From the Chair: AfLS International Conference Organising Committee
Welcome address from the Hosts: Vice-Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg: Prof Letlhokwa Mpedi
The African Physical Society is a non-governmental professional association with the African Association of Physics Students as a subsidiary organization. It provides a forum to bring together for the purposes of networking, collaboration, and advocacy, all the existing national physical societies, The African Physical Society also endeavors to support and represent physicists and physics...
The African Light Source (AfLS) project powers the vision for a large scale research infrastructure, known as a light source, in Africa. This super microscope is capable of addressing all the UN SDGs, including Africa specific challenges. It is a premier instrument which can support massive human capacity building and globally competitive research across many disciplines. It also supports...
A message from the Director of iThemba LABS, Prof Victor Tshivhase.
Some final comments, logistics, details
Qun Shen
Deputy Director for Science and Distinguished Scientist
National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II)
Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
Synchrotron light sources have been developing rapidly since the 1980’s when first dedicated light source facilities started operations. These light sources essentially extend our human vision and allow us to see and...
Energy and ecological transitions are currently major challenges throughout the world, particularly in Africa, where the effects of global warming are causing enormous damage to environmental and agricultural ecosystems. In addition, the war in Ukraine is demonstrating how important it is for Africa to meet the challenges of energy and food sovereignty through an appropriate approach to the...
- Introduction
Food quality assurance is becoming increasingly important in food processing industries as expectations from the consumers and competitions among food manufacturers continue to grow. Thus there is an increasing research interest in the area with a view to ensure safety products of foods. Honey, a natural viscous food which is well known for its high nutritional and medicinal...
- Introduction
Keratin is a hardy fibrous protein found in all vertebrates with many varying types, and α and β keratin are the most abundant. α-Keratin is found in all vertebrates and consists of α-helix secondary structural elements. In contrast, β-keratin is found only in sauropsids such as reptiles and birds, and is formed out of β-sheet secondary structural elements [1]. Because of...
Humanity needs alternative energy solutions as fossil fuels deplete and climate change threatens our world. Solid Oxide Fuel and electrolyzer cells (SOFCs and SOECs) may not solve the problem but provide diversity to the world’s energy sources portfolio, these electrochemical converters improve the efficiency at which we utilise our dwindling resources. SOECs could prove particularly useful in...
- Introduction
Soft drink is a non-alcoholic beverage that typically contains carbonated water, a sweetener and a natural or artificial flavouring agent and any other additives such as caffeine, colorant, preservatives etc. However, the level of sugar in drinks plays a vital role in our bodies and as such determination of its level will never be over emphasized. Brix value depicts the sugar...
Investigation of Biomimetic Coatings on Glassy Carbon and Ti-6Al-4V Substrates: Impact of Varying Surface Preparation Methods
Unaisa Dockrat1, Johan.B. Malherbe 1, Tshepo.P. Ntsoane2, Thabsile.T. Thabethe1
1Physics Department, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa.
2Physics Department, South African Nuclear Energy Corporation, Pretoria, South Africa.
Corresponding...
This study investigates the influence of plasma screening on the relativistic behavior of a hydrogen-like atomic system through the application of a screened Coulomb potential. By accurately solving the Klein-Gordon equation in spherical coordinates, under the assumption that the scalar and vector potentials are equivalent, we get the self-energy spectrum of our system along with its...
We study the non relativistic case of a Hydrogen-like atoms in a plasma environment. We use the screened Coulomb potential to model the phenomenon and we write an almost analytical formula for the energies for large wave lengths. We give also a method to compute the critical value of the wave numbers that ionize the atoms.
Morgan Madhuku1, Rudolph Nchodusup>1, Gillian Arendsesup>1
1 NRF-iThemba LABS, P O Box 722 Somerset West 7129, South Africa
Corresponding author e-mail address: m.madhuku@ilabs.nrf.ac.za
Since its establishment, iThemba Laboratories for Accelerator-based Sciences (iThemba LABS) has advanced knowledge, research, and development in the domains of particle...
We will discuss the latest efforts in our laboratory to develop highly sensitive methods of microscopy, to go directly inside living cells and uncover the behavior of single biomolecules as they effect their function in transcription. Transcription is the first step in gene expression regulation, during which genetic information on DNA is decoded into RNA transcripts. Methodologically, the...
At the heart of materials science studies for next generation materials is an idea that we want to be studying real materials doing real things, often in real devices. In practice, this presents a number of key data analysis and interpretation challenges because it implies we are studying ever more complicated samples, often in complex heterogeneous environments and in time-resolved operando...
Andrew Ichoja1, Emmanuel .O.Odoh2 and Emmanuel .O. Adejo3
1,2,3 Federal University of Health Sciences, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, P.M.B 145 Otukpo, Benue State, Nigeria
Corresponding author; andrew.ichoja@fuhso.edu.ng
1. Abstract
Improved Dy3+ + Sm3+ co-doped strontium magnesium borate glasses with the nominal compositions of 20SrO 10MgO (70 z) B2O3 0.7Dy2O3 ...
Subduction zones link the mass transfer, element cycling and magma differentiation processes in which the release of C-O-H fluids from the slab plays a key role. Geochemical characteristics of basaltic magmas suggest that olivine-poor lithologies like pyroxenites may be produced from the reaction between subducting slab and ambient mantle peridotite in conjunction with variable additions of a...
In order to implement the process of quantum teleportation, we evaluate quantum information resources through local quantum uncertainty, local quantum Fisher information, and quantum entanglement, as measured by the concurrence of the teleported output state. One of the main challenges of this work lies in the ability to create and analyze local non-classical correlations between the proposed...
Synthesis and characterization of Iron tungstate Nanoparticles as a Photocatalyst and Nano-adsorbent
O.J. Ajala1,3, J.O. Tijani1,3, R.B Salau1, A.S. Abdulkareem1,2
1 Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Technology, P. M. B. 65, Bosso Campus, Minna, Niger state, Nigeria.
2 Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of...
Silicon nanoparticles of 2-10 nm size (Si-np) embedded into silicon nitride (Si3N4) thin films (70 nm thick) were synthesized and deposited on polycrystalline silicon wafers through plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) technique using ammonia (NH3) and silane (SiH4) as precursor reacting gases. A second layer (50 nm) consisting of rare-earth neodymium oxide (Nd2O3) was added...
Sociality in the vertebrate fossil record is a dynamic and fast-expanding area of research. Natural history observations of living animals are crucial for understanding and categorising sociality, but these observations are not feasible for extinct species. Some monotaxic bonebeds may provide unique opportunities to conceptualise the social behaviours of these extinct animals. An unusual...
Investigation into the geological radiation levels and evaluation of hazard parameters in soil and rock specimens taken from mining sites across North-Eastern Nigeria.
Michael C. Ohakwere-Eze1, Musa Nafiu2, Shiv Kumar Singh3, Momoh Kabiru1, and John Simon1
1Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, National Open University of Nigeria.
2Department of Physics, Federal University of...
To be added
X-ray detectors play a crucial role in various fields, from medical imaging to high-energy physics. This study focuses on the simulation of both direct and indirect X-ray detectors using the Geant4 toolkit, a Monte Carlo-based software widely used for particle-matter interactions. The direct detector simulation models the immediate conversion of X-rays into electrical signals, while the...
We present Fourier–Bessel particle-in-cell (FBPIC) simulation results from a laser wakefield electron accelerator driven by Gaussian (G) and Bessel-Gauss (BG) laser beam. The particle-in-cell simulations show that electron bunch energies of tens of MeV can be obtained, within cm distances to obtain a high-quality beam with low energy spread and low slice emittance.
Fibre optic sensing (FOS) is being developed for in-core, online, real-time sensing of state parameters for a nuclear reactor at full power. This study focusses on assessing the damage incurred by optical fibres when exposed to a mixed radiation field in a nuclear reactor. Both the high neutron flux and the ionizing radiation in a nuclear reactor can cause physical damage to optical fibres by...
Formic acid dehydrogenation catalyzed using ruthenium(II) complexes bearing carboxamide ligands: Structural diversity, and mechanistic insights
Pamela. S. Moyo, and Andrew .J Swart
School of Chemistry, University of Witwatersrand Johannesburg, Jorissen St, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2017, South Africa
Email: suzzanamoyo@gmail.com, pamela.moyo@wits.ac.za.
Keywords: Homogenous, ruthenium,...
Modelling of gold-cyanidation reaction in Percolation Leaching
V. Moyo, L. Robert and O.P. Oladijo*
Department of Chemical, Materials and Metalurgical Engineering, Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST), Palapye
Corresponding author: oladijop@biust.ac.bw
Abstract
At a global scale, depletion of large ore reserves and relative limited operation period of...
The establishment of oxygen variation in vat leaching tanks will be investigated. Experiments will be conducted by setting up leaching tanks with ore samples typical of artisanal and small-scale mining. Oxygen concentration and consumption rate will be measured using oxygen meters in different ores. Oxygen is essential during the oxidation of gold and its dissolution in the cyanide solution...
The Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation (ANSTO) operates, maintains, and develops a wide range of research infrastructure (worth ~$1 billion) for the benefit of all Australians, including some of the largest research facilities in the country. The Lucas Heights campus in Sydney hosts the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering, the Centre for Accelerator Science and the...
Institute of Materials Structure Science is one of the institutes in KEK, and runs a synchrotron facility, Photon Factory (PF), where two synchrotron rings, PF and PF-AR (Advanced Ring) are operated. PF is operated with the beam energy of 2.5 GeV, and PF-AR with 6.5 GeV or 5. 0GeV to provide higher x-ray energy. There are about 50 end stations including 6 x-ray absorption fine structure...
In this study, we conducted a computational optimization of four designs for CsSnBr3 perovskite solar cells using the SCAPS-1D simulation tool. We explored how variations in the thicknesses of the electron transport layer (ETL), hole transport layer (HTL), and perovskite layer, as well as changes in temperature, series and shunt resistances, and the acceptor doping density of the HTL,...
NEutrons and PHotons Elevating Worldwide Science (NEPHEWS) delivers access to the world-class collective of Europe’s premiere open advanced neutron (N), synchrotron (SR) and free-electron laser (FEL) complementary research infrastructures (RI), to promote curiosity driven excellence in research. In NEPHEWS the RI institute a novel approach with their 40k+ user base of scientists through Users...
A number of initiatives are in progress for creating and enhancing research and training via the utilization of synchrotron light sources and crystallography. For synchrotrons, there are the African Light Source, Greater Caribbean Light Source, and Central Asian Synchrotron Light Source inititiaves. For crystallography research and training hubs, there are X-TechLab in Benin (currently...
Non-destructive determination of residual stresses in the WC-Co coated systems was exceptionally challenging in that the coatings were only 200 microns thick. The best suited techniques for investigation of WC were diffraction-based strain scanning using penetrating radiation such as thermal neutrons (most penetrating), high energy synchrotron X-rays (100 keV enables 20 micron penetration) and...
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a major greenhouse gas that significantly contributes to climate change, highlighting the urgent need for effective capture and conversion technologies ¹. This research explores the development of palladium-immobilized metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as catalysts for transforming CO2 into formate, a valuable chemical for various industrial applications ². By utilizing...
Nowadays, one of the most intensive investigation subject in field of materials science is organic-inorganic salts(OIHSs) of owing to their intriguing aesthetic structures and their numerous potential applications as polyfunctional materials [1]. With respect to the very large number of homometallic oxalatometalate(III) salts, the heterometal oxalato-bridged complexes have been much less...
Abstract
According to Corpinot and Bučar, any reasonable improvement of the physics and chemistry of the solid state requires a theory of molecular packing [1]. In line with this, authors of this study report how lattice theory explains the crystal packing of N, N’-bis(4-chlorophenyl)thiourea N, N- dimethylformamide [2]. Here, we explore the type of crystal packing of the resulting lattice...
The Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME) is the first synchrotron facility in the Middle East. Its current Members are Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Pakistan, Palestine and Türkiye. With Brazil, Canada, China (People’s Republic of), the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the European Union (EU), France, Germany, Greece,...
X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS) spectroscopy has emerged as a non-destructive and powerful analytical technique for advancing research not only in physics but also in chemistry, environmental science, biology, archaeology, and, naturally, in the energy domain, offering invaluable insights into the structural, electronic, and chemical properties of materials under realistic conditions....
X-ray diffraction (XRD) beamlines are often high-priority facilities due to their broad applications across diverse fields, including materials science, biology, pharmacology, and cultural heritage. The X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) technique, in particular, is widely used for material phase identification, quantitative phase analysis, microstructural analysis, and kinetic studies. The...
SESAME (Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East) is the only facility of its kind in the Middle East and neighboring regions, officially opened in 2017. Infrared spectromicroscopy was selected as one of the two beamlines to be opened to the general users’ program (the so-called Day-1 beamlines). Being one of the most demanded techniques by various...
Over the past decade, the ALBA Synchrotron has become an important pillar of the Spanish and European Research Area, providing research capabilities and a wide range of state-of-the-art instrumentation to a community of more than 8500 academic and industrial users. With its eleven operational experimental beamlines, while three more are being put into operation, and with the creation, in...
This study demonstrates the antifungal and antibacterial potential of isoflavone natural products isolated from the seeds extracts of Millettia thonningii. In an effort to gain bond topological information which may have consequences for the observed bioactivities, the crystal structure of robustic acid was solved and refined using the independent atom as well as the invariom model, and the...
- Introduction
In nuclear reactors, the release of gases from fission products and the accumulation of light and heavy atoms, such as helium, hydrogen and xenon, during operation can significantly alter the structural integrity of reactor materials [1]. These gases may migrate and cluster, forming gas bubbles and inducing stress, which leads to defects within protective layers like...
Synchrotron techniques have been used extensively to characterize the structure and interactions of the perovskite crystals and their complexes with both ex situ/in situ approaches. From the Grazing Incident Wide Angle X-ray Scattering/Small Angle X-ray Scattering (GIWAXS/GISAXS), literature reports the chemical pathways from the plumbate intermediates or meta-stable phase to perovskite...
Barium titanate (BaTiO3) has great prospects in integrated and high-performance electro-optic (EO) devices due to its large EO coefficient and its ability to fabricated as thin films on commercially substrates using conventional deposition techniques. However, when grown as films, the EO performance of BaTiO3 considerably degrades with minimal improvement upon adjusting deposition parameters....
Manganese steel is a high-carbon alloy known for its exceptional toughness, ductility, and wear resistance. A high manganese grades comprising approximately 22-44% manganese and 1% carbon, exhibits remarkable work-hardening properties, making it ideal for high-impact applications. While the metal grade specification does not indicate any chromium and molybdenum elements, these were found in...
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have emerged as a promising candidate in the search for an efficient and environmentally friendly source of electrical energy. SOFCs offer several benefits over traditional sources of electricity, such as high efficiency and reduced emissions. However, SOFCs have experienced limited commercialization due to short device lifespans and high operating temperatures,...
This talk presents the crystal structure dynamics as a function of temperature of non-porous borophosphates. Much of the work published on these materials has focused on investigating the synthetic approaches as well as exploring their fascinating structural chemistry. Little has been reported about their thermal expansion behaviour. This thermoresponsive behaviour revealed their thermal...
In this talk I will briefly present the ESRF which has just celebrated 30 years of user operation. At the ESRF, 20 partner countries, amongst which is South-Africa, join forces to exploit 46 cutting edge beamlines at the forefront of synchrotron technology. I will, in particular, show how the ESRF-EBS (Extremely Brilliant Source), a major upgrade of the facility increasing the brilliance and...
The growth of science and technology is accelerating, with new products and processes being developed in fields such as nanoscience and biotechnology. With this growth, industry is facing increasing pressure to innovate and is discovering that traditional analytical techniques are not answering all of their questions. For example, new materials are being developed daily that may have...
ED MITCHELL1
1 European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (Business Development Office, Grenoble, France)
Corresponding author: Ed Mitchell, mitchell@esrf.eu
Keywords: innovation, industry,
Theme: African Light Source session
The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) has worked with industry from even before the first light was delivered in 1994. The ESRF’s Business Development...
Magnus W. Larsson, Joaquín B. González, Vahid Haghighat, Jackson Silva, Mira Viljanen, Santiago P. Fernandez Bordín, Anuj Prajapati, Samuel A. McDonald, and Kim Nygård
MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University, Sweden
The ForMAX beamline at the MAX IV Laboratory provides multiscale and multimodal structural characterization of hierarchical materials from nm to mm length scales, by combining...
Industry is crucial in the development and utilization of synchrotrons, with expert companies playing a key role in both construction and value creation. Intermediary companies, in particular, facilitate the translation of synchrotron research into tangible benefits for society. This presentation will highlight how these companies enhance the impact of light sources and showcase Momentum...
Benefits of synchrotron imaging techniques for material characterization and product testing
Andrea Francesco Ciuffini1, Barbara Fayard1, Jean Doucet1, Caroline Boudou1
1 Novitom, 3 Avenue Doyen Louis Weil F-38000 Grenoble, France
Corresponding author e-mail address: andrea.ciuffini@novitom.com
- Introduction
Novitom is an independent company, specialized in 3D material...
This presentation discusses the performance and scientific highlights from Sirius. The Sirius has supported the AfLS for more than a decade, and the presentation also reflects on the role that the Sirius can play to advance synchrotron based science in Africa.
Abstract
AlphaFold is a groundbreaking AI tool developed to predict protein structures with remarkable accuracy, yet few scientists based in Africa have received training to use it effectively. From October 7–11, 2024, BioStruct-Africa (www.biostructafrica.org) held a hands-on training workshop in Douala, Cameroon, focused on structural biology. This workshop provided participants with...
Schistosomiasis is a devastating parasitic disease caused by the Schistosoma species. It affects over 260 million people worldwide, with the highest morbidity and mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite its significant impact on public health, Schistosomiasis remains one of the neglected tropical diseases. Praziquantel (PZQ) is currently the only drug that treats all schistosomiasis...
Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a life-threatening anthropo-zoonosis that is characterized by high fatality rates 5-40%. Currently there are no approved vaccines or treatment available. Recently, antibody-based therapies have proved promising approaches to mitigating severe disease caused by other haemorrhagic viruses . CCHFV is made up of two structural glycoproteins, Gc and Gn,...
ZnO and Zn1-(y+x) O /CuyTix , (Ti, Cu, Cu/Ti-doped ZnO) were synthesized by modified oxalate route using carambola fruit juice as a precipitating agent. The wurtzite hexagonal structure formed saw the space group change from P63mc to p3 with crystallite sizes varying from 15.1 to 17.5 nm. Infrared spectra (IR)of the single molecular precursor, indicated the formation of metallic oxalates. The...
X-ray computed tomography has proven to be a very useful technique with applications in materials science on carbon fibre composites, lithium-ion battery research, in palaeontology and geology among others. The resolution attainable is limited by lenses and the detectors. However, ptychography is a lens less technique which can ne used to obtain nanometre resolution and allows quantification...
Opportunistic pathogenic fungi cause infectious fungal disease with extremely high mortality rates, especially in immune-compromised patients [1]. Antifungal resistance and multi-drug resistance have emerged against the limited number of clinically used antifungals. Because of the high HIV/AIDS incidence in Sub-Saharan Africa [2], anti-fungal drug resistance is specifically of concern;...
HIV-1 protease (HIV PR) is an aspartic protease which is considered vital in the cleaving of new viral polyprotein into functional units [1]. These polyproteins are needed in the maturation stage of the viral replication cycle to infect other host cells, this makes the HIV PR a significant drug target for possible therapeutic agents [2]. Due to the distinctive patterns of pharmaceutical drug...
X-ray phase contrast imaging: An alternative approach to laboratory-based sources
Gideon Chinamatira1, Kudakwashe Jakata2, Hillary Masenda1, Josephine Gutekunst3, Anton Du Plessis4,5
1University of the Witwatersrand, 1 Jan Smuts Ave, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2000, South Africa
2Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Fermi Ave, Didcot OX11 0DE, United...
I will discuss X-ray absorption (XAS) and Resonant inelastic scattering of X-rays (RIXS). There is no practical unified theory for the interpretation of XAS spectra and one-particle models based on Density Functional Theory as well as multiplet model Hamiltonians are used for specific spectra [1,2]. In 2p3d resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) one scans through the 2p X-ray absorption...
A study aimed at unravelling arsenic (As) speciation in the carbonate sediments and the total suspended particulate (TSP) occurring at the Carletti spring system (CSS), part of the larger Bullicame (Viterbo, Central Italy) system, by means of XAS spectroscopy, has been undertaken.
In the CSS, As occurs as a geogenic anomaly, its mobility and speciation being likely affected by inorganic...
- Introduction
The project focuses on training Machine Learning (ML) algorithms to detect pulmonary Tuberculosis (TB) infections in clinical imaging. We have identified 5 publicly available datasets of TB infected lung radiographs in medical literature. These datasets have been used repeatedly to train ML algorithms to detect TB.1 The main reason for improvements in accuracy of TB...
The value of light source science for agricultural research, and encouraging potential users to increase the use of advanced imaging synchrotron tools, by showcasing leading research in the field.
We study the non relativistic case of a Hydrogen-like atoms in a plasma environment. We use the screened Coulomb potential to model the phenomenon and we write an almost analytical formula for the energies for large wave lengths. We give also a method to compute the critical value of the wave numbers that ionize the atoms.
A descripotion of the history, objectives and futuro of LAMISTAD, a project forestablishing a synchrotron in the Greater Caribbean, will be offered, emphasinzing the challenges and opportunities of this enterprise.
Defect complexes have a significant impact on the structural, electronic, optical and electrical properties of semiconductors. Several defect complexes formed by n-type and p-type atoms in Ge have been implemented for the development of improved modern microelectronic devices. However, there is no reported study on the substitutional-interstitial defect complexes formed by trivalent atoms in...
Several Caribbean researchers and students, including from Puerto Rico, have been conducting materials and biological research studies at synchrotron facilities around the world. However, no synchrotron facility exists in the Greater Caribbean Region. A few years ago, a group of international researchers created the Latin American International Synchrotron for Technology, Analysis and...
15m
Abstract
According to Corpinot and Bučar, any reasonable improvement of the physics and chemistry of the solid state requires a theory of molecular packing [1]. In line with this, authors of this study report how lattice theory explains the crystal packing of N, N’-bis(4-chlorophenyl)thiourea N, N- dimethylformamide [2]. Here, we explore the type of crystal packing of the resulting...
Mayra Cuellar-Cruz1, Abel Moreno2
1 Department of Biology Division of Natural and Exact Sciences, University of Guanajuato, Noria alta s/n, Guanajuato 36050, Guanajuato Guanajuato. México.
2 Institute of Chemistry, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000. Mexico City 04510. Mexico.
Corresponding author e-mail address:...
This study investigates the influence of plasma screening on the relativistic behavior of a hydrogen-like atomic system through the application of a screened Coulomb potential. By accurately solving the Klein-Gordon equation in spherical coordinates, under the assumption that the scalar and vector potentials are equivalent, we get the self-energy spectrum of our system along with its...
Sotirios Charisopoulos, Danas Ridikas, Alessandro Migliori
Physics Section, Division of Physical and Chemical Sciences
Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency
Vienna International Centre, PO Box 100, A-1400 Vienna, Austria
Promotion of nuclear applications for peaceful purposes and related capacity building is among the missions of...
Emileo Naicker1, Caren Billing1,2, David G. Billing1,2
1 Molecular Science Institute, School of Chemistry,University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
2 DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Strong Materials, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag X3, Johannesburg, 2050, South Africa
emileo.naicker1@students.wits.ac.za
Fuel cells provide a...
The African Light Source Foundation has been engaged in a variety of activities to bring a synchrotron light source facility to the African continent. A milestone along the road to that goal has been the production of a geopolitical conceptual design report that discusses the justification, history, and road ahead for the African Light Source. In this presentation, we will expound upon these items.
Note: Following discussions with Lawrence Norris we would like to submit for two talks. One discussing the UK XFEL Project and Facility Design, and a second discussing the UK XFEL Science Case and notable recent XFEL highlights. However we can deliver this as one talk if the schedule is limited at this stage.
UK XFEL: Overview and Facility Design.
A conceptual design and options...
Introduction
Recent developments in plasma wakefield technology have enhanced the potential of compact particle accelerators with high energy efficiency and minimal energy spread. At the FLASHForward facility at Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), researchers have experimentally validated optimal beam loading in a nonlinear plasma wakefield, achieving excellent energy-transfer...
Introduction
The flexibility of diarylformamidine ligands to coordinate either as monodentate or as chelating ligands render their respective complexes very promising for application in catalysis [1]. N-hydroxy-N,N’-diarylformamidine complexes have been reported by our research group to be significant initiators in ring opening polymerization [2]. In this work, we explore the synthesis and...
The success of the energy transition hinges on the development of efficient energy storage materials and technologies to deal with the intermittency of energy from solar and wind. Metal hydrides (such as LiBH4, NaBH4, KH NaCB11H12, etc.), which are well known for their ability to reversibly store large amounts of hydrogen, have recently emerged as multi-functional energy materials[1-2] This is...
AfLS7 abstract for Oral presentation by Dr T. Ntsoane.
1. Introduction
The seismic model, the Preliminary Reference Earth Model (PREM) [1], provides the profiles of sound velocity and density as a function of depth. Comparing the model with laboratory high-pressure experiments, pure iron cannot explain the sound velocity and density of the PREM core [e.g., 2]. Therefore, the density deficit of the core suggests some light elements may be...
1.Introduction
Ensuring the sustainability of cement production is crucial in the construction sector. One effective approach to achieve this goal is by integrating suitable additives into traditional cement formulations. Layered Double Hydroxides (LDHs) offer promising potential as additives, as they can capture CO$_2$, enhance the carbonation resistance of cement, and remove CO$_2$,...
Aspects of engagement with Industry: Key Techniques
Abstract
It has been shown that lycopene molecules have a substantial nonlinear optical third order susceptibility, ꭓ(3), because of their double bond conjugated electronic structure. It is demonstrated that natural Lycopene has a markedly higher 3rd order nonlinearity, ꭓ(3), as high as 2.65 10−6 esu, the highest value of any natural phytocompound studied to date, including β-carotene [1]....
