Kelechi Nwambaekwe

Dedicated researcher with a doctoral degree in Chemistry and a strong background in synthesizing and utilizing nanomaterials for energy applications. Skilled in thin-film solar cell fabrication, battery assembly, fundamental electrochemistry, and developing electrolyte systems. Adept at conducting thorough research and analysis to drive innovation and optimize performance. Committed to advancing sustainable energy solutions through the application of cutting-edge materials and techniques.

• Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Travel Bursary 2024, 2024 Pan-Africa Chemistry Network (PACN) Congress, Kenya, 29/10/23, 31/10/23
• International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE) Travel Award 2024, 75th Annual Meeting of ISE, Canada, 18/08/23, 23/08/23
• National Research Foundation (NRF) Fellowship-Holders Travel Grant, 75th Annual Meeting of ISE, Canada, 18/08/23, 23/08/23
• Bronze Medal, Innovation and Creative Education Fair for Youth, Suceava, Romania, 07/01/23
• National Research Foundation (NRF) Innovation Development Fund Postdoctoral Fellowship, South Africa, 01/01/23, 12/31/24
• EU Erasmus+ KA107 Doctoral Exchange Program, Granada, Spain, 04/01/23, 07/31/23
• Marie Curie Action H2020 - RISE, Chisinau, Moldova, 09/01/19, 10/31/19

• International Society of Electrochemistry, 02/01/22, Present
• Marie Curie Alumni Association, 12/01/20, Present
• The South African Chemical Institute, 04/01/18, Present

• M.E. Ramoroka, S.T. Yussuf, K.C. Nwambaekwe, K.D. Modibane, V.S. John-Denk, S.F. Douman, E.I. Iwuoha, Advances in Organic Photovoltaic Cells: Fine-Tuning of the Photovoltaic Processes, Sol. RRL. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1002/solr.202300982.
• K.C. Nwambaekwe, M.E. Ramoroka, S.T. Yussuf, T.C. Morudu, M.M. Ndipingwi, E.I. Iwuoha, Tb- and Eu-doped yttrium oxyselenides as novel absorber layers for superstrate thin-film photovoltaics: improved spectral optical absorption and green–red phosphor activation, Nanoscale. 15 (2023) 17147–17172. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3NR01162C.
• K.C. Nwambaekwe, V.P. Batir, L. Dermenji, N.D. Curmei, E. Arushanov, E.I. Iwuoha, Spray‐pyrolyzed Cd‐substituted kesterite thin‐films for photovoltaic applications: Post annealing conditions and property studies, Mater. Chem. Phys. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchemphys.2023.127594.
• M.E. Ramoroka, S.T. Yussuf, K.C. Nwambaekwe, M.M. Ndipingwi, V.S. John-Denk, K.D. Modibane, E.I. Iwuoha, S.F. Douman, Highly Electro-Conductive Thiophene and N-methylpyrrole functionalized hyperbranched polypropylenimine tetramine-co-poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) donor materials for organic solar cells, J. Sci. Adv. Mater. Devices. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsamd.2023.100614.
• K.C. Nwambaekwe, M.E. Ramoroka, E.I. Iwuoha, Enhanced photovoltaic effects of microwave-assisted polyol-synthesized Cu2(Pd/Zn)SnS4 kesterite nanoparticles, J. Sci. Adv. Mater. Devices. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsamd.2023.100553.
• S.T. Yussuf, M.E. Ramoroka, S.B. Mdluli, K.C. Nwambaekwe, P.I. Ekwere, O.V. Uhuo, C.O. Ikpo, E.I. Iwuoha, Novel heterojunction superstrate Cu2ZnInS4−x (CZIS) thin film kesterite solar cell with vertical arrays of hexagonal ZnO nanorods window layer, J. Alloys Compd. 935 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2022.168211.
• P. Ekwere, M. Ndipingwi, C. Ikpo, S. Yussuf, K. Nwambaekwe, O. Uhuo, E. Iwuoha, High stability asymmetric supercapacitor cell developed with novel antimonide nanomaterial, J. Energy Storage. 63 (2023) 106853. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2023.106853.
• P. Ekwere, M. Ndipingwi, C. Ikpo, K. Januarie, K. Mokwebo, M. Oranzie, K. Nwambaekwe, O. Uhuo, E. Iwuoha, Precious metal–carbon framework materials for supercapacitors, in: Nanoscience, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1039/9781839169427-00035.
• S.T. Yussuf, K.C. Nwambaekwe, M.E. Ramoroka, E.I. Iwuoha, Photovoltaic efficiencies of microwave and Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) superstrate solar cells, Mater. Today Sustain. 21 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtsust.2022.100287.
• M.M. Ndipingwi, C.O. Ikpo, A.C. Nwanya, K.C. Januarie, M.E. Ramoroka, O. V. Uhuo, K. Nwambaekwe, S.T. Yussuf, E.I. Iwuoha, Engineering the chemical environment of lithium manganese silicate by Mn ion substitution to boost the charge storage capacity for application in high efficiency supercapattery, Electrochim. Acta. 414 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2022.140180.
• O.V. Uhuo, T.T. Waryo, S.F. Douman, K.C. Januarie, K.C. Nwambaekwe, M.M. Ndipingwi, P. Ekwere, E.I. Iwuoha, Bioanalytical methods encompassing label-free and labeled tuberculosis aptasensors: A review, Anal. Chim. Acta. 1234 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2022.340326.
• M.E. Ramoroka, S.B. Mdluli, V.S. John-Denk, K.C. Januarie, K.D. Modibane, K.C. Nwambaekwe, S.T. Yussuf, K. V. Mokwebo, A.R. Williams, E.I. Iwuoha, Synthesis and Reactivities of Conducting Hexathienylbenzene-Co-Poly(3-Hexylthiophene) Star-Branched Copolymer as Donor Material for Organic Photovoltaic Cell, Front. Mater. 9 (2022) 255. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmats.2022.856008.
• K.C. Nwambaekwe, V. John-Denk, S.F. Douman, P. Mathumba, S.T. Yussuf, O. V. Uhuo, P.I. Ekwere, E.I. Iwuoha, Crystal engineering and thin-film deposition strategies towards improving the performance of kesterite photovoltaic cell, J. Mater. Res. Technol. 12 (2021) 1252–1287. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmrt.2021.03.047.
• K.C. Nwambaekwe, M. Masikini, P. Mathumba, M.E. Ramoroka, S. Duoman, V.S. John-Denk, E.I. Iwuoha, Electronics of Anion Hot Injection-Synthesized Te-Functionalized Kesterite Nanomaterial, Nanomaterials. 11 (2021) 794. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11030794.
• A.L.D. Yonkeu, M.M. Ndipingwi, C. Ikpo, K. Nwambaekwe, S. Yussuf, H. Tesfay, E. Iwuoha, Photoluminescence quenching of a novel electroconductive poly(Propylene thiophenoimine)-co-poly(ethylenedioxy thiophene) star copolymer, Polymers (Basel). (2020). https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12122894.

• Prof. Emmanuel Iwuoha, University of the Western Cape, (+27) 827773350, eiwoha@uwc.ac.za
• Prof. Fanelwa Ajayi, University of the Western Cape, (+27) 793586225, fngece@uwc.ac.za
• Dr. Samantha Douman, University of Cape Town, (+27) 632989320, samantha.douman@uct.ac.za