Innovations

The invention relates to a method of fabricating a commercially viable biodegradable and transparent resistive random-access memory (ReRAM) chip with substantially high (>7 orders of magnitude) resistive switching behaviour using low operating power. The method makes use of a simple and affordable

Floatation Device is a system that acts as an anchor and elevator for equipment, shacks and mobile houses that would otherwise be affected by flooding. During the rainy season, the Floatation Device elevates the items away above the stormwater and provides stability to secure items from damage or

The technology relates to an upright tubular fixed-bed reactor body comprising of a heat-dissipating pipe, which extends from the reactor tube wall, to ensure that heat is effectively transferred in highly exothermic reactors such as Fischer-Tropsch, which are prone to heat build-up. The heat pipe

The technology relates to an improved method for reclaiming waste beer from a brewing process. The process ensures the sterilization and re-use of beer that would otherwise be lost in the brewing process due to contamination. The method focuses on recovering beer lost in the fermentation stage

The invention relates to the use of maghemite nanoparticles at pH < 5 to remove sulphate, manganese, copper, nickel, cobalt and zinc metal ions from acid mine drainage (AMD). In a conventional way of AMD treatment, these pollutants are only removed at higher pH and requires costly alkaline chemicals

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is an aquatic weed which has one of the highest growth rates of all plants in the world. This fast-growing plant causes numerous problems in water bodies. These problems are related to navigation, recreation, irrigation and hydropower generation. The complete

The Natural Biostimulant developed at the University of the Western Cape is a proudly South African, cost-effective, safe, natural and organic botanical fertiliser with promising commercial applications in the agriculture sector. Derived from an indigenous plant extract, the product contains a

The invention relates to the design of a robust membrane for desalination using membrane distillation (MD). Although MD technology has advanced over the years, its industrial application for the treatment of brackish water and seawater is still lagging. This invention exhibits advantages over the

The technology relates to a new generation of telecommunications and data processing technology with improved wavelength sensitivity in the visible and near-infrared wavelengths range rather than microwave communication in 2–4 GHz. The technology provides the realisation of optical sources (LEDs)

The invention entails an energy-generating system that makes use of polyethylene plastics that would otherwise result in environmental pollution to produce synthesis gas (syngas). Unlike conventional gasification systems that rely on oxygen, this system ensures that the gasification of polyethylene

A system which harvests thermal energy from various sources such as sunlight, cars, power plants, factories and other industries, and converts it into electricity. The harvested heat energy is stored in a storage tank, with water used as an energy storage medium. This then flows along a gradient to

A low-cost, portable, self-aligning rooftop wind turbine designed to capture moderate velocity wind and generate electricity efficiently for household use. Large-scale wind turbines in South Africa are located far afield, and the energy generated must be transported back to communities via huge