Download - Mintek

Pics fromtop tobottom:Thebiomedicallaboratory –preparationof in vitrocell assays.The AtomicForceMicroscopein the nanotechnologycentre.A respiratorcanister andAUROlite TMgold-basedcatalyst.Evaluatingpreciousmetal-basedcatalystsfor dieselexhaustaftertreatmentapplications.complexation studies are in progress. Initial data from screeningtests are expected in the last quarter of 2007.To date, the AuTEK biomedical programme has produced twoPhD and three MSc graduates, and a further eight PhD, six MSc,and four post-doctoral candidates are currently registered. Workunder the programme has won seven awards, and resulted in100 contributions to professional journals and conferences, with49 being international.AuTEK NanotechnologyThe AuTEK nanotechnology programme, which is co-funded byelectrochemistry, molecular recognition (biolabelling), anddrug delivery systems. A novel method has been developedfor producing anisotropic precious-metal nanoparticles, andfurther work is being carried out to control product quality, particlesize distribution, and reproducibility with the aim of impartingdesirable electronic, magnetic, optical, and catalytic properties.Certain systems are being investigated for their possible use inelectrochemical sensors for the detection of glucose and otherbiological structures.The production of organically stabilised gold nanoparticlesfor application in molecular recognition (biolabelling) has beensuccessfully scaled up to 2 litre batches. These will be stabilised andfunctionalised by attaching bio-molecules, with the goal of developingmalaria, HIV, and diabetes. Similar technology involving multiplexing of theunderlying structure will be utilised to adapt the particles for drug delivery awell as diagnostics.To ensure that South Africa remains internationally competitive in this fast-ordinated at national level by the Department of Science and Technology (DST)through its National Nanotechnology Strategy. One of the main pillars of thisinitiative is establishing a number of innovation centres around the country. Twocentres will be established in 2007, one at Mintek and the other at the CSIR. Theprimary aims of the centre at Mintek are to train young scientists who will stimulatethe growth of an emerging nanotechnology industry in South Africa, developprototype products, and add value to the precious metals being produced locally.The DST, the Medical Research Council, and the Water Research Commissionwill be participating in the initiative, which will initially have three focal areas aroundsensors, molecular recognition, and nanotechnology for the water industry.AuTEK CatalysisThe AuTEK catalysis programme, which is co-sponsored by AngloGold Ashanti,seeks to develop gold catalysts for industrial applications. One of the major hurdles toestablishing a gold catalyst market has been a lack of commercially viable quantitiesof material for product testing and screening. Large-scale production of gold catalystsis not easy, owing to issues such as gold particle size, reproducibility, and deactivation,and involves synthesis techniques that are completely different to those currentlyemployed in PGM catalyst production. Research at AuTEK has been directed atovercoming these hurdles and has led to the development of the AUROlite TM range ofgold catalysts.Under the AuTEK catalysis programme, the current production capacity of 20 kgper batch is currently being further scaled-up to the 65 kg scale to meet demand.Construction of the plant, which is sponsored by the DST’s Precious Metals Initiative, isannual report 2007 18