i Supported copper oxide catalysts for octanal hydrogenation: The influence of water By Alisa Govender Submitted in fulfillment of the academic requirements for the degree of Master of Science at the School of Chemistry University of KwaZulu-Natal Durban South Africa June 2010 As the candidates supervisor I have approved this thesis for submission ______________________ ______________________ _____________________ Name Signature Date Disclaimer: Small parts of the text relating to the aims and objectives of this project were deleted at the request of the sponsoring company to achieve "IP clearance"