Driving Sustainable Innovation: Sasol & CARE-O-SENE at CATSA 2025

The Catalysis Society of South Africa (CATSA) Conference, held from 9–12 November at the Emerald Resort & Casino, brought together leading minds in catalysis under the theme: “Using Catalysis to Solve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.”

We had strong representation from Sasol Research & Technology (a plenary by Dr Theo Mudzunga discussing 75 years of Fischer-Tropsch catalysis innovation research at Sasol and two keynotes by Dr Esna du Plessis and Dr Ryan Walmsley on studies of Sasol’s Fe catalysts).).

Young Scientists take centre stage

The young scientists of the CARE-O-SENE consortium showcased cutting-edge research and innovation in Fischer–Tropsch (FT) catalysis. The topic of Mn promotion (a very “South African” metal) in FT catalysts was a key theme of CARE-O-SENE talks. Dr. Jairus (Jerry)Lamola (Sasol) delivered a keynote on the role of Mn promotion in FT catalysis using theory and operando conditions to unravel complexity. An oral presentation from Dr. Revana Chanerika (UCT) also showed how the promoter interaction can be studied with model Co-based catalysts, while Julie-Ann Hoffman (UCT) showed how she used molecular modelling to study effects of poisons on manganese-promoted cobalt-based Fischer–Tropsch catalysts. Shabaaz Abdullah’s (UCT) talk aimed to explain the influence of particle size using model catalysts. These presentations underscored CARE-O-SENE’s leadership in advancing FT catalyst technology for sustainable energy solutions.

Showcasing World-Class Facilities

One of CATSA 2025 delegates, the eminent visitor Prof. Angeliki Lemonidou, from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, had the opportunity to tour Sasol Research and Technology’s state-of-the-art facilities with WP03 leader Denzil Moodley, where CARE-O-SENE catalysts are scaled up for pilot and commercial applications.

CARE-O-SENE and Sasol remain at the forefront of Fischer-Tropsch catalysis research, shaping sustainable technologies for the future.