dr. Mzamo Shozi
Mzamo Shozi is an Assistant Professor and Head of Discipline in the School of Chemistry and Physics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Mzamo specializes in catalysis and materials research, where his current interests are in biomass conversion and the hydrogenation of CO2 to hydrocarbons. He is also a recipient of various grants from the South African National Research Foundation and the Royal Society of Chemistry. He is also a Fulbright alumnus and spent time at the University of California Davis and the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource.
Mzamo’s main research lines are described below:
Sugar alcohol hydrogenolysis
As fossil fuels are depleting, transition to a more bio-based production system is underway, and sugar alcohols such as xylitol, erythritol and glycerol are of choice as they are widely available and rich in functionalities. The main aim of the proposed research is the hydrogenolysis of sugar alcohols to value added chemicals. These include C2 to C5 diols, important monomers in the polymer industry and C2 to C6 alkanes, common hydrocarbons found in petroleum and natural gas. The hydrogenolysis of these sugar alcohols also produces C1 to C4 alcohols, which are used in the fuel industry to prepare additives to boost gasoline octane number.
CO2 hydrogenation
The steady increase of CO2 in the atmosphere is threatening the future of humankind by accelerating climate change. Catalysis can turn this harmful greenhouse gas into a feedstock for producing high-value fuels and chemicals. Among the proposed CCU options, catalytic CO2 hydrogenation is attractive because the process is very similar to the well-established CO hydrogenation also known as Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The overall aim of this research is to develop catalytic systems that will enhance the activity and product selectivity in the hydrogenation of CO2 to hydrocarbons, specifically olefins and C5+ hydrocarbons.