Institute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability

Dr PJ Mafa

College of Science, Engineering and Technology
Institute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
E-mail: mafapj@unisa.ac.za

Qualifications

  • PhD. Chemistry (University of South Africa, South Africa, 2022)
  • MSc. Chemistry (University of Johannesburg, South Africa, 2016)
  • BSc. Chemistry/Biology (National University of Lesotho, Lesotho, 2009)

Fields of academic interests

  • Photoelectrocatalysis
  • Photocatalysis
  • Electrochemistry
  • Hydrogen Production
  • Wastewater treatment
  • Floating photocatalysts

Field of Specialisation

  • Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs)
  • Electrochemistry
  • Material science
  • Water treatment

Journal articles

  1. Potlako J Mafa, Azeez O Idris, Nonhlangabezo Mabuba, Omotayo A Arotiba, Electrochemical co-detection of As (III), Hg (II) and Pb (II) on a bismuth modified exfoliated graphite electrode, Talanta 153 (2016) 99-106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2016.03.003
  2. Potlako J Mafa, Bulelwa Ntsendwana, Bhekie B Mamba, Alex T Kuvarega, Visible Light Driven ZnMoO4/BiFeWO6/rGO Z-Scheme Photocatalyst for the Degradation of Anthraquinonic Dye, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 123 (2019) 20605–20616. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.9b05008
  3. Potlako J Mafa, Alex T Kuvarega, Bhekie B Mamba, Bulelwa Ntsendwana, Photoelectrocatalytic degradation of sulfamethoxazole on g-C3N4/BiOI/EG p-n heterojunction photoanode under visible light irradiation, Applied Surface Science, 483 (2019) 506-520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2019.03.281
  4. Potlako J Mafa, Rapelang Patala, Bhekie B Mamba, Dan Liu, Jianzhou Gui, Alex T Kuvarega, Plasmonic Ag3PO4/EG photoanode for visible light-driven photoelectrocatalytic degradation of diuretic drug, Chemical Engineering Journal, 393 (2020) 124804. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2020.124804
  5. Potlako J Mafa, Bhekie B Mamba, Alex T Kuvarega, Construction of hierarchical BiPW12O40/BiOI p–n heterojunction with enhanced visible light activity for degradation of endocrine disrupting Bisphenol A, Separation and Purification Technology 253 (2020) 117349. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2020.117349
  6. Potlako J Mafa, Umhle S Swana, Dan Liu, Jianzhou Gui, Bhekie B Mamba, Alex T Kuvarega, Synthesis of Bi5O7I-MoO3 photocatalyst via simultaneous calcination of BiOI and MoS2 for visible light degradation of ibuprofen, Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects 612 (2021) 126004. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2020.126004
  7. Potlako J Mafa, Mope E Malefane, Azeez O Idris, Bhekie B Mamba, Dan Liu, Jianzhou Gui, Alex T Kuvarega, Cobalt oxide/copper bismuth oxide/samarium vanadate (Co3O4/CuBi2O4/SmVO4) dual Z-scheme heterostructured photocatalyst with high charge-transfer efficiency: Enhanced carbamazepine degradation under visible light irradiation, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 603 (2021) 666-684. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2021.06.146
  8. Potlako J Mafa, Mope E Malefane, Azeez O Idris, Dan Liu, Jianzhou Gui, Bhekie B Mamba, Alex T Kuvarega, Multi-elemental doped g-C3N4 with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity: insight into naproxen degradation, kinetics, effect of electrolytes, and mechanism, Separation and Purification Technology 282 (2022) 120089. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2021.120089
  9. G Mamba, PJ Mafa, V Muthuraj, A Mashayekh-Salehi, S Royer, TIT Nkambule, S Rtimi, Heterogeneous advanced oxidation processes over stoichiometric ABO3 perovskite nanostructures, Materials Today Nano 18 (2022) 100184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtnano.2022.100184
  10. Mope Edwin Malefane, Potlako John Mafa, Thabo Thokozani Innocent Nkambule, Muthumuni Elizabeth Managa, Alex Tawanda Kuvarega, Modulation of Z-scheme Photocatalysts for Pharmaceuticals remediation and pathogen inactivation: Design Devotion, Concept Examination, and Developments, Chemical Engineering Journal 452 (2023) 138894. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2022.138894

Professional positions, fellowships & awards

  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of South Africa, Florida Campus
  • Member, International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE)
  • Certificate of Exceptional Achievement Award in recognition of iNanoWS Excellence for Best Academic student 2020-Doctoral

Projects

  • Z-scheme and S-scheme photocatalytic mechanisms of photocatalytic using floating catalysts.
  • Photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceutical in a real complex water matrices.
  • Nanostructured Fe-based photocatalysts derived from digestion of sludge and wastewater: sustainability.
  • Integration of AOPs with electrocoagulation for environmental remediation.
  • Electrochemical detection and photodegradation processes for abatement of organic pollutants.

Other

Google scholar: https://scholar.google.co.za/citations?hl=en&user=amscePkAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate

ORCHID link: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0282-4647