Ryno van Niekerk

PhD Candidate
Eindhoven University of Technology

Department

Chemical Engineering and Chemistry

Contact information

Room
Helix STO 2.39

Email address
r.v.niekerk@tue.nl

Key expertises

Waterborne coatings, liquid crystals, polymer synthesis, organic synthesis, microscopy

About me

I received my BSc degree in Chemistry and Polymer Science and my BSc (Hons), and MSc degrees in Polymer Science at Stellenbosch University. After graduating cum laude with a master’s in Polymer Science, I joined Sherwin-Williams as a research and development chemist where my research was focused on the development of food packaging coatings. In January 2023, I started my PhD in the research groups of Dr. A.C.C. Esteves and Prof. dr. A.P.H.J. Schenning.

About my research

Color in coatings is typically achieved with pigments of inorganic or organic nature. Many of these pigments are, however, non-degradable, heat-sensitive, reactive, very expensive or have a high carbon footprint. My research project is focused on replacing such pigments with more sustainable and biocompatible materials, as well as to develop new strategies to reach either multicolor(s) or plain white color. Structural color will be incorporated in waterborne biobased coatings using cholesteric liquid crystals.

Academic career

MSc Polymer Science (cum laude)
2020-2021: Masters degree at Stellenbosch University, under the supervision of Prof. Bert Klumperman

BSc (Hons) Polymer Science
2019: Honours degree at Stellenbosch University, under the supervision of Prof. Bert Klumperman

BSc Chemistry and Polymer Science
2014-2018: Bachelor degree at Stellenbosch University.