Nicolas Johner - a visiting researcher to the institute

24 Jun 2026
Nic Jo
24 Jun 2026
  1. Could you tell us a bit about yourself, your background and what brought you to UCT?

Hi, my name is Nicolas, I am a visiting postdoc fellow with a background in chemical engineering from Germany. In my PostDoc I am setting a particular focus on chemical plastic recycling - that is slicing the polymers back into their monomers. My work is driven by the challenge of using plastic waste as a feedstock, combining catalysis, process design, and circular economy principles. I came to the university of Cape Town because of a new undertaking of Prof Nico Fischer to also start research on plastic waste materials. I met him at the Catalysis Society of South Africa Conference in 2024.

  1. What research will you be focusing on during your visit, and how does it connect with the work being done at the Institute?

My research during this visit centers on microwave heating with Nickel-based catalysts for selective decomposition of various polymers into hydrogen and carbon nanotubes. I brought some ground plastic waste with me which I am studying in my main project back in Germany as real-world plastics with all their additives. The Institute’s ongoing work on gaseous products is new to me and their expertise helps me a lot with identifying what I am producing out of the plastic waste.

  1. Collaboration is at the heart of the Institute’s mission. How do you see your expertise contributing to - or benefiting from - this research environment?

I hope to contribute my expertise in chemistry and laboratory troubleshooting skills, which I gained a lot during my PhD where I had to commission my own test stand. I am learning from the diverse perspectives and respective motivations behind the students research here. The collaborative environment at the catalysis institute provides an ideal setting to exchange ideas and develop research approaches.

  1. What are you most looking forward to exploring - scientifically or personally - during your time in Cape Town?

Scientifically, I am most looking forward to engaging in discussions with researchers and students at the catalysis institute and not setting anything on fire. Personally, I am excited to experience Cape Town’s unique environment being a big fan of mountains and the sea simultaneously. Also, I enjoy the excellent food scene in South Africa.