The 2026 National IP Showdown
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The 2026 National IP Showdown that took place on 5 March 2026, hosted by SAICE at the University of Witwatersrand.
Akhanani Mbiyake and Chiemeka Iroka, supervised by Dr P. Biyela, were selected to represent the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering and competed against five other universities.
They presented their research which explores incorporating poly-ionic liquids (PILs) into reverse osmosis membranes for South African water treatment to mitigate membrane fouling and reduce environmental water stress.
Their study found that incorporating poly ionic liquids, PILs, into reverse osmosis membranes improved desalination performance up to an optimal concentration of 1.4 wt.%, which achieved the best balance between salt rejection, membrane stability, and water flow. Higher concentrations caused structural defects and reduced efficiency, showing that excessive PIL content negatively affects membrane performance. Beyond advancing their research skills, this opportunity emphasized how critical clear communication is in engineering.
It offered direct access to industry insights, allowing them to test, validate, and elevate their work.
