The Chemistry department is one of the departments that exist in both the Bloemfontein and QwaQwa campus, with one academic head responsible for the overall management of the department and a subject head assisting with the operational management of the QwaQwa campus. The department offers pure chemistry modules i.e. Physical, Analytical, Organic and Inorganic chemistry from extended program to third year level.  At Post Graduate level, QwaQwa campus offers polymer science as theory modules for Honours degrees and research modules for MSc and PhD degrees.  Currently the department has 1 PhD, 13 MSc and 7 Honours  students.  The department has collaborations with few universities in South Africa and looking to expand abroad.

The research focus is mainly polymer based;  preparation and characterization of completely biodegradable polymer blends and composites, Organic synthesis & liquid crystalline polymers, Synthesis of new polymers and polymer particles via Controlled radical polymerization techniques, Water purification via polymer composites, preparation of flame retardants and energy storage materials,  and preparation of polymer composites from natural fibers.

 

Research equipment available in the department includes:

  • Perkin-Elmer Differential  scanning calorimetry  (DSC) 6000, with auto cooler starting at -90 degrees Celsius
  • Perkin-Elmer DSC 7 which starts at room temperature
  • Perkin-Elmer STA 6000, simultaneous  Thermogravimetric analyser (TGA) that runs simultaneous with DSC, and it has TL 8000 balanced flow FT-IR EGA system for TGA-FTIR analysis
  • Perkin-Elmer Diamond Dynamic mechanical analyser (DMA)
  • Surface energy evaluation system, based on the sessile drop method
  • A CEAST ITALY Impactor II
  • A Hounsfield H5KS universal tensile testing machine of which is not operational at the moment
  • Brabender-Plastograph mixer coupled with single screw extruder
  • VERTEX hydraulic press for compression moulding
  • CEAST Melt Flow Junior
  • Hot Disk TPS 500 Thermal conductivity meter
  • CUBEX 3D Printer
  • Liquid nitrogen producing Machine
  • Benchtop NMR Spectrometer (Solution) – Spinsolve from Magritek
  • SEM 


BLOEMFONTEIN CAMPUS FACULTY CONTACT

Elfrieda van den Berg (Marketing Manager)
T: +27 51 401 2531
E:vdberge@ufs.ac.za

QWAQWA CAMPUS FACULTY CONTACT

Dilahlwane Mohono (Faculty Officer)
T: +27 58 718 5284
E:naturalscienceqq@ufs.ac.za

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