Polymer Science Podcast

Episode 23: Talking to Clariter’s Zininzi Mpafa about upcycling plastic waste to useful products

Hello everyone!
Alicia, here! So at the time of this recording I am approximately 38 weeks pregnant and a little sick as you could probably tell from my voice.
This means that I am now on maternity leave while you are listening to this episode and taking care of our newborn!
Nonetheless the show goes on! And I am happy to say that our Podcast team has grown. You will be introduced to our new co-host soon!
In this episode, we are speaking to Zininzi Mpafa, a Laboratory Analyst at Clariter. She is an experience scientist in the Petrochemical industry and Environment industry (Ocean and Coastal Research). She studied at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and Walter Sisulu University in Analytical Chemistry. She also did internships as quality testing analyst at Engen and as a Marine Chemist at the Department of  Environmental Affairs. She is currently working at the global cleantech company, Clariter, that focuses on upcycling plastic waste into the high-value, pure solvents, oils and waxes.
As promised here are the links to the articles and research mentioned in the episode!
Hope you find it useful!
 
https://clariter.com/news/
www.teijinaramid.com
 
Thank you for listening and for your support!

Episode 22: Talking to Dr. Benjamin Alameda about controllably degradable polymer networks

In this episode we hear from Dr. Benjamin Alameda, a brand new PhD graduate from the University of Southern Mississippi. Dr. Alameda specializes in the design, fabrication, and characterization of polymer networks that degrade in the presence of different external stimuli. As we continue to mold the future of plastics toward more environmentally friendly designs, we need to consider the "cradle-to-grave approach" - that is, designing a polymer material with consideration of the final product's full lifecycle. Imagine tires that can be fully broken down and recycled after several years of use! 
 
Please contact us with any questions or comments at polymersciencepodcast@gmail.com

Episode 21: Talking to Dr. Christoph Herfurth about polyurethanes and sustainable plastics

In this episode we hear from Dr. Christoph Herfurth, a researcher from Fraunhofer. The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft based in Germany is the world’s leading applied research organization. Prioritizing key future-relevant technologies and commercializing its findings in business and industry, it plays a major role in the innovation process. A trailblazer and trendsetter in innovative developments and research excellence, it is helping shape our society and our future. Founded in 1949, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft currently operates 76 institutes and research units throughout Germany. Over 30,000 employees, predominantly scientists and engineers, work with an annual research budget of €2.9 billion. Fraunhofer generates €2.5 billion of this from contract research.
 
Learn more about Fraunhofer and Dr. Herfurth's exciting work in this article.

Episode 20: Talking to Tshepo Mangoele about an amazing natural polymer called Lignin.

In this episode we are talking to Tshepo Mangoele, CEO and Founder of LignOrganic (PTY) Ltd. This company is the first in Africa to produce Sulphur-free Lignin, a natural polymer with endless possibilities and applications!
Tshepo is a Chemical Engineer with a vision to make environmentally-friendly biomaterials and sustainable products the new normal in markets for cosmetics, packaging, agriculture and biomaterials.
We also get to learn more from him about how it feels to start one's own company and the challenges that come along with such a fulfilling endeavor. I hope you enjoy listening to this inspiring and informative conversation!
Learn more about Lignin here:
https://lignorganic.co.za/
 
And as promised, check out the affordable and clean skincare range launching soon:
https://ophyll.co.za/
 
Thank you for listening!

Episode 19: Talking to Hyunwoo Yuk about barnicle-inspired surgical glue

Hello and welcome, everyone, to the Polymer Science Podcast's last episode for 2021!
 
In this episode we’ll be listening to my interview with Dr. Hyunwoo Yuk, an outstanding research scientist of mechanical and biomedical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. I reached out to Dr. Yuk after finding his work on the development of a particularly interesting surgical glue – this glue can close and COMPLETELY seal an open wound in seconds… SECONDS! And the way they came up with this idea is absolutely barnacles… no really, the whole project was actually inspired by sea barnacles! Mother Nature has always been a powerful inspiration for scientific progress, so when Dr. Yuk and his team were tasked with designing a surgical glue that could surpass existing products, they recognized the robustly “sticky” nature of barnacles could provide valuable insight toward their cause. Tune in now to learn about how Dr. Yuk was able to accomplish this incredible task."
 
Link to article: https://www.wired.com/story/this-barnacle-inspired-glue-seals-bleeding-organs-in-seconds/
 
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year!
 
Thank you for listening
 

Episode 18: Talking to Monika Snowdon about antiviral formulations and a career path in Nanotechnology

My co-host Jacob Schekman and I had our very first interview as a duo!
Together, we had a very enlightening conversation with Dr Monika Snowdon about her PhD work, the projects she is currently busy with, and we learned more about her very own Podcast show, called the IMNano podcast, which she hosts with her co-host, Irfani!
Monika obtained her doctorate in chemistry from the University of Waterloo. Part of her doctoral research was pursued at the National Institute for Material Science in Japan at the soft materials chemistry group under the supervision of Dr. Dai-Ming Tang. She is passionate about making nanoscience and technology more accessible to a wider audience; this drive led to the creation of the nanotechnology podcast which is all about translating cutting-edge research and its applications to society.
 
 Please follow the links below to find out more about Monica and her work:
Podcast Website: https://www.imnano.org/about
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monikasnow/
 
Thank you for listening!

Episode 17: Talking to Dr. John Pojman about QuickCure Clay

In this episode, Dr. Pojman talks with Jacob about the unique reaction properties of frontal polymerization and the serendipity within his research that led to his production and international distribution of QuickCure Clay. Pojman Polymer Products, LLC, licensed QuickCure Clay to Ranger industries, which produces and distributes the material around the world. No mixing, no kiln… just mold and heat a part of your beautiful sculpture to begin the cure process, wait a few minutes a then get to painting! Dr. John Pojman is also a professor of chemistry at Louisiana State University. Tune in now for a fun conversation on polymers in art and some fascinating lessons in art history.
Please click on the links below to find out more:
 
Pojman Polymer Products: http://pojman.com/3pllc/3pllc.html
 
Examples of artist’s creations using Pojman’s “QuickCure Clay”:
https://rangerink.com/blogs/projects/tagged/quickcure-clay
 
A brief how-to on working with “Quick-cure clay”
https://rangerink.com/blogs/blog/ranger-101-quickcure-clay
 
Let us know what you think of this episode by emailing to polymersciencepodcast@gmail.com.
Check out our website:
https://polymersciencepodcast.podbean.com/
Thank you for listening!!
 

Episode 16: Talking to Jacquin October about the applications of Synthesis in Organic Chemistry

Today is a special episode where I catch up with an old Stellenbosch University colleague of mine, Dr Jacquin October. He is a very impressive and dedicated Postdoctoral Researcher at Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion. We talked about his move from South Africa to Germany and what that entails. We also discussed the applications and necessity for studies from his previous Ph.D. work concerning Alkylation of amines and the synthesis and characterization of novel rhodium and ruthenium-based iminopyridyl complexes.
 
You can learn more about his work in the links below:
 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquin-october-9462b1b1/
 
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jacquin-October
 
https://www.cec.mpg.de/de/mpi-fuer-chemische-energiekonversion
 
Thank you for listening!!
 

Episode 15: Talking to Prof James Pikul about Metallic Wood

It is a week after the Closing Ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games, and it is amazing to be able to reflect on the revolutionary technology that we currently have available due to the dedicated mechanical engineers and scientists that are focusing their efforts on providing sustainable and convenient tools to improve society. In Japan, we saw the effective use of bullet trains for quick transport between stadiums, multilingual robotic guides and security guards. The Olympic medals were made of recycled laptops and other electronic devices while self-steering cars have been giving the competitors lifts to their destinations. Viewers even got to see the amazing performances of our athletes from every angle with advanced 3D video capturing technology.
 
It is therefor only fitting that we are talking to Mechanical Engineering Professor, James Pikul, in this episode about designing metallic wood and the interesting roles that polymers play in improving technology and studies in the Mechanical Engineering field.
James Pikul is an Assistant Professor and a Moore Inventor Fellow in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics from the University of Pennsylvania. He is the lead of the Pikul Research Group and seeks to make transformative advances in energy storage, energy conversion, multifunctional materials, and robotics by understanding and exploiting nanoscale to macroscopic characteristics of electrochemistry and soft matter. He graduated at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where he worked on fabricating high power microbatteries and high strength cellular metals. He received a 2020 Moore Inventor Fellowship as well as a 2020 Toyota Programmable System Innovation Fellowship and several awards for his research.
 
You can find out more about him by following this link:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-pikul-25905a13/
 
Hope you enjoy!

Episode 14: Talking to Maliha Syed about Polymers in Cosmetics

Dr Maliha Syed studied at the University of Southern Mississippi and graduated with her PhD in Polymer Science and Engineering. She is a Principle Scientist for the company called Avlon which focuses on synergizing health, beauty, and polymer science to provide skincare solutions that enhance consumer wellness. Maliha talks to us about hair, nail and skin care and the development strategies behind each product. She helps us understand how polymers are essential in the production of these cosmetics and how the design is optimized for each product application.
You can find out more about her and Avlon here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmalihasyed/
and
https://avlon.com/
 
Please let us know what you think of this podcast and feel free to send a comment or any suggestions to the Polymer Science Podcast email address:
polymersciencepodcast@gmail.com
 
Thank you for listening!