Dr. Cleopas Machingauta

Lecturer: Physical Chemistry

Email: c_machingauta@yahoo.com, cmachingauta@buse.ac.zw

Biography
Dr. Cleopas Machingauta received a BSc. Honours degree in Chemistry from the University of Zimbabwe in 2005. His BSc Chemistry Honours project was titled; Designing dye sensitized solar cell: using locally available materials; he was working under the supervision of Prof. Marijn Goes (visiting Prof. from Netherlands). He received a Ph.D. degree in Physical-Inorganic Chemistry; working with Prof. Jeanne M. Hossenlopp, from Marquette University (USA) in 2013.The title of his dissertation was Synthesis, characterization and application of composite nanomaterials for environmental remediation purposes.In September 2013, he joined the faculty of science at Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE).

Research
His research involves both fundamental and applied studies in materials science, with a bias towards nanomaterials.

Current projects include:

  1. Fabrication and characterization of nanodimensional layered metal hydroxide and other related nanomaterials and their application as “green” materials for water quality applications. The work involves modeling the adsorption/exchange reaction kinetics in order to reveal the fundamental principles that govern the aforementioned processes, and how they can be optimized.
  2. Coupling photosensitive metal oxides (MO) or mixed metal oxides (MMO) with layered metal hydroxides as support materials or co-catalysts for the degradation of organic water pollutants.
  3. Utilization of metal or metal oxide catalysts for the mineralization of organic pollutants.

Long-term research ambitions.

Application of computational chemistry to reveal the reaction dynamics taking place within d spacing of layered nanomaterials in an effort to better understand the chemistry of these materials.

  1. Fabrication of nanosensors capable of detecting microbes and toxic pollutants at very minute levels.

Book Chapter

  • Hossenlopp, J. M.; Majoni, S.; Machingauta, C. Designing Layered Double Hydroxides for Targeted Applications, in TMS 2012, 141st Annual Meeting and Exhibition, SupplementalProceedings: Volume 1: Materials Processing and Interfaces, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.: 2012; Vol. 1, Chapter 53, pp. 403-412.

PUBLICATIONS:
2019

  • Mupa M, Muchanyareyi N and Machingauta C. Pennisetum Typhoides based biochar prepared for the removal of methylene blue: A column study. Pollution Research 38(1):44-51. 2019

2018

  • Mupa M, Chimanikire S, Machingauta C and Muchanyareyi N. The efficiency of phosphoric Acid and Zinc chloride Activated carbons Prepared from Strychnos Spinosa Fruit Shell for the removal of methylene blue. Indian Journal of Environmental Protection. 38(11):896-905. 2018
  • Mapfaira. N, Machingauta C and Muchanyareyi N. Preparation of rice husk ash silica- hydroxyapatite adsorbent for defluoridation of water: Kinetic and equilibrium studies.
  • Ndlovu T and Machingauta C. Chemical Speciation of Selected Heavy Metals In Roadside Soils At Intersections And Terminuses In Harare, Zimbabwe. Journal of Applied Chemistry. Volume 11 (6):44-51. 2018

2015

  • Muzarabani N, Mupa M, Gwatidzo L and Machingauta C. Silica gel matrix immobilized Chlorophyta hydrodictyon africanum for the removal of methylene blue from aqueous solutions: Equilibrium and kinetic studies. African Journal of Biotechnology 14(31):2463-2471. 2015
  • Shasha D, Mupa M, Muzarabani N, Gwatidzo L, Machingauta C. Removal of Congo Red from aqueous synthetic solutions using silica gel immobilized chlorophyta hydrodictyon africanum Journal of Environmental Science and Technology. 8: 83-90 2015

2013

  • Machingauta C and Hossenlopp J. Anion release and uptake kinetics: Structural changes of layered 2-dimensional ZnNiHN upon uptake of acetate and chlorinated acetate anions. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 411. 2013.