Facilities

The department is well equipped to carry out state–of–the–art research with facilities such as

NMR (400 MHz) (with cryoprobe),
Gas chromatograph–coupled mass spectrometer,
Gas chromatograph–coupled flame ionization detector,
Inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectrometer
Atomic absorption spectrometers,
High-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC),
High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC),
ATR-Fourier Transform IR spectrophotometer,
Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrometers,
Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectrometer,
Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermal analyser and
Single crystal X-ray diffractometers
Electrochemical workstation including amperometry, cyclic and stripping voltammetry, polarography and potentiometer
Ozone generator

Bruker Avance III 400

The department has a Bruker Avance III 400 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectrometer. This allows for the identification of a variety of chemical compounds using any nucleus that shows NMR activity. Compounds are placed in solution in a large magnetic field provided by a superconducting magnet. By applying a radio frequency signal and monitoring the sample's response, structural information about the compound can be obtained.

Contact:

Prof Benita Barton
Tel: 041 504 4859
E-mail: benita.barton@mandela.ac.za

Miss Dokwana Nomathamsanqa
Tel: 041 504 4118
E-mail: Nomathamsanqa.Dokwana@mandela.ac.za

Single Crystal X-ray Crystallography

The department has Bruker Kappa Apex II X-ray Crystallography System for single crystal diffractometry. This instrument can be used to determine the atomic structure of a compound. A crystal of the compound is mounted in the instrument and exposed to x-rays. The crystal diffracts the x-rays into many specific directions. The intensity and angles of the diffracted beams can be used to calculate a 3 dimensional map of the electron densities in the crystal. From this, the mean positions of the atoms and other information can be determined.

Contact:

Dr Eric Hosten
Tel: 041 504 4247
E-mail: Eric.Hosten@mandela.ac.za

Infrared Spectrophotometer

FT-IR Spectrophotometer used to record infrared spectra on a wide range of samples.

Contact:

Dr Kina Muller
Tel: 041 504 2331
E-mail: kina.muller@mandela.ac.za

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), or electron spin resonance (ESR), spectroscopy is used to investigate chemical species that have one or more unpaired electrons. It is similar to NMR except that it is electron spin that are excited instead of atomic nuclei spin. The department uses a Bruker EMX Plus System.

Contact:

Dr Kina Muller
Tel: 041 504 2331
E-mail: kina.muller@mandela.ac.za

High Performance Liquid Chromatography

The department has a number of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) systems available. These are used to separate compounds for quantification. Separation is achieved by using a number of different analytical columns. A mobile phase is pumped through these columns and varying degrees of partitioning of the compounds between the mobile phase and the solid support allow for compound separation.

Contacts:

Dr Kina Muller
Tel: 041 504 2331
E-mail: kina.muller@mandela.ac.za

Mr Faraz Olivier
Tel: 041 504 2331
E-mail: Francois.Olivier@mandela.ac.za

Inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectrometer

Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) is an analytical technique used to determine how much of certain elements are in a sample. The ICP-OES principle uses the fact that atoms and ions can absorb energy to move electrons from the ground state to an excited state.

Contact:

Mr Henk Schalekamp
Tel: 041 504 2271
E-mail: Henk.Schalekamp@mandela.ac.za

High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC)

High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) is an enhanced form of thin-layer chromatography (TLC). It provides automated sample application (loading), plate development, detection and documentation.

Contact:

Dr Buyiswa Hlangothi
Tel: 041 504 3270
E-mail: Buyiswa.Hlangothi@mandela.ac.za

Mrs Nozuko Mtwa
Tel: 041 504 1481
E-mail: Nozuko.Mtwa@mandela.ac.za

Thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (TGA-DSC) thermal analyser and Thermogravimetric analysis coupled to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, (TGA-FTIR)

Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) is a widely employed thermal analysis technique for measuring the change in weight/degradation of a sample as a function of temperature or time in a controlled atmosphere. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is a thermal analysis technique used in the characterization of crystalline and amorphous materials. TGA coupled with FT-IR is successfully utilized in the identification of gases.