Ntalane Sello Seroka

University of the Western Cape | uwc · Department of Chemistry

The field of material sciences has evolved vastly in the last two decades, largely due to the discovery of carbon nanomaterials such as graphene and its derivatives. Although they offer positive characteristics, the cost of production and material processing of these carbon nanomaterials has limited their application. However, scientists have start...

The successful commercialization of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) is hindered by inadequate methanol oxidation activity and anode catalyst longevity. Efficient and cost-effective electrode materials are imperative in the widespread use of DMFCs. While Platinum (Pt) remains the primary component of anodic methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) elect...

Highly portable nanoelectronics and large-scale electronics rely on lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) as the most reliable energy storage technology. This method is thought to be both environmentally friendly and cost-effective. We provide a study of a low-cost, abundant, and renewable supply of carbon-based biomass with potential uses in LIBs. Renewabl...

One such technology is hydrogen-based which utilizes hydrogen to generate energy without emission of greenhouse gases. The advantage of such technology is the fact that the only by-product is water. Efficient storage is crucial for the practical application of hydrogen. There are several techniques to store hydrogen, each with certain advantages an...

Silica molecules present in commercial objects can pose a hazard to human health, which is why the environmentally friendly synthesis of silica has been intensively researched in the recent decades. This chapter describes the synthesis of silica from sugarcane bagasse waste and its physical and chemical properties for potential use in eco-friendly...

With the evolution and emergence of compounding environmental problems and issues, renewable energy promises to be a sustainable future technology. One technology considered is the fuel cell, which thrives on the primary function of electrocatalytic activities. Thus this review article envisages and presents a comprehensive summary of the applicati...

Nutrient resources account for an enormous quantity of the world’s waste materials. According to recent research, nuts and their byproducts are good for a variety of applications and are important natural resources for nutrition. Waste and nut residues in the environment could cause environmental problems. A critical issue is how this waste is empl...

This study presents the magnesiothermic reduction of silica into silicon. This reduction process occurs at a lower reaction temperature than its carbothermal counterpart. Furthermore, sil-ica was extracted from sugarcane bagasse ash via a thermo-chemical treatment method using, for the first time, L-cysteine chloride monohydrate and used as a precu...

Silicon dioxide (SiO2), also known as silica, has received attention in recent years due to wide range of capable applications including biomedical/pharmaceutical, energy, food, and personal care products. This has accelerated research in the extraction of materials from various agricultural wastes; this review investigates the extraction of silica...

South Africa produces approximately 7 million tons of sugarcane bagasse annually as an agricultural residue, which is treated as waste and its disposal is known to have negative impacts on the environment. To lessen reliance on petroleum and polymers, consideration is given on use of sugarcane bagasse ash as substitute materials for the development...

The demand for energy has been a global concern over the years due to the ever increasing population which still generate electricity from non-renewable energy sources. Presently, energy produced worldwide is mostly from fossil fuels, which are non-renewable sources and release harmful by-products that are greenhouses gases. The sun is considered a...

Sugarcane bagasse South Africa is an agricultural waste that poses many environmental and human health problems. Sugarcane bagasse dumps attract many insects that harm the health of the population and cause many diseases. Sugarcane ash is a naturally renewable source of silica. This study presents for the first time the extraction of nanosilica fro...

This current study reviews the utilization of the traditional extraction methods and latest findings in extraction of silica from agricultural wastes, in particular, sugarcane bagasse, using inorganic acids to produce nano-silicon. The three key processes discussed in detail include electrochemical, ball milling, and sol–gel processes. The sugarcan...

The synthesised and functionalised materials were characterised using TEM, SEM, Raman and P-XRD. The characterisation techniques confirmed that a successful functionalisation of Ti3AlC2, the synthesised and functional groups on the carbon nanoparticles. The TEM and SEM were also used to study the surface morphology of the materials. The pressure se...