A bilateral project will strengthen the collaboration between the Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry of the University of Pisa and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) of Pretoria, South Africa. UNIPI and the CSIR partner on the NANOFUN project, aimed at designing and developing chemically treated nanocellulose membranes for water treatment applications. The project received funding from both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) in Italy and the National Research Foundation (NRF) in South Africa. This project aligns with the development of nanocellulose membranes derived from agro-waste for advanced applications such as water remediation and principles of circular economy for converting waste into a value-added product says Alessandra Operamolla, associate professor of organic chemistry at the University of Pisa. Cellulose nanomaterials are environmentally friendly due to a combination of high surface area and absorbency, mechanical strength, and functionalisable properties, expresses Dr Maya John, Principal Researcher: Advanced Polymer Composites (APC) research group at the CSIR. CSIR researcher at APC, Nomvuyo Nomadolo, spent two weeks at the University of Pisa for nanocellulose functionalisation experiments, which is a key part of the project, currently focused on the chemical functionalization and characterization of nanocellulose. In the photo, she is portrayed with Andrea Valzano, Master’s student in Chemistry at UNIPI, who collaborated with her on the preparation of samples for the project. Prof. Alessandra Operamolla and Prof. Jeanette Lucejko also visited CSIR from 20–24 November 2023. The visit revolved around project discussions on the characterization of chemically modified cellulose and the preparation of biodegradable membranes. During this visit, Prof. Operamolla gave a lecture on Bio-based polymers from lignocellulosic biomass: from structural characterisation to application as advanced materials. In this collaboration project, the University of Pisa will extend its knowledge of innovative functionalisation techniques for nanocellulose to the CSIR in exchange for long-term expertise in nanocellulose product development and characterization, as a complement to the collaboration, Maya adds.
Link to this news on CSIR website: https://www.csir.co.za/csir-strengthens-collaboration-university-pisa-through-bilateral-project
Andrea Valzano (Master’s student in Chemistry at UNIPI) and Nomvuyo Nomadolo (CSIR researcher at APC) working together
on nanocellulose functionalization at the Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry of the University of Pisa.
Jeannette J. Lucejko (Ass. Prof. at UNIPI), Nomvuyo Nomadolo (CSIR researcher at APC), Maya Jacob John (principal researcher at APC),
Alessandra Operamolla (Ass. Prof. at UNIPI) and Asanda Mtibe (senior researcher at APC) together at CSIR in November 2023.