Hall bar measurements for device fabrica tion.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8973/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8973/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Investigating hydrogen induced Ti3Al embrittlement in Ti-6Al-4V us ing TEM DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8990@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Velile Vilane (Nelson Mandela University)\nTemporary hydrogen alloying (THA) can refine coarse-grained as-cast Ti-6Al-4V micro structures and improve tensile strength. However\, it can also reduce the tensile ductility to severe embrittlement because of hydrogen promoted tit anium aluminide (Ti3Al) precipitation.[1] The effect of oxygen concentrati on above a 0.33 wt.% threshold on Ti3Al promotion is known.[2] The effect of residual hydrogen concentration above a 150-ppm threshold on Ti-6Al-4V embrittlement is also known.[3] Less Known is the effect of hydrogen on th e promotion of Ti3Al precipitation\, and the effect of precipitated Ti3Al on tensile ductility. This study investigates hydrogen promoted Ti3Al prec ipitation\, and its effects on the tensile ductility of hydrogenated-dehyd rogenated (HDH) Ti-6Al-4V.\n\nA hydrogenation-dehydrogenation (HDH) treatm ent was used to refine a coarse-grained Ti-6Al-4V microstructure with the intention of optimizing its tensile strength and ductility. Microstructure evolution was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD)\, electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD)\, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and tran smission electron microscopy (TEM). Oxygen and hydrogen concentrations wer e quantified using inert gas fusion (IGF). \n\nThe results indicate that H DH treatment does not refine the coarse network of prior beta grains\, but it alters the coarse Widmanstätten microstructure by nucleating submicro n beta grains within the individual lamellae. The HDH modified microstruct ure had higher ultimate tensile strength (UTS) in the order of 100 MPa. Th e dehydrogenation temperature affected tensile ductility\; the lowest dehy drogenation temperature (675 ᵒC) had the highest ductility loss in the o rder of 75%. Increasing the dehydrogenation temperature recovered ductilit y until full ductility was recovered at 750⁰C. The ductility loss was no t caused by residual hydrogen or oxygen but was caused by the embrittling effect of hydrogen induced Ti3Al which remains in the microstructure even after hydrogen removal\, and only completely dissolves at a Ti3Al solvus t emperature of 750 ᵒC. The results demonstrate that HDH treatment alters the initial coarse-grained Ti-6Al-4V microstructure to extents that signif icantly improve strength\, but it also promotes Ti3Al precipitation and it s concomitant embrittlement. To improve ductility\, the dehydrogenation tr eatment should be controlled to optimize Ti3Al dissolution. \n\n**Refere nces**\n\n1. V. Vilane\, R. Knutsen\, and J. Westraadt: 'Tensile property and microstructure assessment of hydrogen treated Ti-6Al-4V alloy'\, Mater . Charact.\, 2022\, 184\, 111698.\n\n2. M. Yan\, W. Xu\, M. Dargusch\, H. Tang\, M. Brandt\, and M. Qian: 'Review of effect of oxygen on room temper ature ductility of titanium and titanium alloys'\, Powder Metall.\, 2014\, 57(4)\, 251-257.\n\n3. W. Kerr\, P. Smith\, M. Rosenblum\, F. Gurney\, Y. Mahajan\, and L. Bidwell: 'Hydrogen as an alloying element in titanium (h ydrovac)'\, Titanium\, 1980\, 80\, 2477-2486.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.z a/event/239/contributions/8990/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8990/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Strain Evolution with Thickness of TbMnO3/ (001) SrTiO3-TiO2 term. Epitaxially-strained Thin Films DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8977@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Geoffrey Mwendwa (School of Physics\, Material Physi cs Research Institute\, University of the Witwatersrand\, Johannesburg\, S outh Africa)\nStrain in multiferroic rare-earth epitaxial layers is a key feature that can induce new functionalities for the next generational appl ications such as room-temperature magnetoelectricity and magnetocapacitanc e [1\, 2]. Several studies have shown the modulation of strain in TbMnO3 ( TMO) thin films as a promising route for fabrication of perovskite-type ox ides with tunable electrical and magnetic properties.\n\nThis work explore s the evolution of strain in TMO thin films grown epitaxially on (001) SrT iO3-TiO2 term. single crystal substrates using ultra-high vacuum pulsed la ser deposition technique. In-situ monitoring of the film growth by using r eflective high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) have shown the formatio n of Kikuchi lines which verified the film orientation in (001) for the Ti O2 terminated SrTiO3 substrate. The film quality and variation of strain a s a function of thickness were investigated using X-ray diffraction and X- ray reflectivity. A rocking curve of the (002) peak further confirms the h igh crystalline quality of the films. Further analysis of the X-ray diffra ction patterns confirm successful growth of single-phase c-axis-oriented e pitaxial TMO films with an orthorhombic structure. Quantitative strain ana lysis has shown reduction of strain with increasing thickness. \n\n**Keyw ords:** Multiferroic\, perovskite\, epitaxial growth\n\n**References**\n\n [1] G. Panomsuwan and N. Sait\, *Cryst. Res. Technol*. 2018\, 53\, 1700211 \n[2] V. Goian *et al\, COMMUNICATIONS MATERIALS*\, (2020) 1:74\n\nhttps:/ /events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8977/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8977/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Effects of annealing time on structural\, morphology\, and optical properties of Zinc oxide nanoparticles prepared via sol-gel method DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T122000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8913@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Tebogo Selema ()\nIn this study\, Zinc oxide (ZnO) n anoparticles were synthesized using the sol-gel method\, followed by annea ling at 550 oC for different time intervals (30 min\, 1 hour\, and 1 hour 30 min) to investigate the effect of annealing time on the structural\, op tical and morphological properties of ZnO nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the formation of a crystalline hexagonal wurtzit e ZnO structure\, which was observed to be more prominent with an increase in annealing time\, specifically at 1 hour 30 min. UV-Vis spectroscopy an alysis revealed an improved absorption band with a wavelength of 365nm\, w hich was redshifted compared to other prepared samples. Additionally\, pho toluminescence (PL) quenching was observed for the annealed samples\, indi cating charge transfer that is favorable for solar cell applications. The as-prepared sample showed high PL intensity\, possibly due to self-trapped excitons recombination. This highlights the potential of modifying anneal ing time and its derivatives to suppress the recombination of electron-hol e pairs\, as higher PL intensity implies a more drastic recombination of c harge carriers. Finally\, the morphology of the prepared samples was studi ed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM)\, revealing a progression of Z nO morphologies from clustered to nanorod and flower-like structures. Over all\, the results suggest that annealing time is a crucial parameter in th e synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles\, and that optimized annealing conditions can improve their structural\, optical\, and morphological properties for potential use in solar cell applications\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/ev ent/239/contributions/8913/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8913/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Synthesis and Characterization of Caesium Lead Tri-Iodide by Seque ntial Physical Vapour Deposition for Solar Cells DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T124000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T130000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8988@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sizwe Sibiya (Abstract)\nIn this study\, we report o n the synthesis and characterization of titanium dioxide thin film prepare d via the spray pyrolysis technique. X-ray diffractograms confirmed a tetr agonal crystal structure with an average crystallite size of 24.44 nm and a micro-strain of 9.75x10-4. Field-emission scanning electron micrographs show pin-hole-free and densely packed grains with an average size ranging from 25 to 29 nm. UV-Vis spectra revealed an absorption onset 300 nm for t he film. The estimated film bandgap was 3.9 eV.\nThe sequential physical v apour deposition technique was used to grow quality thick films of metal h alide perovskites in a safe\, scalable\, and reproducible manner. Growth o f high-quality poly-crystalline yellow phase caesium lead tri-iodide (CsPb I3) was refined by varying the CsI thickness from 200 nm to 500 nm. Crysta llographic parameters and phase transitions from as-deposited orthorhombic γ-CsPbI3 to tetragonal β-CsPbI3 on annealing at 100 ℃\, were determin ed using X-ray diffraction patterns. Computed lattice constants were a= 4. 88 Å\, b= 9.96 Å\, and c= 16.52 Å\, with an average crystallite size in creasing from 169.46 nm to 243 nm\, and the micro-strains decreased with a n increase of CsI thickness. The field-emission scanning electron microgra phs showed a uniform surface covered with polycrystalline grains. The Aver age grain size increased from 168 to 235 nm as the caesium iodide (CsI) th ickness increased\, resulting in large pin-hole-free and tightly packed gr ains. A 2.24 to 2.38 eV increase in the bandgap was observed when CsI thic kness was increased. Herein\, we demonstrated optimized structural\, morph ological\, and optical properties of CsPbI3 for use in solar cells\, grown via sequential physical vapour deposition technique for stable and comple tely inorganic perovskites.\nFinally\, the electrical properties of fabric ated FTO/TiO2/CsPbI3/Au devices were characterized using the current-densi ty (I-V) measurement technique. Although the CsI thickness varied\, it had no effect on the cell's performance because the devices showed consistent power conversion efficiency of about 4%. Moreover\, the open circuit volt age shows a decreasing trend when CsI thickness decreases.\n\nhttps://even ts.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8988/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8988/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Ion beam modification of PANi-PMMA blends for hole transport layer applications in perovskite solar cells DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T130000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T132000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8989@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Eulanda Eulanda (Tshwane University of Technology)\n Polymer solar cells (PSCs) are a promising alternative for low-cost renewa ble energy due to their flexibility\, simplicity in synthesis\, and large- area fabrication. Methyl ammonium lead halide-based hybrid perovskite sola r cells (PSCs) have been extensively studied in recent years because of th eir high efficiency and low processing costs. Long-term stability\, howeve r\, remains a challenge as constituent layer materials are susceptible to UV radiation damage and environmental degradation. Polyaniline (PANI)\, a chemically and thermally stable conducting polymer\, shows potential to se rve both as a protective barrier and an efficient hole transport layer. Bl ending PANI with a structurally stable polymer like polymethyl methacrylat e (PMMA) can address the issue of brittleness and cracking in pure PANI fi lms during drying after spin coating\, though at the expense of the electr ical conductivity. To enhance the conductivity of the PANI-PMMA blends whi le maintaining their mechanical stability\, doping is crucial. Metal ion i mplantation offers precise control over dopant dose and distribution\, in contrast to conventional chemical doping methods. This paper reports on th e structural\, optical\, and electrochemical characterization of pristine and 30 MeV Au7+ ion-irradiated PANI-PMMA blend films with varying PANI wei ght concentrations. The topography of the films was investigated with atom ic force microscopy (AFM)\, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy prov ides insights into the optical properties\, while electrochemical measurem ents assess the activity and stability of the blends. The results highligh t the potential of ion beam modified PANI-PMMA blends as hole transport la yer materials in perovskite solar cells\, contributing to their optimizati on for renewable energy applications.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/ 239/contributions/8989/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8989/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Modified ZrO2 layer on ZIRLO to prevent Hydrogen Pick Up. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8900@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sinoyolo Ngongo (Nelson Mandela University)\nZirconi um alloy is the main physical barrier between the coolant system and the f uel cell1. Its principal role is to keep the radioactive products produced during fission process (which is the power source in the nuclear reactor) contained in the fuel pin1. One of the problems in the nuclear industry i s hydrogen absorption by zirconium alloys during operational and loss of c oolant accident environment. This hydrogen diffusion into the fuel tube (z irconium alloys) leads to formation of brittle zirconium hydrides2. Theore tical predictions by Youssef and co-workers3 indicated that by doping the oxide layer on the zirconium alloy with chromium\, the solubility of hydro gen in ZrO2 is greatly decreased which reduce the pick-up of hydrogen by t he zirconium fuel tube. \nIn this study\, compression plasma flow (CPF) wa s used to produce a chromium doped\, oxidized ZIRLO surface layer. CPF is generated by quasi-stationary plasma accelerators with their own magnetic field. Such plasma flows are characterized by long life-time (about 100 µ s) and high energy density absorbed by the target (from 10 to 100 J/cm2). When CPF interacts with the surface\, the top layer is melted and a mixing process takes place in the layer. If a metal coating is deposited on the surface of the treated sample\, the CPF impact will provide mixing of both coating and the substrate. A chromium coating with a thickness of 1 µm w as deposited on the oxidized ZIRLO surface. The CPF treatment was done in a nitrogen atmosphere (400 Pa pressure). The chromium alloyed ZIRLO sample s were sectioned using a diamond wire saw and mounted on a stub. A Helios NanoLab FIB SEM was used to cut transmission electron microscopy lamellae from specific areas of interest. The TEM lamellae were investigated in a J EOL 2100 LaB6 TEM operated at 200 kV. \nThe results of this investigation indicated that the alloying process of the oxide layer by the CPF method w as successful. The thickness of the Cr modified oxide layer is about 2 µm . The hydrogen pick up investigation of the modified sample was carried on the special gas Reaction Controller complex. Results of hydrogen desorpti on from the chromium doped oxidized ZIRLO surface layers were found to be in agreement with the theoretical predictions by Youssef and co-workers3. Comparing the unmodified and modified sample the hydrogen desorption decre ased by a factor of 26.\nReferences\n1. Kim\, H.H. et al. (2010) J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 26(9) 827-832. \n2. Motta\, A.T.\, Chen\, L.Q. (2012) J. Mi n. Met. Mater. Soc. 64 (12). \n3. Youssef\, M. et al. (2016) Phys. Rev. Ap plied. 59(014008).\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8 900/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8900/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Heat-up approach of inorganic aliphatic Co(II) complexes to form C oS quantum dots for quantum dots sensitized solar cells DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8948@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: MOJEED ADEDOYIN AGORO (UNIVERSITY OF FORT HARE)\nNan oscience research has shown a drastic increase in metal nanoparticles in v arious fields compared to their corresponding Group V and VI counterparts. This can be attributed to their unique properties\, easy to harness\, hig h surface atoms\, which promote better active sites with unique electronic properties between the metallic and molecular states. Specifically\, meta l sulfides have a variety of sulfur-containing ligands that are easily tun able and can have their decomposition kinetics and secondary decomposition products optimized by controlled modification using precursors like dithi ocarbamates (DTCs). Extensive studies are yet to be conducted on cobalt su lfide (CoS) to explore the strong coexistence of reducible cobalt with oxi dizable sulfur ions as compared to other metal sulfide semiconducting mate rials. In the present study\, we demonstrated the intriguing structural\, optical\, and morphological properties of CoS quantum dots for dye-sensiti zed solar cells (DSCs). The photosensitizers were characterized by TGA\, F TIR\, SEM\, EDS\, TEM\, UV-Vis\, and PL. The X-ray diffraction pattern for the prepared CoS@a\, CoS@b\, and CoS@c nanoparticles matched well with th e hexagonal and cubic phases of CoS and CoS2. The energy band gap of 1.7 –2.3 eV for the three samples implies that these materials are better ca ndidates for QDSSCs and energy storage device applications. This is furthe r supported by SEM analysis for CoS@a and CoS@c with nano-rod micrographs\ , which are known as catalysts for enhancing electrical conductivity. The thermolysis of the three molecular precursors using a single-source approa ch below the boiling point of the coordinating solvent produces CoS withou t impurity. We believe that the fascinating macro/nanostructure obtained i n this study can be explored in different applications\, such as QDSSCs.\n \nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8948/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8948/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Severe Accident Analysis at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station Using ME LCOR Computer Code DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9159@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Nontobeko Khumalo (National Nuclear Regulator)\nIn t he demonstration of safety of a nuclear power plant (NPP)\, simulations fo r all plant states (normal operations\, anticipated operational occurrence s\, design-basis accident\, and beyond-design-basis accident) play an impo rtant role. Therefore\, computer codes have been extensively developed to analyse the different aspects of a nuclear reactor. Thermo-hydraulic syste m codes are used to study the physical response of the reactor system to p ostulated transient and accidental events and determine if any failure may lead to a significant release of radioactivity. \nMELCOR (Methods for Est imation of Leakages and Consequences of Releases) is one of the codes that can be used for severe accident analysis. Other codes like MAAP (Modular Accident Analysis Program) and ASTEC (Accident Source Term Evaluation Code ) can also be used. MELCOR is a fully integrated\, engineering-level compu ter code that models the progression of severe accidents in light water re actor nuclear power plants. \n\nThe National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) is de veloping a computer model of Koeberg Nuclear Power Station (NPS) to be use d for severe accident analysis of the plant. This work enables the NNR to independently verify the severe accident analysis submitted by Eskom and u ltimately verify if the accident management plans submitted by Eskom are e ffective. This work will also contribute to the review and assessment of t he Koeberg long term operation (LTO) Safety Case submitted by Eskom for ap proval.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9159/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9159/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Wigner function approach to the classical limit of quantum Brownia n motion and to the derivation of open quantum Brownian motion DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T134000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T140000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8856@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Ayanda Zungu (Department of Physics\, North-West Uni versity\, Mafikeng Campus)\nOpen quantum Brownian motion (OQBM) represents a new type of Brownian motion with an additional quantum internal degree of freedom. This framework was introduced by Bauer\, Bernard\, and Tilloy [1] as a scaling limit of discrete-time open quantum walks [2\,3]. Sinaysk iy and Petruccione (SP) have shown that OQBM can be derived from the micro scopic Hamiltonian of the system\, bath\, and system ­bath interaction [4 \,5]. In this contribution\, we report on the generalization of SP work. I n our model\, the inner degree of freedom is given by a two-level system\, and the position operator describes the external degree of freedom. We de rive the QBM master equation and use the Wigner function approach to perfo rm the classical limit to obtain OQBM.\n\n\n[1] M. Bauer\, D. Bernard\, an d A. Tilloy\, 2014 J. Stat. Mech. P09001.\n[2] S. Attal\, F. Petruccione\, C. Sabot\, and I. Sinayskiy\, 2012 J. Stat. Phys. **147**\, 832.\n[3] S. Attal\, F. Petruccione\, and I. Sinayskiy\, 2012 Phys. Rev. A **376**\, 15 45. \n[4] I. Sinayskiy\, and F. Petruccione\, 2015 Phys. Scr. T **165**\, 014017.\n[5] I. Sinayskiy\, and F. Petruccione\, 2017 Fortschr. Phys. **65 **\, 1600063.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8856/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8856/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Re-Positioning the Department of Physics and Astronomy at UWC for Natural and Physical Sciences teachers training and development DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T134000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T140000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8839@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mark Herbert (University of the Western Cape)\nA rev iew of undergraduate physics education in public higher education institut ions undertaken by the South African Institute of Physics (SAIP) in partne rship with the Council of Higher Education (CHE) has identified the major challenge of the under-preparedness of university students entering underg raduate physics programmes as a teacher development problem. As a result\, student throughput and retention at universities remain a very large conc ern for higher education in South Africa. The Department of Physics and As tronomy\, in response to the SAIP call to Physics Departments in South Afr ica to get involved with the training and development of teachers to addre ss the under-preparedness of learners in our schools\, established the Dep artment Teachers’ Training and Development Programme. The programme is a n initiative of the Department in collaboration with the UWC Faculty of Ed ucation\, Metro Education Districts in the Western Cape Education Departme nt (WCED)\, Cape Peninsula University of Technology and the University’s partner in the USA\, the University of Missouri-Columbia. The programme a ims to increase the critical mass of learners that are needed in the Scien ce\, Technology\, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) sector in South Afric a by improving the physics content knowledge and pedagogical skills of Nat ural and Physical Sciences teachers and thereby increasing learners’ int erest\, participation and success in the Natural Sciences and Physical Sci ences in our schools. In this presentation\, the programme will be describ ed as well as its successes and challenges.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/ event/239/contributions/8839/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8839/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The capability of cerium (Ce) to improve the magnetic properties o f Nd2Fe14B magnet: A computational approach DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T140000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T142000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8921@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mphamela Enos Baloyi (University of Limpopo)\nNeodym ium-based permanent magnets (Nd2Fe14B) are the potential permanent magnets for use in various applications such as wind turbines and electric vehicl es due to their high magnetic field strength and resistance to demagnetisa tion. However\, they suffer from low operating temperatures below 585 K an d poor mechanical and vibrational properties. In this study\, we investiga te the effect of Ce on the magnetic and mechanical properties of Nd2Fe14B magnets using the ab initio density functional theory (DFT) approach. The NdCeFe14B magnets are found to be thermodynamically and mechanically stabl e. The alloying of Nd with Ce improves the stability and magnetic strength of Nd2Fe14B permanent magnets. The findings will provide insight into the future development of permanent magnetic compounds with good magnetic str engths.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8921/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8921/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Curcumin an emerging natural photosensitiser for lung cancer photo dynamic therapy DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9025@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Glory Kah (University of Johannesburg)\nG Kah\, R Ch andran and H Abrahamse \n\nLaser Research Centre\, Faculty of Health Scien ces\, University of Johannesburg\, P.O. Box 17011\, Doornfontein 2028\, So uth Africa. \n \nEmail: rahulc@uj.ac.za \n\nAbstract. Worldwide\, lung cancer remains the main cause of malignant tumours and it contributes to a high mortality rate in cancer cases. Conventional therapeutic approaches for lung cancer are characterised as ineffective since resistance to thera py and toxic after-effects do occur in patients. Photodynamic therapy (PDT ) is a promising therapeutic approach that requires a specific light sourc e for the activation of a photosensitiser to induce cytotoxic cell death v ia the generation of reactive oxygen species. Curcumin is a natural compou nd from Curcuma longa that has been confirmed as a photosensitiser. This s tudy aims to investigate the in vitro effects of curcumin-mediated PDT of lung cancer. Lung cancer cell lines (A549) were grown in complete media in an incubator maintained at 85% humidity\, 5% CO2\, and a temperature of 3 7°C. Treatment of cells was achieved by exploring different concentration s of curcumin\, and the cells were irradiated with a 470 nm diode laser at 5 J/cm2 fluency. Post-PDT tests including microscopic evaluation of treat ed cells and biochemical analysis were performed to determine the cellular response of cells treated. The results revealed morphological alterations and decreased viability in treated cells\, which signifies cytotoxic dama ge. Thus\, the increased cytotoxic effect established in this study sugges ts that curcumin can be an effective natural photosensitiser over syntheti c ones for mediating lung cancer PDT. Further in vivo studies may be neede d to evaluate how curcumin can be utilized for lung cancer PDT in clinical settings.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9025/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9025/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The need for an integrated approach to physics/science capacity bu ilding in South Africa\, SADC region\, and Africa DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9040@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Azwinndini Muronga (Nelson Mandela University)\nGlob ally\, several countries/regions have been busy strategizing around their physics visions for the next decade or so. The African continent has also started with a similar journey. \n\nIn this talk I will present the curren t international efforts as well as the initiatives in Africa regarding vi sion(s) for physics. I will focus on the issues of (i) diversity\, equity\ , and inclusion in physics/science capacity building\, (ii) education and outreach or science engagement for physics/science capacity building\, and (iii) initiatives in physics/science graduate/postgraduate capacity build ing.\n\nI will then highlight the need for an integrated approach to the v alue chain of physics/science capacity building.\n\nhttps://events.saip.or g.za/event/239/contributions/9040/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9040/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Studying quantum-like light from simple laser systems DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T122000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9032@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Light Mkhumbuza ()\nIn the extremes of quantum and c lassical states of light we find quantum-like light\, coherent states that look like particles but behave like waves. Here we present a novel laser that exhibits quantum (wave) and ray (particle) like features. We build th e laser cavity using simple linear optical elements and show that the rela tion between the cavity length(L) and radius of curvature(R) when precisel y controlled determines different periodic oscillating ray trajectories in the cavity with different longitudinal frequency modes. We also exploit t he use of an off-axis pump laser diode to pump different positions of the crystal attached to the flat mirror to generate arbitrary oscillating ray patterns in the stable plano-concave resonator to illustrate the concept o f ray-wave duality.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/ 9032/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9032/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Interaction of methanoic acid with arsenopyrite (001) and sperryli te (100) surfaces: A DFT-D and atomistic simulations studies DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T122000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8941@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Thapelo Ntobeng ()\nThe study of the surface chemica l behaviour of sulphides and arsenides is very crucial in the field of min eral processing and ore beneficiation. The dispersion-corrected density fu nctional theory (DFT-D) and atomistic simulations were employed to investi gate the adsorption behaviour and mechanism of methanoic acid on arsenopyr ite (001) and sperrylite (100) surfaces. It was found that methanoic acid preferred to adsorb on the Fe and Pt sites than As and/or S atoms on arsen opyrite and sperrylite\, respectively. The adsorption energy of methanoic acid on arsenopyrite was –62.52 kJ/mol\, while the adsorption on sperry lite gave –20.40 kJ/mol from DFT-D simulations. It was clear that methan oic acid preferred the arsenopyrite than sperrylite mineral. This study pr edicted that it is easy to remove limescale such as calcium carbonate (CaC O3) on sperrylite without methanoic acid adsorbing to some extent on the s urface\, while on arsenopyrite the methanoic acid may be adsorbed. Similar findings were obtained from atomistic simulations and therefore these met hods can be used concurrently to understand surface reactivity of these mi nerals.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8941/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8941/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Fluorination of Li1.2Mn0.8O2 Cathode Material: A Computational Stu dy DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T074000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8926@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Vusani Mikosi ()\nAnion doping is considered an effe ctive way to enhance the stability of Li-rich Mn-based cathode materials a s it mitigates oxygen loss and enlarge the inter-slab spacing of these mat erials. In this study we investigate the effects of fluorine doping on Li1 .2Mn0.8O2 cathode material which was constructed from Li2MnO3 that is well known for its high energy density and high specific capacity. We use the genetic algorithm within the cluster expansion to generate phases of F-dop ed Li1.2Mn0.8O2\, and consequently determine the most stable phases. The g enetic algorithm generated 78 new phases of the F-doped Li1.2Mn0.8O2 with negative enthalpies of formation indicating that the constituents are misc ible. Eleven (11) of these phases are at a specific x-concentration on the ground state line of the binary diagram and are predicted to be thermodyn amically stable. The most stable phase is Li1.2Mn0.8OF which lies at the p osition x=0.5 on the binary diagram since it has the lowest energy of form ation. In addition\, First-principle calculations were performed to study the structural\, mechanical\, and electronic properties of the most stable structure. The obtained elastic constants showed that the material is mec hanically stable under the strain 0.001 as it obeys the mechanical stabili ty criteria for triclinic crystals. The Pugh ratio predicts the material t o be ductile. The density of states shows no band gap at the fermi level c onfirming the conductivity of the generated material. In conclusion\, the addition of fluorine to Li1.2Mn0.8O2 confirms its potential in improving t he issues surrounding the Li-rich Mn-based cathodes.\n\nhttps://events.sai p.org.za/event/239/contributions/8926/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8926/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Modelling linear spectra of plant light-harvesting complexes DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T124000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T130000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9026@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Johan Nöthling (University of Pretoria)\nDuring the initial stage of photosynthesis\, sunlight is absorbed by molecular light -harvesting complexes. The technique of linear optical spectroscopy is a p owerful tool to study these complexes. In principle\, all the information contained in an experimental linear spectrum can be extracted through comp arison with the corresponding modelled spectrum—provided that the modell ing is accurate. In this presentation\, we discuss the physics underlying linear spectroscopy and how these spectra can be modelled. We consider an exact method based on stochastic path integration (PI) and several approxi mate methods\, including the Full Cumulant Expansion (FCE)\, complex time- dependent Redfield (ctR)\, Redfield\, and modified Redfield methods. We ch aracterize the accuracy of the approximate methods for modelling absorptio n- and fluorescence-type linear spectra by comparing the approximate spect ra with exact spectra for a model system similar to plant light-harvesting complexes. We show that the FCE method performs best for absorption-type spectra but\, surprisingly\, may break down when calculating fluorescence- type spectra. We also show that the often-used Redfield and modified Redfi eld methods both perform poorly. We consider two applications of linear sp ectral modelling. First\, we use particle swarm optimisation (PSO) to fit the experimental spectra of the plant light-harvesting complex CP29 with m odelled spectra. Based on the molecular parameters producing the best fit\ , we show that CP29 likely has a dual role as an excitation conduit and as a dissipater of excess energy. As a second application of spectral model ling\, we train neural networks to predict disordered linear spectra from molecular parameters and *vice versa*. We show that the neural network mod els can make accurate predictions orders of magnitude faster than the trad itional modelling methods.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contrib utions/9026/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9026/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Variation of Statistical Ensembles to Optimise Complex Core-Shell Cathode Models: A Molecular Dynamic Approach DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8974@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Precious Makhubela ()\nThe O3-type Li2MnO3 is one of the potential replacements of the expensive nickel and toxic cobalt-based cathode materials for the portable\, high power and high energy density l ithium-ion batteries. However\, Li2MnO3 suffers structural instability dur ing cycling. Surface coating of cathode materials has sparked attention an d has modified most of the commonly used cathode materials. The O3-type Li 2MnO3 layered has been investigated over the years as a coating material f or other cathodes but never as the core material. The O2-type Li0.69MnO2 i s of great interest because unlike other lithium manganese oxides\, it doe s not transform into a spinel structure during cycling and its conductive property enables it to allow undisturbed movement of Li atoms during batte ry operation. This study explores firstly the tedious process of modellin g and developing core-shell systems that are meant to serve as electrode m aterial with coating interface. The second aspect of interest is optimisin g the simulation conditions for molecular dynamic simulations of these cor e-shell systems. A core-shell model of the Li2MnO3-Li0.69MnO2 system is pr esented and preliminary molecular dynamics results are demonstrated under different ensembles. The Li2MnO3-Li0.69MnO2 core-shell structure was sligh tly disordered under the ensembles NPT\, NST\, and NVT. The radial distrib ution function plots indicated the bonding length to be 2Ǻ between the ma nganese and oxygen from both the core and shell through the different ense mbles.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8974/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8974/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Photonics Division Meeting DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T150000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T154000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9174@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Pieter Neethling (Laser Research Institute\, Univers ity of Stellenbosch)\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9 174/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9174/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Investigation of structural\, electronic\, elastic and dynamical p roperties of Li2Mn0.5Ru0.5O3 cathode material for Li-ion batteries: A firs t-principles study DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8954@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mamonamane Mphahlele (university of Limpopo)\nLi2MnO 3 has been considered as one of the promising cathode materials for lithiu m-ion batteries due to its high theoretical capacity\, nontoxicity\, and n atural abundance of Mn. However\, it has not been commercialized due to po or structural stability and low conductivity during cycling. To ameliorate the electrochemical performance of Li2MnO3\, we propose doping with Ru\, which can stabilize the structure and improve its electronic conductivity. In this study\, the cluster expansion technique was used to generate new phases of Li2Mn1-xRuxO3 (0≤x≤1) with varying concentrations and symmet ries. The binary phase diagram predicted Li2Mn0.5Ru0.5O3 as the most stabl e phase with the lowest negative heats of formation\, suggesting thermodyn amic stability. In addition\, the elastic constants for Li2Mn0.5Ru0.5O3 sa tisfied the required stability criterion for triclinic structures\, indica ting mechanical stability. The phonon dispersion curves showed no negative vibrations along high symmetry directions of the Brillouin zone\, suggest ing that the doped phase is dynamically stable. Moreover\, the density of states shows a decrease in the band gap of Ru-doped Li2MnO3 from 1.506 eV to 0.417 eV\, which leads to higher electrical conductivity of the materi al. Finally\, based on these results Li2Mn0.5Ru0.5O3 can be proposed as po tential cathode materials for use in lithium-ion batteries\, which may lea d to improved cycling performance.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239 /contributions/8954/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8954/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Probing isothermal and non-isothermal annealing of Sn/Ti bimetalli c thin films using Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) as a probi ng tool. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T122000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8934@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Keletso Lebesana ()\nSolid phase reaction studies in duced by heat treatment processes on Sn-Ti bimetals often lead to changes in microstructural features and enhanced properties and give new insight o n the performance of these systems for industry applications. In this stud y\, thin layers of tin and titanium with varying thicknesses of 15 nm and 25 nm were deposited by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) on a silicon dioxide substrate. The films were then isothermally annealed at temperatures of 70 0 oC for 5 hours\, 10 hours\, and 900 oC for 1 hour in vacuum. Non-isother mal annealing was performed by femtosecond laser irradiation (1030 nm wave length\, 300 fs pulse duration\, and 500 kHz repetition rate) at a laser f luence ranging from 76 J/cm2 to 227 J/cm2. The surface morphology and micr ostructural features of the thin films were investigated by atomic force m icroscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) before and after he at treatment. Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) was used to stu dy the compositional changes of the films. AFM analysis revealed that the surface roughness of the films increased from 5.8 nm to 86.3 nm as the las er fluence increased. RBS also confirmed the increase in surface roughness with laser fluence. However\, surface roughness was not observed in the v acuum-annealed samples\, which leads to the conclusion that they remained smooth after isothermal annealing under vacuum. Other compositional change s observed were ablation on the laser-scanned samples and the existence of new phases being formed in both vacuum-annealed and femtosecond laser-ann ealed samples.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8934/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8934/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Decolonising the first year physics module at the University of  Zululand. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T152000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T154000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9016@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Phumlani Zipho Ngcobo (University of Zululand)\nRead ing the published paper claiming that Africans discovered gravitation befo re Newton\, one begins to wonder. How many other discoveries have been tau ght in the universities that completely ignore the contribution of African s in the discourse from ancient physics to modern physics. At the Universi ty of Zululand (Unizulu)\, there is an emergence to include the African pe rspectives in our curriculum. This is work seeks to highlight and bring to the fore several physics concepts that dates back prehistoric times and a re based on the ancient African civilisation as we know it. The theoretica l formalism that underpins those concepts is investigated as well as their applications and recorded inventions in those times. \n\nThe units and me asurements\, the first chapter in the first-year physics module at Unizulu begins with the metric system which emerged in the 1900s and ignore the i ndigenous systems that Africans or any other civilization used before then . There were already standards that called for society to measure items fo r an example to achieve fair trade. In around 500BC the concept of time wa s already a subject of measurement because of empiricism that was prevalen t as an approach to understanding proposed theories. The theory at a time that Heraclitus proposed was that the principal of change was the only bas ic law governing the universe and that everything changes. Therefore\, the role of time in the universe was being investigated.\n\nThe inclusion of African perspectives in the physics curriculum is purported to build self- esteem to an African child\, seeing her ancestors having contributed to th e body of knowledge. The underlying message is that physics is for everyo ne not for the select few.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contrib utions/9016/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9016/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Physics in Business: survival in the jungle DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T124000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T132000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9176@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Irvy (Igle) Gledhill (U. Witwatersrand)\nIn industry and in large companies\, physicists face a variety of challenges. Some ar e minor\, like the Einstein stereotype\, and some are significant\, for ex ample adapting to a hierarchy. In this talk we’ll take a look at what dr ives a company and how the drivers affect the work of the physicist. We’ ll talk about the context of research and innovation in the private sector and explore some of the contrasts between entrepreneurial tech startups\, private companies\, and science councils. There will be a quick overview of the role of project management\, types of leadership\, and change-makin g. That will lead to the links between the physicist and people in the leg al\, finance\, procurement\, and human resources arms of the company. Into this background fabric\, I will weave some of the challenges and exhilara tion that a physicist encounters in the company space and industrial time- scales\, and identify a few of the tools that might be found useful in nav igating the business jungle.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contr ibutions/9176/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9176/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Probing clustering in light nuclei through particle decay measurem ents DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T122000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9060@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Retief Neveling (iThemba LABS)\nThe concept of clust ering - that nuclei can contain sub-groups of correlated nucleons combinin g into larger structures rather than consisting simply of individual nucle ons - has become extremely important in understanding the structure of lig ht nuclei. The Hoyle state\, the second 0+ state at 7.654 MeV in 12C\, is considered the archetype of alpha cluster states in nuclei\, and its exist ence is considered to be closely tied to that of organic life\, as it is t he portal through which 12C is created in stars. While this state has been \, and remains\, the focus of numerous theoretical and experimental studie s\, some of which were performed at iThemba LABS\, the search for analogue s of the Hoyle state in the neighboring A=11 and A=13 nuclei is also of in terest. We will focus on the A=13 system\, and in particular on 13N\, whic h can be populated through a (3He\,t) reaction. The utility of particle de cay measurements from excited states in 13N in search of odd Hoyle states will be discussed.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9 060/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9060/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Division Meeting: Nuclear\, Particle and Radiation Physics DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T144000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T154000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9175@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Lindsay Donaldson (SSC Laboratory\, iThemba LABS\, F aure\, 7100\, South Africa.)\, Edward Nkadimeng (University of the Witwate rsrand)\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9175/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9175/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:High Energy Neutrons at the NRF-iThemba LABS DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9094@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Peane Maleka (iThemba LABS)\niThemba Laboratory for Accelerator Based Sciences (iThemba LABS) is a national facility of the Na tional Research Foundation (NRF) in the Republic of South Africa. Activiti es at iThemba LABS are based around a number of sub-atomic particle accele rators located at the Cape Town and Johannesburg campuses. The largest of these\, a K=200 separated sector cyclotron (SSC)\, accelerates protons to energies of 200 MeV\, and heavier particles to much higher energies. These instruments and setups provide opportunities for modern research\, advanc ed education and the production of unique radioisotopes [1]. The iThemba L ABS neutron beam experimental facility is one of the few facilities availa ble worldwide to provide quasi-monoenergetic neutron beams in the energy r ange\, 30 MeV to 200 MeV [2]. Quasi-monoenergetic neutron beams in this ra nge are produced in the neutron experimental vault via the 7Li(p\,xn) or 1 0Be(p\,xn) reactions [3] for varying thicknesses of Li and Be targets. Col limated fan beams are possible at neutron emission angles amongst others o f 0˚ and 16˚. These neutron beams at iThemba LABS have been well charact erized [4\,5]. The facility is currently designated by the National Metrol ogy Institute of South Africa as an entity responsible for providing trace ability for the medium and high-energy neutron measurements in South Afric a. Thus\, the facility is intended to support neutron physics research and metrology communities for calibrations of neutron detectors and radiation protection instruments. Cross-section measurements for neutron-induced re actions in the medium to high-energy region can also be performed.\n\nFor this contribution\, we present some of the ongoing developments and future plans of the facility.\n\n\n**References**\n\n[1] Azaiez et al. (2020). N uclear Physics News\, 30:4\n[2] Pomp et al. (2014). Radiation Protection D osimetry 161 (1-4) 62 – 66.\n[3] McMurray et al. (1993). Nuclear Instrum . and Methods in Phys. Res. A 329 217-222.\n[4] Nolte et al. (2002). Nucle ar Instrum. and Methods in Phys. Res. A 476 369 – 373.\n[5] Mosconi et a l. (2010). Radiat. Meas. 45 1342-1345.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event /239/contributions/9094/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9094/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Increasing the location rate of Positron Emission Particle Trackin g (PEPT) measurements at PEPT Cape Town DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T122000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9100@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Rayhaan Perin (University of Cape Town)\nPositron Em ission Particle Tracking (PEPT) is a non-invasive particle tracking techni que used to study particle and fluid transport in a range of applications\ , including medicine and chemical engineering. PEPT produces time-series 3 D location data\, however the output rate of locations is limited by the t iming resolution of the equipment used. At PEPT Cape Town at the Universit y of Cape Town\, the in-house positron emission tomography (PET) scanner i s a Siemens “EXACT3D” HR++ which records coincidence data to the neare st “timestamp” of 1 ms. Therefore a maximum location rate of 1 kHz is used for PEPT measurements to avoid introducing additional uncertainty to the time of each location measurement. For some applications\, this is ins ufficient to track the highest frequency components of the motion of the t racer particle. To investigate the uncertainty in the time of each locatio n\, we developed a simulation of the HR++ and moving tracer particles in G EANT4 (GEometry ANd Tracking 4) Application for Tomographic Emission (GATE ). Our results suggest a value for the uncertainty in the time measuremen t of each location and ways in which the precision of the time of each coi ncidence event can be increased. The implementation of PEPT measurements w ith higher locations rates will improve the accuracy of measurements of th e average velocity of the tracer particle\, which is especially important for tracking the fluctuating velocity components characteristic of turbule nt flows.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9100/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9100/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Low-cost methods and devices to measure the heat capacity of gases . DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T124000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T130000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8834@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Marco Mariola (University Of Kwazulu Natal)\nThe mea sure of the heat capacity of gases is one of the fundamental experiments i n scientific disciplines. Usually\, the determination of the heat capacity requires the knowledge of the speed of sound. To measure the speed of sou nd\, the classical experimental setup consists of a Knundt's tube\, one os cilloscope\, and a function generator to determine the wavelength of the w ave. While the Knundt's tube can be relatively easy to replace with Do It Yourself materials\, the function generator and the oscilloscope are still the most expensive part of the experimental setup. This experiment\, orie nted for educational purposes\, doesn't require high-level precision instr uments\, and possible alternatives to an oscilloscope and function generat ors are possible. In the presented work\, two low-budget instrument alter natives are presented.\nThe possibility to reduce the budget is an opportu nity to introduce new laboratory activities in secondary schools or a case of necessity in the tertiary institutions.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/ event/239/contributions/8834/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8834/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Modelling galactic cosmic ray drifts in the presence of a Fisk-typ e heliospheric magnetic field DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T122000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8889@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Jonathan Stephanus Troskie (NWU Centre for Space Res earch)\nDrift effects due to gradients and curvature in the heliospheric m agnetic field (HMF) have long been known to affect cosmic ray (CR) modulat ion. Thus far\, only drift effects due to the geometry of the HMF proposed by Parker (1958) have been studied. However\, several other HMF models ex ist\, including the model proposed by Fisk (1996)\, which\, notably\, has a latitudinal component. The Fisk-Parker hybrid HMF proposed by Burger & H itge (2004) assumes that the HMF is Parkerian at the poles and in the ecli ptic plane\, and Fisk-like at mid-latitudes. In this presentation\, the ef fects of the Fisk-Parker hybrid HMF on CR drifts are discussed\; these res ults show\, for the first time\, that a Fisk-type HMF results in a CR drif t velocity profile which differs significantly from what has first been de scribed for the Parker HMF by Jokipii & Thomas (1981). Furthermore\, diffe rent approaches to modelling drift due to the heliospheric current sheet a re investigated\; these include the models proposed by Burger (2012) and E ngelbrecht et al. (2019).\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contribu tions/8889/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8889/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Analysis of Frequentest Study Results in Quantifying Fake Signal G enerated in the Training of Semi-Supervised DNN Classifiers DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T132000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T134000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9052@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Benjamin Lieberman (University of Witwatersrand)\nIn searches for physics beyond the Standard Model\, BSM\, machine learning c lassifiers are used to extract signal from background processes. The use o f semi-supervised classifiers allows unlabelled signal events to be classi fied from labelled background events. This method minimises biases caused by preconceived understanding of the signal. During the training of machin e learning classifiers\, events can be misclassified. Misclassified events can take the form of fake signals which influence the extent of discovery significance in resonance searches. This study therefore measures the ext ent of fake signal generated in the training of semi-supervised DNN classi fiers using a frequentest methodology. In this study the methodology and r esults of the experiment are explored using Zɣ final state data\, at a fi xed centre of mass of 150GeV. The results quantify the extent of fake sign al generated as well as account for the probability of observing local exc esses\, elsewhere within the mass range.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/eve nt/239/contributions/9052/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9052/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Searching for Low-Mass Resonances Decaying into W Bosons DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T142000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T144000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9056@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Srimoy Bhattacharya (School of Physics and Institute for Collider Particle Physics\, University of the Witwatersrand\,Johannes burg\, Wits 2050\, South Africa)\nThe Brout Englert-Higgs boson\, discover ed at the LHC\, provided the final piece of the puzzle for the Standard Mo del (SM) of particle physics\, which has undergone extensive testing and v erification both at the precision and at the high energy frontier. However \, this does not exclude the existence of additional scalar bosons as long as their role in the breaking of the SM electroweak gauge symmetry is suf ficiently small. In fact\, searches for new resonances at the LHC\, inclu ding additional scalar bosons\, have been intensified since the Higgs boso n discovery. While the LHC experiments ATLAS and CMS did not observe unequ ivocally the production of such a new particle\, interesting hints for a n ew scalar with a mass around 95 GeV and 151 GeV arose\, as well as anomali es in multilepton final states. The latter include hints for the enhanced nonresonant production of different-flavour opposite-sign di-leptons which can be explained by the decay of a neutral scalar with a mass between 130 GeV and 170 GeV decaying into pairs of W bosons. In this study\, we recas t and combine the CMS and ATLAS analyses of the Standard Model Higgs boson decaying to a pair of W bosons in order to search for low-mass resonances in this channel. In the first part of the analysis\, we consider a new ne utral scalar S with mass $m_S$ at the LHC\, that is produced directly via gluon fusion and decays dominantly into a pair of W bosons (one of which c an be off-shell) which subsequently decay leptonically. Next\, we use a si mplified model to advocate this low mass resonances search as well as the multilepton anomalis by the decay of a neutral scalar $H$ (270 GeV) into a pair of lighter one $S$ (150 GeV) and i.e. $H \\to S S$\, as realized wit hin the 2HDM+S model.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contribution s/9056/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9056/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Feasibility Study to Search for Additional Scalars at Future $e^+ e^-$ Colliders DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T140000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T142000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9055@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Karabo Mosala (University of the Witwatersrand)\nWe presents a full simulation study of the production of a scalar ($M_{S}$) u sing $e^+ e^- \\rightarrow Z S$ at the future $e^+ e^-$ colliders. We cons ider the events in which a Scalar recoils against a $Z$ boson decaying int o a pair of muons or electrons at $\\sqrt{s} = 250$~GeV. We evaluate the s tatistical precisions of the Scalar mass $m_{S}$ measurement at the future $e^+e^-$ colliders in the $Z \\rightarrow \\mu^{+} \\\; \\mu^{-} $ channe l and provide the extension to additional $Z \\rightarrow e^{+} \\\; e^{-} $ channel. For the whole mass range\, $M_{S}= 90-200$~GeV\, the observed limit on the cross section is weaker than expected. Furthermore\, at $ \\a pprox 95$~GeV the limit is weakest and a new scalar subsequently decays le ptonically with a cross section $\\approx 0.5$ pb indistinguishable over t he Standard Model hypothesis. We use Deep Neural Network (DNN) as a machin e learning technique to provide discrimination at $\\approx 95$~GeV.\n\nht tps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9055/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9055/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Improving novice Physical Sciences teachers learning and understan ding of basic dynamics by multiple representation in physics DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8838@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mark Herbert (University of the Western Cape)\nThe D epartment of Physics and Astronomy at the University of the Western Cape p artnered with Western Cape Education Department (WCED) in their Teacher Me ntorship Programme. The role of the department in the programme is to prov ide short Continuous Education (CE) courses on different physics topics in the Physical Sciences CAPs curriculum identified by WCED. This paper repo rts on the Dynamics CE course which aims to improve novice Physical Scienc es teachers' learning and understanding of basic dynamics by multiple repr esentation in physics. The impact of the CE course on teachers' learning a nd understanding was derived from Pre-and Post-test results. In his paper the WCED Mentorship Programme and Dynamics CE course will be described and findings will be presented and discussed.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/e vent/239/contributions/8838/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8838/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Investigating the Role of Turbulence in Solar Energetic Particle T ransport DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T124000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T130000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8874@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Jaclyn Stevens (North West University)\nUnderstandin g the mechanisms behind Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) transport in the in ner heliosphere aids in the effort to develop accurate and predictive spac e weather models. \nModelling several sets of observations over different events by the Solar Orbiter\, WIND\, GOES\, and SOHO spacecraft\, at a dis tance between 0.3 - 1.0 AU\, provides transport parameters that cannot be measured or observed.\nOf these parameters\, the results for the mean-free -path of the particle are compared to theoretical estimates.\nCombining th eory\, observation\, and analytical results provides more insight into fut ure predictive models of SEP intensity.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/even t/239/contributions/8874/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8874/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Multi-fluid perturbations in $f(T)$ gravity DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T074000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8872@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Shambel Sahlu (North-West University)\nThe cosmologi cal perturbations for a multi-component cosmic medium is investigated\nin the frame-work of the modified teleparallel gravity. The evolution equatio ns of theperturbations for each component fluid are derived following the covariant and gaugeinvariant perturbations formalism. For the analysis of our results\, we consider the power-law $f(T)$ gravity toy model and study the growth of the matter density fluctuations deep in the radiation- and dust-dominated epochs. We will then highlight the effect of torsion in the formation of large-scale structure formation in the universe.\n\nhttps:// events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8872/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8872/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Kepler and Gaia DR2 views of open cluster NGC 6819 DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8876@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Getachew Mekonnen Mengistie (University of Zululand) \nIn this work we derive the distance modulus from Gaia parallaxes for Kep ler Input Catalogue (KIC) stars located within 10 arcmin in the field of N GC 6819. The mean distance modulus is used to determine probable new KIC m embers of NGC 6819 cluster. We find 7 probable KIC new astrometric distanc e members which have been previously overlooked in the literature as revea led by Gaia Data Release 2 (DR2). Of these\, one is a solar-like star (SOL R)\, one γDor star (GDOR)\, 2 rotational variables\, 1 eclipsing binary a nd 2 unknown types. There is no significant difference in the mean distanc e modulus when probable new astrometric members are included in deriving t he mean distance modulus.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contribu tions/8876/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8876/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Health Risk Assessment of Toxic Heavy Metals in Irrigation Water\, Rustenburg DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9046@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Peter Oluwadamilare Olagbaju (North West University\ , South Africa)\nSeveral water sources and their state in Africa are a maj or concern due to mining\, industrial\, and other anthropogenic sources. W ater is essential to life and healthy living\, and also serves as home to various species of household edible fishes. Unfortunately\, its contaminat ion has led to significant deaths resulting from diseases associated with the consumption of contaminated water. Globally\, toxic heavy metals are a mong the numerous contaminants associated with water pollution. In this st udy\, toxic heavy metal concentration in irrigation water used in Rustenbu rg was measured using inductively coupled plasma-mass-spectrometry\, and i ts associated carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks were assessed . The measured concentration of toxic heavy metals in sampled water ranges from ND (not detected) to 1.20×10-04\, 1.00×10-05 to 4.00×10-04\, ND t o 1.24×10-02\, 1.20×10-04 to 1.84×10-02\, ND to 5.47×10-02\, 1.30×10- 04 to 2.75×10-02\, and ND to 1.12×10-01 for Cd\, Pb\, Zn\, Cu\, Ni\, Co\ , and Fe respectively\, with mean values of 6.24×10-05\, 2.33×10-04\, 4. 15×10-03\, 8.68×10-03\, 3.37×10-03\, 3.33×10-03\, and 5.99×10-02. Non -carcinogenic risk resulting from dermal contact and ingestion of toxic he avy metals in water for adults and children shows no apparent risk to expo sed populations because hazard quotient and hazard index values are less t han 1. Estimated carcinogenic risk due to dermal contact and ingestion of toxic heavy metals were also less than 10-6\, indicating negligible carcin ogenic risk\, thus making the sampled water safe for agricultural and dome stic use for dwellers.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributio ns/9046/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9046/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The Decline and Fall of Nuclear β- and γ-Vibrations DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9078@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: John SHARPEY-SCHAFER (UniZulu)\nThe conjecture of Bo hr and Mottelson that the lowest Kπ = 0+ and Kπ = 2+ rotational bands in deformed nuclei could be identified as “vibrations” of the quadrupole shape\, turns out to be fallacious. \nThe vast amount of current experime ntal data shows that the Kπ = 0+ rotational bands are 2p-2h states and th at the Kπ = 2+ rotational bands are due to the energy being lowered by th e nucleus favouring triaxiality and rotating about its intermediate axis.\ nThe experimental data mitigates against current\, but still fashionable\, nuclear models such as the Interacting Boson Model (IBM) and interpretati ons involving phonon excitations.\nIt is significant that the deformed mea n-field and single particle behaviour is valid all the way up to fission.\ n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9078/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9078/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Management of High-Level Radioactive Waste in South Africa DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9081@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Suzan Bvumbi (National Radioactive Waste Disposal In stitute)\nThe National Radioactive Waste Disposal Institute (NRWDI) is man dated by both the NRWDI Act No.53 of 2008 and the South African Radioactiv e Waste (Radwaste) Management Policy and Strategy (RWMPS) of 2005 to natio nally manage the storage and disposal of all classes of radioactive waste. The disposal of Radwaste in stable geological repositories has been recog nised as the ultimate world best practice solution and an endpoint for rad ioactive waste containment and separation from the biosphere. The key issu e is that Radwaste is perceived by the public as a danger to society and t he environment. The management of High-level Waste (HLW)\, and particularl y Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) from Nuclear Reactors still poses a fundamental challenge to the environment mainly due to the presence of long-lived rad ionuclides like Uranium\, Plutonium\, and various actinides contained in S NF and associated HLW. We report here on methods and techniques employed t o manage HLW and SNF in South Africa as SNF is largely viewed as both a re source and a waste.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/ 9081/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9081/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Measurement of the top quark Yukawa coupling from tt kinematic dis tributions in the dilepton final state DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T122000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9054@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Cameron Garvey ()\nAn extraction of the top quark Yu kawa coupling (Y$_{t}$) from top quark pair production in the dilepton fin al state using proton-proton collisions recorded by the ATLAS experiment d uring LHC run 2 & 3 is presented. Corrections from a Higgs boson exchange between the top quark and top anti-quark can produce large modifications t o differential distributions near the energy threshold of $t\\bar{t}$ prod uction. The kinematic distributions sensitive to these modifications are t he invariant mass (m$_{tt}$) of the $t\\bar{t}$ system and the rapidity di fference ($\\Delta$y$_{t\\bar{t}}$) between the top quarks. This analysis aims to constrain Y$_{t}$ indirectly using the kinematic distributions of $t\\bar{t}$ pair events using the dilepton final states of ee\, $\\mu\\mu$ and e$\\mu$ channels.\n\nIn this talk\, the current status of the analysi s will be presented\, as well as future plans. An event selection scheme h as been implemented to optimally select for $t\\bar{t}$ events while suppr essing background contributions. Although it is possible to reconstruct to p quarks\, this would introduce large resolution effects and additional sy stematic uncertainties due to the sensitivity to the reconstruction of the missing transverse momentum. As a result\, the kinematic distributions ar e based on proxy observables that are sensitive to Y$_{t}$\, namely the m$ _{tt}$ and $\\Delta$y$_{t\\bar{t}}$. These proxy observables are construct ed using the two leptons and the two b-tagged jets. A profile likelihood f it is then implemented to extract a blinded estimation of Y$_{t}$ using As imov data including a limited set of systematic uncertainties.\n\nhttps:// events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9054/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9054/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Recent Progress in the South African contribution to the ATLAS Til e Calorimeter Phase-II Upgrade at CERN DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T130000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T132000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9093@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Edward Nkadimeng (University of the Witwatersrand)\n The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN is a cornerstone of modern particl e physics research\, and the ATLAS experiment is one of the largest and mo st complex detectors at the LHC. The upcoming Phase-II Upgrade of the ATLA S detector presents a major opportunity for advancing our understanding of the fundamental properties of matter and the universe. South African inst itutions are playing a key role in the Phase-II Upgrade of the ATLAS Tile Calorimeter\, with contributions to both on-detector and off-detector elec tronics. South African institutions are contributing significantly to the Phase-II Upgrade of the Tile Calorimeter at the LHC\, with 50% of the prod uction of the Low Voltage Power Supply Bricks (LVPS) and 24% of the produc tion of the Tile Preprocessor (PPr) being fully manufactured and tested in South Africa. This talk will provide an overview of the South African con tribution to the Phase-II Upgrade of the ATLAS Tile Calorimeter\, includin g the design\, manufacturing\, and testing of the LVPS bricks and PPr boar ds\, as well as the benefits to South African students and researchers inv olved in the project.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contribution s/9093/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9093/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Probing the parameter space of Scale Invariant Scotogenic Model at the LHC DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9057@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mukesh Kumar (University of the Witwatersrand)\nIn t his talk we explore the scale invariant (SI) scotogenic model in the conte xt of anomalies observed in various multi-leptonic final states at the Lar ge Hadron Collider (LHC). This model is vary well known to accommodate dar k matter (DM) requirements in association with scalar sector. In a classic ally SI framework this model is also motivated by neutrino mass and DM. Th is model is an extension of the standard model (SM) by a real singlet\, an inert scalar doublet and three Majorana singlet fermions. And hence a lar ge parameter space with neutral and charged scalars in association with he avy neutrinos allows various production and decay modes in leptonic final states with missing energy. We use this model to search beyond the SM reso nance(s) compatible with observed signal(s) in the scalar sector at the LH C.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9057/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9057/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Analysis of Trace Elements in Some Traditional Medicinal Plants an d Developing Nuclear Forensic Signature DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T074000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9086@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Yihunie H. Asres (North West University (Mafikeng)\, postdoctoral research fellow at CARST)\nMedicinal plants are the most sen sitive factors that show the interaction between human activities and the ecological environment.The aim of this study is developing the therapeutic trace elements and nuclear forensic signature in medicinal plants of East Gojjam using nuclear techniques as tools. The samples from medicinal plan ts were accurately weighed and transfered into the irradiation as well as digestion vessel\, and introduced into a nuclear reactor and inductively c oupled plasma mass spectrometry.Then the induced activities of the radionu clides were counted by calibrated detector. The results were discussed wit h careful references (NIST 81 materials) to establish role of essential el ements in the physiology and patholgy of human life. The data obtained on the elemental concentration of the medicinal plants will be useful in deci ding the dosage of the traditional drugs prepared from these medicinal pla nts. Nuclear forensics involves the interpretation of elemental contents ( Na\, K\, Mn\, Fe\, Co\, Zn\, Se\, Br\, La\, Sm\,As and Eu) of medicinal pl ants and will accquire understanding of production of radioactive isotopes by irradiation\, detection and identification methods. Lead isotope ratio s (204Pb/206Pb\, 208Pb/206Pb and 207Pb/206Pb) and Rare Earth Elements (REE ) also show significant spatio-temporal variability along the study areas. The traditional knowledge of plants for medicinal purpose has been passed from generation to generation orally.The present research work will be hel pful to traditional doctors\, scholars\, budding students and scientists t o share their research findings with the global experts in the areas of tr aditional medicines.\nKeywords: inter-elemental correlations\, traditional doctors\, indigenous use\, rural areas\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/even t/239/contributions/9086/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9086/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Update on the multi-lepton anomalies and scalar candidates at the LHC DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9062@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Bruce Mellado (University of the Witwatersrand)\, Sa lah-eddine Dahbi (University of Wits)\nIn this presentation we give an upd ate of the multi-lepton (electrons and muons) anomalies at the LHC is giv en. These include the excess production of opposite sign leptons with and without b- quarks\, including a corner of the phase-space with a full hadr onic jet veto\; same sign leptons with and without b-quarks\; three lepton s with and without b-quarks\, including also the presence of a Z. The inte rnal consistency of these anomalies and their interpretation in the framew ork of a simplified model are presented\, where the inconsistency of the d ata with the SM is more than 8σ. The simplified model includes a singlet scalar S with a mass in the range 130-170 GeV produced from the decay of a heavier new scalar H\, leading to di-boson signatures. Motivated by this\ , a search for narrow resonances with S→γγ\, Zγ in association with l ight jets\, b-jets or missing transverse energy is performed. A narrow exc ess is found at 151.5 GeV with a global significance exceeding 5 sigma\, i ncluding recent results from the LHC experiments. The connection with the 96 GeV candidate is also discussed.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/23 9/contributions/9062/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9062/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:$W$-boson mass in beyond the standard model DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T100000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T102000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9058@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Anza-Tshilidzi Mulaudzi (University of the Witwaters rand)\nFollowing a discussion on $W$-boson mass observed at the CDF and AT LAS\, we explore the parameter space allowed in 2HDM+$S$ model. Further th e model parameter space are constrained through vector-like leptons via mu on g-2 dataset. We show our results for additional scalar mass fixed to $m _S \\approx 96$ and $150$ GeV keeping the standard Higgs-boson mass at 125 GeV in all four types of 2HDM+$S$ model. The chosen mass of the singlet s calar is motivated by the excesses seen at the CMS and ATLAS data in proto n-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider.\n\nhttps://events.saip.o rg.za/event/239/contributions/9058/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9058/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Quasinormal modes calculated with physics-informed neural networks DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T122000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8847@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Anele Ncube (University of Johannesburg)\nThe litera ture on the computation of black hole quasinormal modes (QNMs) is replete with the adoption of various approximation methods to solve the "quasi-Stu rm Liouville" type problems governing the damped oscillations that dominat e the ringdown phase of the time-evolving signal produced by perturbed bla ck holes. Among the newest techniques is the physics-informed neural netwo rk (PINN) algorithm\, a machine learning-based\, general-purpose different ial equation solver that has recently been implemented successfully to com pute the QNMs of Kerr black holes perturbed by gravitational fields (of sp in-weight\, $s = -2$ ). Considering the recent work showing the significan ce of QNM overtones early in the gravitational wave signal (just following the peak strain amplitude)\, we utilise PINNs to compute QNM frequencies associated with overtone numbers $n > 0$ and the dominant $\\ell = m = 2$ harmonic. The performance of PINNs is then compared with extant approxima tion methods for QNM computation.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/ contributions/8847/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8847/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Viscous cosmological fluids and large-scale structures DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T130000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T132000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8850@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: BONANG GEORGE MBEWE (NORTH WEST UNIVERSITY)\nIn this work\, we present cosmological implications of viscous fluids vis-a-vis b ackground expansion history and large-scale structure formation. The const rained cosmological and fluid parameters which are consistent with availab le data will first be provided\, followed by the study of the growth of ma tter density fluctuations through the covariant cosmological perturbations formalism. Our preliminary results show the significance of viscosity in the formation of the large-scale structures we observe today.\n\nhttps://e vents.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8850/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8850/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Quantum black holes and holography DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T124000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T130000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8853@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sam van Leuven (University of the Witwatersrand)\nIt is often said that Einstein's theory of gravity (GR) and quantum field th eory (QFT) are incompatible. I will present an argument for this claim bas ed on thermodynamic properties of black holes in asymptotically flat space time. Applying similar reasoning in anti-de Sitter spacetime suggests that in this case the theory of gravity in D dimensions could be compatible wi th a quantum field theory\, albeit one that lives in D-1 dimensions! This is a manifestation of the concept of holography\, a promising route to a q uantum theory of gravity. After a brief introduction to its realization in string theory\, known as the AdS/CFT correspondence\, I will discuss how this framework provides a quantum statistical framework to understand blac k hole entropy. Finally\, I will discuss how recent work of me and my coll aborators extends these successes in new directions. In our work\, excitin g new generalizations of modular forms play a key role. \nThe talk is aime d at a general audience and will assume only a basic familiarity with conc epts in GR and QFT.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/ 8853/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8853/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:ROLE OF NUCLEAR INTERACTIONS ON THE GROUND-STATE STRUCTURE OF HELI UM-6 THREE-BODY SYSTEM DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135600Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135700Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8855@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mahabe Mahatikele (UNISA)\nIn the study of three-bo dy weakly-bound systems\, a three-body interaction is always introduced to take care of the dynamics that cannot be accounted for by two-body intera ctions. In order to get some insight into these dynamics\, in this present ation\, we study the relevance of the three-body interaction as the number of neutrons in the three-body system increases\, considering helium-6. It is found that by removing this interaction from the structure of the syst em\, the ground-state binding energy of the helium-6 system drops by appro ximately 80%. This shows that the three-body interaction plays a significa nt role in the dynamics of a three-body weakly-bound neutron-rich system.\ n\n**Keywords**: Three-body system\, Three-body interaction\, Binding ener gy.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8855/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8855/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Mechanism of lithium and magnesium oxides (LixOx and MgxOx) adsorp tion onto pristine graphene: Density functional theory approach DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140900Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T141000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8860@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: M MATLOGA ()\nWe computationally investigated the ad sorption behaviour of lithium oxides (LixOx) and magnesium oxides (MgxOx) onto pristine graphene during oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for lithium air batteries operation using density functional theory (DFT). We proposed various pathways and studied different adsorption configurations in each system\, comprising the O2\, Li\, and Mg as ORR reactants and the LiO2\, M gO2\, Li2O2 and Mg2O2 as ORR products. Mg atom weakly adsorbed onto graph ene with an adsorption energy of (-0.035 eV to -0.043 eV)\, followed by O2 molecule (-0.101 eV to -0.134 eV) moreover Li atom adsorbed strongly with an adsorption energy of (-0.985 eV to -1.296 eV). The ORR product MgO2 ad sorbed strongly with an adsorption energy of(-1.536 eV) than other reactio n products LiO2\, Li2O2 and Mg2O2 with their calculated adsorption energie s of (+0.768 eV\, -0.535 eV and -0.879 eV) respectively onto graphene. las tly the electronic properties (TDOS and PDOS) were calculated to understan d their electronic behaviour.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/cont ributions/8860/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8860/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Towards a Century of Physics in South Africa: Achievements and Adv ances DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T142100Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T142200Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8842@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Aluwani Guga (Nelson Mandela University )\, Shanduka ni Muronga (Nelson Mandela University/NITheCS )\, Sunday Ogundipe (Nels on Mandela University )\nSouth African physics dates back to 1751 when Nic holas Louis de Lacaille made significant astronomical observations of the southern sky at the Cape of Good Hope. Also\, at Cape Town's Royal Observa tory\, John Herschel began investigating double stars\, clusters\, and neb ulae between 1834 and 1838. In the second half of the 19th century\, geoma gnetic and surveying work was introduced\, and several universities and co lleges were established. Following the establishment of the mining industr y in the early 20th century\, physics research in several universities in the country gained popularity.\n In 1923\, South Africa became a founding member country of the IUPAP\, bringing physics to international prominence . South Africa has witnessed tremendous growth in physics\, including inte rnational collaborations\, research institutes\, infrastructures\, facilit ies\, scientific innovations\, discoveries\, and inventions. In this study \, we present an overview of the significant achievements and innovations made by South African physicists between 1920 and the current century as a result of the study of physics.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/c ontributions/8842/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8842/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Studying the other 95 %: free-choice learning evaluation for Physi cs. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T142000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T144000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8828@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Derek Fish (University of Zululand)\nFor tens\, if n ot hundreds of thousands of years\, learning was widely understood to be a n everyday occurrence\, something people did to support their needs and in terests. In this world\, most people\, most of the time\, controlled their own learning. Learning was active\, supported by observing others\, doing and practicing. Learning happened in pairs or in small groups typically s upported by peers and skilled practitioners. Importantly\, evidence of “ successful learning” was not something judged by others but something de monstrated through competent actions and deeds in real life. This natural\ , choice-driven form of learning is what is called free-choice learning.\n \nThen\, roughly 150 years ago everything changed. Learning became increas ingly thought of as something that only happened in schools. Learning came to be seen as an institutionalized and “professionalized” process\, i nitiated and directed by experts. To say the word learning to someone conj ured up ideas of a passive and mass-produced kind of activity where inform ation was transmitted to large groups of “students” through lectures a nd textbooks\, where the goal was passing tests rather than having the kno wledge\, skills and habits of mind necessary for solving real life problem s.\n\nOver the next 50 years we will be going back to the future! As the p ublic’s need to learn expands\, so too will the public’s perceptions o f what it means to learn. Freed from the tyranny of equating learning with schooling\, the public will find themselves engaged in an ever increasing array of free-choice learning experiences across an ever-wider array of p latforms. Already\, most people learn most of what they need and want to k now through free-choice learning. Every year\, schools and universities pr ovide a smaller and smaller fraction of the public’s true education.\n\n Only 5% of our lifetime learning takes place inside the classroom\, lectur e hall or laboratory. For over three decades the Institute for Learning In novation (ILI) has studied the other 95 %:- investigating learning\, learn ers and their various motivations. Dr John Falk has led this free-choice l earning research in the ILI and worldwide for over 50 years. Dr Derek Fish is currently spending a year working with Dr Falk and the ILI on a Fulbri ght Scholarship.\n\nThe “Physics Education” track has changed over the years and now covers “Physics for Development\, Education and Outreach. ” While the traditional tools of Physics Education Research (PER) are we ll known to this group\, development and outreach take place outside the c lassroom and cannot be evaluated in the same way. Dr Falk and Dr Fish will share the tools and practices of evaluating free-choice learning activiti es which will assist participants in this Track in broadening their horizo ns from Physics for Education only to Physics for Development\, Education and Outreach.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8828/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8828/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Black holes and nilmanifolds DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8844@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Alan Cornell (University of Johannesburg)\nWe invest igate whether quasinormal modes can be used in the search for signatures o f extra dimensions. To address a gap in the literature\, we focus on negat ive Ricci curvature extra dimensional spacetimes. Starting with a product space comprised of a four-dimensional Schwarzschild space-time and a 3-dim ensional nilmanifold\, we study the scalar perturbations. The geometry can be characterised as the effective potential of a squared mass-like term. We then compute the corresponding quasinormal frequency spectrum and deter mine constraints on this possible extra-dimensional observable from gravit ational-wave considerations.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contr ibutions/8844/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8844/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:How to be an orthodox quantum mechanic DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8843@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Geoff Beck (University of Witwatersrand)\nQuantum me chanics\, like any scientific theory\, has a prevailing orthodoxy for its interpretation. However\, due to the abstract nature of the formalism\, in terpretation of quantum theories is especially contentious. In this work w e attempt to quantify the quantum orthodoxy via a systematic survey of pop ular graduate and undergraduate textbooks on the subject. In so doing\, we determine the fundamental epistemic and ontological commitments that form the bedrock of the modern orthodoxy. We then examine how these commitment s are linked to several open problems in quantum foundations.\n\nhttps://e vents.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8843/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8843/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Biogas upgrading and bottling DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8833@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Yolanda Mapantsela ()\nABSTRACT\nThe production of b iogas in South Africa is gaining popularity as a sustainable solution to w aste management and energy production. However\, the biogas produced from organic waste needs to be upgraded biomethane to meet the required specifi cations for use as fuel for road transport\, electricity generation\, and or for injection into the national gas grid. Biogas is a renewable energy fuel that is produced from the anaerobic digestion of organic matter\, suc h as agricultural waste\, food waste\, sewage sludge\, and other organic m aterials. It is a mixture of gases\, mainly methane and carbon dioxide wit h small amounts of other gases such as hydrogen\, nitrogen\, and hydrogen sulfide. Biogas can be purified to meet natural gas quality standards. The commercial upgrading and purification technologies of biogas exist in the world for large-scale biogas plants. However\, there are no such commerci al purification technologies available for small-scale biogas digesters\, mainly found in rural communities.\nThis research aims to provide an overv iew of the potential of biogas upgrading\, purification\, and bottling in South Africa. It highlights the challenges faced by the country on biogas upgrading and discusses potential solutions to accelerate the development of biogas upgrading\, purification\, and bottling system. A portable biog as digester with a portable upgrading\, purification\, and bottling system is also designed in this research.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/23 9/contributions/8833/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8833/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Galactic transients discovered in the MeerTRAP real-time\, commens al single pulse search with MeerKAT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8882@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mechiel Bezuidenhout (North-West University)\nMeerTR AP is a European Research Council funded search for fast radio transients with MeerKAT. The project uses a custom backend at the telescope that oper ates commensally with the MeerKAT Large Survey Projects (LSPs)\, collectin g voltages from the antennas to form hundreds of beams on sky. These beams are continuously searched for millisecond-duration pulses from fast radio transients such as pulsars\, magnetars\, Rotating Radio Transients (RRATs ) and Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs). In over three years of continuous operatin g we have amassed thousands of hours on-sky and discovered over 100 new ra dio transients. In this talk I give an overview of the dozens of transient s we have discovered within the Galaxy\, the follow-up science we have don e on them\, and their implications for the broader transient population.\n \nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8882/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8882/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Intentional design of learning material for high school physics te aching based on physics education research DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T140000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T142000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8832@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Jennifer Williams (Rhodes University)\nThis paper ou tlines a structured and intentional approach to the development of learnin g material for high school physics teaching. This approach is informed by the theory of cognitive apprenticeship and an understanding of cognitive load. The use of worked examples and multiple representations is also pro moted. A list of the features that are important in learning material is provided\, based on evidence from literature. This may be particularly us eful to teachers designing learning material for the first time or for tho se interested in an approach to material development which is based on Phy sics Education Research.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contribut ions/8832/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8832/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Educational device for Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T150000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T152000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8835@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Marco Mariola (University Of Kwazulu Natal)\nElectro chemical impedance spectroscopy is a method to investigate the properties of materials. The technique consists of sending an electrical stimulus int o the material or solution\, through two electrodes\, and simultaneously m easuring the impedance of the substance by varying the frequency. Once the impedance characterization is performed\, the data are used to find the e quivalent electric circuit of the examined material. In this work\, an alt ernative device to commercial equipment is presented\, in order to make it available to students for laboratory activities. The teaching-oriented pr oject does not claim to create more precise and performing instruments ava ilable on the market. Still\, the project aims to familiarize the student with the field of study.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contribut ions/8835/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8835/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The role of Physics in sustainable development DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T142000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T142100Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8841@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Aluwani Guga (Nelson Mandela University/NITheCS)\, S unday Ogundipe (Nelson Mandela University/NITheCS )\, Yondela Mdlatu (Nel son Mandela University/NITheCS )\nDuring the United Nations General Assemb ly in September 2015\, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were ap proved\, and to achieve these goals\, we must work as a team. All of these SDGs require a basic knowledge of the sciences in order to be achieved. I n order to ensure a world that is balanced\, sustainable\, and inclusive\, the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development 2022 will be an important moment for mobilization to convince economic and pol itical leaders\, as well as every citizen\, that Basic Sciences are vital to securing a sustainable\, balanced world. There is a fundamental need fo r a fundamental understanding of both natural phenomena and those generate d by human imagination and organization in order to implement Agenda 2030. Having a fundamental understanding of nature will enable all interested p arties to perform actions more effectively for the benefit of all. Herein we report on how physics contributes to sustainable development goals. Aim ing to improve the well-being of both people and the planet while ensuring sustainable use of natural resources.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event /239/contributions/8841/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8841/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:First year mainstream physics students’ conceptions about Kinema tics position and displacement concepts DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T122000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8837@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mark Herbert (University of the Western Cape)\nMost first year mainstream physics students of the Department of Physics and As tronomy at the University of the Western Cape generally have difficulty so lving problems about Kinematics position and displacement concepts. After the COVID -19 the problems seem to have gotten worse. This paper aims to t ell the student's conception of the position and displacement in physics l earning. The students' conceptions were derived from test results. The tes ts and findings will be presented and discussed in this paper.\n\nhttps:// events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8837/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8837/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Wave Mechanics for Dissipative Classical Systems DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8857@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sekhants'o Lara (National University of Lesotho)\nDi ssipative systems are among the most interesting and challenging systems t o study in physics. For instance\, they require non-standard (i.e. complex ) Lagrangians which include velocity-dependent potentials coupling the sys tem of interest to another system (i.e. the environment). That is\, a diss ipative system can be thought of as a system that is coupled to another sy stem. As such\, studying this kind of system can only be complete if both (coupled) system units are studied together. This paper considered such a dissipative system and demonstrated a derivation of a wave equation govern ing its dynamics. Comparing the resulting wave equation to Schroedinger’ s wave equation proved Schrodinger’s wave equation as a special case of the derived wave equation. A classical RLC circuit was modeled and analyze d within the framework of the derived wave equation and the resulting meas urement loading was compared (at least conceptually) to the quantum measur ement back-action. The paper then drew some inferences and speculated on t he possibility of a quantum particle being interpreted as a dissipative pa rticle coupled to its image (i.e. identical partner) particle in the dual space\; that is\, more like a self-interacting particle.\n\nhttps://events .saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8857/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8857/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Quasinormal excitation factors in the eikonal regime DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T122000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8848@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Anna Chrysostomou (University of Johannesburg)\nIn t he wake of a perturbation\, a black hole will radiate gravitational waves (GWs). After an initial response to the external stimulus\, the GW spectru m of the perturbed black hole is dominated by a discrete set of complex qu asinormal frequencies (QNFs) whose values depend exclusively on the charac teristic black hole properties of mass\, spin\, and charge. For this reaso n\, quasinormal modes (QNMs) have become ubiquitous in black hole studies\ ; they have come to play a prominent role in the description of astrophysi cal black hole merger events\, tests of numerical relativity\, and a possi ble link between gravitation and quantum mechanics. With the advent of GW astronomy\, we now have the opportunity to test theoretical and numerical QNM models against GW data. In this talk\, I shall discuss an asymptotic e xpansion method that exploits a geometrical interpretation of QNMs to comp ute the QNFs of spherically-symmetric black hole space-times. This method can be extended to the computation of QNM wavefunctions\, and the "quasino rmal mode excitation factor" (QNEF): a quantitative measure of the detecta bility of the QNMs that is intrinsic to the black hole source. I shall des cribe how we refine and extend this method\, and provide examples of how Q NEFs manifest in different space-times.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/even t/239/contributions/8848/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8848/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Topological Edge States in 2D Su–Schrieffer–Heeger Models DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8849@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Chani van Niekerk (University of Johannesburg)\nTopo logical behaviour in optical systems and low dimensional materials has bee n studied widely over the last several years. In materials topological sta tes are of special interest as they promise to exhibit protected conductin g surface states in otherwise insulating systems. The protection here refe rs to any symmetry-preserving perturbation to the system.\nFor rectangular lattices the 2D Su–Schrieffer–Heeger (SSH) model is a common choice for materials with particle-hole and chiral symmetries. In two-dimensional materials specifically topologically protected corner and edge states can occur. Edge states are usually identified with some weak notion of topolo gy\, but they are more interesting for applications needing to drive some surface current.\nWe present here the standard SSH model as well as a new extended SSH model including second-nearest-neighbour (SNN) interaction. F or these models the characteristic topological phases are presented. The s tandard SSH model presents phases with corner as well as edge states. The zero energy corner state is suppressed in semi-periodic configurations all owing for the edge state to be the lowest energy state. We further show th e influence of symmetry-breaking SNN interactions. These leave the edge st ates virtually unchanged\, but shift and deform the bulk bands\, allowing us the engineer a desired band structure and topological state.\n\nhttps:/ /events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8849/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8849/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Deep Inelastic Scattering in Nuclear Collisions DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T132000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T134000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8862@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: William Horowitz (University of Cape Town)\nDeep ine lastic scattering (DIS) is a key measurement in nuclear physics. One of t he massive advantages of DIS is that powerful mathematical theorems--known as factorization--have been proven. We discuss the application of these theorems and effective field theory to collisions between electrons and pr otons and the potential extension of these theorems to collisions between electrons and nuclei\, which will be relevant at the future eRHIC facility .\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8862/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8862/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Numerical simulations of the evolution of Astrospheres in the diff erent interstellar conditions DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8893@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Douglas Velile Moyeni (North West University)\nAstro spheres are bullet-shaped structures formed by the motion of stars through the interstellar medium. This study analyse the impact of the star's outf low parameters\, including density\, temperature\, and magnetic field\, on the evolution of the astrosphere using hydrodynamic and magnetohydrodynam ical models. The analysis focuses on the compression ratio\, velocity and width of the bow shock (outer shell). Hence\, the analysis showed that the interstellar medium density affects the astrospheric structure\, while th e ISM magnetic field can either expand or compress the astrosphere's outer structure. This study also considers various other parameters\, such as t he time taken to form an astrosphere structure\, the effect of the ISM tem perature\, the mass loss rate\, the velocity outflow\, and cooling. The re sults highlight the complex nature of astrospheres and their evolution\, a nd provide a better understanding of these fascinating structures.\n\nhttp s://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8893/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8893/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Quantum Field Theories in Finite Systems DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T122000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8861@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Jean Du Plessis (University of Cape Town)\nWe are in terested in the effect of finite system size corrections to the QCD equati on of state in heavy-ion collisions\, to better understand the apparent fo rmation of Quark Gluon Plasma in proton-nucleus and even proton-proton col lisions. To do so\, we need to build up the necessary understanding of Qua ntum Field Theories(QFTs) in finite systems.\n\nTo this end we derived for the first time the finite system size corrections to NLO $2\\to2$ scatter ing in a scalar toy model (massive $\\phi^4$ theory). In order to aid in t his derivation we needed to develop multiple novel techniques\, including denominator regularization\, and an analytic continuation of the generaliz ed Epstein Zeta function\, and a direct generalization of a formula origin ally proposed by Ramanujan.\n\nIn this talk I discuss this derivation and more importantly the techniques developed\, which we expect to be useful i n the further study of finite system size corrections to QFTs. I will furt her discuss the numerical results for the derived scattering amplitude\, a s well as what it means for future investigations\, including some observa tions about geometry-induced bound states.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/e vent/239/contributions/8861/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8861/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Searching for pulsars and FRBs in an extragalactic source with Mee rKAT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8885@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Heinrich Hurter ()\nPulsars\, the aftermath of core- collapse supernovae\, rotate rapidly and have immense magnetic fields. The se characteristics lead to broad-band radio emission. The radio pulses are believed to be emitted above the pulsar’s magnetic polar caps. The Meer KAT radio telescope\, which is situated in Carnarvon in the Northern Cape\ , South Africa\, is ideally suited to discover new pulsars due to it being located in a radio-quiet area with minimal radio interference\, and its e xcellent sensitivity. Our project is part of the Transient and Pulsars wit h MeerKAT (TRAPUM) survey project\, which aims to discover new pulsars and transient events. We investigated seven potential extragalactic sources\, focusing on their stellar population\, star-formation rates\, and masses. We then chose the most promising galaxy (NGC253) for observation by MeerK AT. An upper limit has been set on pulsar emission from this galaxy. We wi ll discuss the selection criteria\, search methods\, upper limit\, and fut ure prospects in this presentation.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/23 9/contributions/8885/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8885/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Theory and Phenomenology of Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135600Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8854@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Amogelang Moeng (University of Johannesburg)\nIn hig h-energy physics\, the study of the Theory and Phenomenology of Relativist ic Heavy-Ion Collisions examines how atomic nuclei behave when they collid e at exceedingly fast speeds\, nearly at the speed of light. These collisi ons produce rich observable signatures that can provide insight into the p roperties of quark-gluon plasmas (QGPs)\, a state of matter believed to ex ist at high temperatures and densities. This study will focus on understan ding the various stages of Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions (RHIC)\, as w ell as the signatures associated with some of the stages. One of the key s ignatures of QGP formation is the suppression of J/𝜓 mesons\, the bound states of charmed and anti-charmed quarks. This suppression is based on t he strong forces between quarks and antiquarks being screened by the hot a nd dense medium produced by the collisions. The degree of J/𝜓 suppressi on can provide information about the temperature and density of the QGP. T he increase in strangeness production is another key indicator of QGP form ation. Strangeness is a characteristic of a few subatomic particles\, incl uding the strange quark\, and it is not preserved in strong interactions. In QGP\, the presence of many strange quarks and antiquarks is thought to increase the abundance of strange particles. \n\nOverall\, the research on these signatures of heavy ion collisions sheds light and provides importa nt insights into the properties of QGPs and how matter behaves in extreme conditions. Furthermore\, the study will review on how recent high energy heavy ion experiments at RHIC and LHC are consistent with the production o f the quark gluon plasma in high energy Pb+Pb collisions.\n\nhttps://event s.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8854/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8854/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Equation of state and the Casimir effect in non-Abelian gauge theo ry on the lattice DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T122000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8865@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Blessed Arthur Ngwenya (University of Cape Town)\nWe present a study of the equation of state in finite-temperature non-Abelia n gauge theory for isotropic and anisotropic lattices\, where the temperat ure $T$ is varied by changing the temporal lattice size $N_t$ at fixed lat tice scale $a$. We compute the trace anomaly and the corresponding pressur e/energy density and show the lattice spacing\, as well as the volume depe ndence\, with the corresponding the jackknife statistical error analysis. We also present results of the Casimir potential and the Casimir mass in $ SU(2)$ at zero-temperature in $(2+1)$ spacetime dimensions\, studied throu gh the introduction of two parallel chmomoelectric wires separated by a di stance $R$ on the lattice plaquettes. We show that the attractive Casimir interaction varies exponentially with the distance between the wires and i s damped at large separation between the wires.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org .za/event/239/contributions/8865/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8865/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Studying the dependence of observables on the impact parameter (b) in Pb+Pb High Energy Heavy-Ion collision particle multiplicity from the m icroscopic model (UrQMD) at Elab = 300 AGeV. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8859@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Thendo Emmanuel Nemakhavhani (University of Johannes burg)\nThe impact parameter dependence (b = 0 – 19%) of different meson and baryon species at central rapidity and particle ratios in Pb+Pb was st udied employing High Energy Heavy-Ion collisions at an incident kinetic be am energy (lab frame) of Eelb = 300 AGeV for a duration of t = 400 fm/c. T he Pb+Pb reaction was simulated from the Ultra-relativistic Quantum Molecu lar Dynamics model (UrQMD). We employed the particle ratios technique to d istinguish between hadronic cascade and hydrodynamical models\, incorporat ing a QGP phase transition. The study will give an insight into the behavi ors of particle production at different impact parameters leading to chemi cal freezeout and thermal equilibrium. This will open more windows when it comes to a better understanding of the phase transition of the hadron gas for different High Energy Heavy-ion collision systems. We report here on the results at central rapidity and above the saturation time\, at a rando mly chosen time of t = 380 fm/c\, and also the particle ratio as a functio n of impact parameter at a different time t for both meson and baryon spec ies.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8859/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8859/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Operations of the ATLAS Hadronic Tile-Calorimeter DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T124000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T130000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8887@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Ryan Mckenzie (University Of the Witwatersrand)\nThe Tile Calorimeter (TileCal) is a sampling hadronic calorimeter covering th e\ncentral region of the ATLAS detector. The TileCal provides important in formation\nfor reconstruction of hadrons\, jets\, hadronic decays of tau l eptons\, missing\ntransverse energy and assists in muon identification. Th e annual operation of the\nTileCal follows that of the ATLAS detector and by extension the Large Hadron\nCollider (LHC). The LHC schedule is segment ed into discrete periods defined and\nagreed upon by the LHC and the exper iments located along its circumference.\nThis talk will present the activi ties of the TileCal collaboration that took place from\nlast period of phy sics data taking in 2022 up until the first stable beams in 2023.\nA chron ological approach will be used to provide insight into the operation of th e\nTileCal with key milestones such as the Year-End Technical Stop\, detec tor\ncalibration\, detector commissioning\, dedicated tests\, beam splash events and the\nfirst stable beam collisions being covered.\n\nhttps://eve nts.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8887/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8887/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Short path length corrections to pQCD phenomenological energy loss models in a QGP DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T124000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T130000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8863@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Coleridge Faraday (University of Cape Town)\nThe sta ndard model of particle physics has been used to successfully describe obs ervables from particle collisions at high energies in colliders such as th e LHC and RHIC. In the last twenty years evidence for the formation of a s ubstance known as Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP)\, has been found in heavy-ion c ollisions (collisions of atoms with a large number of nucleons). This subs tance probes the most interesting and complicated sector of the standard m odel - Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). The QGP is a nearly ideal fluid which existed around 20μs after the Big Bang\, and is made up of the freely in teracting fundamental degrees of freedom in QCD - quarks and gluons. Pheno menological perturbative QCD (pQCD) models describing QGP formation involv e many moving parts: a model for the non-perturbative\, fluctuating\, init ial conditions of the collision\; a hydrodynamics simulation of the fluid\ ; a perturbative QCD model for both radiative and elastic energy loss\; an d a model for the hadronization of quarks and gluons into final state hadr ons. With all of these inputs and theoretical uncertainties\, the success of predictions of various phenomenological models is astounding. An open a nd fascinating question in this field\, is how big does a collision system have to be before QGP is formed? In particular it is not known whether th ere is QGP formation in systems such as proton + heavy-ion ($p+A$) or even high-multiplicity proton+proton ($p+p$) collisions. The current theoretic al tools are often ill-equipped to deal with small systems\; and the valid ity of thermal field theory\, and hydrodynamics in these small systems is not known. In this talk I will introduce some phenomenological models whic h have been used to successfully describe observables related to the forma tion of QGP in heavy ion collisions\; as well as talk about our original w ork being done to allow existing pQCD energy loss models (WHDG\, DGLV) to be used for predictions related to QGP formation in smaller systems ($p+p$ and $p+A$) collisions.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributi ons/8863/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8863/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Quantum state inference from coarse-grained descriptions: analysis and an application to quantum thermodynamics DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T142200Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T142300Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8868@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Paola Concha Obando (Wits University)\nWhether consi dering our everyday perception of the surrounding environment or a sophist icated experimental setup\, a characterization of a physical system is giv en in terms of measurement results of its observable properties. Thus\, gi ven that this characterization is not unique\, it is necessary to consider which features are being observed as well as how they are being observed. In this context\, the aim of state inference is to assign to the system a description that abides by the know data. In this work\, we discuss two w ays of assigning a description to a quantum system assuming that we have a coarse-grained access to its properties. Specifically\, we compare the ma ximum entropy principle method\, with the Bayesian-inspired average assign ment map method [Correia et al.\, Phys. Rev. A 103\, 052210 (2021)]. De spite the fact that the assigned descriptions by both methods respect the measured constraints\, and that they share the same conceptual foundations \, the descriptions differ in scenarios that go beyond the traditional ope n quantum system-environment structure. The average assignment map is thus shown to be a more sensible choice for the ever more prevalent scenario o f complex quantum systems. We discuss the physics behind such a difference \, and further exploit it in a quantum thermodynamics process.\n\nhttps:// events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8868/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8868/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Axion-Like Particles at Future $e^- p$ Colliders DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T130000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T132000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8869@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Karabo Mosala (University of the Witwatersrand)\nIn Beyond Standard Model (BSM) theories\, Axion-Like Particles (ALPs) are hyp othesized to be Pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone bosons that have spontaneously brok en the global Peccei-Quinn (PQ) symmetries at very high energies. Due to t he approximated symmetry shifts\, the ALPs are naturally lighter compared to the electroweak or QCD particles. Future high-precision experiments may be able to find ALPs that have masses that are well below the GeV scale\, but future high-energy lepton and hadron colliders may also be able to se arch for the heavier\nALPs. This particles are known to have very rich phy sical phenomenology at the targeted high- and low-energy collider experime nts. Therefore\, this establishes them as the prime targets for the future experiments that are aimed at the discovery of new physics that goes beyo nd the known and widely accepted Standard Model (SM) of particle interacti ons. In this work\, We are investigating the possibility of detecting this new kind of particles via the charged and neutral current processes: $e^ −\\\;p \\rightarrow v_e\\\;j\\\;a_{x}$\, $e^−\\\;p \\rightarrow e^−\ \\;j\\\;a_{x}$ for channels $WW$ and $\\gamma\\gamma\, ZZ$ and $\\gamma Z$ respectively and with further decay $a_{x} \\rightarrow \\gamma \\gamma$ at future $e^−\\\;p$ colliders. Furthermore\, we are also providing poss ible constraints on the available couplings $g_{a\\gamma\\gamma} \, g_{aWW } \, g_{a\\gamma Z}$ and $g_{aZZ}$.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/23 9/contributions/8869/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8869/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Assessment of wildfire emissions using satellite and reanalysis da ta: A review DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T122000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8870@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Lerato Shikwambana (SANSA)\nWildfires are among the major and prevalent environmental disturbance agents of our time and affec t human health\, the infrastructure and the earth-atmosphere mechanisms. W ildfires can be ignited naturally by lightning or humans\, either accident ally or to accomplish management objectives such as clearing and reduction in fuel loads. Wildfires are unique in themselves as they are driven by v arious factors such as fuel type\, topology\, and meteorology. In this wor k we highlight studies that have observed emissions of gases and aerosols from different regions globally and how they compare. The work further loo ks at the spatial distribution of black carbon (BC)\, carbon monoxide (CO) and smoke from wildfires. The emissions of BC\, CO\, and smoke are retrie ved from the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applicatio ns version 2 (MERRA-2)\, Sentinel-5P and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO)\, respectively. Lastly\, in th is work we report on the relationship between the meteorological parameter s\, vegetation conditions and emission parameters using the Pearson’s co rrelation. Overall\, this work demonstrates the value of multisource remot ely sensed data in characterising long-term wildfire patterns and associat ed emissions.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8870/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8870/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Possible origins of > 10 TeV photons detected from the burst of al l time (BOAT) GRB 221009A DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8875@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Soebur Razzaque (University of Johannesburg)\nGamma- Ray Burst (GRB) 221009A was once in a century event detected from radio to very high-energy (VHE) gamma rays. It was the first time that $> 10$ TeV gamma rays were detected from a GRB. Even though GRB 221009A was a relativ ely nearby event at redshift 0.15\, detection of a 18 TeV photon by the LH AASO detector and of a 251 TeV photon by the Carpet-2 detector challenge c onventional radiation mechanisms of a GRB and/or propagation of VHE gamma rays in the cosmic radiation backgrounds. In particular\, gamma-ray flux a t 18 TeV is expected to be attenuated by a factor $\\sim 4.5\\times 10^{-5 }$ and more severely at 251 TeV due to $\\gamma\\gamma\\to e^\\pm$ pair pr oduction by interacting with the photons of the extragalactic background l ight (EBL). In this presentation\, I will discuss possible explanation of the detection of 18 TeV photon due to ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays origina ting from GRB 221009A and interacting while propagating along the line-of- sight [1]\, and the detection of 251 TeV photon due to violation of Lorent z invariance [2]. \n\n[1] S. Das and S. Razzaque\, "Ultrahigh-energy cosmi c-ray signature in GRB 221009A\," Astron. Astrophys. **670\,** L12 (2023) [arXiv:2210.13349 [astro-ph.HE]].\n\n[2] J. D. Finke and S. Razzaque\, "Po ssible Evidence for Lorentz Invariance Violation in Gamma-Ray Burst 221009 A\," Astrophys. J. Lett. **942**\, no.1\, L21 (2023) [arXiv:2210.11261 [as tro-ph.HE]].\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8875/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8875/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:On the Perturbations of the Rh=ct Universe DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8877@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Edmund Kyazze (North-West University)\nDecades of as tronomical observation have shown that the universe is expanding at an acc elerated rate. The standard model of cosmology is the closest we have to a standard theory of gravitation but it fails to adequately describe our un iverse without the ad hoc introduction of dark energy and dark matter to l ate-time cosmology and inflation to early-universe cosmology. This has cer tainly created dilemmas for cosmology and the wider astronomical community \, and several alternative cosmological models are being considered at the moment. Current work is limited to the study of background dynamics so a brief overview of the equations that govern the evolution of cosmological perturbations in the $R_h=ct$ model is presented. This model is consistent with observations and has received particular attention in the last few y ears. Like the $\\Lambda CDM$ model\, the $R_h=ct$ model is based on a FLR W cosmology with the cosmic fluid’s total energy density $\\rho$ and pre ssure $p$ satisfying the vanishing total gravitational mass condition: $\\ rho+3p=0$. The results derived will be compared to those from the standard model and analysed to see if the model allows for the formation of struct ure in the universe.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions /8877/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8877/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:NWU Radio Interferometry Commissioning and Verification DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8878@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Robin Wessels ()\nThe advent of the MeerKAT\, a prec ursor to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA)\, has driven the need to invest in human capacity development in radio astronomy. The North-West Universit y (NWU) is in the process of commissioning a small four-element radio inte rferometer. Nooitgedacht Observatory\, owned by the NWU\, was selected to house the radio telescopes due to the low level of noise present at radio wavelengths in the area. The array consists of four $3.7m$ prime focus par abolic dishes\, with a surface accuracy of $0.5mm$\, operating at C-band $ (6.45-6.75 GHz)$. The beam size of the individual $3.7m$ telescopes is $~4 3'$\, whereas in an interferometer setup\, with a fixed maximum baseline l ength of $180m$\, the synthesised beam size is $~0.9'$. Each dish has full sky coverage and is mounted with elevation $(0-90^∘)$ over azimuth $(0- 360^∘)$ motors. The RF front-ends of the telescopes consist of a symmetr ical feed horn connected to a C-band LNB $(6.45-6.75 GHz)$ via coaxial cab les. The feed horns have dual polarisation capabilities but are connected for single polarisation observations. The RF back-ends comprise of four re ceivers that communicate with a pc\, wherein each telescope is manually or remotely driven\, using proprietary software called RTC. Recently the ori ginal receiver back-ends have been replaced by four new wideband receivers that operate in the frequency band $(10MHz-6GHz)$. This large band of ope ration will allow for future upgrades with the addition of LNBs that funct ion in different frequency bands. L-band feeds are already in the beginnin g phase of commissioning\, adding to the frequency bands wherein we plan t o do observations. Commissioning of the radio telescopes as an interferome ter is still an ongoing process. The future aim is to do both single-dish and interferometric observations. In single-dish mode\, we will be able to observe very strong MASERs and also perform solar observations. Interfero meter mode will enable the study of the morphology of extended objects\, s uch as the Whirlpool galaxy\, and radio jet observations.\n\nhttps://event s.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8878/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8878/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Sunspot Number\, Solar Flares and Atmospheric Gravity Waves DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T122000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8895@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Matsobane Alex Mothibi (Rhodes University/SANSA)\nTh e purpose of the experiment was to determine the effect the sunspot number would have on the number of solar flares. The hypothesis stated that as t he sunspot number increased\, the number of solar flares would also increa se during the same time period. With the ability to predict the occurrence of solar flares from sunspot activity\, it may be possible to prevent the damage to power grids and satellites caused by solar flares. A catalogues solar flares\, geomagnetic activities and It’s driver have been created to assist this project. The catalogue starts from 2000 January to 2022 De cember. From the study reveal that there are remarkable differences on the relationship between sunspot number (SSN) and M- and X- solar flares duri ng the solar cycle phases of low (-activity)\, high (-activity)\, ascendin g\, and descending. For future studies the catalogue will be used to asses s the atmospheric gravity waves at low latitude during disturbed times (du ring geomagnetic storms only\, solar flares only and geomagnetic storms + solar flares)\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8895/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8895/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Investigating the solar differential rotation rate by sunspot trac king using terrestrial solar observations. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T122000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8896@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Calmay Lee (North-West University)\nThe Centre for S pace Research (CSR) at the North-West University (NWU)\, South Africa\, co mmissioned a solar telescope in 2021. The weather in Potchefstroom\, South Africa\, is ideal for solar observations for the biggest part of the year \, especially during the dry winter months. The first science application of the solar telescope was investigating the differential rotation rate of the Sun. The solar differential rotation rate is known to be latitudinall y dependent. In this study\, the photospheric rotation rate is experimenta lly determined by tracking multiple active regions over successive days us ing a dedicated hydrogen-alpha solar telescope. The observational campaign runs over a period of 46 days between 15 August and 14 October 2022. A to tal of 29 active regions are studied. The results of this study are compar ed to three published models. On average\, a faster rotation rate is obser ved when compared to accepted model predictions. Factors influencing the o bservational data are investigated\, such as the number of observations\, the area of a single active region (containing multiple sunspots)\, as wel l as the location of each active region with respect to the solar limb.\n\ nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8896/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8896/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Ball Milling synthesis and characterization of highly crystalline TiO2-ZnO hybrids for photovoltaic applications DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T134300Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T134400Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8899@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Thembinkosi Malevutd (Sefako Makgatho Health Science s University)\nIn this work\, Ball Milling is investigated as a viable syn thesis method for highly crystalline\nTiO2-ZnO composites. The composites were verified using various standard techniques.\nXRD measurements confirm ed the presence of hexagonal wurtzite ZnO and tetragonal TiO2\nnano partic les. Both XRD and transmission electron microscopy show a mean crystallite size\nbetween 12.7 and 15.0 nm. The blend compatibility of the two oxides was investigated by\nvarying the molar ratio of ZnO from 0 to 30%. It is apparent that the morphology compat-\nibility of ZnO and TiO2 plays a sign ificant role in the performance of the final device. The\ncomposite specif ic surface area is seen to increase with ZnO doping. UV-Vis measurements\n show that its band gap decreases from 3.281 to 3.221 eV. UV-vis further de monstrated a\nred-shift of TZHO absorption band which enhances the ability of hybrids to absorb in the\nvisible wavelength range. Scanning electron microscopy suggests that TiO2 and ZnO are\nmorphologically well-matched\, and can be used as the electron transport layer in a blended\nperovskite s olar cell. A maximum efficiency of 8% was measured on the PSC with 30% ZnO \nwith Isc=18.4 mA\, Voc=0.69 V\, and FF=0.65. This efficiency is comparab le for PSCs with\nthe hybrid oxide synthesized using other methods\, showi ng that Ball Milling is also a viable\nmethod.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org. za/event/239/contributions/8899/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8899/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Effect of Gd3+ moles on the structure\, morphology and luminescenc e properties of BaAl2O4:x% Gd3+ (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) nanomaterial prepared usin g a sol-gel method. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135100Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135200Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8903@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Rebecca Mhlongo (Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences Un iversity)\nIn this study BaAl2O4:x%Gd3+ (0≤ x≤ 1) nanomaterial were pr epared using sol-gel mathod. X-ray diffraction (XRD) data revealed that al l samples consisted of a single phase of cubic BaAl2O4 structure with no i mpurities. Fourier Transformation Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed fo ur absorption bands at 843\, 1016\, 1416\, and 3434 cm-1. The presence of Ba\, Al\, O and Gd were confirmed by the energy dispersive Xray spectrosco py (EDS). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed that the morphology of the prepared samples highly depends on the Gd3+ concentration. Transmis sion electron microscopy (TEM) results revealed the tubular rods and nano- nature of the crystallite sizes. Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy resul ts revealed three emission peaks located at 414 nm\, 436 nm\, -and 748 nm . All the emissions are from the host\, all this emissions are attributed to arise from the intrinsic defects within the host material such as oxyge n. The results revealed the Gd3+ optimum intensity at 0.6% Gd3+. This sugg ests that increasing the concentration of Gd3+ in the host influences the luminescence of the nano-powders. The International Commission on Illumina tion (CIE) colour showed that the violet emission colour of the prepared s amples depends on the excitation wavelength and Gd3+ concentration.\n\nhtt ps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8903/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8903/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Structural Changes of LiXCo2O4 (1 ≤ x ≤ 2) Nanoporous Cathode Materials upon Lithiation DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135400Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8902@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Shibiri Beauty (University of Limpopo)\nSpinel catho de material LiCo2O4 exhibit good electrochemical performance when used in energy storage applications. This is attributed to its high surface-to-vol ume ratios and shortened Li+ diffusion lengths during cycling. However\, s ome possible flaws have constrained the good electrochemical performance. These flaws include structural changes that carry the risk of structural c ollapse and crack formation during cycling.\nHerein\, large-scale simulati ons using molecular dynamics methods were performed to investigate the str uctural changes of LixCo2O4 (1 ≤ x ≤ 2) nanoporous materials at differ ent lithium concentrations and cell dimensions of 67\, 69 and 75 Å. The s tructures amorphised and recrystallised efficiently under the NST ensemble producing grain boundaries at Li1.75Co2O4 concentration. Furthermore\, th e increase in lithium concentration in the structures resulted in pore siz e reduction. Finally\, the structures showed great resilience to volume ex pansion with increasing lithium concentration. This implies that the LixCo 2O4 nanoporous materials have the potential to curb the formation of crack s which cause damage to the battery since they are able to expand freely d uring lithiation.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/89 02/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8902/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Confocal Raman and AFM Characterization of Mesoporous Titania Elec trode Substrates for Perovskite Solar Cell Applications DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135900Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T140000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8904@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Chinedu Christian Ahia (University of Fort Hare Inst itute of Technology)\nConfocal microscopy is a technique of choice for hig h resolution imaging of a wide range of sample surfaces. It also plays a v ital role in the optical sectioning of imaged materials for 3D reconstruct ion. Similarly\, atomic force microscope (AFM) is renowned for its capabil ity in evaluating the local properties of different samples precisely down to atomic scale. The amalgamation of AFM with Raman spectroscopy is benef icial in supplying a more comprehensive information on the material proper ties\, in addition to providing ultra-high resolution micrographs of vario us samples ranging from silicon\, fullerenes\, polymers\, composites\, per ovskites and many others. Perovskite materials exhibit specific characteri stics that distinguish them from other solar cell materials such as low ex citonic binding energy\, ferroelectric properties\, high dielectric consta nt and absorption coefficient etc. These properties have enabled perovskit e solar cells (PSCs) to be renowned as promising alternative technology fo r silicon-based photovoltaic technology. Intensified efforts are made to i mprove the stability and commercialization of PSCs through the integration of optimizing additives\, effective electron transporting material (ETL) and hole transporting material (HTL) in the perovskite material. In the pr esent work\, the interfacial physical properties of mesoporous titania ele ctrode substrates and information on the depth profiles of embedded struct ures were investigated for prospective applications in perovskite solar ce lls. This was achieved by obtaining mapped 2D Raman images of specific sur faces on the mesoporous titania electrode and comparing them with their re spective morphological information which was extracted through tapping mod e AFM technique. Results contained in this work are aimed at improving und erstanding of the material properties through visualization of both chemic al and structural information over a defined area of interest on the sampl e. The relationship between phase transitions as derived from the microgra phs is expected to provide vital interpretation on chemical activities in the mesoporous substrates.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contrib utions/8904/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8904/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:First principle study of structural and thermodynamic stability of ternary NaVSe2 DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T140600Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8907@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: DAVID TSHWANE (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research)\nTernary AIIBIVCVII structures have received a great deal of at tention from both technological and scientific perspectives due to their o ptoelectronic properties and both p- and n-type electronic conductivity. A mong them\, NaVSe2 dichalcogenide compound promises excellent intercalatio n and high conductivity. However\, details on the structural\, and electro nic properties of NaVSe2 remain limited\, especially at the atomistic scal e. The present study employed density functional theory approach using dif ferent functionals such as GGA-PBE\, GGA-PBEsol\, and LDA to investigate t he structural\, thermal\, and electronic stability of NaVSe2. The results showed that the ∆Hf <0 for NaVSe2\, which implies that the phase is ther modynamically stable. In addition\, it was found that GGA-PBE functional i s the most suitable function than GGA-PBEsol and LDA functional. Moreover\ , the partial density of state was computed wherein Se 4p states contribut e mainly to the valance band whilst the conduction band mainly consists of V s- and Se -p states.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributi ons/8907/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8907/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Structural\, Electronic\, Mechanical and Thermodynamic Properties of Ternary NaVS2: DFT Study DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142300Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142400Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8908@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: LETHABO MOGAKANE ()\nStructural\, Electronic\, Mecha nical and Thermodynamic Properties of Ternary NaVS2: DFT Study\nL. Mogakan e1\, P.M. Maleka1\, D.M. Tshwane1\,2\, R.S. Dima1\, and R.R. Maphanga1\,2\ n1Next Generation Enterprises and Institution Cluster\, Council for Scient ific and Industrial Research\, P.O. Box 395\, Pretoria 0001\, South Africa \; lmogakane@csir.co.za \n2National Institute for Theoretical and Computat ional Sciences (NITheCS)\, Gauteng 2000\, South Africa\n\nAbstract: \nSodi um-ion batteries have recently gained a lot of attention because they are environmentally benign and less expensive. The impact of Na atom deinterca lation on olivine NaVS2 was examined for potential usage as a cathode mate rial in Na-ion batteries. In this study\, first-principle approach was emp loyed to investigate ternary NaVS2 using plane wave pseudopotential method with different exchange correlation functions\, GGA-PBE\, GGA-PBEsol and LDA. Results revealed that trigonal NaVS2 phase are thermodynamical stable with ∆Hf <0. Optimized lattice parameters computed with GGA-PBE functio nal was found to be in good agreement with previous results. Furthermore\, the partial density of states and the Mulliken population analysis were i nvestigated to understand electronic properties and the effect of deinterc alation on NaVS2 phases. In addition\, the elastic properties were calcula ted to measure the mechanical stability of the structures.\n\nhttps://even ts.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8908/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8908/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Investigation of the fundamental interactions of the PtSb2 Surface with the MBTK molecule DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T140100Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T140200Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8942@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: ivyn ndhlovu (university of Limpopo)\nCollectors pla y a key role in determining a minerals floatability behaviour. Variations in chain length have a specific effect on xanthate collectors\, which cont inue to be the most versatile collector for the bulk of minerals\, this le ads to better recovery rates. This study investigates adsorption energies\ , bonding behaviour and the interaction of the mercaptobenzothiazole (MBTK ) with the platinum antimony mineral surfaces: (100)\, (110) and (111) sur faces. Following the three surfaces optimization\, we identified the most stable surface and calculated the adsorption energy. We found that the mos t exothermic was the (110) surface with a greater adsorption energy of -6. 932 kJ/mol\, the (100) surfaces produced an adsorption energy of -6.838 kJ /mol and the (111) surface produced an adsorption energy of -0.365 kJ/mol thus shows that the (MBTK) molecule was mostly preferred on the (110) surf ace.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8942/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8942/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Computational studies of optoelectronic properties of CH3NH3PbI3 a s a photolayer in perovskite solar cell DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143300Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143400Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8912@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Elkana Rugut ( University of Venda.)\nStructural\, e lectronic\, mechanical and optical properties of pseudo-cubic CH3NH3PbI3 w ere investigated using density functional theory. The predicted values of the stated properties agreed reasonably well with the existing theoretical and experimental data. Optical studies were undertaken so as to probe the photo-physical properties of the material in order to gauge its suitabili ty as the absorber layer in solar cell based on many body pertubation theo ry by solving the Bethe-Salpeter equations. Optical descriptors such as th e reflectivity\, refractive index\, absorption coefficient and energy loss as functions of photon energy were extracted from the numerical data of t he real and imaginary part of the dielectric function as per the Krammer-K ronig relations.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/891 2/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8912/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:A comparison study of some structural\, vibrational\, elastic and electron spin resonance properties of bulk- and nano-sized particles for Z nxCo1-xFe2-xAlxO4 ferrite samples DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T134200Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T134300Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8914@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sizwe Jackson Masuku (Walter Sisulu University)\nA c omparison study of nanosized ZnxCo1-xFe2-xAlxO4 (x = 0\, 0.2\, 0.3\, 0.4\, 0.5\, 0\,7\, and 0.9) and bulk counterparts obtained by annealing at 1000 0C for 3 hours is presented. X-ray diffraction (XRD)\, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy studies confirmed the formation of cubic spinel structure for both the as-prepared and annealed samples. The as-prepared particle sizes range from (5 – 13 nm) while the annealed sample sizes range from (58 -62 nm). Annealing the nanoparticles at high temperatures reduces vacancies at lower concentrations (x ≤ 0.4 ) of Zn and Al. On the FTIR data\, the difference in absorption bands at x > 0.4 of the sample with nanoparticles decreases with an increase in dopa nts concentrations and they are lower than their bulk counterparts. The Ra man mode associated with the vibration on the A-site is strongly affected by the site preference and the reduction of vacancies on this site. ESR an d magnetization measurements reveal a reduction in magnetization with incr easing particle size.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contribution s/8914/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8914/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Atomistic simulation studies of LixTiO2\, NaxTiO2 and MgxTiO2 (x=0 .11\,0.15\,0.19 and 0.23) nanosphere for metal ion batteries: Beyond lithi um-ion Batteries. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T124000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T130000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8975@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Blessing Rikhotso (University of Limpopo)\nThe deman d of lithium rapidly increases year by year\, pushing up the price and mak ing lithium resources less affordable. Thus\, it is crucial to find altern ative technology beyond lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) that employs abundant elements on earth. Sodium (Na+) and magnesium (Mg2+) are suitable candida tes due to their high abundance and low cost\, as well as their compatible redox potential to lithium [1]. Generated TiO2 nanosphere architectured [ 2] are very promising as anode electrode materials for rechargeable batter ies due to their ability to host more single (Li+ and Na+) and divalent (M g2+) ions under highly extreme temperature conditions. In these studies\, the simulation recrystallization of the LixTiO2\, NaxTiO2 and MgxTiO2 nan osphere with x = 0.11\,0.15\,0.19 and 0.23 was atomistically synthesized f rom an amorphous precursor through the large-scale classical molecular dy namics (MD) method using the DL_POLY code [3] to predict its structural st ability at varied temperatures. Recrystallisation synthesis was then proce eded by the cooling process towards 0 K\; the cooled LixTiO2\, NaxTiO2 and MgxTiO2 nanosphere structures were then heated from 100 K to 2000 K at te mperature intervals of 100 K using an NVT Nose Hoover ensemble (exothermic reaction). The calculated correlation of the Ti - O pair was evaluated by their Radial Distribution Functions (RDFs)\, where the extent of crystall ization was confirmed mostly after cooling synthesis. The simulated X-ray diffraction (XRDs) spectra agreed well with the experimental XRD’s of pu re TiO2 polymorphs [4]\, as well with the modelled respective microstructu ral defects\, which all exhibited peak domains patterns of brookite (zigza g tunnels)\, anatase (complex tunnels) and rutile (straight tunnels) at al l varied temperatures and Li+\, Na+ and Mg2+ concentrations which are good properties for enhancing structural phase stability and energy storage ca pabilities. The Li+ and Na+ diffusivity rates within the TiO2 nanosphere b oth indicated a rapid increase in diffusion coefficients\, Li+ had the hig hest diffusion coefficients more than that of Na+ and Mg2+ at all varied t emperature and varied ion concentration. However\, the sudden drop in Li a nd Na diffusivity rates on Li0.19TiO2 and Na0.19TiO2 nanosphere structures was due to the highly amorphous atom connectivity formed after all simula tion synthesis. Furthermore\, Mg2+ had a constant zero diffusion coefficie nts at all increased temperatures and ion concentrations within the TiO2 n anosphere. These results provide substantial new improvements and insights that LixTiO2\, NaxTiO2 and MgxTiO2 nanosphere structures are an excellent candidate as anode electrode materials for lithium ions batteries (LIBs)\ , sodium ions batteries (NaIBs) and magnesium ions batteries (MgIBs)\, due to their capabilities of storing more Li\, Na and Mg atoms and withstandi ng highly extreme temperatures conditions while maintaining their structur al phase stability and atom ordering to improve the battery performance.\n \n[1]. L. Kaufman\, J. Vinckeviciute\, S.K. Kolli\, J.G. Goiri and A. Van der Ven.\, Phil.Trans.R.Soc.A.\, 2019.\, 377:2019001-20190020.\n[2] M. G. Matshaba\, D. C. Sayle\, T. X. T. Sayle and P. E. Ngoepe\, Mater. Sci. Eng .\, 2016\,169\, 012020.\n[3] Smith\, W.\; Todorov\, I.T. A Short Descripti on of DL_POLY.Mol. Simul.\, 2006.32\,935-943.\n[4] B. N. Rikhotso\, M.G. M atshaba\, D.C. Sayle\, P.E. Ngoepe\, Optic. Mat.\,102 (2020) 109831.\n\nht tps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8975/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8975/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Investigation of xanthate\, dithiocarbamate and triazine collector s adsorptions on sperrylite and platarsite (100) surface: A DFT-D3 calcula tions DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T132000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T134000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8916@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Bradley Nemutudi (University of Limpopo)\nThe separa tion of valuable minerals from the gangue minerals is still a challenge\, in particular the extraction of arsenides platinum group minerals (PGMs) s uch as sperrylite and platarsite. It has been reported that the flotation of PGMs resulted in low recovery when using traditional xanthates. This wa s owed to the report that the arsenides PGMs minerals are not amiable to f lotation\, and therefore new collectors are required. The triazine collect ors are promising reagents for mineral flotation and have not been given m uch attention in minerals processing. In this study\, we used density func tional theory with dispersion correction to perform the adsorption of sodi um normal butyl xanthate (SNBX)\, sodium normal butyl dithiocarbamate (SNB DTC) and 2\,6-dithio-4-butylamino-1\,3\,5-triazine (SDTBAT) on sperrylite and platarsite (100) surfaces. It was observed that the collectors preferr ed to bridge on surface As and Pt atoms through the S atoms on sperrylite\ , while on platarsite they adsorbed though mono-dentate between S atom on Pt atom. Furthermore\, it was found that the adsorption energies were in t he order: SDTBAT > SNBDTC > SNBX\, indicating that the SDTBAT had strong e xothermic adsorption on sperrylite and platarsite. Interestingly\, the col lectors were more exothermic on sperrylite surface than platarsite. Import antly\, it was found that the triazine collector had strong adsorption tha n the xanthate and dithiocarbamate\, which depict a promising replacement of xanthate and dithiocarbamate collectors. Therefore\, these results have identified well performing collector (triazine) to improve the recovery o f PGMs.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8916/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8916/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Characterization of defects in ZnO implanted with Ar+ using positr on annihilation technique. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T122000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8920@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Musawenkosi Khulu (University of Zululand)\nZnO (wur tzite) samples were implanted with Ar+ ions to generate intrinsic defects within the ZnO samples at fluence range from 1 x 1015 to 3 x 1016 ions.cm- 2. Doppler broadening of the annihilation curves were obtained to determin e S-parameters which are used to characterize the defects. S-parameters ar e 0.35795\, 0.35809 and 0.39025 for the lowest to the highest fluence\, re spectively. X-ray diffraction method was employed to determine any structu ral damage or phase change during the implantation. Positron annihilation spectroscopy shows the formation of anion point defects. Optical absorptio n measurements suggest the presence of F aggregate centres at 300.0 nm (4. 14 eV). Theoretical calculations of the annihilation curves\, based on loc al density approximation as well as generalized gradient approximation\, w ere obtained. Theoretical results compare well with experimental results. Positron annihilation measurements are also correlated with optical absorp tion results on Ar+ ion implanted zinc oxide crystal.\n\nhttps://events.sa ip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8920/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8920/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:A new 3 MV TandetronTM accelerator at iThemba Laboratory for Accel erator Based Sciences (iThemba LABS) DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T074000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8917@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Christopher Mtshali (iThemba LABS)\niThemba LABS hos ts a number of research accelerators. The latest acquisition is a 3 MV Tan detronTM accelerator that replaced the 51-year-old 6 MV CN Van de Graaff a ccelerator. The majority of the application area is dealing with materials research. The machine was installed and commissioned in 2017 by High Volt age Engineering Europa B.V. (HVEE) at the Tandetron Laboratory. The system is capable of accelerating charged particles to MeV energies from three i on sources\; the Cs sputter source for heavy ions\, and two Multicusp ion sources for helium ions and protons. The main purpose of the TandetronTM m achine is to conduct research in ion beam analysis (IBA) and low-energy as trophysics research projects. It is connected to the experimental section via 90o analyzing and switching magnets\, directing the beam of charged pa rticles into the target chambers. There are currently two active beamlines dedicated to (1) solid-state physics techniques\, such as RBS and ERDA\, and (2) nuclear microprobe-based techniques\, such as PIXE and proton beam writing. Another beamline\, currently being commissioned\, is for astroph ysics-related projects. The available ion sources are capable of deliverin g high-intensity beams of 200 eμA and 25 eμA for protons and helium ligh t ions\, respectively\, while delivering 150 eμA for heavy ions\, at a ma ximum terminal voltage (3 MV). This demonstrates a huge potential in mater ials research areas such as ion implantation\, radiation hardness testing\ , and shielding studies. Important features of the accelerator and energy calibration are discussed.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contrib utions/8917/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8917/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Kinetic analysis and dosimetric features of thermoluminescence of tanzanite DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T122000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8918@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Kingsley Acheampong Opoku (Rhodes University)\nTanza nite is a rare gem mineral of high commercial value and sensitive to optic al and thermal stimulation of luminescence. Kinetic analysis and dosimetri c features of thermoluminescence from tanzanite are reported. A glow curv e measured at 1 °C/s following beta irradiation to 70 Gy reveals a high i ntensity peak at 74 °C and two distinct lower intensity peaks at 138 and 186 °C. The peaks are respectively referenced as I\, II and III. The depe ndence of the peak position on partial heating and irradiation dose shows that all peaks are of first order kinetics. Kinetic analysis of peak I was carried out using various analytical methods including initial rise\, who le glow peak\, curve fitting\, phosphorescence\, phosphorescence area and variable heating rate. The activation energy was averagely evaluated as 0. 83 eV. The dose response of all peaks is sublinear from the supralinearity index analysis. Phosphorescence measurement at room temperature shows tha t peak I is affected by thermal fading unlike peaks II and III which are s table.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8918/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8918/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Microstructure and strain dependence on growth time of hydrotherma lly synthesized nanocrystalline porous sodalite DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143400Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8952@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: KYALO Ngesu KITEME (UNISA)\nIn the present report we demonstrate the synthesis of sodalite NaAlSiO2 nanocrystals via\nhydrothe rmal process. Moreover\, the synthesized nanostructured materials were obt ained at\ndifferent growth time which systematically revealed its effectiv e dependence along with the\ncrystallinity and surface morphology. In addi tion\, the as-synthesized nanomaterials were\ncharacterized using various analytical techniques such as X-ray Diffraction\, SEM microscopy\nand EDS spectroscopy. Finally\, microsctructure dependence on growth time was syst ematically\ndemonstrated for crystalline NaAlSiO2 nanoparticles porous mor phology and crystallite size\nranging from 14 to 38 nm.\n\nhttps://events. saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8952/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8952/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Solar energetic particle transport between Earth and Mars DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T130000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T132000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8888@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Aimée Dumont (North-West university)\nObserving and modelling solar energetic particles (SEPs) aids to establish an early war ning system to prevent any hazardous impact on humans and technology in sp ace. Using the electron intensity observations from the MAVEN and WIND spa cecraft\, one-dimensional SEP transport is simulated during MAVEN’s voya ge along the Parker-Hohmann orbit from Earth to Mars. The soft X-ray data from GOES was used to approximate the injections of the SEPs in the model. The data is then used to determine if the SEPs followed the same trajecto ry along the Parker-heliospheric magnetic field. The understanding of SEP behaviour along the Parker-Hohmann orbit will be necessary for future crew ed missions to Mars.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions /8888/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8888/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Tailoring vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) nanostructure properties to se lective detection of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T144000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T154000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8851@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Vuyani Sifunda ()\nSifunda 1\,2\, O. Nubi 2\, B. W. Mwakikunga 3\, A. A. Akande 4*\,\n\n1.CSIR Nextgen Enterprises and Instit utions\, P O Box 395\, Pretoria 0001\, South Africa\n2.University of Limpo po\, Department of Physics\, P/Bag X1106\, Sovenga 0727\, South Africa\n3. School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies\, University of South Afr ica\, UNISA 0003\, Pretoria\, South Africa\n4.University of Sydney\, Schoo l of Physics\, NSW 2006\, Sydney\, Australia\n\n**Abstract** \n\nThe densi ty functional theory (DFT) method was used to critically investigate the a bsorption energy of pristine and doped α-V2O5 towards the detection of NO 2 gas molecules. The different transition metals\, including tungsten (W)\ , copper (Cu)\, manganese (Mn)\, tin (Sn)\, and silver (Ag)\, were interca lated into α-V2O5 (110) surface using the substitution method to enhance the adsorption energy within the Cambridge Serial Total Energy Package (CA STEP) code. The results show that pristine α-V2O5 lack structural stabili ty and show less negative adsorption energy when the concentration of NO2 molecules increases. α-V2O5 doped with Ag possesses the most negative ads orption energy compared to the pristine and the other dopant. Furthermore\ , the dopants such as Cu\, Ag\, and Mn have also enhanced the structural s tability of V2O5 at higher concentrations of NO2 molecules. This study pav es the way for the experimental fabrication of the most stable and highly selective α-V2O5 doped Ag sensor for selective detection of nitrogen diox ide.\n\n**Keywords**: V2O5\, Adsorption energy\, transition metals\, gas s ensors\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8851/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8851/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Influence of rare-earth elements (RE = Ce\, Nd\, Gd) on Structural \, ESR and Mössbauer spectroscopy studies of Ni0.5Co0.5RE0.03Fe0.197O4 sy nthesized by glycol-thermal method DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144900Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T150900Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8924@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: T. A Nhlapo (Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences Univer siry)\nNanocrystalline Ni0.5Co0.5RE0.03Fe0.197O4 (RE = Ce\, Nd\, Gd) were synthesized by glycol-thermal method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results conf irm the formation of single-phase spinel ferrite. The crystallite sizes ra nged from 6.29 nm to 9.41 nm which was comparable to results obtained usin g Williamson-Hall (W-H) method. Lattice parameters were found to vary from 8.356 Å to 8.370 Å depending on an atomic radius of a substituted rare- earth element. Large specific surface areas ranging between 120 m2/g and 1 60 m2/g were associated with smaller crystallite sizes. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed homogeneous and clustered nanoparticles. The ene rgy dispersive X-ray (EDS) spectra revealed the existence of nickel (Ni)\, cobalt (Co)\, iron (Fe)\, and oxygen (O) in an undoped sample\, as well a s additional characteristic peaks of cerium (Ce)\, neodymium (Nd) and gado linium (Gd) were observed for doped samples. Fourier transform infrared sp ectroscopy (FTIR) also confirmed the formation of spinel ferrites. The ele ctron spin resonance (ESR) results demonstrated g-values ranging between 3 .10 and 3.79 which indicated strong exchange interaction between nanoparti cles\, type of morphology\, and crystalline nature of particles. These hig h values make Ni0.5Co0.5RE0.03Fe0.197O4 (RE = Ce\, Nd\, Gd) materials suit able for applications in high-frequency devices. The Mössbauer spectrosco py results revealed the formation of broadened Zeeman lines and quadrupole -split lines as well as the presence of the Fe3+ ions at B sites in the sa mples.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8924/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8924/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Probing the Stability of Nickel Titanium Surfaces for Oxygen Adso rption: A DFT Study DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T134700Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T134800Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8927@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: vukosi chauke (University of Limpopo)\nNiTi-based in termetallic compounds are known as shape memory materials and are frequent ly utilized in industries like aerospace\, machinery\, medical application s\, and electronics. This is due to their structure memory effect\, super elastic behaviour\, high tensile strength\, and biocompatibility. However\ , this NiTi alloy is still a contentious material due to its unstable surf ace and oxidation during use\, more importantly\, their restricted surface characteristics and adsorption process. Density functional theory (DFT) w as employed in this study to investigate the surface stability and oxygen adsorption on NiTi (1 1 0) and (1 0 0) surfaces. Surface energies were ana lysed and it was found that the NiTi (1 1 0) surface with the lowest surfa ce energy value is more stable than the (1 0 0) surface. In addition\, oxy gen adsorption was carried out on NiTi (1 1 0) surface at different adsorp tion sites such as the apex\, bridge and hollow sites to determine the oxi dation mechanism. It was found that oxygen adsorption at three possible ad sorption sites and their reaction occurs spontaneously\, which is attribut ed to the negative adsorption energy values. More importantly\, the bridge site of NiTi (1 1 0) is considered the most favourable\, as it has stable adsorption energy compared to other surface sites. The findings will have a good impact on the understanding of the surface stability and oxidation mechanism of NiTi surfaces.\nKeywords: NiTi alloys\, adsorption\, surface energy\, DFT\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8927/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8927/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Optimization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes for improved heat tr ansfer DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135800Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135900Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8939@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: hlabane Beauty Masolo ()\nAbstract\n\nCarbon nanotub es (CNTs) are excellent for heat transfer in fluids due to their high ther mal conductivity of (>3000 W/mK) and specific heat capacity of (49.11 W/m2 K). They are preferred in industry due to their high thermophysical prope rties. In this study\, CNTs were synthesized using chemical vapour decompo sition (CVD). Morphology and structure of the CNTs were revealed using sc anning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM )\, allowing for the measurements of individual CNTs inside and on the sur face of composite materials. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) measured the B rownian motion of the macromolecules in the carbon nanotubes fluid which h ave been found to be 2-10 nm long. Nanofluids stability has been analysed using zeta potential\, UV–vis spectroscopy characterize the dispersion effect of carbon nanotube suspensions. For more stability of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/water nanofluids\, surface active reagent such a s polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was utilized. The results shows that heat tra nsfer efficiency in fluids is improved by MWCNTs\, and confirms that MWCNT s are promising nanoparticle material in nanofluids and hence predict thei r wide application in heat transfer industry. \n\nKeywords: Carbon nanotub es\, Heat transfer\, Brownian motion\, Nanofluids.\n\nhttps://events.saip. org.za/event/239/contributions/8939/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8939/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Computational studies of pressure dependence on Monazite-(Ce) DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T122000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8929@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Lebogang Motsomone (University of Limpopo)\nMonazite -(Ce) is an orthophosphate mineral of the monazite group with the formula A[PO4]\, where A represents Ce and other light rare earth elements (LREE) in place of Ce. Studying the structural stability of monazite-(Ce) is of v ital importance in the storage of radioactive waste application. A first-p rinciple calculation based on density functional theory was used to study the structural\, mechanical\, and vibrational properties of Monazite-Ce un der different pressure range from 10-50 GPa. The calculated structural par ameters of monazite systems at zero pressure and temperature agree with th e experimental data within 5 %. The Modulus (Bulk\, Shear\, Young’s)\, a nd anisotropy increase with an increase in pressure. Furthermore\, Pugh (B /G) and Poisson ratio show that monazite system is ductile and the ductili ty can be improved with an increase in pressure. The vibrational instabili ty of the CePO4 system is observed which is caused by the soft mode detect ed from the phonon dispersion curve. However\, the system becomes vibratio nally stable when the pressure is increased. The insights gained from high -pressure studies are of interest for the applications of monazite.\n\nhtt ps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8929/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8929/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Investigation of surface stability and interaction of thionocarbam ate collectors on pentlandite (Fe5Ni4S8) mineral DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8930@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Nontobeko Zavala (University of Limpopo)\nAbstract\ nPentlandite is the primary source of nickel as well as a major carrier of platinum group elements (PGEs). Nickel mining is popular in many nations\ , contributing to a variety of industrial applications such as stainless s teel\, coinage\, and rechargeable batteries\, which contribute to the ever -increasing demand for nickel\, which is expected to run out by 2030. The flotation in pentlandite and nickel ore has always been performed using va rious collectors such xanthates\, dithiophosphate and dithiocarbamate. Den sity functional theory computational method was used to determine the most stable surface and the preferred cleavage of Fe5Ni4S8. The bulk structure was determined by cluster expansion. The (100)\, (001)\, (110)\, (101)\, (111)\, (211) and (112) surface were cleaved from the relaxed bulk structu re and their surface energies were computed. It was found that the (001) s urface gave the lowest positive surface energy and therefore the most stab le surface. Moreover\, the reconstruction of the (001) surface indicated t hat the reconstructed surface was more stable compared to the un-reconstru cted surfaces. The adsorption of O-isopropyl-N-diethyl-thionocarbamate (IP DETC) on the reconstructed Fe5Ni4S8 (001) surface was performed on Fe and Ni sites and showed strong adsorption. This suggested that IPDETC collecto r may be used in the flotation of pentlandite mineral. \nKEYWORDS\nComputa tional modelling\, Fe5Ni4S8 pentlandite\, Surface reconstruction\, Surface energies\, IPDETC\, Adsorption energies\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/eve nt/239/contributions/8930/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8930/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Intrinsic defect interactions in a monolayer silicene: An ab-initi o DFT study DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T140000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T140100Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8940@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Paul Maboe ()\nSilicene is a two-dimensional structu re of silicon which has been synthesized experimentally. It is mechanicall y and thermally stable and possess the possibility of being easily integra ted into the existing silicon technology\, hence its importance in semicon ductor device technology. However\, the performance of any semiconductor m aterial is dependent on the type\, stability\, and interactions between th e defects as well as the mobility of defects that are intrinsic to it. Usi ng the density-functional theory (DFT) approach\, we study the stability\, electronic and magnetic interactions between various vacancy defect confi gurations in silicene. We provide a deeper understanding of fundamental pr operties of defective silicene containing vacancies and also demonstrate h ow the presence of vacancy-like defects may impact on the potential applic ations of silicene in such fields as spintronics and valleytronics.\n\nhtt ps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8940/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8940/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Beyond doughnuts and mugs\, tying photons together DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T142000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T144000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9034@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Pedro Ornelas (University of the Witwatersrand)\nEnt anglement between photons has been a source of great interest in the past few decades being the catalyst for fundamental tests of quantum mechanics and offering a plethora of applications from ghost imaging to quantum key distribution. However\, these entangled photon states are highly susceptib le to environmental disturbances\, thus requiring mechanisms for robustnes s in harsher environments. Topology is capable of providing these mechanis ms\, rejecting such disturbances entirely by characterizing systems accord ing to an invariant property of the system\, universally named its topolog ical charge. An interesting topology is that of the skyrmion which has pro ven to be highly versatile\, manifesting in spintronics\, condensed matter physics and more recently optics. Here we report the first non-local quan tum skyrmion whose topology can be controlled directly through control of its non-separable\, biphoton wavefunction. We discuss a new classification mechanism where wavefunctions are distinguished according to their topolo gy. We further demonstrate that the topology of the wavefunction persists even when entanglement is fragile.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239 /contributions/9034/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9034/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Threading a Laser Through the Eye of a Needle 2.0: Evaluating Coup ling Performance of Telecom Fibre Cables for use in a Cost-Effective Free Space Optical (FSO) System under Atmospheric Turbulence. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T144000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T150000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9035@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Fortune Iga (University of the Witwatersrand)\nThis research is dedicated to the development of a cost-effective Free Space Op tical (FSO) system using standard telecom fibre cables. These cables\, whi ch include the single-mode and five multimode fibre cables (OM1\, OM2\, OM 3\, OM4\, and OM5)\, are selected for their wide availability and cost-eff ectiveness. This study assesses the coupling performance of these fibre ca bles in the presence of atmospheric turbulence\, by subjecting them to con trolled turbulence effects using a spatial light modulator (SLM). Key turb ulence effects such as beam wander\, angle of arrival fluctuations\, spati al coherence loss\, and scintillation are analysed. The findings of this r esearch contribute to the advancement of an accessible FSO system capable of providing connectivity prior to fibre cable installation\, thereby play ing a crucial role in bridging the digital divide.\n\nhttps://events.saip. org.za/event/239/contributions/9035/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9035/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Structural and magnetic properties of Mn50Pt50-xNix alloys: A firs t principles study DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T122000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8936@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Ramogohlo Diale (MINTEK)\nL10 MnPt alloy has attract ed much attention recently since it can be easily produced and provides ma gnetic properties of interest to spintronic applications. According to pre vious studies\, this alloy retains its antiferromagnetism at room temperat ure. In this study\, a first-principles calculations were performed in the framework of density functional theory to identify new spintronic materia l compositions in Mn-based alloys. By using this method\, the structural\, electronic structure\, thermodynamic\, elastic and magnetic properties we re determined to track the stability of Mn50Pt50-xNix (x=0\, 6.25\, 12.5\, 18.75\, 25) alloys. It was found that the calculated lattice constants of binary systems are in good agreement with available experimental data. Ac cording to heats of formation calculations\, B2 and L10 Mn50Pt50-xNix allo ys are thermodynamically stable when c/a is less than 1.10 suggesting that these alloys can be synthesized experimentally. Furthermore\, it was foun d that the magnetic moments improve with an increase in Ni compositions wh en the c/a ratio is 1.10 and drops above (c/a>1.10). As a result of these findings\, more guided experimental studies can be undertaken on promising Mn50Pt50-xNix alloys for potential use in future spintronic devices.\n\nh ttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8936/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8936/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The development of Ti-Pt-V shape memory alloys using both computat ional modelling and experimental techniques DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T074000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8947@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Rosinah Modiba (CSIR)\nThere is currently a high dem and for the development and commercialisation of TiPt based shape memory a lloys (SMAs). The development of these SMAs involves both computational mo delling and experimental techniques. The integration of both techniques pr ovide a detailed interpretation of the results that cannot be achievable u sing only the experimental approach. Therefore\, this study uses first pri nciples computational modelling and experimental techniques in the develop ment of Ti-Pt-V alloys. Titanium (Ti)-based alloys are considered to be th e most attractive metallic materials for aerospace and automobile applicat ions. In this regard\, the TiPt alloys are the most promising SMAs for hig h temperature application due to their transformation temperature of above 1000 0C. However\, the binary alloys have been found to be mechanically u nstable and exhibit very low shape memory effect\, which is attributed to low critical stress for slip deformation compared to the stress required f or martensitic transformation. Therefore\, the addition of alloying elemen ts has been suggested as one of the ways to improve the mechanical propert ies of TiPt alloys. In this study\, the addition of 6.25 and 12.5 at.% van adium (V) to replace either Ti or Pt was used. It was observed that both approaches were in good agreement wherein the replacement of Ti with V inc reased the martensitic transformation temperature of the TiPt alloys. Howe ver\, the reverse was observed with the replacement of Pt with V.\n\nhttps ://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8947/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8947/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Numerical Simulations Defect-Decorated Carbon Nanotubes under Pres sure DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8938@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Robert Warmbier (University of the Witwatersrand)\nC arbon nanotubes (CNTs) are amongst the strongest materials known with very high tensile strength and Young’s modulus. Unfortunately the ideal para meters primarily refer to single nanotubes. In amorphous materials and non -twisted bundles the macroscopic strength is limited by the relatively wea k van der Waals interaction between the tubes.\nIn recent years researcher s have tried to modify CNT-based materials in various ways\, including irr adiation to create defect-decorated CNTs. In this paper we present Density Functional Theory and Molecular Dynamics simulations of defect-decorated CNTs. We show that even small fractions of extra defects in the material c an lower the collapse pressures significantly. The extra defects also faci litate deformations into oval and race-track shapes at lower pressures. Th e interplay between defect-decorations and pressures further allows for lo cal morphological changes\, including CNT-interlinking\, which do not less en the strength of CNTs further\, but might improve other material propert ies.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8938/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8938/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Overview of Ion Beam Analysis (IBA) actitivities at iThemba LABS-N RF DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143600Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143700Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8946@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mlungisi Nkosi (Head of Tandetron Laboratory)\niThem ba LABS is a facility that houses various research accelerators\, includin g the latest 3 MV TandetronTM accelerator\, which was installed in 2017 to replace the 51-year-old 6 MV CN Van de Graaff accelerator. High Voltage E ngineering Europa B.V. (HVE) was responsible for installing and commission ing the new accelerator in the Tandetron Laboratory. The accelerator has t he ability to accelerate charged particles to MeV energies from three ion sources\, including a Cs sputter source for heavy ions and two multi-cusp ion sources for helium ions and protons. The primary purpose of the accele rator is to facilitate research in ion beam analysis (IBA) and low-energy astrophysics.\n\nThe 3 MV TandetronTM accelerator is linked to the experim ental section through 90-degree analyzing and switching magnets that direc t the charged particle beam into the experimental chambers. Currently\, tw o active beam lines are designated for solid-state physics techniques like Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) and Elastic Recoiled Detecti on Analysis (ERDA)\, as well as nuclear microprobe-based techniques such a s Particle-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) and proton beam writing. Another beam line is under commissioning for astrophysics-related research project s.\n\nThe ion sources available with the accelerator can produce high-inte nsity beams of 200 eμA and 25 eμA for protons and helium light ions\, re spectively\, and a maximum of 150 μA for heavy ions at the terminal volta ge of 3 MV. This makes the accelerator particularly promising for material s research areas such as ion implantation\, radiation hardness testing\, a nd shielding studies.\n\nThe Tandetron laboratory has recently expanded it s research areas to include studies associated with laser-matter interacti on using femtosecond lasers\, diffusion kinetics studies in nuclear waste storage materials and hydrogen storage materials\, measurement of fundamen tal parameters in ion-matter interactions\, and surface texturing or patte rning using proton beams.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contribu tions/8946/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8946/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Structural\, elastic\, electronic\, bonding\, and optical properti es of PtBiTe and PtBi2 structures. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143700Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143800Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8945@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Masilu Godfrey Mulaudzi (University of Limpopo)\nIn recent days\, semimetals have become an active branch of materials researc h. The Platinum Group Mineral (PGM) semimetal Insizwaite (PtBi2) and Maslo vite (PtBiTe) are polymorphic systems with interesting electronic properti es. Here we report the optimised crystals belonging to the pyrite-type cub ic structure which are important electronic systems to investigate both fr om the point of view of fundamental physics and prospective applications. We have employed the density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the st ructural\, elastic\, mechanical\, electronic\, bonding and optical propert ies of PtBi2 and PtBiTe.\nCalculations of elastic constants and moduli ind icated that PtBi2 and PtBiTe possess a low level of elastic anisotropy\, r easonably good machinability\, mixed bonding characteristics with ionic an d covalent contributions\, brittle nature and relatively high Vickers hard ness with a low Debye temperature. The mechanical stability conditions wer e fulfilled. Analysis of bond population supported the bonding nature as i ndicated by the elastic parameters. The bulk electronic band structure rev ealed clear semi-metallic features with signature Dirac cone-like dispersi ons near the Fermi level. A pseudo gap in the electronic energy density of states at the Fermi level separating the bonding and the antibonding peak s point towards significant electronic stability of cubic of PtBi2 and PtB iTe. The Fermi surface mostly consisted of electron-like sheets with very few small hole pockets. The band structures were isotropic in the k-space. The optical constants indicated interesting characteristics. Furthermore\ , all the energy-dependent optical parameters exhibited clear metallic sig natures and were in complete accord with the underlying bulk electronic de nsity of states calculations. we calculate the electronic band structure u sing the obtained structure parameters. These findings warrant further res earch using a broader array of experimental techniques.\n\nhttps://events. saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8945/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8945/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Characterization of neutron-induced defects in SnO2 using positron annihilation technique DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143900Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8943@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Dineo Motjope ()\nIn this work a two-component densi ty functional theory is employed in the modelling of defects in neutron-ir radiated SnO2. Since defects are localized\, the local density approximati on (LDA) is used which is part of DFT. Although LDA gives a good approxima tion of positron lifetimes and electron-positron annihilation momentum den sity\, it does not consider the variation nature of the electron density. This has an unintended consequence of having over estimated annihilation r ates or lower positron lifetimes compared to experimental values. This def iciency in LDA is corrected by using the generalized gradient approximatio n (GGA) which considers the variation nature of electron density. The accu mulation of annihilation spectrum using coincidence setup\, is utilized to allow for the determination of annihilation parameters\, S and W. The spe ctrum consists of positron annihilations at defect sites as well as annihi lations in the bulk (defect-free region). It also consists of annihilation s of positrons with core electrons (high momentum electrons). The low and high momentum distribution of electrons will be used to characterize the D oppler broadening which will tell us about the quantity of radiation-induc ed defects in SnO2 in terms of calculating S-parameter\, which is the rati o of the annihilation centroid area to the total area of the annihilation curve. Calculated S parameters are then compared with the experimentally o btained S parameters. The nature of the defects is theoretically obtained from the annihilation rates or equivalently from the calculated positron l ifetimes in SnO2.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/89 43/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8943/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Synthesis and modification of Boron Nitride nanotubes using ion im plantation DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8949@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Lehlohonolo Lisema (School of Physics\, University o f Witwatersrand\, Johannesburg 2050\, South Africa)\nIn this work\, Chemic al Vapour Deposition (CVD) has been used to synthesize boron nitride (BN) nanostructures\, particularly nanotubes\, and defects selectively introduc ed into the synthesized BN nanostructures through ion implantation. Scanni ng electron microscopy (SEM) images show clear evidence of BN nanostructur es and BN nanotubes (BNNTs)\, with the latter appearing as long\, thin str uctures with diameters ranging from ⁓30-90 nm. Raman analysis show an E_ 2g mode of vibration assigned to hexagonal BN (hBN) at 1366 cm^-1 after io n implantation\, with increased intensity. Grazing incidence X-ray diffrac tion (GIXRD) spectra revealed a prominent peak\, a (004) hBN characteristi c peak\, present in the 54°-56° angle region\, which was used to determi ne the average lattice parameters (a⁓2.23 and c⁓3.64 Å)\, crystallite size ⁓5.60nm and density (⁓1.75g/cm3) of BN nanostructures. The most notable observation in this study was a significant rise in the size of th e crystallite domains in the nanostructures synthesized at 1100 and 1200 °C after ion implantation with boron ions at fluence 5x10^14 ions/cm^2.\n \nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8949/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8949/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Synergistic effects of Au on the gas sensing properties of Yb-dope d Co3O4-In2O3 nanostructures DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8953@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Rethabile Makole (University of the Free State)\nNob le metals such as Ag\, Au\, and Pt have been reported to improve gas senso r sensitivity by inducing electronic and chemical sensitization of the sen sor layer. This is one of the methods used to enhance the gas response of metal oxide semiconductors for the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Monitoring of emitted VOCs in industrial and residential spaces s erves as a precautionary measure for possible exposure to emissions exceed ing the recommended limits. Herein\, we report on the detection of BTEX co mpounds\, which are aromatic VOCs using Au-loaded ytterbium-doped Co3O4-In 2O3 nanostructures at a working temperature of 100 ˚C.\n\nhttps://events. saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8953/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8953/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Using the sf-model to describe spintronic devices DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8951@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Volkmar Nolting (Vaal University of Technology)\nCry stals containing rare earth atoms are interesting candidates for spintroni c devices due to the fact that magnetism and the electric current are caus ed by different electron groups. The exactly solvable zero bandwidth limit of the sf-model is used to calculate the conduction electron spin polariz ation P(T\,n)\, the chemical potential $\\mu(T\,n)$ and the 4f-magnetizati on m(T\,n). The results confirm the existence of spin dependent electron t ransport properties in these materials. As an application to 4f-antiferrom agnetism the alloy series $CeNi_{1-x}Co_{x}Ge_{2}$ is investigated. It is shown that the susceptibility X(T) displays a peak at the Neel temperature $T_{N}$ thereby indicating a transition into the paramagnetic phase. A nu merical evaluation yields results in qualitative agreement with those of o ther authors.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8951/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8951/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Uncovering the spatial distribution of entanglement using vectoria l light DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T124000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T130000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9036@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Cade Ribeiro Peters (University of the Witwatersrand )\nVectorial light has long been established as a robust analogy for 2-dim ensional quantum systems. Consequently\, many of the insights and techniqu es from quantum mechanics\, and entanglement in particular\, have found si gnificant applications in helping us understand and quantify many properti es of vectorial light. This relationship also allows us to probe the natur e of quantum systems using vector modes. Traditionally the degree of entan glement of a quantum state is thought of as a single value between 0 and 1 . In this work we use the non-separability of vectorial light as an analog y for the degree of quantum entanglement and show that this value does not just vary between 0 and 1\, but also changes depending on where in the st ate one chooses to look. Thus entanglement is not just a global property o f the system\, but varies spatially across the entire state. The results o f this have applications in the fields of quantum imaging and allow for mo re detailed investigations of how entanglement evolves in complex quantum systems.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9036/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9036/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Investigation of the structural\, elastic and vibrational stabilit y of PtTe\, PtTe2\, Pt2Te3 and Pt3Te4 tellurides structures DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T140500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T140600Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8958@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: TSHEPO MAAKA ()\nPlatinum tellurides are platinum gr oup minerals (PGMs) predominantly found in the Platreef Bushveld Complex o f South Africa\, which is one of the leading countries with highest percen tages of PGMs. Besides being the important carriers of precious metals\, t elluride minerals are minor constituents in an ore deposits from a wide di versity of geological environments and they are of significant economic im portance. In this study Vienna Ab-initio Simulation Package (VASP) code wa s employed to investigate the structural\, thermodynamic\, elastic and vib rational properties of PtTe\, PtTe2\, Pt2Te3 and Pt3Te4.The calculated lat tice parameters agreed well with the available experimental data. In addit ion\, the calculated heats of formation predicted that PtTe2 was more stab le than the PtTe\, Pt2Te3 and Pt3Te4. The elastic constants indicated that PtTe\, PtTe2\, Pt2Te3 and Pt3Te4 were mechanically stable. It was observe d that the PtTe was ductile\, while PtTe2\, Pt2Te3 and Pt3Te4 were brittle . The phonon dispersion curves showed no soft modes for PtTe\, PtTe2 and P t3Te4 suggesting stability\, while Pt2Te3 was unstable due to the presence of vibrations in the negative frequency. The total density of states (TDO S) for all the structures showed a metallic behaviour due to absence of a band gap. These findings gave more insights on the stability of these mine rals for future studies that will include surfaces in particular for PtTe2 which is dominates in the Platreef Bushveld Complex.\n\nhttps://events.sa ip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8958/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8958/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Phase stability of calcium manganese oxide (CaMn2O4) polymorphs ca thode materials in calcium ion batteries. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142100Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8959@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: OSWALD ROBERTS ()\nThe demand for energy storage dev ices with high energy density has increased with the development of renewa bles occurring. Calcium ion batteries (CIBs) have gained attraction due to their abundance\, high energy density\, low cost\, and low risk. Supercap acitors and Batteries are the currently used energy storage devices with B atteries being the dominant/most used. This study presents computational c alculations that were carried out on the structural\, thermodynamics\, ele ctronic and mechanical properties for CaMn2O4 polymorphs. The computationa l method used the density functional theory (DFT) that is imbedded in the CASTEP code in Material Studio. Since we were dealing with transition meta l oxides\, we had to employ the Hubbard U-correction to take care of the h ighly-correlated electrons in the d-orbital of the Mn atoms. The lattice p arameters found were in good agreement with available experimental results validating the approach taken. The heats of formation are both negative w hich suggest that the structures can be synthesized experimentally. During the analysis of the DOS the considered CaMn2O4 polymorphs showed a relati vely poor conductivity and can be classified as semi-conductors. Furthermo re\, Pbca-CaMn2O4 has lower states around the Fermi level as compared to P bcm-CaMn2O4\, suggesting that the Pbca-CaMn2O4 polymorph is more stable. This is consistent with the calculated heats of formation.\n\nhttps://even ts.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8959/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8959/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Dual-Site Loading and Characterization of Cobalt Ferrite Nanostruc tures DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8957@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sunday Ogundipe (University of Zululand)\nDual-site loaded cobalt-ferrite spinel nanostructures with chemical formula Co1-2xN ixMnxFe2-yCeyO4\, where 0 ≤ x = y ≤ 0.3\, were successfully prepared v ia glycolthermal route. The final products of the appropriate sites loadin g are CoFe2O4 (dried naturally)\, CoFe2O4 (dried with Infrared lamp)\, Co0 .8Ni0.1Mn0.1Fe1.9Ce0.1O4\, Co0.6Ni0.2Mn0.2Fe1.8Ce0.2O4\, and Co0.4Ni0.3Mn0 .3Fe1.9Ce0.3O4. The structure\, surface morphology\, surface area\, elemen tal composition and optical analysis were carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM)\, scan ning electron microscopy (SEM)\, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET)\, X-ray phot oelectron spectroscopy (XPS)\, and UV–vis spectroscopy (UV). XRD results showed the cubic crystal structure and spinel formation of the samples\; HRTEM confirms the crystallinity of the samples. SEM revealed the nano-sph erical nature of the samples. BET results showed that the samples are meso porous. The presence of the constituent elements of the Co1-2xNixMnxFe2-yC eyO4 spinel was verified by XPS. The band gaps of the samples estimated fr om the Tauc plot were found to be between 1.88 and 2.55 eV.\n\nhttps://eve nts.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8957/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8957/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Gas sensing performance of pristine and modified Ga2O3 nanostructu res for environment monitoring and food safety DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8960@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Nyepudzai Charsline Gatsi (University of the Witwate rsrand\, Johannesburg)\nThe release of toxic gases from modern industries seriously threatens the environment and human safety [1\,2]. Many research ers are therefore committed to developing inexpensive and effective sensor s for detecting and monitoring such gases using semiconductor metal oxide (SMO) nanostructures [3]. In this work\, a series of studies were conducte d to investigate the gas sensing performance of unmodified and noble-metal -modified Ga2O3 nanorods prepared using a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method followed by heat treatment. Variation in the heat-treatment tempera ture induced controlled polymorphism\, morphology\, and structural defects in Ga2O3. The gas sensing measurements revealed a highly selective respon se\, fast response (45s)/recovery (42s) times\, and low detection limit of 0.61 ppm towards CO for the β-Ga2O3 sensor at a working temperature of 1 65 ℃. The β-Ga2O3 outperformed the α-Ga2O3 and α/β-Ga2O3 polymorphs due to more active surface sites offered by the high surface area and cont rolled donor and acceptor defects such as VGa and VO\, respectively\, for improved surface-target gas interaction. The decoration of β-Ga2O3 nanoro ds surfaces by 1mol% of noble-Ag nanoparticles demonstrated an optimum res ponse coupled with a fast response/recovery time of 38/60 s towards ethyle ne gas at a lower working temperature of 140 °C. DFT calculations and exp erimental characterizations revealed that high ethylene sensing benefited several factors including higher adsorption energy of ethylene compared to other target gases\, sensitization and catalytic effects of surface plasm onic Ag metals\, high surface area and high concentration of defects relat ed to VO and VGa thus offering more active sites for surface-gas interacti on. This work demonstrates the potential CO and ethylene sensing capabilit ies by unmodified β-Ga2O3 and 1mol%Ag-modified β-Ga2O3\, respectively. E thylene detection is important in food safety–quality monitoring and con trol in the fruit supply chains [4].\n\nKeywords: Ga2O3\; polymorphism\; n oble metals (Ag\, Au)\; carbon monoxide\; ethylene\; gas sensing.\n\nRefer ences\n[1] G.F. Fine\, L.M. Cavanagh\, A. Afonja\, R. Binions\, Metal oxid e semi-conductor gas sensors in environmental monitoring\, Sensors. 10 (20 10) 5469–5502.\n[2] A. Kaushik\, R. Kumar\, R.D. Jayant\, M. Nair\, Nano structured Gas Sensors for Health Care: An Overview\, J. Pers. Nanomedicin e. 1 (2015) 10–23.\n[3] Y.-F. Sun\, S.-B. Liu\, F.-L. Meng\, J.-Y. Liu\, Z. Jin\, L.-T. Kong\, J.-H. Liu\, Metal Oxide Nanostructures and Their Ga s Sensing Properties: A Review\, Sensors. (2012) 2610–2631.\n[4] S. Jans sen\, K. Schmitt\, M. Blanke\, M.L. Bauersfeld\, J. Wöllenstein\, W. Lang \, Ethylene detection in fruit supply chains\, Philos. Trans. R. Soc. A Ma th. Phys. Eng. Sci. 372 (2014) 0311.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/2 39/contributions/8960/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8960/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Emulating magnetic skyrmions with light DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9007@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Pedro Ornelas (University of the Witwatersrand)\nMag netic skyrmions are topologically stable spin systems that cannot be smoot hly deformed into any other spin configuration that differs topologically or possesses a different integer topological invariant\, the Skyrme number . Their robustness has generated interest in using them as a resource for low power\, information storage and computing. Recently topologically equi valent configurations have been generated in optical systems using structu red light techniques. Here\, we introduce an optical analogy to magnetic s kyrmion dynamics subject to a magnetic field. Our optical skyrmions are en gineered using superpositions of Bessel-Gaussian beams\, with propagation dynamics mimicking the temporal evolution of their magnetic counterparts. We show that whilst the topology remains invariant\, the texture of the op tical configuration changes during propagation\, exhibiting controllable p eriodic precession over a well-defined range\, analogous to time varying s pin precession in homogeneous magnetic fields. Furthermore\, we discuss a general technique to control the on-axis optical spin to emulate any given magnetic spin subject to an arbitrary magnetic field. We believe this wor k offers new tools to study magnetic skyrmion dynamics subject to applied magnetic fields.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/900 7/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9007/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Incorporation of copper nanorods in organic solar cells DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142100Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142200Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8962@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Thapelo Seimela (None)\nIn this study\, the plasmoni c effect of copper nanorods (Cu NRs) inside PTB7-Th:IEICO-4F to improve li ght scattering in organic solar cells have been investigated. Copper nitr ate (CuNO3) is reduced with poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) in which the solu tion is heated in an autoclave to obtain Cu NRs. Cu NRs are deposited in P TB7-TH:IEICO-4F and spin coated on top of glass substrate followed by the blend poly(3-hexylthiophene): phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT: PCBM). The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results show cylindrical shapes of Cu NRs with grain size of 50.3±0.5 nm. The UV-Vis spectroscopy revealed that NRs are absorbing in the visible range by showing plasmonic resonance at around 570 nm along with peaks of PTB7-TH:IEICO-4F\, PCBM an d P3HT at 950\, 333 and 445 nm respectively. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) c onfirmed the FCC structure of Cu NRs with (111)\, (200)\, (220)\, and (310 ) phases in which the (111) peak was the most intense. Raman has also conf irmed the existence of P3HT: PCBM\, PTB7-TH:IEICO-4F and Cu NRs by showing the peaks of each structure. From this study\, Cu NRs have a potential ap plication in organic solar cells. \nKeywords: Nanorods\, solar cell\, lig ht scattering\, PTB7-TH:IEICO-4F\, P3HT:PCBM\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za /event/239/contributions/8962/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8962/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:A machine learning approach to prediction of bandgap and optimum e fficiency of perovskite solar cells based on SCAPS 1-D data simulation DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T122000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8964@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Dakalo Rollet Mashamba (Tshwane University of Techno logy)\n**Abstract** \n\nRecent advances in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) h ave yielded power conversion efficiency (PCE) values exceeding 25.5% withi n a decade from their inception. Despite this rapid growth in PCE\, one of the major drawbacks hindering large scale commercialization of PSCs is th e toxicity of the lead (Pb) component in their composition [1]. Partially or wholly substituting Pb with other environmentally friendly metal elemen ts offers a solution to circumvent this challenge. Due to the vast chemica l landscape of perovskite materials\, composition selection for mixed pero vskites is still largely through tedious\, costly and labour-intensive tri al and error experiments [2].\n\n\n\n\nIn this contribution\, solar cell c apacitance simulator (SCAPS) was utilized to simulate a PSC device of meth ylammonium tin/lead iodide (MASn$_x$Pb$_1$$_-$$_x$I$_3$). The simulated op en voltage circuit (V$_O$$_C$)\, fill factor (FF)\, current density (J$_S$ $_C$) and efficiency of the solar cell were optimized by varying input par ameters of the perovskite absorber layer: thickness (200 – 1500 nm) and the bandgap (1.18 – 1.6 eV) corresponding to Sn$_x$Pb$_1$$_-$$_x$ compos ition. A set of supervised machine learning (ML) models were trained to pr edict the relative effect of varying the composition on the bandgap. Based on SCAPS simulated data\, a second ML model was designed to predict the b est possible PCE using the predicted bandgap and layer thickness values as input parameters. The results suggest that ML in conjunction with numeric al SCAPS simulations can be an effective approach to accelerate discovery [3] of efficient\, low cost and less toxic PSCs through narrowing down pos sible perovskite combinations to just a few permutations.\n\n\n**Reference s**\n\n1.Parikh N. et al.\, Is machine learning redefining the perovskite solar cells?. Journal of Energy Chemistry. 2022\, 66\, p. 74-90.\n\n2.Jeba kumar\, J. et al.\, Design and simulation of inorganic perovskite solar ce ll. Applied Nanoscience. 2022\, 12(5)\, p. 1507-18.\n\n3.Hasanzadeh Azar M . et al.\, SCAPS Empowered Machine Learning Modelling of Perovskite Solar Cells: Predictive Design of Active Layer and Hole Transport Materials. Pho tonics. 2023\, 10(3)\, p. 271\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/cont ributions/8964/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8964/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:First principles study of structural\, elastic\, electronic and op tical properties of triclinic CsAlS2 chalcogenide. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142400Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8968@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Boitemogelo Phale (University of Limpopo)\nB Phale1\ , RR Maphanga2\, 3 and PS Ntoahae1\n1Department of Physics\, University of Limpopo\, Private bag x 1106\, Sovenga\, 0727\n2Next Generation Enterpris es and Institutions\, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research\, P.O . Box 395\, Pretoria\, 0001\n3National Institute for Theoretical and Compu tational Sciences\, NITheCS\, Gauteng\, 2000\n\nAbstract\nThe structural\, elastic\, electronic and optical properties of triclinic model CsAlS2 are investigated using the plane wave ultrasoft pseudopotentials approximatio n in the framework of density functional theory as implemented in CASTEP c ode of Material Studio package. The exchange correlation potential is trea ted with the generalized gradient approximation within the scheme of Perde w-Burke-Ernzerhof. The ground state properties are determined and the calc ulated elastic constant show that the CsAlS2 structure obeys the triclinic criterion. The obtained band structure and density of states predict the material to be an insulator with a direct band gap of 3.246 eV at 0 GPa. T he optical properties are obtained and discussed\, including reflectivity and absorption coefficient\, which provide useful information for the futu re application of CsAlS2 in photovoltaics.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/e vent/239/contributions/8968/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8968/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Deposition time-dependent properties of electrodeposited CdSe thin films from cadmium nitrate source for energy harvesting application. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8966@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Ahmed Yimamu (UFS)\nElectrodeposition of CdSe thin f ilms using a two-electrode configuration was performed at different deposi tion periods such as 5\, 10\, 15\, 20\, and 30 min on conductive glass sub strate fluorine-doped tine oxide (FTO). Structural\, optical\, electrical\ , surface morphology\, surface roughness\, and elemental composition of Cd Se thin films for both as-deposited and annealed samples were investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD)\, UV–VIS spectrophotometry\, Photoele ctrochemical cell analysis (PEC)\, scanning electron microscopy (SEM)\, sc anning probe microscopy (SPM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (ED S) respectively. The structural properties show that CdSe thin films are f ound in cubic and hexagonal structures. Optical properties analysis shows that CdSe thin film absorbance increased with deposition time. The energy band gap varied between 1.69 and 1.85 eV for both as-deposited and anneale d samples. PEC measurement confirmed that both as-deposited and annealed s amples are n-type conductivity. The surface morphology analysis shows that the film covered the glass substrate\, and the shape\, grain size\, and m orphology changed with deposition time. The scanning roughness analysis co nfirmed that the average surface roughness was recorded as-deposited films 35.72\, 53.61\, and 45.45 nm for annealed samples 49.18\, 55.26\, 45.9 nm with deposition times 5\, 20\, and 30 min\, respectively. The elemental c omposition analysis confirmed that both Cd and Se were present in the film \, and their percentage composition varied with deposition time. In thin f ilm solar cell devices\, the thickness plays a great role and is controlle d by deposition time. The CdSe film deposited at a short time of 5 min has potential application for the window (buffer) layer\, and for a longer ti me\, 30 min\, is used as an absorber layer for solar cell devices.\n\nhttp s://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8966/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8966/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Investigation of the novel tetragonal compounds Ba$T_{2}$P$_{2}$($ T$ = Co\, Ru\, Pd) DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8965@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Arthur Van der Spuy (University of the Witswatersran d)\nTetragonal $A$Co$_2$$Pn_2$ ($A$: alkali or alkaline earth metals\, $Pn $: pnictides) compounds are known for their exotic structure-property rela tionships [1-4]. Some of these compounds have also been reported to exhibi t unusual behaviors\, like the recently observed positive curvature in ele ctrical resistivity of highly pure single crystals of $K$Co$_2$$As_2$ [5] . In the present work\, we investigate the structural\, magnetic\, transpo rt and thermal properties of polycrystalline samples of unexplored materia ls Ba$T_{2}$P$_{2}$ ($T$ =Co\, Ru\, Pd). Our study confirms that BaCo$_{2} $P$_{2}$ and BaRu$_{2}$P$_{2}$ crystallize with ThCr$_2$Si$_2$-type tetrag onal structures while BaPd$_{2}$P$_{2}$ crystallizes with a CeMn$_2$Si$_2$ -type tetragonal structure. All three compounds show metallic behavior and sizable density of states of conduction carriers at the Fermi level and d o not exhibit any phase transition down to the lowest temperature of our m easurements. We attempt to model the physical properties data of these com pounds as well as explore the effect of lowering the crystal symmetry\, if any. The experimental results will be discussed in detail and compared wi th the existing literature.\n\n**References**\n\n[1] A. Pandey\, D. G. Qui rinale\, W. Jayasekara\, *et al.*\, Crystallographic\, electronic\, therma l\, and magnetic properties of single-crystal SrCo$_2$As$_2$\, Phys. Rev. B **88**\, 014526 (2013).\n[2] W. Jayasekara\, Y. Lee\, Abhishek Pandey\, *et al.*\, Stripe antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations in SrCo$_2$As$_2$\, Phys. Rev. Lett. **111**\, 157001 (2013).\n[3] Y. Li\, Z. Yin\, Z. Liu\, *et al.*\, Coexistence of Ferromagnetic and Stripe Antiferromagnetic Spin Fluctuations in SrCo$_2$As$_2$\, Phys. Rev. Lett. **122**\, 117204 (2019) .\n[4] A. Sapkota\, B. G. Ueland\, V. K. Anand\, *et al.*\, Effective one- dimensional coupling in the highly frustrated square-lattice itinerant mag net CaCo$_{2-y}$As$_2$\, Phys. Rev. Lett. **119**\, 147201 (2017).\n[5] A. Pandey\, Y. Liu\, Saroj L. Samal\, *et al.*\, KCo$_2$As$_2$: A new portal for the physics of high-purity metals\, Phys. Rev. Mater. **6**\, 075001 (2022).\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8965/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8965/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:FERMI ENERGY PREDICTION OF SODIUM-ION BATTERY CATHODE MATERIALS: A MACHINE LEARNING REGRESSION APPROACH DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8967@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Keletso Monareng (University of Limpopo Student)\nKM Monareng1\, RR Maphanga2\,3 and PS Ntoahae1\n1Department of Physics\, Uni versity of Limpopo\, Private bag x 1106\, Sovenga\, 0727 2Next Generation Enterprises and Institutions\, Council for Scientific and Industrial Resea rch\, P.O. Box 395\, Pretoria\, 0001\n3National Institute of Theoretical P hysics\, NITheCS\, Gauteng\, 2000\n\nAbstract\nTransitioning from fossil f uels to renewable energy sources is a critical global challenge\, it deman ds advances at the materials\, devices for the efficient storage and manag ement of renewable energy. Energy researchers have begun to incorporate ma chine learning techniques to accelerate these advances. In this perspectiv e\, machine learning regression techniques are applied to a large amount o f data to develop machine learning models that predict the Fermi energy of sodium-ion battery (SIB) cathode materials accurately. Thus\, the importa nce of feature vectors were evaluated based on the properties of the chemi cal compounds and the elemental properties of materials constituents\, wit h the estimated FCC lattice parameter\, the average electronegativity\, an d the average density proving to be the most significant descriptors to pr edict Fermi energy. Based on the evaluation of various models\, the light gradient boosting machine model was found to be the most accurate at predi cting the fermi energy\, with coefficient of determination and mean square error of 0.82 and 0.52 eV\, respectively.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/e vent/239/contributions/8967/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8967/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Optimization of deposition voltage for growth of CdZrS thin films for window layer of CdTe-based solar cell device application. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142600Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8970@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: TSHEPO KARABO WILLIAM MOHAPI (UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE)\nCdZrS thin films were synthesized by the two-electrode electrodep osition method at different growth voltages (1535-1570) mV with intervals of 5 mV on conductive glass substrate fluorine-doped thin oxide (FTO). Str uctural\, optical\, electrical\, surface morphology\, surface roughness\, and elemental composition of the as-prepared and annealed CdZrS thin films were investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD)\, UV-vis spectrophoto metry\, photoelectrochemical cell analysis (PEC)\, scanning electron micro scopy (SEM)\, scanning probe microscopy (SPM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) respectively. The structural characteristics revealed t hat the films have cubic and hexagonal mixed phases. Their energy band gap was found to change with the deposition voltage. PEC analysis verified th at both the as-deposited and the annealed samples are p- and n-type conduc tivity. The surface morphology and roughness study demonstrates that the f ilm completely covered the glass substrate and that the form\, grain size\ , and morphology all altered with deposition cathode voltage. The elementa l composition analysis confirmed the presence of Cd\, Zr\, and S in the fi lms\, and their percentage composition varied with deposition voltage. The overall analysis shows the addition of Zr in CdS thin films increased the band gap\, and therefore\, the prepared materials have potential applicat ion in p-n junction solar cells as a window (buffer) layer.\n\nhttps://eve nts.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8970/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8970/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Li adsorption on a self-healed graphane for the next generation io n batteries. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144100Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9008@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Edwin Mapasha (University of Pretoria)\nDensity func tional theory calculations were performed to study the behaviour of Li ato m on self-healed various CH divacancies graphane focusing on the reconstru cted lattices. The energetic stability\, structural and electronic proper ties of different Li configurations on self constructed topological 5-9-5 and 9-5-9 defects were examined. These lithiated configurations have high binding energy significantly more than that of Li on graphene and bulk me talic lithium\, suggesting a plausible materials for experimental characte rizations. All the lithiated configurations relaxes towards the vacancy with 5-9-5 defect having a 0.00 Å height. The Li atom introduces delocal ised states within the band gap\, exhibits metallic character with conside rable electronic states at the Fermi level\, which can provide good electr ical conductivity during the battery cycle. These results suggest that Li configurations on self constructed topological 5-9-5 and 9-5-9 defects c an be utilized as a promising anode material for the application in Li ion batteries with fast charge/discharge rates.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za /event/239/contributions/9008/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9008/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Effect of pressure on structural\, mechanical\, electronic and opt ical properties of LiAlS2\, NaAlS2 and KAlS2 chalcogenides: A density fun ctional theory study DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T124000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T130000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8969@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Boitemogelo Phale (University of Limpopo)\nB Phale1\ , RR Maphanga2\, 3 and PS Ntoahae1\n1Department of Physics\, University of Limpopo\, Private Bag x 1106\, Sovenga\, 0727\n2Next Generation Enterpris es and Institutions\, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research\, P.O . Box 395\, Pretoria\, 0001\n3National Institute for Theoretical and Compu tational Sciences\, NITheCS\, Gauteng\, 2000\n\nAbstract\nThe structural\, mechanical\, electronic and optical properties of LiAlS2\, NaAlS2 and KAl S2 chalcogenides are investigated by utilizing Perdew-Berke-Ernzerhof fun ctional within generalized gradient approximation under the context of den sity functional theory as a function of pressure. The mechanical propertie s are obtained using the Vight-Reuss-Hill approximation. The pressure depe ndent band structures and density of states are obtained using geometry op timization method. The calculated electronic density of states predict the insulating nature while the band structures exhibit the direct band gaps of 4.21\, 3.70 and 3.62 eV for the triclinic LiAlS2\, NaAlS2 and KAlS2 res pectively\, at 0 GPa. The optical properties including the absorption coef ficient\, refractive index and reflectivity are calculated and analyzed. F urthermore\, the spectra of reflectivity curves are high in the ultraviole t regions suggesting they could be used as coating materials to avoid sola r heating.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8969/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8969/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Analysis of green emitting Tb3+ activated BaAl2O4 /CaAl2O4/AlHO2/ Tb2O3/TbAlO3 mixed phases nanophosphors prepared via citrate sol-gel metho d DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144100Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144200Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9009@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: ABONGILE BELE (SEFAKO MAKGATHO HEALTH SCIENCES UNIVE RSITY)\nBaAl2O4 /CaAl2O4/AlHO2/Tb2O3/TbAlO3:x% Tb3+ (0 ≤ x ≤ 1.9) mixe d phases nanophosphors were developed using sol-gel synthesis. The phase q uantification of the XRD results indicated that the mixed phases are compo sed of the hexagonal (BaAl2O4\, CaAl2O4)\, orthorhombic (AlHO2\, TbAlO3) a nd cubic (Tb2O3) crystal structures. SEM results showed the presence of th e nano which enlarged with the increase in Tb3+ concentration. TEM confirm ed the presence of nanorods. Photoluminescence (PL) results depict emissio n peaks at 380\, 415\, 435\, 458\, 488\, 542\, 586 and 622 nm attributed t o 4f–4f Tb3+ transitions 5D3→7F6\, 5D3→7F5\, 5D3→7F4\, 5D3→7F3\, 5D4→7F6\, 5D4→7F5\, 5D4→7F4\, and 5D4→7F3\, respectively. Commiss ion Internationale de l'éclairage (CIE) shows that the Tb3+ doped samples emitted the green colour\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contribu tions/9009/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9009/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Density Functional Theory Study of Zn Doped CsPbI3 Perovskite for Photovoltaic and Optoelectronic Applications DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T122000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8972@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Prettier Morongoa Maleka (Yes)\nThe structural\, ele ctronic\, and optical properties of the undoped and transition metal Zn do ped CsPbI3 were investigated using first-principles calculations within th e framework of spin polarised density functional theory implemented in VAS P code. The calculations are performed using the local spin density approx imation GGA+U method in order to correct the strong Coulomb interactions o f 3d electrons. The substitution of Pb atom with the Zn atom reduces the b ond length and lattice constants of CsPbI3 due to Zn atom having a smaller ionic radius compared to the Pb atom. The calculated band gap of undoped CsPbI3 is a direct band of 1.488 eV and of Zn doped is an indirect band ga p of 0.717 eV. radiation indicate that the materials could be good candida tes for solar cell applications. The study of the mechanical properties de monstrates that Zn doped material is mechanically stable and ductile natur e as the undoped CsPbI3 compound.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/ contributions/8972/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8972/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The study of the properties of Titanium based alloys for biomedica l applications using the First Principle’ approach. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T142700Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T142800Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8998@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Kobe Mabeba (Student)\nABSTRACT\nTitanium (Ti) and i ts alloys have been widely used as implant materials due to their outstand ing mechanical characteristics and biocompatibility. Some of the applicati ons includes orthopedic\, and endoderm surgeries etc. However\, there is a great concern regarding the difference in the implant material’s Young ’s modulus and that of natural bone. With prolonged use\, Ti alloys rele ases dangerous ions to the human body hence the need to improve the Young ’s moduli of these alloys. The aim of the study is to investigate the st ructural and mechanical stability of Ti-Mg-Si alloys using first principle approach. The elastic properties and the Density of States (DOS) of the a lloys were determined by the first-principle calculations based on the Den sity Functional Theory (DFT) using Cambridge Serial Total Energy Package ( CASTEP) and the results were compared with the available experimental resu lts. Cubic Ti-Mg-Si tends show a rise in the density of states peak near t he fermi line. In conclusion Mg contribution to the structure Ti-Mg-Si lea ds to a formation of a metallic bond and increased elasticity which confir ms the mechanical and structural stability. \n\nKey words: Properties of T itanium based alloys\, Structural and Mechanical stability of Ti-Mg-Si all oys\, DFT\, First-Principle.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contr ibutions/8998/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8998/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The effects of chromium metal ion on belt-like In2O3 products and their ethanol gas sensing properties DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8981@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mosima Kgomo (CSIR)\nThis study focuses on surface d efect rich 1D fiber-like Cr-doped In2O3 products produced via electrospinn ing. The effects of Cr dopant ions on the ethanol gas sensing behaviour of the 1D fiber-like Cr-doped In2O3 products were examined. Explicit analysi s pertaining to the structure\, morphology\, and surface related defects o f the 1D fiber-like Cr-doped In2O3 products was conducted to obtain inform ation on the gas sensing results. The Cr-doped In2O3 sensor with 1 mol% do ping level presented improved gas sensing characteristics\, exhibiting a r educed working temperature from 100 to 80 ℃\, a high responsive value of 12\, and rapid response/recovery times of 41/43s towards 50 ppm ethanol g as. A low detection limit of 2.18 ppm\, as well as high selectivity and ex cellent stability towards 50 ppm of ethanol gas\, was also demonstrated by this sensor. XPS analysis indicated that the improved gas sensing results stem from the maximum number of oxygen vacancies and chemisorbed oxygen s pecies induced by the introduction of Cr dopant ion inside the In2O3 latti ce. The high number of oxygen vacancies facilitated the adsorption of the ethanol gas molecules on the sensor material\, while the large number of c hemisorbed oxygen species permitted a high number of oxygen molecules to b e chemically adsorbed on the sensor material.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.z a/event/239/contributions/8981/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8981/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Magnetic properties of Cr doped CoV2O6: A binary phase study DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9013@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Murei Mulibana (University of Johannesburg)\nThe one -dimensional spin chain system CoV2O6 is known to show unique magnetic pro perties such as metamagnetism characterized by a 1/3 magnetic plateau [1 –3]\, and magnetocaloric properties [3]. CoV2O6 crystallizes in two stru cturally distinct but chemically identically phases\, α–CoV2O6 and γ –CoV2O6. Several studies have explored the magnetic properties of these two phases in bulk single crystalline [1\,4] and polycrystalline [2\,3] as well as nanocrystalline samples [5\,6]. Recently\, the effects of Cr dopi ng on the magnetic properties of α–CoV2O6 were explored [7] and the stu dy revealed the presence of spin-glass-like behaviour in addition to metam agnetism. This study takes an innovative approach of investigating the mag netic properties of a binary phase Co(V0.90Cr0.10)2O6 sample. The sample w as synthesized using a wet chemical synthesis method [7]. The structural\, elemental\, morphological and magnetic properties of Co(V0.90Cr0.10)2O6 w ere investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD)\, energy dispersive X-ray s pectroscopy (EDS)\, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)\, and vibrating sam ple magnetometry (VSM)\, respectively. XRD data revealed that Co(V0.90Cr0. 10)2O6 sample is a binary phase of α–CoV2O6 and γ–CoV2O6. Rietveld r efinement was performed on the XRD data and revealed that the composition consists of 84.90 % α–CoV2O6 and 15.10 % γ–CoV2O6. The calculated la ttice parameters for both phases are in good agreement with those reported by Nandi and Mandal [3]. EDS elemental spectra showed the presence of Co\ , V\, Cr and O\, indicating the elemental purity of the samples and demons trating the successful doping of Cr in the CoV2O6 matrix. SEM analysis rev ealed that the prepared powder sample is made of particles of different mo rphologies. The magnetic properties of Co(V0.90Cr0.10)2O6 were probed by m easuring the magnetization as a function of temperature\, M(T)\, under zer o-field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) protocols at 0.1 T\, 2.5 T and 5 T. M(T) data at 0.1 T reveals an antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering with o rdering temperature\, TN = 15.2 ± 0.3 K. Increasing field to 2.5 T result s in a ferrimagnetic (FI)-like ordering with TN = 13.3 ± 0.2 K. Increasin g the field strength to 5 T results in a ferromagnetic ordering with TN = 15.2 ± 0.2 K. Spin-glass-like freezing was observed at 2.5 T. Isothermal field dependence of magnetization\, M(μ0H)\, measurements at 2 K\, 5 K\, and 7 K\, show a stepwise dependence of magnetization on the applied field \, known as metamagnetism\, with the first\, second and third step corresp onding to AFM\, FI\, and FM ordering\, respectively. Metamagnetic transiti ons occurs at critical fields Hc1 and Hc2\, with Hc2 ≈ 2Hc1. Finally\, m agnetic saturation occurs at the FM state\, with the values of saturation magnetization\, Ms\, smaller than those of α–CoV2O6 and larger than tho se of γ–CoV2O6 [2]\, demonstrating the binary nature of Co(V0.90Cr0.10) 2O6. The results from this study will contribute significantly to the exis ting knowledge of the magnetic properties of CoV2O6 and potential applicat ion in technology.\n\n[1] Z. He et al.\, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 131\, 7554 (200 9).\n[2] M. Lenertz et al.\, J. Phys. Chem. C 115\, 17190 (2011).\n[3] M. Nandi and P. Mandal\, J. Appl. Phys. 119\, 133904 (2016).\n[4] C. B. Liu e t al.\, J. Phys. Condens. Matter 31\, 375802 (2019).\n[5] H. Shu et al.\, J. Magn. Magn. Mater. 407\, 129 (2016).\n[6] Y. C. Sun et al.\, Appl. Phys . A 122\, 832 (2016).\n[7] M. Mulibana et al.\, AIP Adv. 13\, (2023).\n\nh ttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9013/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9013/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Investigation of reduced graphene oxide as an alternative carbonac eous material for lithium ion batteries: A density functional theory study DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144600Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9014@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Thokozane Mxolisi Mlotshwa (University of Venda)\nPr oducing electrical energy from fossil fuels proves to be a growing concern and requires alternatives for it to be sustainable. The electrical genera tion capacity is still not enough. Renewable energy (RE) generation faces an uncertain future as most of its generation processes require favorable conditions\, the sun must shine or the wind blows. One way to ensure conti nuous supply of renewable energy is to have a storage device to store exce ss energy produced during those sunny and windy days. Available storage de vices however suffer from low energy densities\, very expensive and short lifespan. The full-scale development of lithium-ion batteries is largely l imited by the energy density. A lot of research is carried out to address the low energy density in recent years but it is still low to meet the fas t pace development of materials and machinery. The current study uses dens ity functional theory for reduced graphene oxide (RGO) analyses to use in lithium ion batteries. Our results suggest that RGO possesses excellent pr operties for use in lithium ion batteries for improved energy storage. \nK eywords: Renewable energy\, reduced graphene oxide\, Lithium-ion\, energy storage\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9014/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9014/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The study of Zr and Nb alloyed on the beta-Ti for bio-medical appl ications: first principle approach. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T142800Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T142900Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8999@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Thabiso Mathews (Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences Uni versity)\nAbstract: \nTitanium alloys have been used in the bio-medical in dustry since the 1800s.They are incredibly important among bio-medical imp lants because of their high strength and resistance to fatigue deteriorati on. Recently\, the development of non-toxic\, more biocompatible and aller gy-free components has been of outmost importance. The purpose of this stu dy was to use first principle approach to investigate the effect of alloyi ng Ti with Nb and Zr to improve the mechanical properties of Ti alloys for use in human implantations. This is attributed to the β phase stabilizat ion ability and high bio compatibility of these transitional element. Incr easing Zr and Nb concentrations on the Ti stabilized the alloy with a lowe r young’s modulus compared to that of pure Ti. \n\nKey words: Titanium a lloys\, Heats of formation\, Lattice parameters\, Density of states\, Elas tic properties.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8999 / LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8999/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Tin Oxide nanoparticle structural modification with ZnO/Zn for gas sensing applications. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T124000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T130000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8978@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Philani S. Mngomezuulu (University of Zululand)\nTin oxide nanoparticles were synthesized using hydrothermal process\, tin tet rachloride was dissolved in distilled water\, and ammonia was used as a pr ecursor to control pH. Zinc and zinc oxide were used as dopants to modify the structural properties of tin oxide nanoparticles. The synthesized nano particles were characterized using the X-ray diffraction (XRD)\, high reso lution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM)\, scanning electron micros cope (SEM)\, and X-ray photoelectron microscope (XPS) to study their struc tural\, morphological\, average particle size and surface properties.\n\nh ttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8978/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8978/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:High selective and sensitive acetone gas sensor: Effects of Cerium metal ion on pyramid-like In2O3 products DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T142900Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T143000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8982@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mosima Kgomo (CSIR)\nHerein\, a high-performance ace tone gas sensor based on pyramid-like Ce-doped In2O3 products was generate d using a facile electrospinning approach followed by annealing at 550 ℃ . Systematic characterization techniques demonstrated that the introductio n of Ce dopant ions into the In2O3 lattice can improve the acetone gas sen sing properties by inducing a high concentration of oxygen vacancies at di fferent Ce dopant levels through the Ce3+/Ce4+ redox couple. A contrast of the acetone gas sensing performance of the pure and Ce-doped In2O3 sensor s at doping levels of 0.5\, 1.5 and 2 mol% showed that all Ce-doped In2O3 sensors exhibited high selectivity and high response towards 90 ppm of ace tone at 150 ℃ with a 1.5 mol% Ce-doped In2O3 sensor presenting a maximum response value of 12\, which is three-fold greater than that of the pure In2O3 sensor and a low detection limit of 1.98 ppm. With such enhanced ace tone gas sensing capabilities\, the Ce-doped In2O3 sensor with a doping le vel of 1.5 mol% can be utilised as an auspicious gas sensing layer for det ecting acetone gas in real environments.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/eve nt/239/contributions/8982/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8982/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Linking Quantum Search Algorithms to Ghost Imaging DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T142900Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T143000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9000@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Neelan Gounden (University of Witwatersrand)\nGhost imaging is the process of reconstructing an image of an object using entan gled photons. One of the entangled photons interacts with the object and i s detected without spatial resolution while the other photon from the pair is detected with spatial resolution. When the two photons are detected in coincidence\, an image of the object can be obtained with the help of pro jective masks. An analogy can be drawn between the Grovers algorithm (qua ntum search algorithm) and the detection of single photons to produce a gh ost image of a given object. The Grover operator (consisting of the oracle and the diffuser) contains similarities to the operator which acts on the projective states in the ghost imaging procedure. This correlation presen ts a new method of performing ghost imaging. I will present our findings a s to how Grover’s algorithm is linked to bi-photon detection and how Gro ver’s operator emerges.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contribu tions/9000/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9000/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Statistical analysis of ground level enhancement (GLE) and Forbush decrease (FD) using neutron monitor data covering solar cycle 23 and 24. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T124000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T130000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8994@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Lehlogonolo Arnold Phasha (SANSA)\nThe main aim of t his study is to perform statistical analysis of ground level enhancement ( GLE) and forbush decrease (FD) associated with solar events\, such as coro nal mass ejections (CMEs)\, solar energetic particles (SEPs) and solar fla res. The study will also investigate which of the solar events has the gre atest influence in terms of GLEs and FD magnitudes. The period of study co vers the solar cycle 23 and 24\, 1996-2008 and 2009-2019 respectively. Wit hin these two solar cycles\, 18 GLE events were observed by the neutron mo nitors (NM) world-wide. This study will consider the data from the four NM stations in the southern hemisphere namely\; Hermanus\, Potchefstroom\, T sumeb and SANAE. These solar events will be investigated independently\, a nd the preliminary results will be presented and discussed in this paper.\ n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8994/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8994/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Multi-Faceted Approaches To Enhance The Li7La3Zr2O12 Solid Electr olyte Material DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8984@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Raesibe Ledwaba (University of Limpopo)\nSolid-state technology is by far the most intriguing development to curb the thermal instability associated with the reactivity of liquid electrolytes. Of part icular interest is the cubic Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) solid electrolyte materi al with ionic conductivity of 10−3 to 10−2 S•cm−1. However\, it ha s temperature-dependent phase instability wherein the low conducting tetra gonal phase exists below 630 °C whilst the highly conductive cubic phase is only stable at high temperatures. Herein\, we explore several strategie s incorporated in the fundamental enhancement of the LLZO solid electrolyt e i.e. supervalent doping\, nanosizing\, and subjection to pressure. Thes e were carried out through the exploration of various computational approa ches: cluster expansion\, ab-initio simulations\, and molecular dynamics. The cluster expansion approach was employed to assist in generating new st able structures for the supervalent doping with Ta and W on the Zr site. T he Ta-doped structures' electronic and mechanical properties were studied and demonstrated the presence of a band gap of 4.6 eV. alternatively\, as an initial approach to understanding the thermodynamic properties of LLZO\ , the bulk structure was subjected to small pressure during molecular dyna mics simulations. Systematic induction of pressure yielded a transition of the tetragonal phase to the cubic phase at 2 GPa pressure. The lattice pa rameters for the cubic and tetragonal phases\, acquired in the study were within 0.38 % agreement with the literature. Furthermore\, the XRD graphs confirmed varying phases under different pressure conditions. The temperat ure phase diagram for 0 GPa structure agreed well with the literature tren ds and interestingly\, the 2 GPa structure retained the cubic phase at var ious temperatures and was confirmed in the XRDs and temperature phase diag ram. The final approach was systematic temperature variation on the bulk a nd nanostructured LLZO under various temperature conditions in the range 3 00 – 1500K to understand the LLZO high temperature behaviour and monitor the temperature-induced diffusion. The calculations revealed two distinct patterns of Li-ion transport on the diffusion coefficient plots. The tren ds in conductive ion diffusions demonstrated that nanostructured materials yielded higher diffusion coefficients than those of the bulk structure. T hese findings have laid a basis and will contribute towards the evaluation of ionic conductivity and structural stability retention aided by computa tional simulations.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/ 8984/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8984/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Structural\, Mechanical and Electronic Properties of Lithium Nicke l Oxide Bulk(LiNiO2) and Surface Stability DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8983@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mmeshi Hiine ()\nLithium-ion batteries have gained a lot of interest as a result of the increased demand for renewable energy sources\, with LiNiO2 (monoclinic) being an ideal choice to be used as the cathode material. This is due to its high specific capacity (275 mAhg–1 ) and energy density (629 Whkg-1). However\, LiNiO2 has low cycling stabil ity and voltage fading\, which restricts its usefulness. In this work we d iscuss the bulk structural properties using the First-Principle density fu nctional theory and the low Miler index surfaces of LiNiO2 calculations we re modelled using METADISE code. It was found that the lattice parameters are in good agreement with the reported results\, with less than 1.5% diff erence and it have heats of formation of -624.37 kJ/mol which shows that o ur system is thermodynamically stable. Calculated elastic constants show t hat the structure is mechanically stable due to the agreement with the mon oclinic stability criteria. Furthermore\, the phonon dispersion curves sho w imaginary vibrations along the gamma region\, indicating that the struct ures instability. LiNiO2 depicts an indirect bandgap of 0.00eV around the fermi-level suggesting that the structure has magnetic metal characteristi c. Finally\, we were able examine the following Miller index surfaces (i.e . (110)\, (100)\, (100)\, (010)\, (001)\, (111)\, and (101))\, and found t he most stable facet to be (101).\n\nKeywords: Lithium-ion batteries\, LiN iO2\, Density functional theory(DFT)\,\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event /239/contributions/8983/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8983/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Continuous Monitoring and Feedback Control of a quantum harmonic o scillator DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T074000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9005@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Thomas Konrad (UKZN)\nI review quantum state monitor ing and measurement-based feedback control at the example of a particle in a harmonic potential [1]. Feedback can be employed to effectively modify the Hamiltonian\, dissipate energy and transfer the system into the ground state while simultaneously compensating the noise introduced by the conti nuous measurement. \n\n[1] A.Rouillard\, A. Reddy\, H. Bassa\, S. Maharaj\ , L. Diosi and T. Konrad \nMeasurement-based Feedback Control of a Quantum System in a Harmonic Potential\, \npreprint: arXiv:2212.12292\,(2022) li nk: [2212.12292] Measurement-based Feedback Control of a Quantum System i n a Harmonic Potential\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributio ns/9005/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9005/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Application of Data-Driven Deep Learning Hybrid Models for Forecas ting of Semidiurnal and Diurnal Tides Measured by a SuperDARN HF Radar DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T130000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T132000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9163@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Nkanyiso Mbatha (University of Zululand)\nSemidiurna l and diurnal tides are known to have a significant impact upon the moment um balance in the mesosphere-lower thermosphere (MLT) region\, and on the distribution of atmospheric constituents. In general\, tidal structures in the middle atmosphere are exceptionally complex\, and thus their successf ul modelling\nrequires consideration of a wide range of atmospheric phenom ena\, such as radiational\, chemical\, and dynamical processes. The recent developments in the field of machine learning and deep learning data-driv en time series forecasting models have opened an opportunity to forecast c omplex time series such as atmospheric tide. Therefore\, the main aim of t his study is to extract and analyze tidal wave information from Kerguelen SuperDARN High-Frequency (HF) radar zonal and meridional wind components u sing Short-Time Fourier Transform (STFT)\, and to forecast the tidal waves amplitude time series using hybrid deep learning neural\nnetworks models. The model used here is the long short-term memory networks (LSTM) recurre nt neural networks (RNNs)\, a robust data-driven hybrid time series-foreca sting model which is based on signal decomposition techniques such as Ense mble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD)\, and Empirical Wavelet Transform s (EWT). To compare the modelled data to the ground truth\, the tidal wave data is divided into 80% training time series and 20% testing time series . In general\, the results highlight that the EWT-LSTM model outperforms t he other models in terms of accuracy and error reduction in the forecastin g of both semidiurnal and diurnal tides. Signal decomposition seems to enh ance the performance of the model when compared to the use of the LSTM mod el as a standalone.\n   \nKeywords: Tides\, LSTM\, forecasting\, Middle Atmosphere\, neural networks\nEmails: MbathaN@unizulu.ac.za \, Venkataram ans@ukzn.ac.za\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9163/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9163/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Computational study of electronic and optical properties of graphe ne/brookite(210) composite DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8987@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: lutendo phuthu (University of Venda)\nRecently\, car bonaceous nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes and two-dimensional graph ene have attracted the attention of the scientific community in probe to i mprove energy conversion and storage technologies. The graphene sheet is m ore preferred due to its large specific area\, flexible structure\, high t ransparency\, excellent mobility of charge carriers and is expected to be able to slow the charge recombination. Graphene/Transition metal oxides na nocomposite study has become much of a wide interest recently with metal o xides like TiO2 and ZnO. These metal oxides are used as thin films in phot ovoltaic technology to harness energy. The final composite embodies both t he transport properties of the former and the semiconducting properties of the latter species. This work describes an analysis of the electronic and optical properties of graphene/TiO2 studied using the Density Functional Theory (DFT) in application to dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).\n\nhttp s://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8987/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8987/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Exploring the connections between quantum search algorithms and gh ost imaging DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T142000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T144000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8996@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Paola Concha Obando (Wits University)\nQuantum ghost imaging is a non-invasive imaging technique that involves non-local photo n pairs. One photon from an entangled pair interacts with the obj ect while the other non-integrating photon is directed to a spat ially resolved imaging detector. In this context\, the analysis of the spatial correlations of these two spatially separated photons enables the reconstruction of the image of an object. We show that by l ooking at quantum ghost imaging from a quantum computation perspective\, a remarkable link between the ghost imaging and quantum search algorithms can be found. In this talk\, I will present the main results showin g the close relation between the quantum operators that connects both process\, as well as the discuss how this link allows us to expl ore quantum computation tasks from the quantum optics perspective.\n\nhtt ps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8996/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8996/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:First principles characterization of nitrogen dopant- vacancy comp lexes in graphane DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T074000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8995@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Hezekia Mapingire (University of Pretoria)\, Refilwe Edwin Mapasha (Pretoria University)\nWe compute first principles calculat ions to characterize four types of point defects in the 2-dimensional mate rial graphane. The point defects we consider in this contribution are nitr ogen dopant-vacancy complexes and their various charge states. We compute the formation energies\, binding energies\, U-parameters and other electro nic properties of these impurity-vacancy complexes in graphane monolayer w ith the objectives of utilising this group of point defects for quantum co mputing. Analysis of DOS plots and defect level diagrams shows that the co mplex formed by a nitrogen dopant substituting a carbon atom adjacent to a hydrogen vacancy exhibit interesting properties that may make this point defect complex a possible qubit candidate. Charge neutrality pins the ferm i level at a value close to 2eV deep between the VBM and the CBM making th is complex a deep centre defect.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/c ontributions/8995/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8995/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Non-local topological rejection of noise DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T140000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T142000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9001@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Pedro Ornelas (University of the Witwatersrand)\nTop ological properties of physical systems have been studied for many years f or their robustness against environmental disturbances which leave these p roperties unchanged. In the context of magnetic systems\, a topology that has been extensively investigated is that of the skyrmion where it has bee n shown to provide some utility for use in low-power\, information storage and computing. More recently\, the optical analogy to these systems has b een studied in classical beams with inhomogeneous polarization structures. Here we show the first non-local realization of the skyrmionic topology m anifesting as a shared property between two entangled photons. Furthermore \, we explore the topological robustness of these entangled states to chan nels which decay its degree of entanglement as well as those which add in isotropic noise into the system. We then present simple arguments to expla in how the topological noise rejection works in each case. We believe this work reveals a deeper connection between topology and entanglement and of fers a new mechanism for constructing more robust quantum states.\n\nhttps ://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9001/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9001/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Compton polarization signatures in gamma-ray burst models DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8993@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Pieter Van der Merwe (North-west University\, Center for Space Research)\nSince the first detection of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) in 1967\, GRBs have been an active\nsubject of study with many questions still left unanswered. Though the physics of GRB afterglows\nis relatively simple and more well known\, there is still much discussion regarding tha t of the\nprompt emission phase of GRBs. Several models\, including synchr otron models with both ordered\nand random magnetic fields\, synchrotron s elf-Compton models as well as Compton-drag models\nand photospheric models have been proposed in order to explain the Band-like spectra of GRB\nporm pt emissions. Seeing as both synchrotron radiation and anisotropic Compton ization (as\nexpected in both photospheric and Compton-drag models) may le ad to X-ray polarization\, it\nis inevitable that polarization predictions from the various proposed models should be used in\nconjunction with X-ra y polarization measurements by POLAR and possibly the future COSI\nmission s in order to investigate the emission mechanisms of GRBs. In light of thi s\, we develop\na Monte Carlo polarization code\, heavily inspired by the MAPPIEs code\, to estimate Compton\npolarization signatures from various G RB models in order to constrain and hopefully discriminate\nbetween the av ailable models.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8993 / LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8993/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Synthesis and CO gas sensing applications of two-dimensional hexag onal boron nitride nanosheets at different temperatures DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135600Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T135700Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9006@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: MAGOPA TSHEPHO MCDONALD KEKANA (POSTER)\nAbstract\nT wo-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets were synthesised using t he wet chemical reaction method. X-Ray Diffraction\, Scanning Electron Mic roscopy\, Transmission Electron Microscopy\, Fourier Transform Infrared Sp ectroscopy\, Raman Spectroscopy\, UV-visible Spectroscopy and Brunauer-Emm ett were used to attain the structural properties of the nanomaterials. Ea ch spectroscopic technique affirmed unique features about the surface morp hology of the nanosheets. The crystallinity of the nanosheets with the sta cking of the B and N honeycomb lattice was validated by the X-ray diffract ion. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy disclosed the surface m orphology with the number of layers of a planar honeycomb BN sheet. Fourie r transform infrared\, Raman and UV-vis spectroscopies revealed the format ion of the in plane and out of plane h-BN vibrations together with its opt ical properties. Surface properties were examined with the Brunauer-Emmett approach. The gas sensing application of the nanosheets was also tested o n the carbon monoxide gas. 800°C fabricated hexagonal boron nitride nanos heets demonstrated good sensitivity towards ppm of CO at 250°C.\n \nKeywo rds: hexagonal boron nitride\, chemical vapor deposition\, nanosheets\, to xic gases\, sensitivity\, response.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/23 9/contributions/9006/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9006/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Development of 2D/3D stable tin-based halide perovskite solar cell DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9015@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mmantsae Diale (University of Pretoria)\nThe success ful use of Sn-based material as light absorber in Schottky barrier solar c ell with a PCE efficiency of 0.9%\, encouraged researchers to pursue the m aterial as a possible replacement of lead for stability of perovskites. Th is led to the development of 2D/3D Sn-based perovskites as prospective fut ure candidates for stable HaP solar cell\, where the photo conversion effi ciency (PCE) has steadily increased to 14.81%. However\, the fast and easy oxidation of Sn^(2+) to Sn^(4+) in the system contributes to poor stabi lity and low PCE of Sn-based perovskite solar cells. In this work\, SnF2 w as gradually introduced in the FASnI3 perovskite precursor solution alongs ide N-N’-diphenyl-P-phenylenediamine (DPP-DTT) antioxidant as a co- addi tive\, and their effect on the performance and stability of the perovskite film studied. The results show improved stability from less than an hour with SnF2 alone to more than 1300 hours with DPP-DTT. A 3D planar inverted FTO/PEDOT:PSS/FASnI3/PCBM:P3HT/Ag structure was fabricated. The results s how improved stability from less than an hour with SnF2 alone to more than 1300 hours with DPP-DTT.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contribu tions/9015/ LOCATION: URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9015/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Balance in Quantum Dynamical Systems DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9004@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mathys Snyman (Akademia)\nUsing a study of the conne ction between entanglement and quantum detailed balance as motivation\, we introduce the concept of balance between two quantum dynamical systems. T he definition of a quantum dynamical system used is a von Neumann algebra with a faithful normal state\, and a state preserving unital completely po sitive map. It is showed how balance can be used to find relaxed versions of properties related to equilibrium\, such as quantum detailed balance co nditions\, and that it provides a mathematical framework within which the question of transfer of properties between systems in balance can be inves tigated. Promising recent research with regard to the latter using Wassers tein distances is briefly discussed.\nThe role of functional analysis and specifically Tomita-Takesaki theory in establishing this framework is also discussed.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9004/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9004/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Magnesium-Silicon Alloy Phase Stability Predictions: A cluster exp ansion study. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144300Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144400Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9011@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Katlego Phoshoko (University of Limpopo)\nRechargeab le batteries have the potential to help meet the ongoing demand for portab le energy and to mitigate the energy crisis in countries such as South Afr ica. These call for the accelerated development of novel and advanced high -energy battery electrode materials. Magnesium-Silicon (Mg-Si) anodes have emerged as attractive alternatives to the graphitic anodes used in curren t lithium-ion battery technologies. However\, the commercialisation of bat teries based on the Mg-Si alloy is deterred by a few obstacles including t he incompatibility of the Mg-Si anode with conventional battery electrolyt es. In this work\, the material space of the Mg-Si alloy system was explor ed through crystal structure predictions conducted via a machine learning (ML) powered cluster expansion technique (CE). The aim was to predict and analyse novel and stable phases of the magnesium-silicon alloy system whos e compatibility with electrolytes shall be interrogated in future work. Th e genetic algorithm embedded within the CE technique was used to accelerat e the material discovery process by performing the ground-state search of stable structures from the Mg-Si alloy system. By considering the BCC and FCC-based parent lattice\, 8 structures were predicted to be thermodynamic ally stable\, namely\, Mg5Si (Imma)\, Mg2Si (P-3m1)\, MgSi (P4-mmm)\, Mg3S i (Pm-3m)\, MgSi3 (Pm-3m)\, MgSi3 (P2-m)\, MgSi (Im-3m)\, and Mg3Si (P4/mm m). The geometric properties of these structures are presented. From the p redicted structures\, the orthorhombic magnesium-rich phase\, Mg5Si\, was found to be structurally stable and a promising candidate for Mg-Si-based rechargeable batteries. The findings from this study are crucial to the ad vancement of high-energy battery electrode materials for next-generation b atteries.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9011/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9011/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Optimization of electron transport layer in polymer solar cell DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144400Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9012@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Modisa Ntobeng ()\nOrganic solar cells (OSC) will so on be commercialized because of their benefits such as low cost\, light-we ight\, flexibility\, and the ability to process for very wide area applica tions. Polymer semiconductors may have the potential to replace silicon in next-generation solar cells. Despite these benefits\, there is still some room for improvement in polymer solar cells power-conversion efficiency ( PCE)\, which is crucial for their commercialization. High device efficienc y and stability depend on the interlayers between the photoactive film and the electrodes. Therefore\, in this study we compared the stability and p erformance of indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate with that of membrane subst rate. The structure\, morphology and electro-optical characteristics of th e ITO substrate and membrane substrate samples have been analyzed by diffe rent characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD)\, scannin g electron microscope (SEM) and ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (UV-vis). \n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9012/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9012/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:On some nuances of time-dependent galactic cosmic ray proton modul ation DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T122000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8897@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: KATLEGO MOLOTO (NORTH WEST UNIVERSITY)\nThe study of galactic cosmic ray (GCR) antiparticles can potentially lead to new insig hts into fundamental physics\, in particular in the search for indirect ev idence of dark matter annihilation. Identifying the signature(s) of such p rocesses\, however\, is complicated by the heliospheric modulation of thes e particles. Modulation becomes less significant at higher energies\, and therefore it would be of interest to ascertain at which energy such effect s become negligible. Although previous studies have reported on this\, to date no attention has been given to the influence of solar cycle-dependent effects. The present study aims to do so\, using our 3D\, fully time-depe ndent ab initio GCR modulation model\, that can reasonably fit both proton and antiproton observations over multiple solar cycle. Furthermore\, the influence of time-dependent GCR modulation on potential signals of dark ma tter annihilation will be investigated.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/even t/239/contributions/8897/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8897/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Analysis of ionospheric storm effects based on GPS and ionosonde d ata during geomagnetic storms. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T122000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8890@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Nkosinathi Masango (SANSA\, RU)\nMajor space weather events may contribute to ionospheric delay where additional noise is intr oduced into observations of the satellite signal. As a result\, the accura cy and reliability of the Global Positioning System (GPS) is compromised. This study aims to conduct an analysis of the ionospheric storm effects us ing Total Electron Content (TEC) derived from ionosonde and GPS observatio ns during geomagnetically disturbed conditions. \n\nThe dataset over a per iod of 17 years (2005-2022) from co-located ionosonde and GPS receiver ove r Grahamstown (33° 30'S \,26° 52'E\, geographic) will be used. Geomagnet ic storm periods selection is based on storm-time criteria of Dst ≤ −3 0 nT or where Kp > 4. This study will focus on determining the ionospheric storm effects where the ionospheric response are separately studied as es tablished from GPS TEC\, bottomside TEC\, topside TEC as well as plasmasph eric TEC.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8890/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8890/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Commensal searching for radio transients/variables in MHONGOOSE La rge Survey Project (LSP). DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T074000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8883@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Vhuthu Tshilengo (Univen)\nCommensal searching for r adio transients/variables in MHONGOOSE Large Survey Project (LSP).\n\n\nTh e MeerKAT radio telescope is the newly built South African precursor radio telescope array for the mid frequency component of the Square Kilometre A rray (SKA1-Mid). Its excellent sensitivity and wide field of view\, combin ed with commensal access to a large number of MeerKAT surveys\, allows ast ronomers to gain new insights in time-domain radio astronomy\, particularl y in uncovering the population of faint radio transients and variables. In this study use the SARAO SDP (Science Data Processing) images of observat ions of the MHONGOOSE Large Survey Project (LSP) to search for new radio t ransients. MHONGOOSE is targeting 30 different galaxies (pointings) observ ed over 10 epochs per pointing. The aim of this project is to search a sel ection of MHONGOOSE fields for radio transients / variables over the 10 ep ochs per field. We used the Transient Pipeline (TraP) on the cloud compute infrastructure of the Inter-University Institute for Data Intensive Astro nomy (IDIA) to characterise the light curves of point sources in the field using statistical variability parameters. Here we show the first results of our search for radio transients in the MHONGOOSE data set of NGC 1566.\ n\nKeywords: Transients\; Variables\; Radio Astronomy\n\nhttps://events.sa ip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8883/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8883/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:A study of EIA behavior during geomagnetic storms DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T124000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T130000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8891@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Avuyile Bulala (SANSA)\nThis research study investig ates the behavior of equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) during geomagneti c storms over the African sector (40° S – 50° N and 20° E - 40° E) u sing a global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) derived total electron c ontent (TEC) within the period of 2008 to 2013. To identify the geomagneti c storms\, the criteria of the disturbance storm time\, Dst ≤ -30 nT\, a nd the planetary K Kp ≥ 4 indices are used in the study. To establish th e behavior of EIA\, the two - dimensional maps of TEC derived from GNSS da ta are generated during geomagnetic storm periods.\nThis study also focuse s on investigating the role of electrodynamics (vertical E × B drift magn itude) in EIA’s variability especially its expansion beyond the crest of about ± 15° towards mid-latitudes during geomagnetic storms. Due to the absence of observed vertical E × B drift data over the longitude sector of interest\, we have utilized the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) from ground -based observations based on the well-established differential magnetomete r approach. The differential magnetometer approach is used to derive the d ifference in changes in the horizontal component of the Earth’s magnetic field (ΔH) using a magnetometer located at the equator and another one a pproximately 6° to 9° away from the equator. Specifically for this study \, ΔH is derived from a pair of magnetometers at Addis Ababa (0.18°N\, 1 10.47°E\, geomagnetic) and Adigrat (6.0°N\, 111.06°E\, geomagnetic) in Ethiopia.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8891/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8891/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Division Meeting DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T132000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T140000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9239@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9239/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9239/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The effects of ion beams on linear and nonlinear ion-acoustic wave s in space plasmas DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8894@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mihlali Maxengana (University of the Western Cape an d South African National Space Agency (SANSA))\nA detailed theoretical inv estigation is conducted using the Sagdeev pseudopotential formalism to inv estigate the effects of ion beams on ion-acoustic modes in plasma models w ith two species of adiabatic ions and one or two (cool and hot) species of electrons which are Boltzmann distributed. One or both ion species are c onsidered to be drifting (beam) components. The linear analysis shows that the slow ion-acoustic modes require a finite value of the beam speed to o ccur\, while the fast ion-acoustic modes are supported in models with or w ithout ion beams. In the one-beam model\, the backward propagating slow mo de changes direction and couples with the forward propagating slow mode an d becomes unstable to the ion beam instability for intermediate beam speed s. "Forward" and "backward" refer to directions which are respectively ali gned with or anti-parallel with respect to the beam direction. In the mode l with counterstreaming beams\, the slow modes which propagate in the back ward and forward directions which are aligned with the beam directions do not change direction for large values of the speeds of the counterstreamin g beams. In the nonlinear regime\, the ion-acoustic modes propagate as pul se-like disturbances in potential which are referred to as solitons. Slow solitons with unusual characteristics are found to propagate below the cri tical speeds corresponding to the phase speeds of the linear waves. On the other hand\, negative potential fast solitons coexist with positive poten tial solitons in the model with two-temperature electrons\, in contrast to the model with a single component of Boltzmann electrons for which only p ositive potential fast solitons are supported.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org. za/event/239/contributions/8894/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8894/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Photonic crystal-based biosensing for TB detection DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9027@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Charles Maphanga (Council for Scientific and Industr ial Research\, Photonics Centre\, P O BOX 395\, Pretoria\, 0001\, South Af rica\, AND University of KwaZulu-Natal\, School of Chemistry and Physics\, Westville Campus\, University Road\, Durban\, South Africa)\nOver the las t three decades\, biosensors based on photonic crystals (PhCs) have been d eveloped and continue to receive significant recognition owing to their di stinctive electromagnetic properties and broad applications. Studies that have used refractive index as a parameter to design optical biosensing dev ices based on PhCs have resulted in optical devices that are sensitive wit h quick response time for small variations in samples. In this study\, a 1 -dimensional (I-D) PhC biosensor chip was developed for the diagnosis of T B. A pathogen-specific mycolic acid (MA) TB biomarker was studied based on the detection of refractive index changes on functionalised PhC biosensin g surface. The MA biomarker was used as the biorecognition element to capt ure anti-mycobacterium tuberculosis antibodies\, and a custom-built optica l biosensing setup was used for optical biosensing to monitor biomolecular interactions between the antigen and antibody. Functionalised and success fully characterised gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were introduced on the bios ensing surface to enhance the detection signal. The biosensing surface was further characterised using atomic force microscopy (AFM)\, scanning elec tron microscopy (SEM)\, and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. An alysis of biomolecular binding events on the biosensing surface was achiev ed using the optical biosensing setup by measuring transmitted light throu gh the biosensor chip\, and successfully distinguishing differences betwee n the experiment and control samples. From our findings\, it was realised that mycolic acid antigen can be used as a biomarker for active TB\, and c an be successfully immobilised on a biosensing surface to capture anti-myc obacterium tuberculosis antibodies. It was evident that PhC-based optical biosensing technique was successful in detecting small refractive index ch anges on the biosensing surface for the diagnosis of TB. These results pav e the way toward the development of a PhC-based point-of-care (POC) diagno stic device for TB.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/ 9027/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9027/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Pumping up the frequency conversion of structured light DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9030@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sachleen Singh (University of Witwatersrand\, Johann esburg)\nFrequency conversion of light with orbital angular momentum (OAM) such as Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) beams is important for various application s such as free-space optical communications\, sensitive infrared light det ection\, and obtaining OAM lasers. Traditional methods of frequency conver sion involve a nonlinear medium and two input beams i.e.\, a signal LG bea m and a pump beam with either flat-top or plane wave or gaussian profiles which suffer from significant loss of pump photons. To overcome this issue \, we introduce the concept of pump shaping. By utilizing pump beams with specific shapes\, such as amplitude-ring and annular-ring\, we experimenta lly demonstrate a significant improvement in the frequency conversion effi ciency and purity of the output mode. Our approach employs Difference Freq uency Generation (DFG)\, a second-order nonlinear process\, but can be ext ended to other processes\, such as Sum Frequency Generation (SFG) and Seco nd Harmonic Generation (SHG)\, offering a highly efficient solution for fr equency conversion of structured light.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/even t/239/contributions/9030/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9030/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Signatures of possible trinni event during quiet geomagnetic cond itions DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T134000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T154000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9240@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Zolile Mtumela (University of KwaZulu-Natal)\nA stud y of a single event to investigate signatures of possible trinnis event du ring quiet geomagnetic conditions. One of the signatures of trinni event i s the high-speed flows\, which were interpreted to be associated with the release of energy from a rapid reconfiguration of tail magnetic field line s due to magnetic reconnection. This type of event is known to be “trinn i” event\, using the SuperDARN data from the northern and southern hemis phere. Then objective of this case study is to identify signatures of trin ni event\, using the SuperDARN data from the northern and southern hemisph ere. The study presents the situation where the y-component of the interpl anetary magnetic field (IMF) dominates over the z-component\, the directio ns of both the high speed flows and the underlying convection pattern depe nd on the direction of the IMF By-component. The assumption both non-subst orm interval and quiet condition are justified by the magnetometer\, GOES satellite data\, geomagnetic indices\, and the observations are discussed in relation to magnetic reconnection in the magnetotail.\n\nhttps://events .saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9240/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9240/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Real-time feedback-driven single-particle tracking spectroscopy of LHCII DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T122000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9024@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Bertus van Heerden (University of Pretoria)\nSingle- molecule spectroscopy (SMS) has proven to be a powerful technique for inve stigating structure-function relationships in light-harvesting systems. In particular\, SMS has unraveled dynamics in light-harvesting complexes tha t are hidden in ensemble measurements. However\, the environment used in S MS experiments is a poor representation of the natural cellular environmen t\, and therefore the results of these studies may be of limited physiolog ical relevance. One limitation of conventional SMS experiments is the need to immobilize the complexes via surface attachment or to trap the complex es using\, e.g.\, an anti-Brownian electrokinetic (ABEL) trap. This limita tion is overcome by real-time feedback-driven single-particle tracking (RT -FD-SPT)\, a non-invasive technique that allows SMS measurements to be per formed on single\, freely diffusing particles for extended durations and w ith excellent spatiotemporal resolution. We studied different RT-FD-SPT m ethods using statistical analysis and simulations before using RT-FD-SPT t o experimentally measure fluorescence lifetimes and emission spectra of si ngle diffusing plant LHCII complexes. This paves the way for studies of th e effect of surface immobilization as well as for studying single LHCII co mplexes in close-to-natural environments.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/ev ent/239/contributions/9024/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9024/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Mid infrared gas absorption spectroscopy using a photonic chip-bas ed supercontinuum DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T134000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T140000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9028@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Peter Baricholo ()\nWe report the simulation of ultr afast pulse evolution along a silicon germanium waveguide. Pulse evolution of 205 fs duration and 2.35 kW peak power at 4.15 μm propagating through a 5 cm long silicon germanium on silicon substrate waveguide was simulate d by solving the generalised nonlinear Schrödinger equation using the fou rth order Runge-Kutta in the interaction picture method. Coherent supercon tinuum covering more than one octave from 2.61 μm to 8.15 μm (relating t o a bandwidth of 5.54 μm) at -30 dB was achieved. This simulated mid infr ared spectra was used in the simulation of gas absorption spectroscopy for carbon dioxide and methane gases. Absorbance spectra of these greenhouse gases were calculated from the resolution of the Beer-Lambert equation. Th e computed absorbance spectra agree well with the absorbance spectra found on the high-resolution transmission (HITRAN) spectral database.\n\nhttps: //events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9028/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9028/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Division Meeting: Condensed Matter and Materials Science DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T142000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T152000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9241@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Rudolph Erasmus (University of the Witwatersrand)\nh ttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9241/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9241/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Quantum random number generation using an on-chip linear plasmonic beamsplitter DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9018@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Conrad Strydom (Stellenbosch University)\nTrue rando m numbers are ubiquitous in cryptography\, simulation and many other infor mation processing tasks. Here we experimentally demonstrate quantum rando m number generation with an on-chip linear plasmonic beamsplitter. The be amsplitter has a footprint of 2$\\mu$m x 10$\\mu$m and is more compact tha n a previous demonstration\, with a reduction in size by a factor of 2\, t hereby reducing the impact of loss. At the input grating of the beamsplit ter\, free-space single photons are converted into single surface plasmon polaritons which propagate along one of two gold stripe waveguides to one of two output gratings where they are converted back into photons. The va lue of each random bit is determined by the output at which each photon is detected. In our experiment\, we achieved a random number generation rat e of 2.86 Mbits/s\, despite the presence of loss. By applying randomness extraction in the form of a deterministic shuffle followed by the recursiv e von Neumann algorithm to the generated bits\, we obtained a sample of bi ts which passed the ENT and NIST Statistical Test Suites.\n\nhttps://event s.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9018/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9018/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The Uncertainty Principle with a Twist DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9031@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Neelan Gounden (University of Witwatersrand)\nKarl P opper\, a philosopher\, had found the entanglement of particles fascinatin g. He wanted to test the standard interpretation of quantum mechanics sinc e he believed that knowledge of one of the entangled particles should not affect the properties of the other entangled particle\, as well as investi gating the presence of a non-local influence in these systems. The behavio ur of a quantum entangled particle passing through a physical slit differs from that of a quantum entangled particle passing through a virtual/ghost slit. For an entangled particle passing through a slit of an infinitesima lly narrow width\, it would be predicted by the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics that the uncertainty in momentum will approach an unb ounded value. I will present the experiment which we conducted whereby the vertical slits are replaced by angular slits and orbital angular momentum is measured instead of linear momentum. It can be concluded from the resu lts that an entangled particle passing through an infinitesimally narrow s lit has its momentum spread being limited by the initial momentum produced by the source.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9031 / LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9031/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Quantum Phase-based Plasmonic Biosensing for Enhanced COVID-19 Det ection DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T074000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9019@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Kelvin Mpofu (CSIR)\nThe COVID-19 pandemic has highl ighted the urgent need for rapid and sensitive diagnostic tools to enable effective monitoring and control of the disease. In this study\, we presen t an approach to COVID-19 detection by employing quantum phase-based surfa ce plasmon resonance biosensing\, which improves the limit of detection (L OD) compared to its classical equivalent. We demonstrate a theoretical fra mework of a quantum plasmonic biosensor\, designed to target the SARS-CoV- 2 spike protein with high specificity. In this work we will model and simu late the operation of the biosensor in an ideal noiseless setup as well as in a noisy setup which more realistically resembles the conditions in a l ab. Our sensor exploits the advantages of quantum phase sensitivity and su rface plasmon resonance to achieve precision level below the shot noise li mit. The results show that our quantum plasmonic biosensor outperforms cla ssical counterparts in terms of LOD\, offering rapid and precise identific ation of viral presence at very low concentrations. This work has the pote ntial to lead to more precise optical diagnostic devices and pave the way for more effective public health strategies in combating future pandemics. \n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9019/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9019/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Majority Voting Algorithm for TB Detection: Machine Learning Appro ach DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9020@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Nkgaphe Tsebesebe (University of Cape Town)\nMycobac terium tuberculosis (Mtb) is an intracellular pathogen that has evolved de fense mechanisms to evade the human immune response\, allowing it to persi st indefinitely in the host. The bacterium primarily targets the human lun gs and produces the contagious disease tuberculosis (TB). Although the bac teria attack the lungs\, TB can spread to other parts of the body such as the kidneys\, bones\, and brain. Tuberculosis can be fatal if not properly treated and it has already claimed the lives of many people throughout th e world. Hence\, early detection and treatment of the diseases are essenti al to improving the likelihood of a full recovery. Machine learning algori thms (ML) have shown great potential to provide more accurate diagnostic r esults while saving money and human lives. However\, the technique can be accurate to a certain degree and improvements are required. In this work\, a combination of machine learning algorithms (i.e.\, a convolutional neur al network\, a support vector machine and decision tree algorithms) use ma jority voting to classify chest X-ray images into infected and noninfected . The performance of the individual algorithms is optimized by hyperparam eter techniques such as grid search\; therefore\, the voting system made o f the three algorithms achieves an accuracy of 99% in classifying 800 (200 healthy and 600 TB-infected) chest X-ray images. The system classifies th e TB-infected images by 98% and non-infected images by 100% providing high precision and recall. As such\, the voting algorithm in this study can be applicable to point-of-care settings and has the potential to serve as a supplement to conventional illness detection techniques used in the medica l industry.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9020/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9020/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Optical Tweezers Towards Single-Cell Analysis DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T122000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9021@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: LeRoi du Plessis (Stellenbosch University)\nOptical Tweezers have become a popular tool for manipulating micron diameter parti cles with minimal influence on the properties of said particles. By using a single laser and a high numerical aperture lens\, these particles can ea sily be confined and moved for the researcher’s purpose. Such manipulati on allows for the measurement of piconewton forces\, which makes it possib le to measure the molecular forces inside biological cells and to characte rise fluid dynamic systems in terms of flow rate and shear forces. These c apabilities have led to significant contributions to the fields of biochem istry and biomedicine. Another groundbreaking tool for studies in these fi elds are microfluidic “lab-on-a-chip” devices.\n\nBy combining the man ipulation capabilities of Optical Tweezers with a microfluidic device’s ability to control the external environment of cell\, the response of the cell to external stimuli can be measured. This includes monitoring drug up take as a function concentration\, as well as the expression of various bi omolecules on a single-cellular level. The microfluidic device allows for maximal control and change of the extracellular environment while the opti cal tweezers create an easy method of moving single cells to these control led environments. This process can be parallelised which can lead to the high throughput analysis of therapeutic drugs. This integrated system wil l also have the benefit of providing a sterile environment to do biochemic al studies in but also ensures minimal influence from unwanted external fa ctors. \n\nIn this talk\, we will discuss the principle behind single-beam Optical Tweezers and the construction of such a setup and under what cond itions a stable trapping is achieved. This setup includes custom fluoresc ence- and Raman spectroscopy modules to the setup as well as a force calib ration module which allow for the characterization of the trap. The syste m can be further expanded with the inclusion of a spatial light modulator to speed up analysis and increase throughput. Furthermore\, we look at th e basic operating principle of microfluidic devices and different designs of these devices. We then look towards biological analysis of yeast strain saccharomyces cerevisiae\, known more commonly as brewer’s yeast\, and the conditions which allow for such cells to be trapped. Initial proof of principle measurement will be shown. .\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event /239/contributions/9021/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9021/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Evaluation of Anticancer Effect of Punica granatum Extract in Comb ination of Hypericin Mediated Phototoxicity on MCF-7 Cells DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9023@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Nosipho Fakudze (University of Johannesburg)\nCancer has been established as one of the prevalent causes of death globally\, r ating second after cardiovascular disease. The GLOBOCAN 2020 report has es timated global new cancer cases of approximately 19.3 million\, with a dea th toll of nearly 10.0 million. The report also estimates about 2.3 millio n of new cases of female breast malignancy\, making it the most commonly d iagnosed cancer type. The 2020 South African National Cancer Registry reco rded a 23.25% female breast cancer incident rate as the leading type of ca ncer. Natural plants and fruits have been important to the medical communi ty due to their therapeutic properties and low cost. They contain phytoche micals important in cancer prevention and treatment. Punica granatum is a fruit with anticancer\, antiproliferation\, and antioxidant qualities. Its limitations come with its lack of water solubility and bioavailability. I n recent years\, combination therapy has gained interest among researchers and clinicians as one of the anticancer strategies to overcome the limita tions of each modality to enhance the effective treatment outcome. Photody namic therapy (PDT) is a photochemical based therapeutic modality that dep ends light excitation of photosensitizer to generate toxic reactive oxygen species to kill cancer cells. Hypericin is a natural photosensitizer with significant antitumor effects by targeting specific signaling pathways. T hus\, this study aims to investigate the combined anticancer effect of P. granatum extract in combination with hypericin as a photosensitizer agains t breast cancer cells. MCF-7 treated with different concentrations (50-400 µg/ml) of P. granatum chloroform extract followed by 600nm of laser irra diation at IC50 concentration of hypericin with 5 J/cm2 light dose with. P ost treatment cell variability was analysed by MTT assay\, and morphologic al changes were visualized using brightfield microscopy and cell viability by live dead assay. Results have shown significant cytotoxic effects in c ombination therapy compared to single treatment alone. This study provides a promising approach to effective combination anti-cancer therapy using n atural plant-based compounds.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/cont ributions/9023/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9023/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Solution phase photodegradation studies of PCDTBT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T132000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T134000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9022@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Kelsey Everts (Stellenbosch University)\nPoly[N-9′ -heptadecanyl-2\,7-carbazole-alt-5\,5-(4′\,7′-di-2-thienyl-2′\,1′\ ,3′-benzothiadiazole)]\, PCDTBT\, is a conjugated donor polymer used in low bandgap organic solar cells (OSCs). OSC efficiencies decrease when exp osed to light\, oxygen\, or water. The effects of various excessive light conditions on degrading dilute PCDTBT in solution are investigated in this work. A custom photodegradation fluorescence spectrometer setup was const ructed to rapidly photodegrade PCDTBT solutions with a chosen laser intens ity and wavelength. Changes in the recorded fluorescence spectra reflect s tructural polymeric changes induced by the high intensity laser irradiatio n. This\, combined with the steady state absorption profile before and aft er 3 hours of continuous photodegradation\, confirms that chain scission ( bond breaking) occurs. Extracted fluorescence intensity decay rates sugges t rapid initial degradation within the first 30 minutes followed by a much slower degradation regime. Other structural information is also gained\, including chain length distributions and the degree to which conformationa l rearrangement of the polymer backbone plays a role during degradation. T hese findings indicate that this type of constructed laser fluorescence sp ectrometer setup is a valuable spectroscopic tool which could be of use to the OSC community for studying photodegradation dynamics. Importantly it allows for isolating and comparing the effects of different excitation int ensities and wavelengths on photodegradation which cannot be straightforwa rdly done with currently ubiquitous broadband solar simulators.\n\nhttps:/ /events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9022/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9022/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Microstructural characterization of low elastic modulus β-Ti allo y fabricated by arc melting process DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144700Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T144800Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9038@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mandy Madigoe (CSIR)\nDevelopment of low elastic mod ulus β-Ti alloys for implant application has grown significantly in recen t years. In this work\, alloy Ti-28.3Nb-13.8Ta-6.9Zr was produced by butto n arc melting (BAM). Pure metal powders of Ti\, Nb\, Ta and Zr were pre-mi xed and prepared as feedstock powder to the Copper-Hearth BAM. The alloy w as manufactured\, and heat treated (HT - solution treated + aged). The sam ples were analyzed for microstructure using the following techniques – O M\, ImageJ\, SEM-EDX\, XRD and EBSD. The alloy showed a dominant β-phase microstructure in a dendritic morphology in both the as-cast and heat trea ted condition. The microstructure was characteristic of Ti-Nb-Ta-Zr (TNTZ) alloys. The EBSD results will be presented.\n\nKey words: Low modulus\, β-Ti\, implant\, arc melting\, heat treated\, microstructure.\n\nhttps:// events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9038/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9038/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Quantum Algorithms on Classical Optical Vector-Matrix Multipliers DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9029@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: MWEZI KONI (University of the Witwatersrand)\nMatrix -vector multiplication is a crucial operation in quantum algorithms such a s Deutsch-Josza's\, Grover’s\, and phase estimation. Here we present an approach that uses classical light to perform similar operations. We demon strate this technique by directing light onto pixelated liquid crystal Spa tial Light Modulators (SLMs) that encode information on the spatial patter n of light to create a matrix. When the light beam passes to the next SLM\ , we can perform element-wise matrix multiplication. The intensity of each element is proportional to the product\, allowing for efficient computati on. We begin by discussing the fundamental principles behind optical vecto r-matrix multipliers and show that our redefined element-wise matrix multi plication with a cylindrical lens acting as a summing operator is equivale nt to the standard equation describing matrix-vector products\, and then p resent our implementation of several well-known quantum algorithms\, demon strating their effectiveness.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/cont ributions/9029/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9029/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Investigating mode diversity with combinations of Hermite-Gaussian and Orbital Angular Momentum modes DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T140000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T142000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9033@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Alice Drozdov ()\nFree space optical communication h as the potential to mitigate the existing digital divide. However\, it is highly susceptible to atmospheric turbulence\, especially when used with m ode division multiplexing. Turbulence decreases the received power of the transmitted laser beam\, thus inducing errors. By simultaneously transmitt ing and/or receiving two modes\, the received power could be improved. Thi s method\, known as mode diversity\, has been shown to improve error rates in systems. Previous studies have primarily focused on Orbital Angular Mo mentum (OAM) modes\, but other mode combinations\, such as two Hermite-Gau ssian (HG) modes or even a combination of an OAM mode and an HG mode\, cou ld also be utilized. In this work\, we investigate the received power of a system using mode diversity with various mode combinations\, including tw o OAM modes\, two HG modes\, and an HG and OAM mode\, in the presence of r eal atmospheric turbulence.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contri butions/9033/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9033/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Performance of the special C10 cells of the Tile Calorimeter of th e ATLAS detector during Run 2 data taking period DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T134400Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T134500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9047@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Phuti Ntsoko Rapheeha (University of the Witwatersra nd)\nThe Tile Calorimeter of the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Coll ider is a hadronic calorimeter that is designed to provide important infor mation for the reconstruction of physics objects like hadrons\, jets\, tau -particles and missing transverse energy. The calorimeter also plays a rol e in the identification of muons. It is a hadronic sampling calorimeter th at uses scintillating tiles that are sandwiched between slabs of steel tha t act as an absorber. The light produced by particles traversing through t he detector is transmitted by wavelength shifting fibres to photomultiplie r tubes. The response of the calorimeter is calibrated to the Electromagn etic scale\, which represents a basic unit in the physics object reconstru ction procedures. \n\nThe performance of the special c10 cells of the Tile calorimeter is studied by their response to muons originating from $W \\ rightarrow \\mu\\nu_{\\mu}$ events collected by the ATLAS detector during the Run 2 data taking period. The response is quantified by measuring the amount of energy deposited per unit length of each cell\, in both the data and Monte Carlo simulations. The ratio of the response in data and Monte Carlo is used to quantify the calorimeter response\, with deviations from unity hinting that there might be poor EM energy scale calibration in the experimental data.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9 047/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9047/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Modal Characterization of a Few-Mode Fiber based on a Wavelength a nd Polarization Entangled Photon Source DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T122000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9037@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: M Youssef (Electrical Engineering Department\, Écol e de Technologie Supérieure (ETS))\nHigh-dimensional quantum states\, kno wn as qudits\, have the potential to enhance the performance of quantum in formation systems. One promising approach for devising and delivering qudi ts is to exploit the multiple modes of a few-mode fiber (FMF) as the carri ers of the quantum states. In this work\, we show the excitation\, transmi ssion and detection of wavelength-entangled photons in a few-mode fiber. W e show that the distinctive peaks in the time-correlation histograms can b e ascribed to different propagation modes of the fiber. Furthermore\, we m easure the polarization dependence of the fiber-based source of entangled photons (in the C+L telecom bands)\, and show that although the state-of-p olarization (SOP) of a given photon (e.g.\, the C photon) is completely ra ndom\, its twin photon (e.g.\, L photon) retains a good level of polarizat ion entanglement. This work is part of ongoing research in high-dimensiona l quantum key distribution schemes based on FMF.\n\nhttps://events.saip.or g.za/event/239/contributions/9037/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9037/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:A search for tWZ production at $\\sqrt{s}$=13TeV with the ATLAS de tector DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T124000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T130000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9050@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Alexander Veltman (University of Cape Town)\nThe pro duction of a single top quark in association with a W boson and a Z boson ($tWZ$) is a rare Standard Model process which has never before been measu red. This process will be a useful input into global Standard Model Effect ive Field Theory (SMEFT) fits due to its sensitivity to top-electroweak SM EFT coefficients in regions of high W boson and Z boson transverse momenta . It is also a relevant background in other top quark related measurements such as the $t\\bar{t}Z$ cross section measurement. A search has been per formed for $tWZ$ production using 140fb$^{−1}$ of proton-proton collisio n data at a centre of mass energy of 13 TeV. The search targets the trilep ton and tetralepton final states. Regions are defined using physics object multiplicities and graph neural networks are employed to perform signal-b ackground discrimination. The signal strength of $tWZ$ production $\\mu_{t WZ}$ is extracted using a profile likelihood fit with a full systematic mo del describing experimental and modelling uncertainties. Preliminary blind ed measurements of $\\mu_{tWZ}$ are shown for each channel using an Asimov data set. A combined signal extraction across both channels will also be presented. The measurements of $\\mu_{tWZ}$ shown will include their assoc iated expected significance and expected upper limits. Estimations of the measurements of $\\mu_{tWZ}$ for higher luminosity data sets are investiga ted.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9050/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9050/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Searches for high-mass resonances in the $Z\\gamma$ decay mode in Run-2 proton-proton collisions at $\\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV with the ATLAS dete ctor with the integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$ DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T122000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9051@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Phuti Ntsoko Rapheeha (University of the Witwatersra nd)\nSearches for new resonances predicted by theories beyond the Standard Model are one of the interesting projects in the physics program of the L arge Hadron Collider. This study searches for high-mass spin-0 and spin-2 resonances in the $Z(\\ell\\ell)\\gamma$ final state where the $Z$ boson d ecays into a pair of oppositely charged muons or electrons. The full Run-2 dataset recorded with the ATLAS detector in the years 2015-2018 with the integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$ is used. Upper limits are to be set on the production cross-section times the branching ratio in the mass ran ge of narrow resonances from 200 GeV to 3.5 TeV\, assuming spin-0 resonanc es produced via gluon-gluon fusion mechanism and spin-2 resonances produc ed via gluon-gluon or quart-antiquark initial states. The expected limits as a function of the resonant mass for the spin-0 and spin-2 resonances ar e discussed in this study.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contrib utions/9051/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9051/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:An alternative explanation of the multi-lepton anomalies at the LH C DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T134000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T140000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9053@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Anza-Tshilidzi Mulaudzi (University of the Witwaters rand)\nIn recent years\, multi-lepton anomalies have been accumulated by a nalyzing Large Hadron Collider (LHC) data\, pointing towards the existence of beyond the Standard Model (SM) bosons. The data is consistent with a s calar particle $S$ within a mass range between 130 GeV and 160 GeV. A sim plified model\, the Two-Higgs Doublet plus an additional Scalar (2HDM$+S$) is used to predict the decay of a singlet scalar $S\\rightarrow \\gamma\\ gamma$\, $Z\\gamma$\, $ZZ$ and $WW$ and in a recent paper (arxiv:2109.0265 0)\, a singlet scalar at 150 GeV was identified\, which indicates a scalar resonance $S$ which decays into photons\, and\, to a lesser extent to $Z\ \gamma$\, in association with missing energy\, jets\, or lepton. However\, we do not see the $S\\rightarrow ZZ$ signal. Therefore\, to allow the sca lar to decay into the channel $WW$ and not the $ZZ$\, we look at the Higgs Triplet model where a neutral scalar $H^{0}$ can only decay into $WW$. Th is study investigates these multi-lepton anomalies by considering the Higg s Triplet Model with a hyper-charge of zero (HTM0). It consists of a neutr al scalar $H^{0}$ that stems from the CP-even component of the Higgs tripl et and the two charged scalars $h^{\\pm}$ which stem from the charged comp onent of the Higgs triplet. These components come from the mixing between the nonphysical fields of the Higgs doublet and the Higgs triplet.\n\nhttp s://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9053/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9053/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Kernel density estimation and weakly supervised machine learning-b ased models for Higgs-like signals data classification DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140300Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140400Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9063@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Nidhi Tripathi (School of Physics\, University of th e Witwatersrand)\nFollowing the anomaly observed in multi-lepton final sta tes through the decays of heavy scalar resonance in 𝑍𝛾 data at the L arge Hadron Collider via proton-proton collisions\, we develop a Kernel de nsity estimation-based machine learning model to generate synthetic datase t. The dataset comprises SM Higgs-like signals such as ggF\, VBF\, WH and ZH. Further we use weak supervised machine learning methods and deep neura l network model(s) to classify and discriminate between original and synth etic dataset. We demonstrate the ability of this approach to reproduce the various kinematic observables in the said final states\, and preliminary results shows that this model generates the synthetic data reasonably well \, where the performance is compared with the standard samples using Monte -Carlo event generators.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contribut ions/9063/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9063/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Nanoscience innovations: On the trapping of cold neutrons in nan o-scaled Fabry-Perot resonating cavities & neutron lifetime considerations DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T074000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9246@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Malik Maaza ()\nRelatively to the atomic constituent s’ counterparts\, the neutron is singular as it is sensitiveto the four fundamental interactions: strong\, weak\, electromagnetic\, and gravitatio nal. This multi-sensitivity makes neutron wave-matter optics a particularl y versatile tool for testing quantum mechanics specifically and fundamenta l physics concepts in general.The lifetime of a free neutron defined via i ts beta-decay ⟨τn⟩ is of a pivotal importance within the standard mod el & cosmology. Indeed\, the precision on the neutron lifetime is paramoun t as it regulates the precision of the 1st element of the Cabibbo–Kobaya shi–Maskawa matrix\, central to the standard model. The two major method s used to measure ⟨τn⟩ while trapping free neutrons\, namely\, the be am and the bottle methods give different neutron lifetime values\; ⟨τn ⟩Beam ∼ 888.0 ± 2.0 s \, that obtained by the bottle technique is sma ller\; of about ⟨τn⟩Bottle ∼ 879.4 ± 0.6 s. In addition of the per sistent difference of ∼10 s persists for years\, even if the two methods have been modified to enhance the experimental accuracy. This latter was shown to be enhanced if one could trap cold neutrons in nanostructured Fab ry-Perot resonators. The de Broglie wave-particle duality coupled to the F ermi total reflection phenomenon in addition to the tunneling & trapping o f cold neutrons in such nano-resonating cavities\, allow trapping times wi th a precision governed by the Heisenberg uncertainty of 10 -12 s\n\nhttps ://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9246/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9246/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Discrepancies between (p\,p’) and (g\,xn) experiments DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9061@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Lindsay Donaldson (iThemba Laboratory for Accelerato r Based Sciences)\nHigh energy-resolution proton inelastic scattering expe riments with Ep = 200 MeV were performed on the even-even Nd isotope chain and 152Sm. The experiments focussed on the excitation-energy region of th e Isovector Giant Dipole Resonance (IVGDR) and made use of the zero-degree mode of the K600 magnetic spectrometer at iThemba LABS. A goal of the hig hlighted study was to confirm the *K*-splitting observed in previous photo -absorption measurements at Saclay. The comparison of the shape of the IVG DR in the transition from spherical to deformed nuclei yielded significant discrepancies between equivalent photo-absorption cross sections obtained from the K600 data and the photo-absorption data obtained at Saclay. In a ddition\, discrepancies have also been observed between photo-absorption d ata taken at the Saclay and Livermore laboratories. These discrepancies wi ll be discussed along with future investigations into the possible reasons for them\, which include coincident particle detection experiments to stu dy the (g\,p) contribution to the overall cross section.\n\nhttps://events .saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9061/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9061/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Intellectual Property\, Innovation Management and the Role of NIP MO in Innovation Support in South Africa DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9247@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Thabang Jase ()\n..\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/ev ent/239/contributions/9247/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9247/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Growing evidence of new scalar at the large hadron collider with a mass around 152 GeV DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9066@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Salah-eddine Dahbi (University of Wits)\nAfter the d iscovery of a Higgs boson at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) by the ATLAS and CMS experiments\, a number of multi-lepton anomalies that represent a significant experimental evidence for a new physics have been identified. These anomalies are consistent with the decay of a heavy boson $H$ with a mass around $270 \\\,$GeV\, into a Higgs like boson $S$ of a mass around $ 150 \\\,$GeV. The latter can be inferred from the invariant mass of final states with opposite sign leptons in these multi-lepton excesses. Motivate d by this indirect evidence of a beyond the standard model of particle phy sics (BSM) scalar\, we performed a combined fit of several direct searches for a Higgs-like by ATLAS and CMS\, within the mass region of the $S$ sca lar. The results of this combination are compared with predictions for a r esonant pair production of the $S$ in a simplified model. A local signific ance of 5.2 $\\sigma$ is achieved for a mass of $m_S = 152 \\\,$GeV. This therefore indicates a more stringent evidences for a new scalar at $152 \\ \,$GeV\, in multiple decay channels\, such as\, $Z\\gamma$\, $\\gamma \\ga mma$\, $WW$\, $e\\mu$ final states.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/23 9/contributions/9066/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9066/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Development of (p\,p'γ) detection capabilities at iThemba LABS th rough the study of low-lying E1 strength in 58Ni DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T122000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9067@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Refilwe Molaeng (University of the Witwatersrand and iThemba LABS)\nThis study aims to test and develop the (p\,p'γ) detectio n capabilities of the K600 magnetic spectrometer when positioned at zero d egrees and coupled to the Ball of Germanium and Lanthanum bromide detector s (BaGeL) at iThemba LABS. This is done hrough an investigation into the low-lying dipole strength of 58Ni with a proton beam of Ep = 80 MeV. The u se of proton inelastic scattering at forward angles favours the electric d ipole excitation and thus gives access to the full strength of the E1 reso nance. Detecting these protons in coincidence with the subsequent γ decay improves the selectivity to low spin transfer\, allows for the separation of nearby excitations and the assignment of multipolarities. Moreover\, t he high energy-resolution γ detectors used in decay studies allow for an improvement of the standard energy resolutions obtainable with magnetic sp ectrometers. The results of this study will be compared to previous experi ments to elucidate the advantages of coincidence measurements at iThemba L ABS. Important decay paths as well as transition levels will be presented. \n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9067/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9067/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:39Ca and its relevance in nuclear astrophysics DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T074000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9065@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sifundo Binda (University of the Witwatersrand/iThem ba LABS)\nElemental abundances are excellent probes of classical novae (CN ). Sensitivity studies show that $^{38}$K($p$\,$\\gamma$)$^{39}$Ca reactio n rate uncertainties modify the abundance of Ca by a factor of 60 in CN ej ecta. Direct measurements of the $^{38}$K($p$\,$\\gamma$)$^{39}$Ca reactio n have reduced the uncertainties but discrepancies in resonance energies b etween different experiments persist. To resolve these\, $^{39}$Ca was stu died using the $^{40}$Ca($p\,d$)$^{39}$Ca reaction at a beam energy of 66 MeV using the K600 magnetic spectrometer. This will verify the properties of levels in the region where discrepancies between experiments persist. P reliminary results from the measurements will be presented.\n\nhttps://eve nts.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9065/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9065/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Innovation and Technology Transfer DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T124000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9248@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Pragasen Mudali ()\n..\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za /event/239/contributions/9248/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9248/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The Use of a Burn-in Station for Stress-Testing of the LVPS back-e nd electronics for the Tile Calorimeter DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T141800Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T141900Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9069@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Tristan Jade Wilkinson (University of the Witwatersr and)\n**Abstract.** The Tile Calorimeter (TileCal) is a hadronic sampling calorimeter which forms a part of the ATLAS detector\, one of the major ex periments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). As part of the scheduled Pha se-II upgrade of the LHC\, and subsequently TileCal\, the backend electron ics are undergoing an upgrade to their Low Voltage Power Supply (LVPS) sys tems\; electronics have a high mortality rate in the first few months of d eployment\, which necessitates the development of a method for testing ele ctronics to ensure the minimisation of these early-stage fatalities. A bur n-in station is a sophisticated system which artificially ages the electro nics\, while monitoring the input and output loads that each individual ci rcuit board is experiencing - which can ultimately be used to ensure that the produced electronic components can function with minimal chance for fa ilure.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9069/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9069/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Exploring dark $Z_{d}$-boson at LHC DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T143100Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T143200Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9073@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Karabo Mosala (University of the Witwatersrand\, 1 J an Smuts Avenue\, Johannesburg\, 2050\, South Africa)\nHidden sectors or d ark sectors are hypothetical components appearing in various extensions to the Standard Model (SM)\, introduced to address phenomena not addressed b y the SM (e.g the existence of dark matter or positron excess in the cosmi c microwave background radiation flux). To incorporate the hidden sector\, the introduction of an additional $U(1)_d$ dark gauge symmetry is necessa ry. This implies the presence of an extra gauge boson\, often referred to as a dark photon or dark gauge boson $Z_d^\\mu$. The dark photon could int eract with both the hidden sector particles and the SM particles through a kinetic mixing term. The coupling between the dark photon and the SM can be explored at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) through proton-proton colli sions. We probe various possible channels in the LHC environment and study the constraint on coupling(s) versus $m_{Z_d}$ at the centre of mass ener gy $\\sqrt{s}= 13.6$~TeV with expected luminosity.\n\nhttps://events.saip. org.za/event/239/contributions/9073/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9073/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Is classical entanglement of a vector beam fragile or robust? DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T130000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T132000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9074@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: MWEZI KONI (University of the Witwatersrand)\nVector beams are characterized by their non-separable (entangled) polarisation a nd spatial degrees of freedom. However\, different views persist on the en tanglement’s robustness against phase-perturbing turbulent media: on one hand the entanglement should be robust\, on the other it decays. This wor k is aimed at reconciling the two contradictions\, by experimentally and t heoretically studying vector beams\, entangled via their orbital angular m omentum modes and polarisation degrees of freedom through a turbulent medi a. Using a quantum mechanical framework\, we show that turbulence results in the broadening of the OAM spectra\, and by performing the measurement i n the original basis we lose information. However\, by performing basis-in dependent measurements\, we show that entanglement is invariant against ph ase perturbations and the state remains non-separable. Thus\, showing how you measure determines what you see.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/2 39/contributions/9074/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9074/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Photoabsorbtion Cross-Section of Mg 24. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9070@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Jacob Bekker (Student)\nAccurate nuclear data is a k ey factor in determining the suitability and reliabil-\nity of many theore tical nuclear models and large scale calculations. This is especially true for cases where the systematic calculations are challenging such as light and deformed nuclei.The photoabsorption cross section and the relative br anching ratios for these nuclei are of particular interests to investigate their nuclear structure and also for their usage in modeling of astro-\np hysics scenarios as the propagation of ultra high energy cosmic rays (UHEC Rs). The presented project investigates the total photoabsorption cross se ction via excitation of the giant dipole resonance of 24Mg\, one of the ke ystone nuclei in these propagation simulations. The giant dipole resonance was probed using 200 MeV protons via the virtual photon production method . This was done at the iThemba LABS facility using the Separated Sector Cy clotron and the K600 Spectrometer in the zero degree configuration mode. T he high resolution focal plane detection suite combined with the Eikonal m odel for virtual photon production proved to be an effective combination f or extracting the electromagnetic response of light nuclei as is shown in the 24Mg case. The obtained photoabsorption spectrum is presented alongsid e the total photoabsorption cross section obtained from real gamma measure ments as well as a comparison to data from RCNP\, Japan using the GRAND Ra iden spectrometer.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9 070/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9070/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Investigating the excess of two same-sign and three lepton final s tates via four top quark production DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9068@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Thuso Mathaha (School of Physics\, University of the Witwatersrand)\nDespite the discovery of the Higgs boson at the Large Had ron Collider (LHC) confirming the SM's predictions\, additional scalar bos ons may exist as long as their mixing with the SM Higgs is minimal. The 2H DM model with a singlet scalar extension has been shown to accurately expl ain multi-lepton anomalies at the LHC\, where the heavy scalar has a mass of $m_H \\approx 270$\\\,GeV\, and the singlet scalar has a mass of $m_S \ \approx 150$\\\,GeV. The excess production of two same-sign leptons and th ree isolated leptons with $b$-jets has been observed by both the ATLAS and CMS experiments. This study focuses on the CP-odd scalar of the 2HDM+S mo del\, the heavy pseudoscalar ($A$)\, with a mass between 400-600\\\,GeV. T he heavy pseudoscalar primarily decays into $t\\overline{t}\,ZH$ resulting in four top quarks and four lepton final states. This research investigat es the production of two same-sign and three leptons from four top quark f inal states produced by $t\\overline{t} A$ ($A \\rightarrow t\\overline{t} \,ZH$) and compares the production mechanisms of four top quarks in the SM and beyond the SM.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/ 9068/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9068/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Molecular dynamics studies of the transfer of protons in multi-wal led carbon nanotube poly(2\,5)benzimidazole composites DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T134700Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T134800Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9075@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Salomon van Niekerk (NWU)\nIn Low Earth Orbit (LEO)\ , some dangers spacecraft electronics are subjected to are high energy pro tons [1]. Their energies range from a few MeV to GeV [2]. The current shie lding employed by spacecraft (consisting mainly of satellites) is insuffic ient in protecting internal electronics [3]. In the past\, and still\, an extensively researched avenue is to employ polymers and composites as a ra diation shielding mechanism [4]. This is due to their desirable lightweigh t and excellent mechanical properties [4]. One such polymer meeting this c riterion is Poly(2\,5)benzimidazole (ABPBI) [5] and ABPBI with multi-walle d carbon nanotube (MWCNT) enhancement. Its interactions with energetic pro tons were investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) [6]. The mean square displacement (MSD) and radial distribution function (RDF) [7] reported in this work aid in seeing how these interactions change due to different wei ght percentages (1%\, 3%\, and 5% load of MWCNT). A Perl script was implem ented to quantify and monitor variations in the paths available in the sam ples for proton hopping. These methods help indicate the most likely path the energetic proton moved through [7]. This investigation considers the e fficacy of using ABPBI\, and its composites\, as a proton shielding materi al for LEO spacecraft applications and further considers changes due to ad ding carbon nanotubes. \n\n**References**\n\n[1] M. Durante and F.A. Cucin otta. Physical basis of radiation protection in space travel. Reviews of M odern Physics\, 83(4)\, 2011.\n[2] Ritabrata Sarkar and Abhijit Roy. Monte Carlo simulation of CRAND protons trapped at low Earth orbits. Advances i n Space Research\, 69(1):197–208\, 2022.\n[3] Hamideh Daneshvar\, Kavoos Ghordoei Milan\, Ali Sadr\, Seyed Hassan Sedighy\, Shahryar Malekie\, and Armin Mosayebi. Multilayer radiation shield for satellite electronic comp onents protection. Scientific Reports\, 11(1):1–12\, 2021.\n[4] E Grossm an and I Gouzman. Space environment effects on polymers in low earth orbit . Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Inte ractions with Materials and Atoms\, 208:48–57\, 2003.\n[5] S. Bhowmik an d R. Benedictus. Performance of Space Durable Polymeric Nano Composite und er Electromagnetic Radiation at Low Earth Orbit. 2007 IEEE Applied Electro magnetics Conference (AEMC)\, Applied Electromagnetics Conference\, 2007. AEMC 2007. IEEE\, pages 1–4\, 2007.\n[6] Dennis C Rapaport and Dennis C Rapaport Rapaport. The Art of Molecular Dynamics Simulation. Cambridge uni versity press\, 2004.\n[7] Huang Yu-Ren\, Chien Chung-Te Chang\, and Chen Cheng-Lung. A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Based Investigation of the Pro ton Conductivity of Anhydrous Pyrazole Doped Poly(Vinylphosphonic Acid) Co mposite System. Polymers\, 12(2906):2906\, 2020.\n\nhttps://events.saip.or g.za/event/239/contributions/9075/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9075/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Extraction of the Top Quark Yukawa Coupling DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9089@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: James Mitchell ()\nAn exploration into machine-learn ing based optimisation techniques applied to the extraction of the top qua rk Yukawa coupling ($Y_{t}$) from top quark pair production in the dilepto n final state\, using proton collisions recorded by the ATLAS experiment i n LHC run 2 and 3 is presented. Electroweak corrections for the exchange o f the Higgs boson between the top quark and the top anti-quark for differe nt values of $Y_{t}$ result in changes to the kinematic distributions of t he top quark and top anti-quark system close to the $t\\bar{t}$ production energy threshold. The aim of this analysis is to use the kinematic distri butions of the $t\\bar{t}$ events in the dilepton final state to constrain the value for $Y_{t}$. The observables that are most sensitive to $Y_{t}$ are the invariant mass of the $t\\bar{t}$ system\, $m_{t\\bar{t}}$\, and the difference in rapidity\, $\\Delta y_{t\\bar{t}}$. As the decay product s of the $t\\bar{t}$ system involve neutrinos in the dilepton final state\ , reconstructing the top quark and top anti-quark introduces resolution ef fects and additional systematic uncertainties. The proxy observables $m_{l \\bar{l}b\\bar{b}}$ (invariant mass of the $ l\\bar{l}b\\bar{b}$ system) a nd $\\Delta y_{lblb}$ (the difference in rapidity between the two $lb$ pai rs) are used to mitigate this effect. In this talk\, I will discuss the cu rrent state of the project\, as well as future plans.\n\nhttps://events.sa ip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9089/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9089/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Theoretical and Computational Division meeting DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T144000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T154000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9111@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Alan Cornell (University of Johannesburg)\nThe theor etical and computational division meeting\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/ev ent/239/contributions/9111/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9111/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Unifications in particle physics: from coupling crossing to asympt otic unification DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T070000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9107@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Aldo Deandrea (IPNL)\nThe structure of the Standard Model of particle physics inspired the idea that\, at high energy\, a simp le unified description is possible in terms of only one unified gauge coup ling. Various approaches\, with different gauge groups describing the unif ied theory\, were proposed\, but realistic models are typically non-minima l. After introducing the historical path that led to these theories I will discuss a new possibility where the gauge couplings evolve asymptotically towards the same fixed point at high energy.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.z a/event/239/contributions/9107/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9107/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Statistical Properties of Xe-133 from Inverse Kinematics Reactions using Ratio Method. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9079@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Teffo Seakamela (University of Joburg)\n**Abstract** . A substantial number of experimental studies over the years have shown t hat many light-to-medium-sized and some rare-earth nuclei exhibit a Low-En ergy Enhancement (LEE) in the Gamma Strength Function (GSF) [1\,2\,3\,4 an d references therein]. Within the Hauser-Feshbach formalism\, the GSF and the Nuclear Level Density (NLD) play crucial roles in the estimates of nuc lear reaction rates. It has been demonstrated that the presence of this LE E can significantly speed up astrophysical r-process reaction rates [5] fo r neutron-rich nuclei. This should be further researched because it would have a big impact on models of nucleosynthesis. Due to the difficulty in c reating adequate targets\, experimental data on the LEE for noble gas isot opes like 133Xe are also non-existent.\nAt the iThemba LABS\, 132Xe (d\,p) reactions in inverse kinematics were carried out with beam energy of 530 MeV in order to look for the LEE in the 133Xe nucleus. In conjunction with a silicon particle telescope that was used to measure the charged particl es from the reactions\, the AFRODITE and ALBA arrays were utilized to meas ure the gamma-rays. Eight high resolution germanium detectors\, six large and six small volume LaBr3(Ce)\, and two S2 silicon strip detectors made u p the array at the time of the studies. Particle-- events event extr action and the Ratio Method are being utilized to determine the GSF of 133 Xe.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9079/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9079/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:GAMMA COMPUTED LAMINOGRAPHY: A TROUBLESHOOTING TOOL FOR DISTILLATI ON COLUMNS DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135100Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9080@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Witness Chirume (National University of Science and Technology)\nAbstract\nAn innovative way of performing gamma column scanni ng was implemented in which the results are presented as a 2 dimensional d ensity plot. Computed laminography is used for image reconstruction using experimentally obtained data to produce a 2D image from 1D projection of t he column’s interior. Snark14 software\, which is used for 2D image reco nstruction from 1D projections was used for image reconstruction. A phanto m of the object to be reconstructed was designed using the Snark14 input f ile. A Snark14 input file based on parallel geometry for the source and de tector was created according to a specific geometry. The reconstructed ima ge of the phantom was satisfactory and this validated that the proposed ge ometry could be used in the physical experiment. Preliminary experiments w ere performed according to the specified geometry and the results are in a greement with the simulation. \n\nIntroduction\nMalfunctioning in distilla tion columns can seriously affect plant operations and result in low yield and product quality that will lead to heavy financial losses. When a colu mn behaves abnormally\, it is necessary to investigate the distillation co lumn and quickly rectify the problem in order to minimize losses. Gamma co lumn scanning is the most widely used method to troubleshoot industrial eq uipment in the petrochemical plants. A sealed radiation source and a detec tor are placed on opposite side of the column and are moved simultaneously along the column and the intensity measurements are used to generate a de nsity profile of the column. To analyse a line profile one needs to have a blend of skills and knowledge\, hence the need to find a method of acquir ing data and present it in the form of a 2 dimensional (2 D) image of the object being scanned\, which is easier and more informative than the line profile. In order to get a 2D image some tomographic reconstruction algori thms have to be implemented. The data collection schematic of figure 1 was adopted and simulation experiments were carried out and the results showe d that the proposed data collection geometry is feasible. Physical experim ents were performed and the results obtained are very promising.\n\n \n\n\nMethodology\nA radiation source was placed on one sid e of the column and a detector used to measure the attenuation of the beam at different position on the opposite side of the column. The objects to be scanned were inserted into the column. Three physical scans were perfor med on the concrete block\, mild steel pipe and a distillation column with two trays and a standard brick at the bottom. The detector was moved up from the straight through position by 15.0 cm to make an angle of 21 degre es to the horizontal. The detector was then moved in steps of 1.0 cm from 15 cm to -15 cm until 31 detector reading were taken. The source was then moved by 1 cm to a new position down the column in a straight line until 1 9 source positions were measured as shown in figure 1 above.\n\nhttps://ev ents.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9080/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9080/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Isoscalar giant monopole strength in 58Ni\, 90Zr\, 120Sn and 208Pb DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9082@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Armand Bahini (iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator-Ba sed Sciences\, National Research Foundation)\nBackground: Inelastic $\\alp ha$-particle scattering at energies of a few hundred MeV and very-forward scattering angles including $0^\\circ$ has been established as a tool for the study of the isoscalar giant monopole (IS0) strength distributions in nuclei. This compressional mode of nuclear excitation can be used to deriv e the incompressibility of nuclear matter.\n \nObjective: An independent investigation of the IS0 strength in nuclei across a wide mass range was p erformed using the $0^\\circ$ facility at iThemba Laboratory for Accelerat or Based Sciences (iThemba LABS)\, South Africa\, to understand difference s observed between IS0 strength distributions in previous experiments perf ormed at the Texas A&M University (TAMU) Cyclotron Institute\, USA and the Research Center for Nuclear Physics (RCNP)\, Japan.\n \nMethods: The iso scalar giant monopole resonance (ISGMR) was excited in $^{58}$Ni\, $^{90}$ Zr\, $^{120}$Sn and $^{208}$Pb using $\\alpha$-particle inelastic scatteri ng with $196$ MeV $\\alpha$ beam and scattering angles $\\theta_{\\text{La b}} = 0^\\circ$ and $4^\\circ$. The K$600$ magnetic spectrometer at iThemb a LABS was used to detect and momentum analyze the inelastically scattered $\\alpha$ particles. The IS0 strength distributions in the nuclei studied were deduced with the difference-of-spectra (DoS) technique including a c orrection factor for the $4^\\circ$ data based on the decomposition of $L > 0$ cross sections in previous experiments.\n \nResults: IS0 strength di stributions for $^{58}$Ni\, $^{90}$Zr\, $^{120}$Sn and $^{208}$Pb are extr acted in the excitation-energy region $E_{\\rm x} = 9 - 25$ MeV. Using cor rection factors extracted from the RCNP experiments\, there is a fair agre ement with their published IS0 results. Good agreement for IS0 strength in $^{58}$Ni is also obtained with correction factors deduced from the TAMU results\, while marked differences are found for $^{90}$Zr and $^{208}$Pb. \n \nConclusions: Previous measurements show significant differences in t he IS0 strength distributions of $^{90}$Zr and $^{208}$Pb. This work demon strates clear structural differences in the energy region of the main reso nance peaks with possible impact on the determination of the nuclear matte r incompressibility presently based on the IS0 centroid energies of these two nuclei. The results also suggest that for an improved determination of the incompressibility\, theoretical approaches should aim at a descriptio n of the full strength distributions rather than the centroid energy only. \n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9082/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9082/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Measurements of neutron response functions for a BC-501A liquid or ganic scintillator between 5 – 66 MeV at the iThemba LABS fast neutron b eam facility DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9083@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Kutullo Maibane (University of Cape Town)\nThe fast neutron beam facility at iThemba LABS (D-line) offers ns-pulsed neutron fi elds in the range 5-200 MeV\, typically produced via the 7Li(p\,xn) or 9Be (p\,xn) reactions [1-3]\, using proton beams from the separated sector cyc lotron (SSC). The D-line is currently undergoing a major upgrade and redev elopment towards ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation\, including physical modifica tions of the vault\, new instrumentation for neutron metrology and improve d beam monitoring and control systems. At present\, the standard procedure for characterising the neutron beams and measuring spectral neutron fluen ce involves a 2” x 4” BC-501A liquid scintillator and a parallel-plate 238U fission chamber (FC) [2\,4]. Neutron energy spectra may either be de termined directly from time-of-flight measurements using the BC-501A detec tor\, or by unfolding methods if the detector response functions are known sufficiently well over the energy range of interest. The quality of the u nfolded neutron energy spectrum is directly related to the knowledge of th e detector response to monoenergetic neutrons. For neutron energies below 20 MeV\, a detector response matrix can reliably be produced using Monte C arlo radiation transport codes. However\, above 20 MeV there are insuffici ent data regarding the neutron interaction cross sections\, and the detect or response matrix can only be measured directly.\n\nWe report on measurem ents of response functions in the energy range 5-66 MeV for the BC-501A de tector\, derived from neutron time-of-flight for the neutron field produce d by a 66 MeV proton beam irradiating an 8 mm Li target. Tests of unfoldin g measured pulse height spectra were undertaken using the unfolding packag e MAXED [5]. The unfolded neutron energy spectra were experimentally valid ated by comparing directly with those derived from time-of-flight. The aim is to develop a portable\, scintillator-based neutron detector system for measurements of spectral fluence up to 200 MeV outside of the laboratory environment where time-of-flight is unavailable\, whilst maintaining the r equired standards and traceability. \n\n[1] S. Pomp et al.\, EURADOS Rep. 2013-02\, May 2013. \n[2] M. Mosconi et al.\, Radiat. Meas.\, vol 45\, pp. 1342-1345\, 2010.\n[3] W. R. McMurray et al.\, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phy s. Res. A\, vol. 329\, pp. 217-222\, 1993. \n[4] Z. Ndlovu et al\, JACoW C yclotrons 2019\, TUP012\, pp. 182 – 185\, 2019.\n[5] M. Reginatto\, P. G oldhagen\, and S. Neumann\, Nucl. Instr. Meth. A476 (2002) 242\n\nhttps:// events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9083/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9083/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:The Shape of 36Ar in its first 2 plus state DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135200Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135300Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9085@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Ntokozo Radebe ()\nIn 1970\, a Coulomb excitation ex periment was done in order to determine Spectroscopic Quadrupole moment of Argon-36 (36Ar) in its first excited state which has the total angular mo mentum of 2 and a positive parity. The 36Ar ion beam was bombarded towards a stationary Lead-206 (206Pb) target The Spectroscopic quadrupole moment was determined to be 0.11 ±0.06 e.b. At the time of the experiment\, the distance of closest approach between the nuclei surfaces was 4.3 fm (fento meter) which is less than minimum distance of 6.5 fm for the experiment to be from nuclear force interference.\nThe Coulomb excitation experiment of 36Ar was conducted for a month at the ithemba LABS facility located at th e Western Cape. The objective was to determine the Spectroscopic Quadrupol e moment of 36Ar in its first excited state. The 36Ar ion beam was acceler ated towards a 1 mg/〖cm〗^2 thick 194Pt (Platinum-194) stationary targe t. The gamma rays emitted by the de-excited nuclei were detected using the AFRODITE\, which consist of eight clovers and each clover has four 50×70 〖mm〗^2 high purity Germanium crystal. The backwards scattered ion bea m was detected by the double-sided CD-shaped silicon particle detector. Th e information about the gamma rays that were in coincidence with the scatt ered particles will be analysed using MIDAS MTsort offline. The doppler-co rrected 36Ar and non-doppler corrected 194Pt spectra peaks acquired from M IDAS MTsort along with other spectroscopic information was analysed by the GOSIA program and from it\, the Spectroscopic Quadrupole moment will be d etermined.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9085/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9085/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Application of IAEA Radio-Photoluminescence Glass Dosimeter for R adiation dose monitoring DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9087@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Manny Mathuthu (North-West University\, Center for A pplied Radiation Science and Technology (CARST))\nRadio-Photoluminescence Glass Dosimeters are solid-state detectors\, which use the accumulation of radiation counts technique to measure the amount of radiation dose acquir ed. In this study\, they were applied to measure the personal dose equival ent from two gamma radiation sources\, i.e Co-60 teletherapy source\, and Cs-137 low-level radiation source. Two reference detectors (0.6 cc farmer chamber and 1000 spherical ionization chamber) were used to determine the reference dose measurements\, and the RPLGD was introduced as the Device u nder test using the substitution method. The reference measurements of abs orbed dose to water and air kerma were made. Calibration coefficients for both sources were used to convert the measurements from air kerma (Grey) t o a personal dose equivalent (Sievert). The RPLGD measurements comprised d etermining the following quantities\; sensitivity\, accuracy\, reproducibi lity\, fading effect\, energy dependence\, dose range\, and the uncertaint y budget. It was noted that RPLGDs are user friendly and reliable for pers onal radiation dose monitoring. They can be read multiple times without lo sing radiation signal and can reproduce the same signal up to an accuracy of 3 %. Correction factors were used to adjust for any anomalies in the me asurements of all quantities. The uncertainty budget of the RPLGDs in both radiation sources did not exceed 5 % and it included all the significant contributors that affected the measurements and maximum expanded uncertain ty. This was at a confidence level of 95 %.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/ event/239/contributions/9087/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9087/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Dark matter searches with MeerKAT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8991@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Geoff Beck (University of Witwatersrand)\nThe nature of dark matter remains a major unresolved mystery in modern cosmology. In this work we explore the use of the MeerKAT Galaxy Cluster Legacy Survey in placing limits on the allowed annihilation cross-section for a variety of possible WIMP models. In so doing we demonstrate that MeerKAT is compet itive with best available results in the literature\, excluding WIMPs anni hilating into b-quarks with masses below 800 GeV as viable cosmological da rk matter. This unexpectedly makes galaxy clusters\, with their large bary onic backgrounds\, competitive with dwarf galaxy results.\n\nhttps://event s.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8991/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8991/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:POLARIS PEPT for Proton Beam Tracking DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135300Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135400Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9090@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Alice Roux ()\nProton therapy offers an advantage ov er traditional radiotherapy by depositing a therapeutic dose within a smal l volume. By exploring the secondary radiation from proton-nuclei interact ions in the target\, the energy deposition can be monitored to make up for the lack of {\\it in vivo} dose measurements. One such method is Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT) using PolarisJ Cadmium Zinc Telluride ( CZT) detectors. PolarisJ detectors are chosen due to their high position s ensitivity and have been shown to detect positron emitters to sub millimet er precision. By placing two Polaris detectors face to face beside a targe t irradiated by a proton beam\, the secondary 511 keV gamma ray pairs can be detected and identified. By applying a PEPT algorithm in the 2D plane p erpendicular to the beam line\, the position of the beam line is found as well as the positron production distribution within the target. This metho d can be used to evaluate the positron production along a 66MeV proton bea m incident on water\, HDPE and graphite targets. The positron production d istribution from the proton beam is compared to Monte Carlo simulations pr edicting where along the beam line different $\\beta^+$ reactions occur fo r the various target materials. As the position of these peaks occurs a fi xed distance away from the Bragg Peak\, the location of the dose depositio n within the target can be located. The use of the PolarisJ detectors has the potential to improve the accuracy of dose measurements during proton t herapy.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9090/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9090/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Ra-226 on the deterioration crosswalk speed bumps of rural and tow nship ships road in Vhembe region\, Limpopo Province. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T074000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9092@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Nemangwele Fhulufhelo (University of Venda)\nDeterio ration of pavement condition near and on the speed\, bumps is observed thr oughout South Africa\, mainly in rural and townships area. The material us ed to construct those speed bumps is found to be radioactive with a consid erable dose rate of 0.9μSv/h compared to the 1000μSv annual limit for ra diation exposure for a public member. The hazard posed by skin exposure fr om Ra-226 is\, therefore\, due primarily to its daughter products which in clude several high-energy alpha\, beta\, and gamma emissions. Beta radiati on significantly contributes to skin dose at the nominal skin depth of 70 μm from Ra-226 and its progeny.\n\nKeywords: Ra-226\, Skin exposure\, Bet a radiation\, Dose rate\, Construction material\n\nhttps://events.saip.org .za/event/239/contributions/9092/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9092/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Star-forming galaxies and radio-active galactic nuclei in the fain t radio sky DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T074000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9249@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Getrude Thando Mothogoane (University of Johannesbur g)\nUnderstanding the complex relationship between nuclear activity\, star formation\, and galaxy growth is crucial for disentangling the mechanisms driving galaxy evolution. This project investigates how nuclear activity regulates star formation and galaxy growth at higher redshifts (z > 1). We specifically explore the correlations between black hole accretion rate ( BHAR)\, star formation rate (SFR)\, and stellar mass (M * ) in both star-f orming galaxies (SFGs) and host galaxies of radio active galactic nuclei ( AGN). Utilizing MeerKAT International GHz Tiered Extragalactic Exploration (MIGHTEE) Early Science data from the COSMOS field\, along with multiwave length ancillary data\, we aim to constrain the physical properties of SFG s and radio AGN host galaxies within a redshift range of 0 ≲ z ≲ 6. By analyzing the data\, we determine the SFR\, M * \, and dust luminosity (L dust ) for these sources using spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting techniques. To achieve this\, we compare the results obtained from four S ED fitting codes: MAGPHYS (da Cunha et al. 2008)\, CIGALE (Noll et al. 200 9)\, AGNfitter (Calistro et al. 2016)\, and MrMoose (Drouart et al. 2018). The comparison is made against physical properties derived from independe nt measurements. The goal is to select the SED fitting code that yields ph ysically feasible results and performs well for very faint radio sources. By utilizing MeerKAT observations\, multiwavelength data\, and SED fitting techniques\, this project aims to analyze the physical properties and inv estigate the correlations between nuclear activity\, star formation\, and\ ngalaxy growth. The findings of this study will contribute to our understa nding of the underlying physical mechanisms driving star formation and que nching across cosmic time.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contrib utions/9249/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9249/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Photon Strength Function Measurements at iThemba LABS DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9098@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Kgashane Malatji (iThemba LABS)\nThe study of statis tical nuclear properties is of importance not only in nuclear waste transm utation [Colonna2010] and nuclear fuel cycles [Report2006] but also in nuc lear structure and nuclear astrophysics studies [Arnould2003]. These stati stical properties - the nuclear level density (NLD)\, which describes the number of available energy levels in a nucleus for a given excitation ener gy\, and the photon strength function ($\\gamma$SF)\, which is the electro magnetic decay probability for a nucleus to either emit or absorb a gamma- ray\, are critical ingredients into calculations of neutron capture cross sections and astrophysical reaction rates.\n\nThis presentation will discu ss measurements of nuclear level densities and photon strength functions p erformed at iThemba LABS and their applications.\n\n[Colonna2010] N. Colon na et al.\, Energy Environ. Sci. 3\, (2010) 1910.\n[Report2006] Report of the Nuclear Physics and Related Computational Science R\\&D for Advanced F uel CyclesWorkshop\, DOE Offices of Nuclear Physics and Advanced Scientifi c Computing Research (2006).\n[Arnould2003] M. Arnould and S. Goriely\, Ph ys. Rep. 384 (2003) 1–84.\n\nThis work is based on the research supporte d by the National Research Foundation of South Africa Grant Number 118846. \n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9098/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9098/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Building a Hybrid Compton Camera System for Improving Proton Thera py Imaging DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T122000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9095@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Shanyn Hart (University of Cape Town and iThemba LAB S)\nThe UCT POLARIS system\, a solid-state CZT detector for prompt gamma-r ay imaging\, has shown potential for improving range verification techniqu es in proton therapy [1]. However\, its limitations in timing resolution a nd energy range impede its clinical applicability. In this project\, we ai m to overcome these limitations by combining the POLARIS detector with a f ast-timing 2" x 2" LaBr3$_3$(Ce) detector as a hybrid Compton camera [2] [ 3]. The LaBr$_3$(Ce) detectors have outstanding timing and energy resoluti on\, and a higher maximum energy range\, while the POLARIS detectors have high position sensitivity and excellent energy resolution. To investigate the feasibility of the hybrid setup\, a pulse selected 66 MeV proton beam experiment was conducted at iThemba LABS.\nThe accurate tracking of double scatter gamma ray events from a POLARIS detector into a LaBr$_3$(Ce) dete ctor requires careful coordination between the two systems. The onboard el ectronics of the POLARIS detector enable the selection of single scatter e vents within the CZT crystals. For background reduction\, a cyclotron beam radiofrequency time of flight analysis is employed on the fast time data of the LaBr$_3$(Ce) detector [4]. This analysis allows for the identificat ion and selection of gamma-ray events originating from interactions betwee n the proton beam and the target. Implementation of these data reduction t echniques\, along with the intricate time synchronization of the two detec tor data acquisition systems\, facilitates the precise tracking of gamma r ays across the two detectors.\nThis Compton camera work offers the potenti al to enhance range verification techniques and facilitate the development of a clinical prompt gamma-ray imaging system. The successful deployment of such a system would improve treatment efficacy and bolster the role of proton therapy in cancer treatment.\n\nReferences\n[1] Zhang F\, He Z and Seifert C\, *IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci.* **54** (2007) 84.\n[2] Msebi L et al. \, *Nucl. Instrum. Methods. Phys. Res. B* **1026** (2022) 166195.\n[3] McC leskey M et al.\, *Nucl. Instrum. Methods. Phys. Res. B* **785** (2015)163 .\n[4] Verburg\, J. M et al.\, *Phys. Med. Biol.* **58** (2013).\n\nhttps: //events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9095/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9095/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Measurement and simulation of secondary neutron production from a 66 MeV proton beam DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T141000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T141100Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9096@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Josiah De Klerk (University of Cape Town Physics dep artment)\nPrompt gamma rays (PGs) produced by nuclear collisions during pr oton therapy (PT) can be used for *in vivo* proton beam range verification through a technique known as prompt gamma imaging (PGI). During PT\, the production of PGs within the tissue provides a reliable location map for the proton dose deposition. The detection of these PGs using a Compton Ca mera (CC) can be used to construct a source image of the PGs. Since the r econstructed source image is dependent on the quality of the detection\, t he detection efficiency of a CC device can be negatively affected by addit ional secondary radiation (particularly neutrons) produced alongside the p rompt gamma rays. The goal of this work is to understand the characteristi cs of these secondary neutrons during a proton beam irradiation and their potential impact on a CC.\nThe experimental setup consisted of a 66 MeV pe ncil beam of protons on a variety of targets (HDPE\, water\, graphite) wit h the neutron measurements made using an organic liquid scintillator detec tor (BC-501A) at several angles within the K600 vault (S-line) at iThemba LABS. To obtain neutron energy spectra with the BC-501A an unfolding proce dure is typically used\, where energy spectra are deconvolved from the mea sured\, and calibrated\, neutron light output spectra. As the quality of t he unfolding is dependent on the prior knowledge of the energy spectrum\, a Geant4 simulation was constructed to better understand the produced neut ron field and aid the unfolding process. A comparison of the experimental and simulated results will be discussed.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/eve nt/239/contributions/9096/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9096/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Determination of reaction activities on Au and Tm targets using t he quasi-monoenergetic neutron beams at approximately 90 MeV DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9097@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Luyanda Ndevu (University of Fort Hare)\nDeterminati on of reaction activities on Au and Tm targets using the quasi-monoenerge tic neutron beams at approximately 90 MeV\nNdevu L1\,2\, Lethole NL1\, and Maleka PP2 \n1Department of Physics\, University of Fort Hare\, South Afr ica\, 2Separated Sector Cyclotron Laboratory\, NRF-iThemba LABS\, South Af rica\nEmail address: 201614604@ufh.ac.za \n\nThe International Atomic Ener gy Agency (IAEA) has highlighted the challenge of managing highly radioact ive waste from nuclear reactions\, and one potential solution being consid ered is the use of accelerator-driven sub-critical systems (ADS) [1]. Howe ver\, constructing such reactors requires experimental neutron cross-secti on libraries for (n\, xn) reactions in various materials at energies above 20 MeV\, which currently are scarce or have large uncertainties [2]. To a ddress this gap\, this study aims to perform preliminary measurements on t he reaction product activities of 197Au and 169Tm target materials using q uasi-monoenergetic neutron beams of approximately 90 MeV. The study utiliz ed the iThemba LABS neutron beam facility to produce quasi-monoenergetic n eutron beams. Neutron detectors were used on the 0° and 16° beam paths t o obtain spectra\, which were then compared to determine the neutron flux. Stacked target materials including 197Au and 169Tm were irradiated and al so placed along the 0° and 16° beam path. Neutron detectors and target m aterials were placed at least 5 m from the Li target\, the neutron product ion point. \nAfter irradiations\, the samples were counted on a gamma-ray counting system to identify the reaction products and calculate the activi ties of the identified nuclei. The experimental procedure used to determin e energy and efficiency calibrations with the gamma-ray spectrometry metho d will be discussed during the presentation. The results of this study are expected to contribute to the improvement of the International Reactor Do simetry and Fusion File (IRDFF) library [3] and provide a benchmark for va lidating nuclear models and improving nuclear data libraries.\n\n[1] Biele wicz et al.\, The New Collaboration of the JINR and the iThemba LABS for C ross-Section (n\,xn) Reactions Measurements (2019).\n[2] Pomp et al.\, Rad iat. Prot. Dosimetry 161 (1-4)\, 62–66 (2014).\n[3] Trkov et al.\, Speci al issue of Nucl. Data Sheets\, 163\, 1-108 (2020).\n\nhttps://events.saip .org.za/event/239/contributions/9097/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9097/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Multi-messenger analysis of Ultrafaint dwarf galaxies as observati onal targets for Dark Matter indirect detection DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8886@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Raees Noorbhai (Wits School of Physics)\nThe dwarf s pheroidal galaxies orbiting the Milky Way galaxy\, particularly the Dark M atter-dominated Ultrafaints\, possess excellent discovery potential as obs ervational targets for DM indirect detection. We assess hypothetical\, lep tophilic WIMPs in the 1 TeV–2 TeV range\, with four dwarf galaxies chose n as potential observational targets. These are the Classical dwarf galaxi es Sculptor and Sextans\, along with the Ultrafaints Reticulum II and Segu e 1. For gamma ray observations\, we consider the CTA and LHAASO telescope s. For neutrino observations\, we consider the KM3NeT infrastructure\, whi le for radio observations we consider the MeerKAT infrastructure. Utilisin g conservative estimates of the telescope sensitivities\, we project non-d etection constraints imposed by observations of the dwarf galaxies within the field-of-view of each telescope\, calculating upper bounds upon the ve locity-averaged annihilation cross-section of the WIMP. Our multi-messenge r analysis thereafter compares the projected non-detection bounds imposed by observations of the Ultrafaint dwarf galaxies to those imposed by obser vations of the Classicals\, for the different telescopes and their corresp onding astrophysical messengers. These projected constraints are taken in comparison to those imposed by prior DM indirect searches in Reticulum II\ , the Large Magellanic Cloud and the MW Halo and Centre. Also taken into c onsideration are the direct detection constraints\, the collider search co nstraints\, the CMB constraints and the DM relic density limit. Thus\, the analysis allows us to determine the optimum combination of telescope infr astructure\, astrophysical messenger and target dwarf galaxy for the purpo ses of imposing the strongest non-detection constraints upon the WIMP para meters.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8886/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8886/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:In situ radionuclide analysis at a rehabilitated contamination sit e using a mobile gamma-ray detection unit equipped with a LaBr3:Ce detecto r DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9103@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Ferdie van Niekerk ()\nCarbonatite-peralkaline compl exes represent the major type of host rock for phosphate in South Africa. It is well known that this rock also contains small amounts of naturally o ccurring uranium and its decay products. The spillage of polluted process water during December 2013 at the Bosveld Phosphates mine in Phalaborwa\, South Africa\, lead to the run-off of this water into the adjacent Selati River that runs through the Kruger National Park (KNP). This caused concer n for possible radiation pollution in the river and surrounding ecosystems . It is known that the site has since been rehabilitated. A mobile radiati on detection unit equipped with a LaBr3:Ce detector was used to perform in situ radiation measurements at two sites in the KNP\, one unaffected by t he process water spillage and the other being the contaminated site itself . Real-time activity data\, synchronised with GPS coordination\, was colle cted at both sites. Analysis of the spectral data and radiation mapping in dicated successful rehabilitation as no elevated radiation levels were obs erved at the previously contamination site compared to the unaffected site . Results obtained during the experimental measurements will be presented and discussed\, and conclusions drawn during the presentation.\n\nhttps:// events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9103/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9103/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Machine Learning-based Gamma Spectroscopy with Multi-Spectral Trac king DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9104@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Calib Buckton (Stellenbosch University)\nThis projec t entails the development of a machine learning-based gamma detection\nsys tem with tracking and prediction capabilities. It involves integrating gam ma spectroscopy via an artificial intelligence model\, including a custom\ nneural network trained on spectra from various isotopes and a compact\nde tector. The model would be integrated into a compact\, low-cost\, micro-co ntroller\nenabled system with additional sensors to provide the hardware. This includes\, but is\nnot limited to\, a thermal sensor\, GPS sensor\, m ulti-spectral camera\, etc. and would\nbe used to run and manage the model . The overall system with the neural network and multi-spectral system wou ld be designed to provide a useful and inexpen-\nsive complement to curren t radiation safety methods and additionally serve as an early\nwarning sys tem (e.g. in the case of radiation leaks). Additionally\, the treatment of noise in the obtained spectra\, both environmental and\nsystematic\, will be investigated in this research via neural networks and Kalman filters.\ nThis is crucial for monitoring out in the field\, where low-level monitor ing often suffers\nfrom background interference. The value is increased by the packaging of thermal and\nGPS sensors\, together with a standard came ra and infrared camera for mobile object detection\,\ncomplementing the ga mma-ray spectra identification.\n\nThermal sensors combined with an infrar ed camera can allow the detection of heat\nsignatures\, which is useful fo r finding the source of emissions. Through the use of recursive\nalgorithm s\, an interactive multiple-model estimator could offer prediction capabil ities through modelling trajectories of\ngamma radiation within the enviro nment. Eventually\, a self-correcting system with identification and track ing can be used to\nprovide early warning or other useful information rega rding radiation in the environ-\nment. Although a stationary system with s tationary sources will be tested\, one could\neasily apply this to a dynam ic mobile system (e.g. drones and surveillance cameras)\nwith the addition of motors or compact vehicles for transportation. This system could\nbe c ompared to existing radiation safety methods and warning systems\, as well as ma-\nchine learning benchmarks for spectra prediction. For example\, o ne could test how\nwell it identifies radiation leaks\, the number of fals e positives\, and the accuracy of the\ntracking system.\n\nIt is also beli eved that the supervised training process of the\nnetwork can include exam ples of noise\, to assist in obtaining as clean a spectrum as\npossible\, and to guide the network to the true reaction data.\nIdeally\, the network will learn to identify the isotopes by peaks and possibly backscatter\npa tterns. This will prevent the inclusion of unanticipated sources confusing the network\nwhen making predictions.\n\nThe consideration of radiation m onitoring environments\, such as nuclear waste disposal\nsites and nuclear power plants (e.g. Koeberg)\, yields insights to the value of this\nresea rch. A low-cost\, efficient radiation monitoring device could assist in ra diation\nprotection cases\, capable of detecting gamma emissions and hotsp ots in the surrounding\nenvironment. There is also the use in the field\, for remote monitoring and built-in GPS for local-\nization. Moreover\, a m obile system can be used to investigate stationary and moving\n5\nsources in the field (e.g. geological vaults)\, providing information regarding th e ener-\ngies and intensities of various gamma sources. There is also the knowledge gained by investigating further development of micro-\ncontrolle r-enabled systems with deep learning-based object recognition and tracking \nsoftware. There is a direct comparison to be made with existing surveill ance and monitoring technology.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/co ntributions/9104/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9104/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Refurbishment of the SK solenoid magnetic lens spectrometer at iTh emba LABS DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230707T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9105@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Maluba Vernon Chisapi (iTL/Stellenbosch)\nA solenoid magnetic lens spectrometer \\cite{avaa2020electron} was refurbished and u pgraded to incorporate measurement of internal-pairs in addition to conver sion electrons. An in-beam experiment was performed on a setup where the m agnetic lens spectrometer was coupled to a gamma-ray array consisting of s even Compton suppressed HPGe clover detectors. A 1.1 mg/cm$^{2}$ thick $^{ 50}$Ti target was bombarded with a 30 MeV alpha beam \\cite{oakley1987pion }\\cite{pronko1974gamma}\\cite{morsch1973monopole} in an attempt to excite the $0^{+}$ state at $3.8\\\;$MeV\, which is expected to subsequently dec ay via internal-pair formation. The populated nuclei were identified and t he observed gamma-ray transitions were built into level schemes. A thoroug h investigation of gamma-internal-pair and gamma-conversion electron coinc idence was also carried out both for a radioactive source ($^{207}$Bi) and in-beam data. This study highlights the unique capability of of the solen oid magnetic lens spectrometer in measurements of electric monopole ($E0$: $0^{+}\\rightarrow 0^{+}$ or $J^{\\pi}\\rightarrow J^{\\pi}$) transitions \, the only significant alternative nuclei decay mode in cases where nucle ar decay via gamma-ray emission is forbidden \\cite{ANAndreyev}\\cite{wood 1992coexistence}\\cite{kibedi2005electric}\\cite{wood1999electric}.\n\nhtt ps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9105/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9105/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:RESISTIVE SWITCHING IN AG/CS+PVP+CDTE/CDSE/ITO-PET DEVICE FOR APPL ICATION IN ECO-FRIENDLY MEMORY DEVICE DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T134800Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T134900Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9118@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Khanya Giba (School of Computing\, University of Sou th Africa)\nElectronic devices that are made primarily of organic material s are significant for reducing electronic waste. The resistive switching p roperties of a chitosan/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) polymer blend dispersed with CdTe/CdSe core-shell quantum dots are investigated. Both chitosan an d polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) are non-hazardous to the environment. This c omposite was employed in the active layer of a resistive switching memory (ReRAM)\, which employs silver and indium doped tin oxide electrodes. The device's electrical characterisation indicated that it had asymmetric "S-t ype" memory behavior with a $I_{ON}/I_{OFF}$ ratio of $\\geq 10$ and a ver y low (0.2 V) working voltage\, making it suitable for low power consumpti on device applications. Furthermore\, the presence of CdTe/CdSe in the com posite was thought to enhance the Schottky barrier height of the interface between the electrodes and the active layer\, resulting in the creation o f conductive filaments due to silver electrode diffusion into the active l ayer. Overall\, our findings suggest that by including CdTe/CdSe QDs\, the memory and switching behavior of the chitosan/PVP blend-based resistive s witching memory may be utilized.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/c ontributions/9118/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9118/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Modelling Weather Patterns and Solar PV systems for the Sizing of Standalone PV Battery Charging System Standalone PV Battery Charging Syst em DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T122000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9109@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Happy Sibusiso Ndlovu ()\n**Introduction**\n\nHoweve r\, designing an effective and efficient PV battery charging system requir es careful consideration of several factors\, including the weather patter ns of the region.\nSpecifically\, we focus on modeling the weather pattern s of the region and the performance of the PV system under those condition s in order to identify the most suitable system configuration for reliable and efficient battery charging.\nThe study must develop a comprehensive m odel that can accurately predict the solar resource availability and energ y production potential of the system\, considering the variability of weat her patterns and the performance characteristics of the PV panels and batt ery system.\n\n**Methodology**\n\nTo investigate the use of weather patter ns and PV system models for the sizing of standalone PV battery charging s ystems\, we conducted a simulation-based study using weather data and PV s ystem models for a rural region.\n1. The historical weather data for the r egion collected\, including variables such as temperature\, solar irradian ce\, wind speed\, and precipitation. We then used this data to develop a s tatistical model of the weather patterns for the region\, including season al and daily variations.\n\nNext\, We will then use the weather and PV sys tem models to simulate the performance of various system configurations fo r battery charging\, including different panel sizes\, battery capacities\ , and charge controller settings.\nWe will evaluate the performance of eac h configuration based on factors such as battery charge time\, energy effi ciency\, and system reliability.\nFinally\, we will compare the performanc e of different system configurations and identify the optimal configuratio n for the given weather patterns and system requirements. Our results will provide insights into the use of weather data and PV system models for th e design and optimization of standalone PV battery charging systems for No rthern KwaZulu-Natal.\n\n**Result**\n\nThe following figure showing the o ut of the Modell I already trained for the meteorological data\, which sho ws the model is not performing well:\n \nWhereby recall is a metr ic that measures the ability of a model to identify all relevant instances of a particular class or label in a dataset. Precision is a metric that m easures the ability of a model to identify positive predictions correctly. The F1 score is a measure of a machine learning model's accuracy that con siders both precision and recall. Accuracy is the measure of the model to do the right prediction.\n\n**Discussion**\n\nThis study focused on the us e of weather modeling techniques and solar PV system simulations to determ ine the optimal sizing of standalone PV battery charging systems for rural areas. The results highlighted the importance of accurately modeling both weather patterns and solar PV system performance in order to design an ef fective system. Cloud technologies such as Azure ML and Amazon SageMaker w ill be used to improve the accuracy of the model. The study has important implications for the design and implementation of standalone PV battery ch arging systems in rural areas\, helping to bring reliable and sustainable energy solutions to rural areas.\n\n**Conclusion**\n\nIn this study\, we h ave demonstrated the effectiveness of using weather pattern modeling in co njunction with solar PV system modeling to accurately size standalone PV b attery charging systems for rural areas. By accurately sizing standalone P V battery charging systems\, we can ensure that rural communities have acc ess to reliable and sustainable energy sources that can improve their qual ity of life.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9109/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9109/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:2022/2023 NMU-NITheCS Internship Programme: Connecting Quarks with the Cosmos\, connecting people with the Universe DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9003@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Azwinndini Muronga (Nelson Mandela University)\nNMU- NITheCS Internship Programme is an annual summer study program in theoreti cal and computational sciences.\nThe internship research topics are under the overarching the subject: *Matter Under Extreme Conditions in Heavy Ion Collisions and Astrophysics* which is an inter-/trans-disciplinary subjec t as it is born at the borders between particle and nuclear physics\, astr ophysics\, gravitation\, and cosmology. This allows the collaboration of f inal year BSc\, BSc (Honours)\, and MSc students from different discipline s such as mathematics\, physics\, statistics\, and computing sciences to l earn and to find solutions to cross-disciplinary scientific questions. Th e objectives of multiple disciplinary approaches are to resolve real world or complex problems\, to provide different perspectives on problems\, to create comprehensive research questions and to provide comprehensive solut ions to the problems.\n\nDuring the 2022/2023 NMU-NITheCS internship the i nterns had interactive sessions at Nelson Mandela University\, Gqeberha fr om the 28th of November 2022 to the 23rd of December 2022. During the firs t two weeks of the internship the interns had an opportunity to attend th e 7th Biennial African School of Physics (ASP2022) which was hosted at Nel son Mandela University in parallel with the internship. This was followed by 2 weeks of working on the assigned research topics to groups consisting of four interns per topic. The internship program then resumed online fro m mid-January 2023 to end of April 2023. \n\nIn this talk we will present the structure and processes of the internship programme as well as the ove rview of the results from each topical group and show the connections betw een topical groups as per the theme of the internship programme (title of the talk).\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9003/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9003/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Combining large radio and optical astronomical surveys: exploring the MeerKAT Galaxy Cluster Legacy Survey DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T152000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T154000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8879@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: S.J.J. Nel ()\nWe are entering an era of large radio and optical astronomical surveys\, particularly for the Southern Hemisphe re. One challenge is to effectively combine and cross-match source catalog ues from surveys in different wavelengths\, thereby maximising the science impact of surveys. We use the Likelihood Ratio method to cross-match comp act source catalogues extracted from the MeerKAT Galaxy Cluster Legacy Sur vey (MGCLS) with optical sources detected in the Dark Energy Camera Legacy Survey (DECaLS). These matched catalogues can now be further explored for various science applications\, and to possibly improve the cross-matching method for future surveys. For this presentation\, we contrast and test t wo different methods to evaluate the “Reliability” and “Completeness ” of the cross-matching method and the resulting catalogues to determine which method is better suited for optimally combining large radio and opt ical surveys.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8879/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8879/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Weak Gravity Conjecture for dilaton de Sitter black holes in extra dimension DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8845@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Hajar Noshad (university of Johannesburg)\nThe Weak Gravity Conjecture (WGC) is a theoretical conjecture that relates gravity to other forces within the framework of an Effective Field Theory (EFT). O ne of the primary motivations behind the WGC is to provide a kinematic con straint on the decay of extremal black holes. This kinematic constraint ar ises from the notion that the black hole must decay to states that are inc apable of forming new black holes. As such\, objects that would give rise to naked singularities\, which are prohibited under the Weak Cosmic Censor ship hypothesis\, must be particles.\nIn this talk\, we consider charged b lack hole solutions of the Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton theory in de Sitter sp ace. Our investigation focuses on examining the location and existence of horizons as a function of the parameters for mass ($M$)\, charge ($Q$)\, a nd dilaton coupling strength ($\\alpha$) in the context of extra-dimension al spacetimes\, and investigating possible modifications of the Weak Gravi ty Conjecture in the extra-dimensional spacetimes. In n-dimensions\, for a spatial value of $\\alpha^2_c=\\frac{(n-3)^2}{(n-1)}$\, we observe that t here is a new extremality condition\, or a new WGC bound. Moreover\, we fi nd that\, because of the complexity of the metric for $\\alpha\n\nhttps:// events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8845/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8845/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:First-principles study on the effect of Pt addition on the stabili ty of B2 Ti50Ru50 – a supercell approach DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8852@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Bongani Ngobe (WITS and MINTEK)\n**Keywords: ** Adva nced structural materials\, First-principles calculations\, Density functi onal theory (DFT)\, Phase stability and Phase transition \n\n\n**Abstract: ** The discovery of new advanced structural materials to meet the aggress ive evolving engineering structural demands can be achieved through the in tegration of computational thermodynamics and validated experimental activ ities to optimize the existing materials. Nitinol\, Ti50Ni50\, is a commer cial shape memory alloy (SMA) widely used in structural applications is kn own to possess shape memory effect and excellent super-plasticity. Materi als that display such unique structural properties are usually referred to as SMAs\, with a tendency of recalling their prior crystal structure and properties if subjected to a conducive environment such as temperature. Th ough Nitinol is widely known as an alloy with shape memory effect (SME)\, it has drawn back such as being limited to low-temperature structural appl ications. So any advanced structural materials that could overcome Nitinol ’s structural application’s limitation stand a good chance to be consi dered as high-temperature shape memory alloys (HTSMAs). This SME is driven by a diffusionless phase transition\, from an ordered high-temperature B2 phase to disordered low-temperature martensite phases (L10/B19/B19')\, pr esent in CsCl compounds. Whilst Ti50Ru50 also consist of B2 at high-temper ature\, it remains ordered with no phase transition to 0 K. Owing to plati num’s nobility and excellent malleability\, this work employed a superce ll (SC) approach to pin-track B2-Ti50Ru50-xPtx ternary compositions with t he prospect to stimulate SME on stable B2-Ti50Ru50 by substituting some of Ru atoms with Pt atoms. In pursuit of such advanced structural materials with SME\, we evaluated the thermodynamic\, mechanical\, electronic and la ttice dynamic stability using first-principles calculations.\n\nhttps://ev ents.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8852/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8852/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Structural and Vibrational Studies of TbMn2O5 Powder DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T134900Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9119@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Geoffrey Mwendwa (School of Physics\, Material Physi cs Research Institute\, University of the Witwatersrand\, Johannesburg\, S outh Africa )\nMultiferroic rare-earth composite oxides with a perovskite- like structure such as terbium manganites hold a wide range of correlated properties for next-generational devices characterized by high efficiency\ , low energy dissipation\, and high storage density among other high-end c apabilities. Some of the envisaged applications include solid-state refrig eration\, 4-state memory storage\, ferroelectric photovoltaics\, and spint ronic devices. \n\nIn magnetoelectrics\, ferroic orders (ferromagnetism an d ferroelectricity) occur in the same phase by the virtue of symmetry brea king\, which in this case is manifested in the form of crystal structure d istortion. Motivated by the fundamental question of the structure-function relationship in these materials\, we have synthesized TbMn2O5 powders (su bstrate-free nanostructures) by a sol-gel-based method. \n\nThe compositio n fidelity of the sample was probed and validated by SEM-EDX. Rietveld ref inement shows that the as-synthesized sample has three phases: TbMn2O5 (89 %)\, TbMnO3 (6%)\, and Mn3O4 (5% by volume). Except for the mode at 105 c m-1\, all Raman modes of Ag\, B1g\, B2g\, and B3g symmetry expected for th e Pbam structure have been observed.\n\n**Keywords:** Multiferroics\, ferr oic orders\, magnetoelectric effect\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/23 9/contributions/9119/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9119/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Resistive Switching property of Cow Milk dispersed with Selenium p articles. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135100Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135200Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9120@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sonwabile Ntshakaza (School of Computing\, Universit y of South Africa)\nScientists are intrigued by the phenomenon of resistiv e switching in organic materials because of its potential for designing de vices with reduced electronic waste footprint. We improved the resistive s witching property of organic cow milk films in this study by introducing s elenium (Se) particles. We built and tested four devices\, each with a dif ferent mass per volume % of Se in milk: Ag/milk+Se (0.4)/ITO-PET\, Ag/milk +Se (0.8)/ITO-PET\, Ag/milk+Se (1.2)/ITO-PET\, and Ag/milk+Se (1.6)/ITO-PE T. The resistive switching behaviour of these devices was evaluated. These devices all have distinct current-voltage (I-V) characteristics. The Ag/m ilk+Se (0.4)/ITO-PET system's I-V hysteresis was found to be weak. Each vo ltage scan cycle changed the hysteresis properties. The Ag/milk+Se (0.6)/I TO-PET device demonstrated consistent hysteresis\, but with substantial si gnal noise. The Ag/milk+Se (1.2)/ITO-PET device demonstrated consistent hy steresis and decreased noise levels. Before any noise was detected\, the h ysteresis remained steady for more than 15 cycles. The Ag/milk+Se (1.6)/IT O-PET system had very little hysteresis. This device's behavior was observ ed to display random variations in current\, with no evidence of hysteresi s or memory effects. The electron hopping between Se particles is the most likely process\, according to the conduction mechanism analysis of Ag/mil k+Se(1.2)/ITO-PET.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9 120/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9120/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Computer simulated study of the structural and electronic properti es of β-MnO2 nanoclusters as cathode materials in rechargeable lithium-io n batteries DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8864@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Phala Masoga (University of Limpopo)\nComputer simul ated study of the structural and electronic properties of β-MnO2 nanoclus ters as cathode materials in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries\n\n1\,2 P. W. Masoga\, 2P.E. Ngoepe and 2H.R. Chauke\n\n1 University of Limpopo\, Dep artment of Mathematics\, Science and Technology Education\, School of Educ ation\, Private Bag x1106\, Sovenga\, 0727\, South Africa\n\n2 University of Limpopo\, Materials Modeling Centre\, School of Physical and Mineral Sc iences\, Private Bag x1106\, Sovenga\, 0727\, South Africa\n\nSignificant attention has recently been focused on transition metal-oxides due to thei r allotropic polymorphs having distinct structural and electronic properti es. Pyrolusite (β-MnO2)\, the most stable polymorph of MnO2\, is one of t he most promising cathode materials necessary for the creation of improved rechargeable battery systems such as lithium-ion batteries.\nIn this stud y\, MnO2 nanoclusters were produced using an evolutionary algorithm and fi rst principle methods. Interatomic potentials were used in conjunction wit h the Buckingham potential and the 12-6 Lennard-Jones potential to generat e subsets of stable nanoclusters. A combination of global search technique s and density functional theory (DFT) methodologies were used to refine th e energy ordering of the generated nanoclusters and determine their global minima. \nThe selected interatomic potentials predicted the β-MnO2 bulk structure to within 0.43 % of experimental data. The Ni-doped n3-01 nanocl uster on the cation position with the higher coordination was the most sta ble\, most compact and had the highest operational voltage profile of 3.03 8 V showing nickel to be the preferred dopant in this study. The generated x-ray diffraction patterns for the stable nanoclusters revealed the most dominant and stable peaks with their respective intensities’ indicative of the stable rutile phase. Furthermore\, the effect of temperature change s on nanocluster stability was studied. The nanoclusters showed a preferen ce toward circular compact bonding patterns at higher temperatures. There are improvements in the stability and electrical conductivity in the nanoc lusters as compared to bulk β-MnO2. The DOS revealed that the nanocluster s are metallic at the Fermi level with small band-gap energies. Due to its advantageous electrical conducting qualities and the fact that co-doped n anoclusters had the smallest band-gap energies\, Co-doping also demonstrat ed some potential. The charge density differences of the Ni-doped n3-01 na nocluster displayed a high prevalence of covalent bonding as opposed to io nic bonding observed with Fe- and Co-doping further showing nickel to be t he preferred dopant.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions /8864/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8864/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Insight into the effect of rhodium atom on TiN (N = 1 – 20) nano clusters: A DFT investigation DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8846@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Moeti Ramalebana (University of Limpopo)\nDoping mo nometallic nanoclusters with other transition metal atoms have received si gnificant attention since they can be rationally designed and integrated t o achieve unique properties and functions. These properties are suitable f or use in applications such as catalysis\, microelectronics and nanotechno logy. In this study\, a density function theory approach was employed to i nvestigate the structural and electronic properties of TiNRh (N = 1-20) na noclusters. The calculations showed that rhodium impurity prefers the apex and mostly occupies the faces of titanium nanoclusters. The Rh doped Ti n anoclusters revealed enhanced binding energy in comparison with bare Ti na noclusters. The relative strength displayed the shifting of the stability from N = 7 for pure Ti nanoclusters to N = 13 for Rh doped Ti nanoclusters . Furthermore\, the dissociation energy showed excellent correlation with the relative stability trend. The HOMO-LUMO revealed the lowest energy gap at Ti12Rh (N=13)\, which correlates well with the relative stability and dissociation energy.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions /8846/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8846/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Theoretical & Computational Biophysics DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8867@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Fundile Nyaweni (Nelson Mandela University/NITheCS)\ , Ntokozo God-knowledge Cebekhulu (NMU/NITheCS)\, Asakundwi Praisethelord Dzhivhuho (NMU/NITheCS)\, Dineo Patience Motjope (NMU/NITheCS)\, Funanani Raphulu (NMU/NITheCS)\, Dephney Mathebula (NMU/NITheCS)\, Rendani Netshik weta (NMU/NITheCS)\, Mercy Moila (NMU/NITheCS)\, Aluwani Guga (NMU/NITh eCS)\nThe project explores the interlinked of biophysics\, biomathematics and biostatistics\; and further examine the application of deterministic m odels in biological systems using COVID-19 as a case study. The determinis tic model\, which utilizes the classical SEIR epidemic modeling framework\ , is used to determine the transmission dynamics of the COVID-19 epidemic. The objective of the project is to develop a deterministic model of COVI D-19 and fit it to South Africa's COVID-19 data in order to gain insight i nto infectious disease dynamics by translating mathematical results back t o biology and by using numerical algorithms to study the physical principl es behind infectious diseases. The fitted model was found to fit the recov ered group data well\, but not the infected group. Hence\, the importance of fitting the data for COVID-19 modeling\, allows researchers and polic ymakers to use the models for predictions and inform decision-making. Howe ver\, this model needs to be improved in order to fit the data.\n\nhttps:/ /events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8867/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8867/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Modeling and tomographic visualization of the dying Schrodinger ca t and its implication for the biomechanical dynamics of cardiovascular dis eases DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T094000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T100000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8866@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Godfrey Akpojotor (Delta State University\, Abraka\, Nigeria)\nThe dying Schrodinger cat is modeled in this study as a simple harmonic oscillator using the usual various steps of modeling. The formula ted constitutive equation of the dying cat developed is a second order dif ferential equation with physical constant coefficients which includes thre e crucial components: the damping constant\, b\, which represents the quan tity of poison the cat is exposed to\, the spring constant\, k\, which rep resents blood flowing in the cat's heart and the cat's mass\, m. The const itutive equation is numerically solved and simulated for varying amount of poison\, blood flowing in the heart and cat mass. Both the numerical resu lts and the tomographic visualization depicted the following three states with time and energy: underdose state in normal sinusoidal motion and ener gy\, critical dosage state in anomalous sinusoidal motion and highly reduc ed energy\, and overdose state in quenched sinusoidal motion and energy. T his study motivated our modeling strategy of assuming that the physiologic al state of the presence of the cardiovascular disease (CVA) in the infect ed person (IP) can be physically described as the superposition of the cha racteristic wave of the disease on the characteristic wave of the healthy person (HP). The resultant superposed wave is the constitutive carrier wav e equation which can be solved to provide the biomechanical dynamics of th e IPs and are depicted in an electrocardiogram (ECG). The prospect of usin g this approach for the prognosis of the physiological state of cardiova scular diseases is then discussed.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/23 9/contributions/8866/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8866/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Pulse fitting and spectral analysis of Fermi -GBM short GRBs with known redshift and comparisons with magnetar giant flares DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8871@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Dimakatso Maheso (University of Johannesburg)\nShort gamma-ray bursts (SGRBs) are energetic impulses with emissions that last for less than 2 s and have a hard spectra. They are cosmological entities and they originate from compact binary mergers like binary systems. Moreov er\, there is evidence that they are also tied to gravitational wave event s after the detection of GRB170817A. However\, these properties are not un ique to them. There are other short gamma-ray transients that posses simil ar properties called magnetar giant flares (MGFs). They however\, originat e from magnetars in our galaxy or in nearby star-forming galaxies. When MG Fs are observed at great distances only their prominent peaks are observed hence can be confused with the cosmological SGRBs. Typically\, their spec tra has a prominent peak which is then followed by prolonged fading pulses . Without the detection of the oscillating fading phase\, the distinction between SGRBs and MGFs is hindered if the redshift is unknown. MGFs typica lly have isotropic energy in the range $10^{44}-10^{47}$ erg whilst SGRBs are highly energetic with isotropic energy around $10^{52}$ erg. In this w ork\, both transients with prominent peaks were fit with the Norris functi on to get their pulse rising times at varying energy ranges and the goodne ss of the pulse fit was measured with the $\\chi^{2}$ value. Their pulse r ising times are utilised to make a distinction between the two transients. MGFs posses pulse rising times that last for hundreds of ms whilst for SG RBs its a few ms. Moreover\, spectral analysis was performed in the energy range 10 kev - 40 MeV and data fitting was achieved with the Comptonised and Band model for the brightest detector for each SGRB. The significance of these fits was determined with the Cash Castor-statistics. The bursts u tilised in the spectral analysis have known red-shift and were detected by the Fermi-GBM instrument.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contrib utions/8871/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8871/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Understanding the origin of Bunny-Hop light curves of periodic met hanol masers DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T152000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T154000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8884@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Andrea Nel (North-West University)\nClass II 6.7 GHz methanol maser emission\, first discovered by Menten (1991)\, is exclusiv ely associated with high-mass star-forming regions. Long-term observationa l studies have shown that masers are variable on many timescales\; this fi nding was unsurprising as masers are incredibly sensitive to the changes i n their local physical environment. A more surprising finding was that of the periodic methanol masers originally reported by Goedhart et al. (2003) and Goedhart et al. (2004). There are now close to thirty periodic maser sources known to us. In this research\, the methanol maser source G358.46 0 - 0.391 was observed using the 26-metre HartRAO telescope to characteris e its periodic nature\; the maser is periodic\, and the periodic nature of the light curve follows a behaviour which can best be described as an abs olute cosine behaviour\; such sources have been termed \\textit{bunny-hop} sources. The source was also observed to have a velocity drift\, and base d on observations completed in this project as well as recent literature\, it is believed that the maser region has a face-on orientation\, i.e\, th e accretion disc associated with the high-mass stellar object is orientate d face on with bipolar outflows in the direction of the observer. It is be lieved that the distinct periodic nature of the maser is due to some well- behaved periodic behaviour within the maser environment\, and the face-on orientation may be correlated to the district bunny-hop behaviour observed .\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8884/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8884/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:ULXs as progenitors of merging compact binary systems DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8873@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Lutendo Nyadzani (Centre for Astro-Particle Physics and Department of Physics\, University of Johannesburg\, Auckland Park 200 6\, South Africa)\nUsing Ultra-Luminous X-ray (ULX) sources as progenitors of compact binary systems\, we estimate the coalescence rate of compact b inary systems. ULXs are extra-galactic X-ray sources with apparent luminos ity > 10^{39} erg/s. They are thought to be accreting NS or BH. The mechan ism of how these systems reach such high luminosity is still unknown. 10^{ 39} erg/s is above the Edington accretion limit for a 10M_{\\odot} BH. The re are a few explanations for such high luminosities: (1) NS/BH accreting at super-Eddington accretion rate\, (2) highly beamed emission\, and (3) e mission from an intermediate-mass black hole with a mass of 100M_{\\odot} to 10^5M_{\\odot} at sub-Eddington accretion. Observation of some ULX syst ems suggests NSs accreting with beamed emission with massive companions. E ventually\, some of these companion stars will become compact objects\, fo rming compact binary systems which are potential progenitors of gravitatio nal waves and short GRBs. Assuming all merging compact binary systems unde rgo a ULX phase\, we simulate a population of binary stars and follow thei r evolutionary history. We compute the merger rate from the compact binari es that went through a ULX phase.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/ contributions/8873/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8873/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Dark Matter annihilation and the termination of the Martian geodyn amo DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-8881@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Javeria Makda (Wits student)\nIn this work we derive limits on the WIMP-nucleon scattering cross-section by comparing the pote ntial heat flow within the Earth from Dark Matter capture and subsequent a nnihilation to the observational value. This effect has been argued previo usly in the literature to provide a potential link to mass extinction phen omena on Earth. However\, we focus on whether additional heat-flux from da rk matter annihilations within the Martian core could have affected the de cay of its geodynamo\, and thus precipitated its magnetic field loss. We d etermine that Xenon1T limits on the WIMP nucleon cross-sections do not all ow sufficient heating to significantly affect either Earth or Mars. We the n use this to determine the local dark matter density that would support a significant effect given these limits. In addition\, we have extended pre vious work on this topic by including resonant collisional effects\, consi dering the impact of Xenon1T limits\, and by considering possible effects on the evolution of the Martian geodynamo.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/e vent/239/contributions/8881/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/8881/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Comparative Analysis of Numerical Methods for Assessing Wind Poten tial in Fort Beaufort\, South Africa\, using Two-Parameter Weibull Distrib ution Model. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T120000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T122000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9124@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Ngwarai shambira (University of Fort Hare)\nThe util isation of wind energy has the potential to both alleviate South Africa's energy crisis and increase access to electricity in remote areas that lack connections to the national grid. Wind energy is a clean\, abundant\, and inexhaustible renewable energy source that can effectively reduce carbon dioxide emissions and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change that South Africa and its neighbouring countries are experiencing. This is usua lly in the form of heat waves and cyclones. South Africa has significant p otential for wind energy generation\, especially in coastal regions of the Eastern Cape Province. To determine the wind characteristics and wind pot ential of an area\, an accurate wind distribution model is essential. Ther efore\, this study examines eight numerical methods for estimating the Wei bull parameters to obtain a suitable model. Five and half years (January 2 015–July 2020) hourly averaged wind data collected at an anemometer heig ht of 10 m at Fort Beaufort weather station was used. The two-parameter We ibull distribution was used to fit with the wind data. In addition\, eight distinct numerical algorithms were utilised to calculate the Weibull shap e (k) and scale (c) parameters for the distribution\, namely\, the mean\, standard deviation method (Msdm)\, method of multi-objective moment (MofMo M)\, probability-weighted moments based on power density method (PwmbpdM)\ , WAsP method (WM)\, method of mabchour (momab)\, openwind method (Owm)\, energy pattern factor method (Epfm)\, novel energy pattern factor method ( Nepfm). A goodness of fit test was carried out to evaluate the performance of each algorithm\, and their results were analysed based on six statisti cal error indicators: mean absolute bias error (MaBE)\, root mean square e rror (RMSE)\, wind power density error (WPDE)\, Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) te st\, Anderson-Darling (AD) test\, and chi-squared statistical test. The re sults showed that the openwind method was the best algorithm and gave Weib ull shape (k) and scale (c) values of 1.67905 and 3.35800\, respectively. The value of the predicted wind power density of the Fort Beaufort area wa s 38.45 W/m2. This value revealed that only small-scale wind power generat ion projects should be utilised in this area for lightning\, battery charg ing\, or water pumping using small-scale wind turbines. It is recommended to use augmentation systems such as concentrators\, diffusers\, and invelo x to shroud the wind turbines and lower the cut-in wind speeds\, as most t urbines available on the market require wind speeds above 5 m/s to start o perating in this area. The findings also revealed that the prevailing wind direction in the Fort Beaufort area is mainly from the southeast (SE). \n \nKeywords: Weibull distribution\; wind power density\,South Africa\, rene wable energy\, Wind energy\, wind speed\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/even t/239/contributions/9124/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9124/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Development of a nonlinear response surface model to predict the v olume of biogas yield of a fixed dome digester charged with cow manure DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T135900Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9126@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mandilakhe Mzobotshe ()\nWaste to energy conversion is playing significant role in advancing economic development and health q uality in the society. One of the technologies that exploits waste to ener gy conversion is biomass technology. The study focused on the development of a response surface model to predict the biogas production with input pa rameters being pH of slurry\, slurry temperature and product of ambient te mperature and global irradiance for an underground fixed dome digester fed with cow dung using continuous method. The fixed dome digester was fabric ated with high density polyethylene (HDPE) PVC plastic and the data acquis ition system comprised of temperature sensors\, pH sensor\, pyranometer\, biogas analyser\, gas flow meter and dataloggers. The results depicted tha t the hydraulic retention period for the anaerobic digestion was 50 days a nd the cumulative volume of biogas produced was 39.55 m3 while the reactor volume was 2.5 m3. It was determined that the measured daily biogas yield and the predicted value during the hydraulic retention period mimic each other with a correlation coefficient of 0.987 and a mean absolute error of 0.0002. The findings from the study can lead to the conclusion that the n onlinear surface response model can predict the biogas yield with high acc uracy based on the acceptable values of the correlation coefficient and me an absolute error. \n\nKeywords: fixed dome biodigester\, waste-to-energy conversion\, response surface model\, correlation coefficient\, mean absol ute error\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9126/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9126/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Introducing the 10kW Solar Trough Prototype DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T082000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9130@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: phil ferrer (wits)\nThis paper introduces our newly constructed solar trough collector featuring a cavity-type receiver design . This prototype has a receiver area of approximately 10kW\, and includes an innovative focal length arrangement tailored for cavity-type receivers. A high-temperature pump is used to circulate a mineral oil as the heat tr ansfer fluid. The receiver design incorporates a highly reflective inner c avity wall\, encased by a vacuum sleeve\, which helps to minimize thermal radiation losses. The unit can be controlled using a web application\, wit h remote temperature sensors providing data collection capabilities in the cloud\, and the mechanics controlled by an IoT web. Initial temperature m easurements have been taken\, and the efficiency values will be presented. \n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9130/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9130/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Design and Fabrication of a Plastic Biogas Digester for the Produc tion of Biogas from Cow Dung DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T134100Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T134200Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9113@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: KeChrist Obileke (Department of Physics\, University of Fort Hare)\nBiogas digester dimensions and materials of construction a re important factors of consideration during the design and fabrication ph ase. &e aim of this study is to provide a detailed analysis of the design and fabrication of a 2.15 m3 pilot plastic biogas digester for biogas gene ration. To establish this\, a design equation covering the volume of the d igester\, inlet and outlet chambers\, and\ndigester cover plate was develo ped considering the shape of the digester. The digestion chamber of the bi ogas digester under study was fabricated using high-density polyethylene ( HDPE) plastic\, while the inlet and outlet chambers were constructed with bricks/cement. &e study was motivated due to some limitations such as leak age associated with previous designs. In the present\nstudy\, a ventilatio n test was conducted after the fabrication to ensure the digester is leak free. Results obtained showed a total volumetric methane gas yield of 2.18 m3 (54.50%) and carbon dioxide yield of 1.77 m3 (44.25%) making up a tota l biogas yield of 4.00 m3. In addition\, the percentage concentration of m ethane and carbon dioxide were found to be 60% and 30%\, respectively. The developed plastic biogas digester has been found to be appropriate for bi ogas production using cow dung as substrate.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za /event/239/contributions/9113/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9113/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:From quantum quirks to microscopic wonders: journey into the futur e of imaging with entangled photons! DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9134@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Hugo Defienne (Institute of Nanosciences of Paris at Sorbonne University)\nQuantum physics may be at the origin of tomorrow's microscopes - let's understand how it works! \n \nQuantum imaging harnesse s quantum properties of light to go beyond the limits of classical imaging . In this respect\, entangled photons sources are very promising. They hav e been proposed and used to achieve super-resolution and sub-shot-noise im aging\, and to create new imaging approaches such as ghost imaging\, quant um illumination and quantum holography. In this non-specialist presentatio n\, I will review some recent imaging techniques based on entangled photon pairs that have been developed in recent years. I will discuss some funda mental aspects of these approaches\, including the critical role of entang lement\, but I will also insist on their application potential for microsc opy.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9134/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9134/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:ASSESSMENT OF DEMAND CONSUMPTIONS AND POTENTIAL VIABILITY OF INSTA LLATION OF BIOGAS DIGESTER IN MELANI VILLAGE EASTERN CAPE\, SOUTH AFRICA DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T134000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T140000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9121@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Thabiso Mthimunye (University Of Fort Hare)\nAbstrac t: South Africa relies heavily on traditional fossil fuel sources\, especi ally coal. The country initiated the production and distribution of severa l renewable energy technologies to solve the energy problem in rural areas . Biogas has been proven viable and has begun as a promising technology am ong several technologies. It has been one of the most successful models fo r producing clean\, environmentally friendly\, cost-effective energy sourc es and has multiple benefits. This paper discusses biogas technology's pot ential and economic benefits to Melani village households. To measure the demand consumption\, onset CTA-A hobo current transducers were installed i n three homes to measure the electrical current used in summer and winter. The Data acquisition system has shown that each household consumes an ave rage of 140 kWh of electricity per month. Finally\, an analytical life cyc le cost analysis of the biogas digester shows that the simple payback peri od would be approximately 1.1 years.\nKeywords: Biogas digester\, househol d\, economic\, energy\, and payback period.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/ event/239/contributions/9121/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9121/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Study of the Performance of Blended Mixtures of Henna and Black Pl um Plants as a Co-Sensitizer in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T134500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T134600Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9116@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Adekunle Dauda (National Agency for Science and Eng ineering Infrastructure)\nSolar energy is our most abundant source of rene wable energy especially the use of photovoltaic material. Dye-Sensitized c ells (DSSCs)\; a suitable photovoltaic material that has been under extens ive research due to its low cost\, simple preparation\, low toxicity and e ase of production. Hence\, this research investigated the performance of t wo natural pigments extracted from two locally available plants [Lawsoniai nermis (henna) and vitexdoniana (blackplum)] as a photovoltaic material us ing the modified Soxhlet technique. Three (3) blends of henna and black pl um (100:0\, 50:50 and 0:100) were prepared\, the photo-electrochemical par ameters\; power conversion efficiency (η)\, Fill Factor (FF)\, Short-Circ uit Current (Isc)\, Open-Circuit Voltage (Voc) were evaluated. The produce d absorption values were 4.564\, 4.004\, and 4.597 respectively. The value s of photo-electrochemical parameters of the three (3) fabricated cells we re: FF = 47\, Isc = 0.02 mA\, Voc = 0.0135V\, η = 0.13% \; FF = 51\, Isc = 0.07 mA\, Voc = 0.054V\, η = 2.16 %\; FF = 59\, Isc = 0.05 mA\, Voc = 0.0225V\, η = 0.67% respectively. From the above\, it is concluded that r esults of the blended combination of henna and black plum leaves extracts in this ratios enhanced the conversion efficiency of the DSSCs.\n\nhttps:/ /events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9116/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9116/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Fast neutron transmission spectroscopy for the non-destructive ana lysis of concrete DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9117@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Naledi Segale (University of Cape Town)\nConcrete in nuclear facilities is primarily used to provide structural support\, radi ation shielding\, containment and protection against internal and external hazards. Over its lifetime\, the concrete will be exposed to unfavourable conditions such as corrosion\, radiation\, extremely varying temperatures and cyclic loadings. Exposure to these conditions leads to deterioration and loss of moisture thus compromising the shielding and structural integr ity of the concrete [1\,2]. This becomes relevant when considering the lon g-term operation of nuclear facilities. The Koeberg nuclear power plant (N PP) is nearing the end of its planned lifetime\, and Eskom\, overseen by t he National Nuclear Regulator (NNR)\, is aiming to extend the life of the NPP by an additional 20 years [3]. Non-destructive measurements of the wat er content of these existing concrete structures are crucial to the proces s\, both in terms of radiation shielding properties and the accuracy of Mo nte Carlo based radiation transport simulations [4].\nIn fast neutron tran smission spectroscopy\, the sample of interest is irradiated with a well-c haracterised beam of neutrons\, and the transmitted neutron spectrum can b e used to infer the elemental composition through a deconvolution techniqu e [5]. In this work\, we present an experimental and simulated verificatio n of the technique using sand\, a primary constituent of any concrete. Mea surements were made at the n-lab at UCT [6] using a collimated beam of neu trons produced by an americium-beryllium (AmBe) neutron source\, and sampl es of sand and its constituents CaCO3 and SiO¬2. Transmitted neutron ener gy spectra were measured using an EJ-301 organic liquid scintillator coupl ed with spectrum unfolding techniques\, and subsequently used to determine the energy dependent effective removal cross section for each sample. A c omparison was made with the removal cross sections obtained from simulatio ns with FLUKA to validate the use of simulated data where physical measure ments were impractical. The calculated ratios of CaCO3 and SiO2 in sand we re verified against those obtained by x-ray fluorescence. \n\n[1] Naus\, D .J.\, The Management of Aging in Nuclear Power Plant Concrete Structures\, Materials Issues in Nuclear Reactors\, 61(7)\, pp. 35-40 (2009). \n[2] Na us\, D.J. et al.\, Nuclear power plant concrete structures – aging consi deration\, Challenges of Concrete Construction: Volume 6\, Concrete for Ex treme Conditions\, pp. 747–764 (2002). \n[3] World Nuclear News\, Review of Koeberg extension plans completed by IAEA Team (2022).\n[4] Petit\, M. \, Concrete modeling for neutron transport and associated sensitivity stud - ies performed at the AMANDE-MIRCOM facility. Nucl. Sci. Eng.\, 195:8\, 8 46 (2021)\n[5] Hutton\, T.\, Buffler\, A. and Alexander\, M. Elemental ana lysis of concrete via fast neutron transmission and scattering spectrometr y\, EPJ Web Conf.\, 261\, 03003 (2022). \n[6] Hutton\, T. and Buffler\, A .\, A new D-T neutron facility at UCT\, Proc. SAIP2017\, pp 324-330 (2018) .\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9117/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9117/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Development and testing of an external cavity diode laser and cont roller DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T074000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9122@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Kessie Govender (Cape Peninsula University of Techno logy)\nDiode lasers are compact\, low-cost devices that are widely used in many applications requiring coherent light. However\, for high precision atomic spectroscopy applications these devices are not suitable due to the ir large spectral linewidth. The laser wavelength is also dependent on th e operating temperature and laser current. One way around the large linewi dth problem is to enclose the diode in an external cavity arrangement as f ollows: the back facet of the diode is usually reflecting\, and this can b e used as one of the mirrors forming the cavity. The other mirror of the c avity can be a diffraction grating that is placed in front of the diode\, directing one of orders of the diffracted light back into the diode. The diffraction grating is mounted on a piezo electric transducer\, thus allow ing fine control of the cavity length. This arrangement is referred to as an external cavity diode laser. Further\, by using feedback control of the diode current\, temperature and cavity length\, the wavelength can be acc urately controlled. \n In the present project we have developed and tested a diode laser in an external cavity arrangement for applications in laser cooling of atoms and quantum optics experiments. The laser head consists of a diode laser and an external cavity using a diffraction grating as di scussed above. The laser head also contains a piezo electric device for fi ne tuning of the cavity length\, as well as a Peltier device for temperatu re control of the diode. The laser controller consists of feedback control circuits to adjust the diode current\, the cavity length and the temperat ure of the diode. Also contained within the controller is a digital data a cquisition module for monitoring system parameters and a PC interface. In this paper we will provide the performance characteristics of the system\, including the temperature stability of the laser head\, and linewidth mea surements. Further\, we have used the facility of controlling the temperat ure and current to study how the output wavelength varies with changes in operating temperature and current\, and these results will also be present ed.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9122/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9122/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Assessment of CO2 emissions in the rural set-up of the Vuwani area in Limpopo\, South Africa. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T124000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T130000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9127@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Lufuno Takalani (University of Venda)\, Humbelani Th enga (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research)\nAbstract\n\nThe wor ld is currently battling climate change through various mitigation and ada ptation measures. Some of these measures include reducing greenhouse gas e missions\, transitioning to renewable energy sources\, implementing sustai nable agriculture and forestry practices\, and enhancing climate resilienc e in vulnerable communities. The Vuwani area plays a significant role in c arbon emissions\, where agriculture and land use change are major drivers of emissions. This area often has high levels of deforestation\, burning o f fossil fuels\, and use of traditional biomass for cooking and heating\, which contribute to carbon emissions. The assessment of CO2 emissions in t he Vuwani area is a growing concern due to its potential impact on climate change. This study focuses on the rural area of Vuwani in Limpopo\, South Africa\, where CO2 emissions are high due to various anthropogenic activi ties. However\, there was a gap in knowledge regarding the magnitude and s ources of CO2 emissions in this area. The availability of data on CO2 emis sions from the Vuwani eddy covariance flux tower filled that gap and shows the area as a source of carbon which can assist the country in formulatin g effective policies to mitigate climate change. The eddy covariance techn ique is used as a possible solution to estimate CO2 emissions from the Vuw ani area. The method measured the exchange of CO2 between the surface and the atmosphere and provided accurate and continuous measurements of daily means of Net Ecosystem Exchange ranging from -5 gCm^(-2)/day and +54 gCm^( -2)/day that included meteorological parameters radiation (daily mean) of minimum 250 w.m-2 and maximum 504 w.m-2. The daily CO2 flux ranged from ± 7 µmol/m^2 s^1\, and close to 100% energy closure. The findings of this study assist in formulating policies and strategies to reduce CO2 emission s in rural areas and mitigate climate change.\n\nKeywords: Vuwani area\, climate change\, Net ecosystem exchange\, CO2 emissions\, eddy covariance\ n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9127/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9127/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Ion-induced radiation damage in Lutetium-Aluminium and Gold using SRIM-2013 DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140100Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9128@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Samuel Terungwa Temaugee (School of Physics\, Univer sity of the Witwatersrand\, Johannesburg)\nThe Monte Carlo simulation Code \, Stopping Power\, and Range of Ions in Matter (SRIM) has been effective among other binary collision approximation codes for estimating the level of damage produced due to ion irradiation in materials. This study estimat ed the level of damage by heavy and light-ion irradiation to Lutetium-Alum inium (Lu-Al) and gold materials with Au and proton ion implantation respe ctively using SRIM-2013 quick damage simulations. Lu-Al and Au have applic ations in reactor flux monitoring\, advanced space\, and collider systems . There has been growing evidence that protons and much more he avy-ion irradiation produces displacement damage effects comparable to tha t of neutrons on the microstructure of irradiated materials. Hence\, this present study of the effect of light and heavy ion irradiation will contri bute to the current understanding of ion irradiation in the materials of c hoice. Total damage in the materials was computed at the Primary Knock-on Atom (PKA) energies of 0.02\, 0.1\, 0.4\, 0.5\, 1.0\, and 10.0 MeV. Damag e profile results revealed that irradiation with Au-ions produced more dam age to the materials than proton-ions at the same PKA energies. Also\, the damage levels increased with increasing PKA energies. Frenkel pairs produ ced due to ion implantation in the Au material were also seen to be highe r than in the Lu-Al Alloy.\n\n**Keywords:** Ion-irradiation\, microstruct ure\, SRIM\, proton\, radiation damage.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/even t/239/contributions/9128/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9128/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Configuration of power chips for the TileCoM for Phase-II Upgrades at CERN. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140200Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140300Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9131@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mpho Gift Doctor Gololo (Witwatersrand University)\n The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has four main experiments along the ring. The ATLAS (A Toroidal LHC Apparatus) experiment along with the other three experiments enables the physicists to analyze collected data. The Large H adron Collider needs to be upgraded to a High Luminosity Large Hadron Coll ider (HL-LHC) to account for the increase in luminosity and to enable phys icists to explore phenomena beyond the standard model. South Africa contr ibutes to the upgrade of the LHC. The contribution involves the production of the GbE switch and TileCOM Printed Circuit Board (PCB) which connects the Phase-II upgrade electronic chain to the network to monitor and allow for data transmission at high speeds. As part of the production\, componen ts such as TPS65086100 are required to be configured before the population on the TileCoM PCB. This research paper illustrates the methodology follo wed to configure power chips (TPS65086100) and the plot results in terms o f regulated voltage and currents.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/ contributions/9131/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9131/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:A physics approach to ecological networks DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T082000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9129@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Alan Matthews (UKZN)\nAn ecological network is typic ally a system of nutrient transfer between groups of species in an ecosyst em. In common with physics\, energy and mass are conserved\, and transfer across the ecosystem boundaries are tracked. Furthermore\, ecologists are concerned with macroscopic variables that characterise the system\, includ ing an analogy of entropy to measure the degree of order. Mathematically\, a static network is a combination of constraints and degrees of freedom. A prominent method of solution is a linear inverse model that finds a solu tion space that includes unphysical negative flows which must be excluded. An alternative approach is to ensure from the outset that all flows are p ositive. Ecological networks are important in themselves\, and also serve as models for efficient networks in other domains such as energy distribut ion.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9129/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9129/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Setting up an environment for extracting and analyzing data from t he DCS ATLAS experiment for the behavior of High Voltage channels DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T152000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T154000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9135@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sanele Scelo Gumede ()\nA hadronic calorimeter calle d Tile Calorimeter (TileCal) can be discovered in the center of the ATLAS detector. A sample calorimeter called TileCal employs steel plates as the absorber and plastic scintillating tiles as the active medium. Because abo ut 30% of the total energy jets produced in a proton-proton collision are deposited in TileCal\, it is crucial in the accurate reconstruction of the kinematics of the physics events. The main objective of this project is t o develop the plugin that will be used to retrieve data from the Detector Control System (DCS) Data Viewer server and analyze it for anomalies in th e HV channels. The plugin will then be incorporated into the Tile-in-One p latform\, which unifies all TileCal work onto a single platform\n\nhttps:/ /events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9135/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9135/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Applications of Graph Neural Networks in Particle Physics and Air Quality Systems for PM2.5 forecasting DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T132000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230705T134000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9132@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Craig Rudolph (University of the Witwatersrand)\nGra ph Neural Networks (GNNs) are widely used in particle physics research as a solution to handling complex\, sparse\, and noisy data. Detectors captur e millions of measurements per second\, resulting in high-dimensional data that is difficult to analyze.\nGNNs allow us to model data as a graph\, w here each detector component corresponds to a node and edges represent int eractions between particles. Message-passing algorithms propagate informat ion throughout the graph\, allowing GNNs to capture complex relationships between detector components and learn representations of physical processe s.\nGNNs are used for particle identification\, event reconstruction\, and anomaly detection\, and can also be used for air quality systems to predi ct pollutant concentration.\nIn air quality systems\, the graph consists o f air monitoring stations measuring pollutant concentration and meteorolog ical data every hour. Each monitoring station corresponds to a node and ed ges represent how stations interact. The graph is constructed based on how stations transport PM2.5 concentrations to each other. The adjacency matr ix defines which nodes are adjacent to each other based on factors that hi nder the transport of PM2.5\, such as distance\, mountain ranges\, and ele vation differences. Edges contain information about wind speed\, wind dire ction\, distance\, and the direction of the source station to the sink sta tion.\nThis improves the accuracy of the prediction.\n\nhttps://events.sai p.org.za/event/239/contributions/9132/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9132/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Gas sensing mechanism of Ethylene on pure Co3O4 (311) surface: Den sity Functional Theory Study DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140400Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9133@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Modjadji Rebecca Letsoalo (University of Venda)\nAdv anced sensing technology is required for the detection of gases and volati le organic compounds (VOCs) for application in environmental monitoring\, disease diagnosis\, and smart agriculture. Among the many materials used a s sensing layers\, nanostructured semiconductor metal oxide-based sensing materials have recently gained preference owing to their outstanding sensi tivity and high surface area. The flexibility to tune their morphology and surface characteristics also add upon to their most use in this field of gas sensors. Considerable experimental research has shown the behaviour of the semiconductor metal oxide-based gas sensors towards different gases\; however\, they do not provide a detailed understanding of the sensing mec hanism. This work focuses on density functional theory (DFT) calculations to explore the electronic properties of the bulk Co3O4 and its (311) surfa ce using the BIOVA Material Studio. The general sensing mechanism describi ng the performance of Co3O4 when exposed to ethylene molecules is also dis cussed.\n \n***Key words***: Gas sensor\, nanostructured\, Co3O4\, DFT cal culations\, ethylene\, sensing mechanism\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/eve nt/239/contributions/9133/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9133/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Numerical study of a metallic fluid flow in a magnetohydrodynamic pump DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T140600Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9136@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: neeta makan (Student)\nA magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) p ump is a device that can move/pump a metallic fluid by utilizing an electr ic current together with a magnetic field. The operation of the pump is ba sed on the principles of an electrically conductive fluid that is exposed to electromagnetic forces. When a metallic fluid passes through the device \, the current and magnetic field combine to produce the Lorentz force. Th is force is responsible for the pump's operation and can be harnessed for various industrial and energy applications. The advantage of the MHD pump over traditional mechanical pumps is that\, besides the working fluid\, it operates with no moving parts. \nMercury has been used as a working fluid in magnetohydrodynamic pumps since the early years of its development in the 1960s. Galinstan\, an alternative liquid metal with similar properties \, is now widely used in MHD pumps. The switch to Galinstan from mercury w as made due to concerns over the toxicity and environmental impact of merc ury. This change was a result of extensive research to find a safer and mo re environmentally friendly substitute for mercury in MHD pumps. As a resu lt\, there are numerous new applications of the MHD pump and this research endeavours to study the flow properties of the fluid in small-scale appli cations.\nIn the present study\, we investigate the properties of the flui d flow in the MHD pump using numerical techniques. This is a precursor to developing a measurement technique thereafter to experimentally study the flow properties. As a first step\, we numerically solve the fluid equation s to gain insight into the behaviour of the working fluid under various op erating conditions. The initial investigation will discuss the motion of a single particle in the presence of an electric and magnetic field. This w ill be followed by the numerical simulation of the MHD fluid equations. Th e numerical simulation will be a set of differential fluid equations that are discretized using the finite difference method and solved in MATLAB by using standard programming practices. The results will be presented for t he various scenario-based simulations.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event /239/contributions/9136/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9136/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Enhancing the photocurrent response of morphology tailored Cu2O na nostructures for photoelectrochemical water-splitting DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9123@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mano Mosalakgotla ()\nCuprous Oxide (Cu2O) nanostruc tures are known for their wide range of applications in photovoltaic devic es\, photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells\, gas sensing devices and catalysts. They possess unique properties which are beneficial for PEC applications such as tunable narrow bandgaps and suitable band-edge positions. Furtherm ore\, they are abundant and non-toxic in nature. Cu2O nanostructures such as nanospheres\, nanocubes\, nanorods\, nanoflowers and nanowires have bee n previously achieved for effective PEC applications\, respectively. In th is study\, we have fabricated Cu2O thin films prepared on fluorine-doped t in oxide (FTO) substrates. The morphology of the thin films was altered th rough the synthesis of various Cu2O shapes (nanotubes\, nanosheets and nan odisks)\, particle sizes and annealing temperatures. The highly crystallin e Cu2O nanostructures were confirmed by RAMAN spectroscopy. The surface mo rphology\, chemical composition\, and crystal structures of the prepared C u2O thin films were investigated using the Field Emission Scanning Electro n Microscope (FE-SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). The roug hness of the surface was studied using an Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). U ltraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) was used to study the photoabso rbance of the films. Lastly the thin films were used as photoelectrodes in a three-electrode electrochemical system to study their PEC properties. T he enhanced photocurrent response of the films is attributed to the altere d morphology\, strong photoabsorbance\, crystallization and low resistance of the transfer of charge carriers at the solid/liquid interface of the f ilms. This study gave emphasis on the role of changing the morphology of C u2O nanostructures to improve the process of water reduction on the photoc athode/electrolyte interface.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/cont ributions/9123/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9123/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Influence of pyrolysis temperature on the mesoporous graphitic car bon nitride and its effect on physicochemical properties for energy applic ation. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T141100Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T141200Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9142@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Tshegofatso Memory Modungwe (University of South Afr ica)\nGraphic carbon nitride (GCN) was synthesized through a direct pyroly sis of urea at different calcination temperatures (450\,500\, 550\, and 60 0 ℃). The effect of the pyrolysis temperatures on the structural\, compo sitional\, morphological\, and surface area properties were studied. The G CN powders were characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD)\, Fourier tr ansform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)\, Field emission scanning electron mi croscopy (SEM)\, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). The XRD analysis showed that the samples consist of two characteristic reflections (100) and (002 ) belonging to graphitic carbon nitride. A close examination at the (002) peaks uncovers that as the calcination temperature rises the peak slightly shifts towards a higher 2 theta diffraction angle. This leads to the dedu ction that increasing the pyrolysis temperature can improve the interlayer stacking order of g-C3N4. The crystallite sizes were determined by the D ebye-Scherer method and found to increase with pyrolysis temperature. The FE-SEM images revealed that there is variation in the surface morphology o f the samples depending on the calcination temperature. The FTIR confirmed the presence of functional groups and chemical bonds. Finally\, the BET s howed that the samples were mesoporous with pore sizes ranging from 2- 20 nm. The specific surface area was 32.31\, 37.14\, 56\,64\, and 51.59 m2/g for 450\, 500\, 550\, and 600 ℃ respectively.\n\nhttps://events.saip.or g.za/event/239/contributions/9142/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9142/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Computational fluid dynamics modelling of airborne droplets DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T090000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T092000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9141@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Mbolahasina Ralijaona (Department of Mechanical Engi neering Science\, University of Johannesburg\, Auckland Park\, Johannesbur g\, South Africa)\nAirborne transmitted diseases are a public health conce rn. They are ubiquitous in human’s life and include large variety of dis eases such as the common cold\, chicken pox\, mumps and more serious ones like COVID-19 and tuberculosis. The aforementioned diseases are transmitte d through saliva droplets emitted in the environing air. While being airbo rne\, droplets are affected by multiple environmental factors mainly air f low\, humidity\, and temperature. Furthermore\, droplets are interacting w ith the surrounding air\, exchanging mass and momentum. Droplets are also released under specific conditions defined by parameters like injection sp eed\, the height from where they are emitted\, their size distribution\, a nd temperature. The physical processes involved in droplets’ evolution o ver time have influence on how they are spread and likely to transmit path ogens. Thus\, it is crucial to understand those processes for the purpose of attenuating transmission. This study focuses on modelling droplets’ d ispersion\, evaporation\, infectiousness with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The two-way coupling approach was applied to compute momentum and mass exchange between droplets and its environment. Interactions between p articles were also considered with the stochastic collision model includin g droplet breakup and coalescence. The Rosin-Rammler distribution was used for the size distribution of droplets with a range varying from 1 to 200 μm. When increasing the speed at which droplets are ejected\, particles a re occupying a wider range of position\, more spread and reaching farther distance. Increasing injection velocity is equivalent to considering diffe rent respiratory events from which particles are generated. In fact\, spea king has a lower injection speed than coughing which injection velocity is lower than that of sneezing. Therefore\, violent respiratory events are m ore likely to transmit diseases because droplets are more spread. Infectio usness of droplets are neutralized in a reasonable amount of time under th e condition that evaporation is occurring. For the safety of public and co nfined spaces\, it is encouraged to fulfil the conditions that trigger eva poration like aeration. Our model will be used as a guide for configuring clinical and public spaces.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contri butions/9141/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9141/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Density functional theory study of Ti-doped NaMnO2\, a cathode mat erial for sodium-ion battery DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230704T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9148@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Tshifhiwa Steven Ranwaha (University of Venda)\nDue to the accessibility of Na resources and comparable performance to lithium -ion batteries\, rechargeable sodium-ion batteries are popular for large-s cale electric energy storage and smart grids. attributed by its benefits \, NaMnO2 is a promising cathode material for Na-ion rechargeable batterie s. However\, Na has a lower ionization potential than Li\, resulting in lo wer operating voltages and energy densities than LIBs. Na+ ions are heavie r and larger than Li+ ions\, resulting in slow diffusion within a solid el ectrode during SIB cycling and often larger electrode volume expansion. In this study\, we used the cluster expansion formalism to investigate the T i-doped NaMnO2 phase stabilities\, predicting the stable multi-component c rystal structures and ranks metastable structures by enthalpy of formation while maintaining the predictive power and accuracy of first principle de nsity functional theory method. The binary diagram produced 30 new structu res of stable phases from which only five structures are stable. The stabl e structures obtained from the binary diagram have different space groups\ , different lattice parameters\, the same Wyckoff positions and a differen t energy of formations. The optimised structures have a cross validation s core of 1.1 meV which is an indication of a good cluster expansion because it has CVS lesser than 5 meV per active position.\n\nhttps://events.saip. org.za/event/239/contributions/9148/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9148/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:A computational fluid dynamics study of the infectiousness decay o f SARS-CoV-2 microorganism when exposed to UVGI combined with evaporation DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T092000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T094000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9143@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Emmanuel Igumbor (Department of Mechanical Engineeri ng Science\, University of Johannesburg\, Auckland Park\, Johannesburg\, S outh Africa)\nRespiratory diseases propagated by droplet-based transmissio n are serious public health hazard\, leading to pandemics\, such as the Co ronavirus outbreak. One engineering intervention used to mitigate the spre ad of droplet-based transmission pathogens is ultraviolet germicidal irrad iance (UVGI). The UVGI device is able to disinfect air and surfaces thro ugh intense ultraviolet germicidal irradiance\, which damages infectious m icroorganisms. This process coupled with environmental conditions such as evaporation helps to reduce the spread of aerosol transmission of pathogen s. Despite tremendous research progress on mitigation of the spread of inf ectious diseases reported\, there is no adequate information on the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infectiousness deca y when exposed to UVGI combined with evaporation process. In this study a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation with the combination of para meters describing the UVGI intensity field\, humidity\, temperature and re lative motion (droplet and fluid) was used to investigate the infectiousne ss decay of SARS-CoV-2 in a confined room. Droplets propagating SARS-CoV-2 were tracked using the discrete phase model as implemented in ANSYS-FLUEN T. Augmentation of the standard models were developed as using an external scalar to track infectiousness via a user define function so as to determ ine the survival rate and the infectiousness decay of droplets propagating SARS-CoV-2 at specific relative humidity and temperature values\, during coughing\, speaking\, and sneezing of a carrier in a confined room. The i nfectiousness of SARS-CoV-2 significantly reduced when exposed to UVGI cou pled evaporation. Therefore\, we suggest that the spread of the infectious ness of SARS-CoV-2 in a confined room can be investigated using our propos ed model. Furthermore\, we show that our model can be used to optimize eng ineering interventions\, thus forming the basis of understanding and contr olling infectiousness of droplets propagating SARS-CoV-2 in a confined pub lic health space. In the future\, our model proposed in this study can be extended to mitigate the spread of other infectious airborne diseases in p ublic schools\, clinics\, and transport systems\n\nhttps://events.saip.org .za/event/239/contributions/9143/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9143/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Performance evaluation of a 5kWp photovoltaic system in the Easter n Cape DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T141200Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T141300Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9144@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Russel Mhundwa (University of Fort Hare Institute of Technology)\nMost areas in South Africa receive an average more than 2 50 0 hours of sunshine per year\, and average solar-radiation levels range be tween 4.5 and 6.5kWh/m2 in one day. This has necessitated the use of solar energy in South Africa\, solar energy lends itself to several potential u ses and the country's solar-equipment industry is developing. Residential homes have since started installing solar PV systems given the challenges that the country’s energy supply. In this paper\, the performance analys is of a standalone 5 kW solar system has been conducted. The system is ins talled on a residential home with a 5 kW hybrid inverter\, 5 kWp PV module s\, and a storage battery bank of 9 kWh for supplying the domestic load. T he system was programmed to prioritize the load and excess used to charge the battery which was then used as a source of energy to compliment the PV during the day and in night-time used to supply electricity to the load. The system data was collected for a period of four months that is April to July 2022\, and the variation of daily energy production\, consumption an d battery bank input or output energy were analyzed. The findings from thi s study enables understanding of hybrid inverter systems which will provid e useful reference in the future applications of these inverters in the re sidential areas.\n\nhttps://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/914 4/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9144/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:First-Principles Study of sodium De-intercalation From Tri-Chalcog enide NaNbSe2 DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T141500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T141600Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9146@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sana Sana (University of Venda)\, Tshifhiwa Steven R anwaha (University of Venda)\nThe importance of energy generation and stor age cannot be overstated\, given rising energy demands and the depletion o f fossil fuels. Because of their low cost\, abundance of elements\, strong reversibility\, and moderate energy density\, sodium-ion batteries have p iqued interest as a possible alternative for large-scale electrochemical e nergy storage. To provide critical fundamental insights into electrode mat erials and to ease the development of materials for sodium-ion batteries\, computational techniques have been widely used in connection with experim ental investigations. In this work we investigated the electrochemical per formance of the transition metal chalcogenide NaNbSe2 as a material for sodium-ion batteries using systematic first-principles calculations based on density functional theory employing the generalized gradient approximat ion. The 2 × 1 × 1 super-cell is used for our research on NaNbSe2. Beca use of the slight distortion of octahedron\, the simulation lattice was se t to the P1 space group. The comparison of lattice parameters from the rel axation structure and previously experimental results was done and the cal culated results were consistent with the experimental results.\n\nhttps:// events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9146/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9146/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Control and monitor the operation of PVWPS using the OVH SCADA-bas ed system DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T141600Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20230706T141700Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260422T045621Z UID:indico-contribution-239-9147@events.saip.org.za DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Livhuwani Masevhe (University of Venda)\nThe water p umping system in the agricultural sector is one of the major users of phot ovoltaic solar energy particularly in off-grid locations. For an optimal f unctioning of the system to be achieved\, a real-life monitoring tool can provide the farmer or operator to be in-charge and be able to control the system remotely. In the current study\, a monitoring the influence of mete orological parameters on the PV power generation\, soil temperature and wa ter-loss due to evaporation and absorption. A proposed open-source Supervi sory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)\, the OVH SCADA 4.0 application for a photovoltaic water pumping system is discussed in this paper. The ac tivities of logging of parameters such as environmental parameters like te mperature\; humidity\; light intensity\; soil moisture\, hydro parameters like water level\; water flow rate into and out of the tank\, and electric al or solar parameters such as solar panel voltage\; battery voltage capac ity\; and load current were discussed comprehensively. The purpose of the monitoring system is to provide a useful tool for the operation and manage ment of the PVWPS using the RTU-1600AP where data was pushed using GSM sec ond generation communication to an open source OVH SCADA 4.0 cloud system upon which data was able to be visualized and interpreted.\n\nhttps://even ts.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9147/ LOCATION:University of Zululand URL:https://events.saip.org.za/event/239/contributions/9147/ END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR