UCT hosts a major conference

Industrial crystallisation experts and academics from around the world converged at UCT on 11 September for the first African Bremen International Workshop on Industrial Crystallisation (BIWIC).

The 14th annual conference, which is most often held in Germany, saw delegates presenting and discussing the latest developments in the field. Topics discussed included the formation and stabilisation of nano particles; polymorphs and co-crystal in pharmaceutical preparation; and product and particle design.

Professor Alison Lewis, head of the Crystallisation and Precipitation Unit in the Department of Chemical Engineering, said the aim of the event was to share ideas and advance knowledge. She told the gathering that the field of crystallisation holds many challenges, with physical and chemical complexities driving innovations in the field.

'Exciting advances are currently being achieved in the areas of nano-particle formation, product and particle design and methods of particle characterisation,' said Lewis, adding that there is also progress and innovation in the design, scale-up and control crystallisation areas.

A highlight of the conference was the traditional soccer game, which was first played in Korea in 2004.