One of the Durban University of Technology’s missions is the promoting excellence in learning and teaching, technology transfer and applied research.
Keeping in line with this statement, the Durban University of Technology’s Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment has acquired Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to assist students of various academic levels with their research.
Daniel Sims; Managing Director of Carl Zeiss (Pty) Ltd. which manufactured the machine delivered a presentation on the machine.
Carl Zeiss (Pty) Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Carl Zeiss Germany, a leading international group of companies operating worldwide in the optical and opto-electronic industries.
Sims said the microscope can be used in three modes; namely; high vacuum, variable pressure and extended pressure which are used to view conductive samples such as metal. Non-conductive samples or samples that generate charge such as plastics are examined under the variable pressure mode. In this mode, inert gas is pumped into the sample chamber which reduces the charge build-up on the sample. The extended pressure mode is similar to the variable pressure mode and is used to analyse wet samples.
The microscope also has an Energy Dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX) which is able to identify the elemental composition of the sample by measuring the amount of energy present in the X-rays emitted by the sample. It also has a Wavelength Dispersive X-ray spectrometer (WDX) which works similarly to the EDX but has the exception that the detector measures the wavelengths of the emitted X-rays. Sims added that the machine is completely upgradable so it will never be outdated.
DUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Ahmed Bawa said the heart of the Durban University of Technology is research because without it, the University would be as good as a school. Bawa congratulated the Faculty for making the University a centre for research.
“DUT needs to be a place where we can invite people from around the world to participate in research and for that we need world class facilities to compete globally with the best in the world”, he said.
Prof Bawa added that the time had come for DUT to work with other universities in the region to craft analytical research facilities providing research not only for KwaZulu-Natal, but for the country as well.
–Nomvula Sikakane
Caption: DUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Ahmed Bawa, Managing Director of Carl Zeiss (Pty) Ltd. Daniel Sims, Department of Mechanical Engineering Professor Krishnan Kanny and DVC: Technology, Innovation and Partnerships Professor Fred Otieno at the launch of the Scanning Electron Microscope facility which will boost microbiological and geological research at DUT.
