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Author Heyne, M.H.; Chiappe, D.; Meersschaut, J.; Nuytten, T.; Conard, T.; Bender, H.; Huyghebaert, C.; Radu, I.P.; Caymax, M.; de Marneffe, J.F.; Neyts, E.C.; De Gendt, S.; doi  openurl
  Title Multilayer MoS2 growth by metal and metal oxide sulfurization Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Journal of materials chemistry C : materials for optical and electronic devices Abbreviated Journal J Mater Chem C  
  Volume 4 Issue 4 Pages 1295-1304  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract We investigated the deposition of MoS2 multilayers on large area substrates. The pre-deposition of metal or metal oxide with subsequent sulfurization is a promising technique to achieve layered films. We distinguish a different reaction behavior in metal oxide and metallic films and investigate the effect of the temperature, the H2S/H-2 gas mixture composition, and the role of the underlying substrate on the material quality. The results of the experiments suggest a MoS2 growth mechanism consisting of two subsequent process steps. At first, the reaction of the sulfur precursor with the metal or metal oxide occurs, requiring higher temperatures in the case of metallic film compared to metal oxide. At this stage, the basal planes assemble towards the diffusion direction of the reaction educts and products. After the sulfurization reaction, the material recrystallizes and the basal planes rearrange parallel to the substrate to minimize the surface energy. Therefore, substrates with low roughness show basal plane assembly parallel to the substrate. These results indicate that the substrate character has a significant impact on the assembly of low dimensional MoS2 films.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000370723300020 Publication Date 2016-01-05  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2050-7526; 2050-7534 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 5.256 Times cited Open Access (up)  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5.256  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:132327 Serial 4211  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Neyts, E.C. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title The role of ions in plasma catalytic carbon nanotube growth : a review Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2015 Publication Frontiers of Chemical Science and Engineering Abbreviated Journal Front Chem Sci Eng  
  Volume 9 Issue 9 Pages 154-162  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract While it is well-known that the plasma-enhanced catalytic chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) offers a number of advantages over thermal CVD, the influence of the various individual contributing factors is not well understood. Especially the role of ions is unclear, since ions in plasmas are generally associated with sputtering rather than with growing a material. Even so, various studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of ion bombardment during the growth of CNTs. This review looks at the role of the ions in plasma-enhanced CNT growth as deduced from both experimental and simulation studies. Specific attention is paid to the beneficial effects of ion bombardment. Based on the available literature, it can be concluded that ions can be either beneficial or detrimental for carbon nanotube growth, depending on the exact conditions and the control over the growth process.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000360319600003 Publication Date 2015-06-11  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2095-0179 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 1.712 Times cited 8 Open Access (up)  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 1.712; 2015 IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:127815 Serial 4239  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ali, S.; Myasnichenko, V.S.; Neyts, E.C. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Size-dependent strain and surface energies of gold nanoclusters Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Physical chemistry, chemical physics Abbreviated Journal Phys Chem Chem Phys  
  Volume 18 Issue 18 Pages 792-800  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Gold nanocluster properties exhibit unique size-dependence. In this contribution, we employ reactive molecular dynamics simulations to calculate the size- and temperature-dependent surface energies, strain energies and atomic displacements for icosahedral, cuboctahedral, truncated octahedral and decahedral Au-nanoclusters. The calculations demonstrate that the surface energy decreases with increasing cluster size at 0 K but increases with size at higher temperatures. The calculated melting curves as a function of cluster size demonstrate the Gibbs-Thomson effect. Atomic displacements and strain are found to strongly depend on the cluster size and both are found to increase with increasing cluster size. These results are of importance for understanding the size-and temperature-dependent surface processes on gold nanoclusters.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Cambridge Editor  
  Language Wos 000369480600017 Publication Date 2015-11-18  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1463-9076 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.123 Times cited 37 Open Access (up)  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.123  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:131626 Serial 4243  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Dabaghmanesh, S.; Neyts, E.C.; Partoens, B. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title van der Waals density functionals applied to corundum-type sesquioxides : bulk properties and adsorption of CH3 and C6H6 on (0001) surfaces Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Physical chemistry, chemical physics Abbreviated Journal Phys Chem Chem Phys  
  Volume 18 Issue 18 Pages 23139-23146  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT); Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract van der Waals (vdW) forces play an important role in the adsorption of molecules on the surface of solids. However, the choice of the most suitable vdW functional for different systems is an essential problem which must be addressed for different systems. The lack of a systematic study on the performance of the vdW functionals in the bulk and adsorption properties of metal-oxides motivated us to examine different vdW approaches and compute the bulk and molecular adsorption properties of alpha-Cr2O3, alpha-Fe2O3, and alpha-Al2O3. For the bulk properties, we compared our results for the heat of formation, cohesive energy, lattice parameters and bond distances between the different vdW functionals and available experimental data. Next we studied the adsorption of benzene and CH3 molecules on top of different oxide surfaces. We employed different approximations to exchange and correlation within DFT, namely, the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) GGA, (PBE)+U, and vdW density functionals [ DFT(vdW-DF/DF2/optPBE/optB86b/optB88)+U] as well as DFT-D2/D3(+U) methods of Grimme for the bulk calculations and optB86b-vdW(+U) and DFT-D2(+U) for the adsorption energy calculations. Our results highlight the importance of vdW interactions not only in the adsorption of molecules, but importantly also for the bulk properties. Although the vdW contribution in the adsorption of CH3 (as a chemisorption interaction) is less important compared to the adsorption of benzene (as a physisorption interaction), this contribution is not negligible. Also adsorption of benzene on ferryl/chromyl terminated surfaces shows an important chemisorption contribution in which the vdW interactions become less significant.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Cambridge Editor  
  Language Wos 000382109300040 Publication Date 2016-07-27  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1463-9076; 1463-9084 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.123 Times cited 6 Open Access (up)  
  Notes ; This work was supported by the Strategic Initiative Materials in Flanders (SIM). The computational resources and services used in this work were provided by the Vlaams Supercomputer Centrum (VSC) and the HPC infrastructure of the University of Antwerp. ; Approved Most recent IF: 4.123  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:135701 Serial 4311  
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Author Neyts, E. isbn  openurl
  Title Algemene chemie : van atomen tot thermodynamica Type MA2 Book as author
  Year 2014 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 317 p.  
  Keywords MA2 Book as author; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Acco Place of Publication Leuven Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN 978-90-334-9628-8 Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access (up)  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:128094 Serial 4514  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Nematollahi, P.; Neyts, E.C. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Direct methane conversion to methanol on M and MN4 embedded graphene (M = Ni and Si): a comparative DFT study Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2019 Publication Applied surface science Abbreviated Journal Appl Surf Sci  
  Volume 496 Issue 496 Pages 143618  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract The ever increasing global production and dispersion of methane requires novel chemistry to transform it into easily condensable energy carriers that can be integrated into the chemical infrastructure. In this context, single atom catalysts have attracted considerable interest due to their outstanding catalytic activity. We here use density functional theory (DFT) computations to compare the reaction and activation energies of M and MN4 embedded graphene (M = Ni and Si) on the methane-to-methanol conversion near room temperature. Thermodynamically, conversion of methane to methanol is energetically favorable at ambient conditions. Both singlet and triplet spin state of the studied systems are considered in all of the calculations. The DFT results show that the barriers are significantly lower when the complexes are in the triplet state than in the singlet state. In particular, Si-G with the preferred spin multiplicity of triplet seems to be viable catalysts for methane oxidation thanks to the corresponding lower energy barriers and higher stability of the obtained configurations. Our results provide insights into the nature of methane conversion and may serve as guidance for fabricating cost-effective graphene-based single atom catalysts.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000488957400004 Publication Date 2019-08-12  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0169-4332 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 3.387 Times cited 2 Open Access (up)  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.387  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:163695 Serial 6294  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Nematollahi, P.; Neyts, E.C. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Direct oxidation of methane to methanol on Co embedded N-doped graphene: Comparing the role of N₂O and O₂ as oxidants Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2020 Publication Applied Catalysis A-General Abbreviated Journal Appl Catal A-Gen  
  Volume 602 Issue Pages 117716-10  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract In this work, the effects of N-doping into the Co-doped single vacancy (Co-SV-G) and di-vacancy graphene flake (Co-dV-G) are investigated and compared toward direct oxidation of methane to methanol (DOMM) employing two different oxidants (N2O and O-2) using density functional theory (DFT) calculation. We found that DOMM on CoN3-G utilizing the N2O molecule as oxygen-donor proceeds via a two-step reaction with low activation energies. In addition, we found that although CoN3-G might be a good catalyst for methane conversion, it can also catalyze the oxidation of methanol to CO2 and H2O due to the required low activation barriers. Moreover, the adsorption behaviors of CHx (x = 0-4) species and dehydrogenation of CHx (x = 1-4) species on CoN3-G are investigated. We concluded that CoN3-G can be used as an efficient catalyst for DOMM and N-2O reduction at ambient conditions which may serve as a guide for fabricating effective C/N catalysts in energy-related devices.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000554006800046 Publication Date 2020-06-27  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0926-860x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 5.5 Times cited Open Access (up)  
  Notes ; This work was performed with the financial support from the Doctoral Fund of the Antwerp University (NO. BOFLP33099). All the simulations are performed on resources provided by the high-performance computing center of Antwerp University. ; Approved Most recent IF: 5.5; 2020 IF: 4.339  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:171219 Serial 6485  
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Author Grubova, I.Y.; Surmeneva, M.A.; Surmenev, R.A.; Neyts, E.C. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Effect of van der Waals interactions on the adhesion strength at the interface of the hydroxyapatite-titanium biocomposite : a first-principles study Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2020 Publication RSC advances Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 10 Issue 62 Pages 37800-37805  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Hydroxyapatite (HAP) is frequently used as biocompatible coating on Ti-based implants. In this context, the HAP-Ti adhesion is of crucial importance. Here, we report ab initio calculations to investigate the influence of Si incorporation into the amorphous calcium-phosphate (a-HAP) structure on the interfacial bonding mechanism between the a-HAP coating and an amorphous titanium dioxide (a-TiO2) substrate, contrasting two different density functionals: PBE-GGA, and DFT-D3, which are capable of describing the influence of the van der Waals (vdW) interactions. In particular, we discuss the effect of dispersion on the work of adhesion (W-ad), equilibrium geometries, and charge density difference (CDD). We find that replacement of P by Si in a-HAP (a-Si-HAP) with the creation of OH vacancies as charge compensation results in a significant increase in the bond strength between the coating and substrate in the case of using the PBE-GGA functional. However, including the vdW interactions shows that these forces considerably contribute to the W-ad. We show that the difference (W-ad – W-ad(vdW)) is on average more than 1.1 J m(-2) and 0.5 J m(-2) for a-HAP/a-TiO2 and a-Si-HAP/a-TiO2, respectively. These results reveal that including vdW interactions is essential for accurately describing the chemical bonding at the a-HAP/a-TiO2 interface.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000583523300025 Publication Date 2020-10-14  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access (up)  
  Notes ; The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Russian president's grant MK-330.2020.8 and BOF Fellowships for International Joint PhD students funded by University of Antwerp (UAntwerp, project number 32545). The work was carried out at Tomsk Polytechnic University within the framework of Tomsk Polytechnic University Competitiveness Enhancement Program grant and in part using the Turing HPC infrastructure of the CalcUA core facility of the UAntwerp, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Centre (VSC), funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the UAntwerp, Belgium. ; Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:173603 Serial 6499  
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Author Kovács, A.; Billen, P.; Cornet, I.; Wijnants, M.; Neyts, E.C. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Modeling the physicochemical properties of natural deep eutectic solvents : a review Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2020 Publication Chemsuschem Abbreviated Journal Chemsuschem  
  Volume 13 Issue 15 Pages 3789-3804  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Intelligence in PRocesses, Advanced Catalysts and Solvents (iPRACS); Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT); Biochemical Wastewater Valorization & Engineering (BioWaVE)  
  Abstract Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) are mixtures of naturally derived compounds with a significantly decreased melting point due to the specific interactions among the constituents. NADES have benign properties (low volatility, flammability, toxicity, cost) and tailorable physicochemical properties (by altering the type and molar ratio of constituents), hence they are often considered as a green alternative to common organic solvents. Modeling the relation between their composition and properties is crucial though, both for understanding and predicting their behavior. Several efforts were done to this end, yet this review aims at structuring the present knowledge as an outline for future research. First, we reviewed the key properties of NADES and relate them to their structure based on the available experimental data. Second, we reviewed available modeling methods applicable to NADES. At the molecular level, density functional theory and molecular dynamics allow interpreting density differences and vibrational spectra, and computation of interaction energies. Additionally, properties at the level of the bulk media can be explained and predicted by semi-empirical methods based on ab initio methods (COSMO-RS) and equation of state models (PC-SAFT). Finally, methods based on large datasets are discussed; models based on group contribution methods and machine learning. A combination of bulk media and dataset modeling allows qualitative prediction and interpretation of phase equilibria properties on the one hand, and quantitative prediction of melting point, density, viscosity, surface tension and refractive indices on the other hand. In our view, multiscale modeling, combining the molecular and macroscale methods, will strongly enhance the predictability of NADES properties and their interaction with solutes, yielding truly tailorable solvents to accommodate (bio)chemical reactions.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000541499100001 Publication Date 2020-05-07  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1864-5631 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 8.4 Times cited Open Access (up)  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 8.4; 2020 IF: 7.226  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:168851 Serial 6770  
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Author Surmenev, R.A.; Grubova, I.Y.; Neyts, E.; Teresov, A.D.; Koval, N.N.; Epple, M.; Tyurin, A.I.; Pichugin, V.F.; Chaikina, M.V.; Surmeneva, M.A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Ab initio calculations and a scratch test study of RF-magnetron sputter deposited hydroxyapatite and silicon-containing hydroxyapatite coatings Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2020 Publication Surfaces and interfaces Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 21 Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract A crucial property for implants is their biocompatibility. To ensure biocompatibility, thin coatings of hydroxyapatite (HA) are deposited on the actual implant. In this study, we investigate the effects of the addition of silicate anions to the structure of hydroxyapatite coatings on their adhesion strength via a scratch test and ab initio calculations. We find that both the grain size and adhesion strength decrease with the increase in the silicon content in the HA coating (SiHA). The increase in the silicon content to 1.2 % in the HA coating leads to a decrease in the average crystallite size from 28 to 21 nm, and in the case of 4.6 %, it leads to the formation of an amorphous or nanocrystalline film. The decreases in the grain and crystallite sizes lead to peeling and destruction of the coating from the titanium substrate at lower loads. Further, our ab initio simulations demonstrate an increased number of molecular bonds at the amorphous SiHA-TiO2 interface. However, the experimental results revealed that the structure and grain size have more pronounced effects on the adhesion strength of the coatings. In conclusion, based on the results of the ab initio simulations and the experimental results, we suggest that the presence of Si in the form of silicate ions in the HA coating has a significant impact on the structure, grain size, and number of molecular bonds at the interface and on the adhesion strength of the SiHA coating to the titanium substrate.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000697616300009 Publication Date 2020-10-02  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2468-0230 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 6.2 Times cited Open Access (up)  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 6.2; 2020 IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:181685 Serial 7400  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Kovács, A.; Janssens, N.; Mielants, M.; Cornet, I.; Neyts, E.C.; Billen, P. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Biocatalyzed vinyl laurate transesterification in natural deep eutectic solvents Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Waste and biomass valorization Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 1-12  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT); Biochemical Wastewater Valorization & Engineering (BioWaVE); Intelligence in PRocesses, Advanced Catalysts and Solvents (iPRACS)  
  Abstract Purpose Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) represent a green alternative to conventional organic solvents as reaction medium, offering more benign properties. To efficiently design NADES for biocatalysis, a better understanding of their effect on these reactions is needed. We hypothesize that this effect can be described by separately considering (1) the solvent interactions with the substrates, (2) the solvent viscosities and (3) the enzyme stability in NADES. Methods We investigated the effect of substrate solvation and viscosity on the reaction rate; and the stability of the enzyme in NADES. To this end, we monitored the conversion over time of the transesterification of vinyl laurate with 1- butanol by the lipase enzyme Candida antarctica B in NADES of different compounds and molar ratios. Results The initial reaction rate is higher in most NADES ( varying between 1.14 and 15.07 mu mol min(-1) mg(-1)) than in the reference n-hexane (4.0 mu mol min(-1) mg(-1))), but no clear relationship between viscosity and initial reaction rate was found. The increased reaction rate is most likely related to the solvation of the substrate due to a change in the activation energy of the reaction or a change in the conformation of the substrate. The enzyme retained part of its activity after the first 2 h of reaction (on average 20 % of the substrate reacted in the 2-24 h period). Enzyme incubation in ethylene glycol-based NADES resulted in a reduced reaction rate ( 15.07 vs. 3.34 mu mol min(-1) mg(-1)), but this may also be due to slow dissolution of the substrate. Conclusions The effect of viscosity seems to be marginal next to the effect of solvation and possible enzyme-NADES interaction. The enzyme retains some of its activity during the 24-hour measurements, but the enzyme incubation experiments did not yield accurate, comparable values. [GRAPHICS] .  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001117290800003 Publication Date 2023-12-07  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1877-2641; 1877-265x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access (up)  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:202709 Serial 9005  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Khalilov, U.; Uljayev, U.; Mehmonov, K.; Nematollahi, P.; Yusupov, M.; Neyts, E.C.; Neyts, E.C. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Can endohedral transition metals enhance hydrogen storage in carbon nanotubes? Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication International journal of hydrogen energy Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 55 Issue Pages 640-610  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Modelling and Simulation in Chemistry (MOSAIC); Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract The safe and efficient use of hydrogen energy, which is in high demand worldwide today, requires efficient hydrogen storage. Despite significant advances in hydrogen storage using carbon-based nanomaterials, including carbon nanotubes (CNTs), efforts to substantially increase the storage capacity remain less effective. In this work, we demonstrate the effect of endohedral transition metal atoms on the hydrogen storage capacity of CNTs using reactive molecular dynamics simulations. We find that an increase in the volume fraction of endohedral nickel atoms leads to an increase in the concentration of physisorbed hydrogen molecules around single-walled CNTs (SWNTs) by approximately 1.6 times compared to pure SWNTs. The obtained results provide insight into the underlying mechanisms of how endohedral transition metal atoms enhance the hydrogen storage ability of SWNTs under nearly ambient conditions.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001142427400001 Publication Date 2023-11-24  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0360-3199 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access (up)  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:202315 Serial 9006  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Grubova, I.Y.; Surmenev, R.A.; Neyts, E.C.; Koptyug, A.V.; Volkova, A.P.; Surmeneva, M.A. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Combined first-principles and experimental study on the microstructure and mechanical characteristics of the multicomponent additive-manufactured Ti-35Nb-7Zr-5Ta alloy Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication ACS Omega Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 8 Issue 30 Pages 27519-27533  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract New & beta;-stabilizedTi-based alloys are highly promising forbone implants, thanks in part to their low elasticity. The natureof this elasticity, however, is as yet unknown. We here present combinedfirst-principles DFT calculations and experiments on the microstructure,structural stability, mechanical characteristics, and electronic structureto elucidate this origin. Our results suggest that the studied & beta;Ti-35Nb-7Zr-5Ta wt % (TNZT) alloy manufacturedby the electron-beam powder bed fusion (E-PBF) method has homogeneousmechanical properties (H = 2.01 & PLUSMN; 0.22 GPa and E = 69.48 & PLUSMN; 0.03 GPa) along the building direction,which is dictated by the crystallographic texture and microstructuremorphologies. The analysis of the structural and electronic properties,as the main factors dominating the chemical bonding mechanism, indicatesthat TNZT has a mixture of strong metallic and weak covalent bonding.Our calculations demonstrate that the softening in the Cauchy pressure(C & PRIME; = 98.00 GPa) and elastic constant C ̅ ( 44 ) = 23.84 GPa is the originof the low elasticity of TNZT. Moreover, the nature of this softeningphenomenon can be related to the weakness of the second and thirdneighbor bonds in comparison with the first neighbor bonds in theTNZT. Thus, the obtained results indicate that a carefully designedTNZT alloy can be an excellent candidate for the manufacturing oforthopedic internal fixation devices. In addition, the current findingscan be used as guidance not only for predicting the mechanical propertiesbut also the nature of elastic characteristics of the newly developedalloys with yet unknown properties.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001031269000001 Publication Date 2023-07-18  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2470-1343 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access (up)  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:198313 Serial 9011  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Cassimon, J.; Kovács, A.; Neyts, E.; Cornet, I.; Billen, P. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Deacetylation of mannosylerythritol lipids in hydrophobic natural deep eutectic solvents Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication European journal of organic chemistry Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 27 Issue 5 Pages e202300934-10  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT); Biochemical Wastewater Valorization & Engineering (BioWaVE); Intelligence in PRocesses, Advanced Catalysts and Solvents (iPRACS)  
  Abstract Mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) are a promising group of biosurfactants due to their high fermentation yield, selfassembly and biological activity. During fermentation by Pseudozyma aphidis, a mixture of MELs with different levels of acylation is formed, of which the fully deacetylated form is the most valuable. In order to reduce the environmental impact of deacetylation, an enzymatic process using natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) has been developed. We tested the deacetylation of a purified MELs mixture with immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B enzyme and 2-ethylhexanol as co-substrate in 140 h reactions with different NADES. We identified hydrophobic NADES systems with similar yields and kinetics as in pure 2-ethylhexanol solvent. Our results indicate that deacetylation of MELs mixtures in NADES as a solvent is possible with yields comparable to pure co-substrate and that hydrophobic NADES without carboxylic acid compounds facilitate the reaction to the greatest extent.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2023-12-12  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1434-193x; 1099-0690 ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access (up)  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:201382 Serial 9017  
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Author Mortet, V.; Zhang, L.; Eckert, M.; D'Haen, J.; Soltani, A.; Moreau, M.; Troadec, D.; Neyts, E.; De Jaeger, J.C.; Verbeeck, J.; Bogaerts, A.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Haenen, K.; Wagner, P. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Grain size tuning of nanocrystalline chemical vapor deposited diamond by continuous electrical bias growth : experimental and theoretical study Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2012 Publication Physica status solidi : A : applications and materials science Abbreviated Journal Phys Status Solidi A  
  Volume 209 Issue 9 Pages 1675-1682  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract In this work, a detailed structural and spectroscopic study of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) thin films grown by a continuous bias assisted CVD growth technique is reported. This technique allows the tuning of grain size and phase purity in the deposited material. The crystalline properties of the films are characterized by SEM, TEM, EELS, and Raman spectroscopy. A clear improvement of the crystalline structure of the nanograined diamond film is observed for low negative bias voltages, while high bias voltages lead to thin films consisting of diamond grains of only ∼10 nm nanometer in size, showing remarkable similarities with so-called ultrananocrystalline diamond. These layers arecharacterized by an increasing amount of sp2-bonded carbon content of the matrix in which the diamond grains are embedded. Classical molecular dynamics simulations support the observed experimental data, giving insight in the underlying mechanism for the observed increase in deposition rate with bias voltage. Furthermore, a high atomic concentration of hydrogen has been determined in these films. Finally, Raman scattering analyses confirm that the Raman line observed at ∼1150 cm−1 cannot be attributed to trans-poly-acetylene, which continues to be reported in literature, reassigning it to a deformation mode of CHx bonds in NCD.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000308942100009 Publication Date 2012-09-04  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1862-6300; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 1.775 Times cited 31 Open Access (up)  
  Notes M.E. and E.N. acknowledge financial support from, respectively, the Institute for Promotion of Innovation through Science and Technology in Flanders (IWT), and the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO). J.V. gratefully acknowledges financial support from the GOA project “XANES meets ELNES” of the research fund of the University of Antwerp. Calculation support was provided by the University of Antwerp through the core facility CALCUA. G.V.T. acknowledges the ERC grant COUNTATOMS. The work was also financially supported by the joint UAUHasseltMethusalem “NANO” network, the Research Programs G.0068.07 and G.0555.10N of the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO), the IAP-P6/42 project “Quantum Effects in Clusters and Nanowires”, and by the EU FP7 through the Integrated Infrastructure Initiative “ESMI” (No. 262348), the Marie Curie ITN “MATCON” (PITN-GA-2009-238201), and the Collaborative Project “DINAMO” (No. 245122). Approved Most recent IF: 1.775; 2012 IF: 1.469  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:101516UA @ admin @ c:irua:101516 Serial 1364  
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Author Verlackt, C.C.W.; Neyts, E.C.; Jacob, T.; Fantauzzi, D.; Golkaram, M.; Shin, Y.-K.; van Duin, A.C.T.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Atomic-scale insight into the interactions between hydroxyl radicals and DNA in solution using the ReaxFF reactive force field Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2015 Publication New journal of physics Abbreviated Journal New J Phys  
  Volume 17 Issue 17 Pages 103005  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Cold atmospheric pressure plasmas have proven to provide an alternative treatment of cancer by targeting tumorous cells while leaving their healthy counterparts unharmed. However, the underlying mechanisms of the plasma–cell interactions are not yet fully understood. Reactive oxygen species, and in particular hydroxyl radicals (OH), are known to play a crucial role in plasma driven apoptosis of

malignant cells. In this paper we investigate the interaction of OH radicals, as well as H2O2 molecules and HO2 radicals, with DNA by means of reactive molecular dynamics simulations using the ReaxFF force field. Our results provide atomic-scale insight into the dynamics of oxidative stress on DNA caused by the OH radicals, while H2O2 molecules appear not reactive within the considered timescale. Among the observed processes are the formation of 8-OH-adduct radicals, forming the first stages towards the formation of 8-oxoGua and 8-oxoAde, H-abstraction reactions of the amines, and the partial opening of loose DNA ends in aqueous solution.
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000367328100001 Publication Date 2015-10-02  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1367-2630; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 3.786 Times cited 18 Open Access (up)  
  Notes CCWV,ECN and AB acknowledge the contribution of J Van Beeck who is investigating the interaction between H2O2 andDNAusingrMDsimulations. Furthermore, they acknowledge financial support from the Fund for Scientific Research—Flanders (project number G012413N). The calculations were performed using the Turing HPCinfrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the Universiteit Antwerpen. TJ and DF gratefully acknowledge support from the European Research Council through the ERC-Starting GrantTHEOFUN(Grant Agreement No. 259608). Approved Most recent IF: 3.786; 2015 IF: 3.558  
  Call Number c:irua:129178 Serial 3955  
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Author Engelmann, Y.; Bogaerts, A.; Neyts, E.C. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Thermodynamics at the nanoscale : phase diagrams of nickel-carbon nanoclusters and equilibrium constants for face transitions Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2014 Publication Nanoscale Abbreviated Journal Nanoscale  
  Volume 6 Issue Pages 11981-11987  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; PLASMANT  
  Abstract Using reactive molecular dynamics simulations, the melting behavior of nickelcarbon nanoclusters is examined. The phase diagrams of icosahedral and Wulff polyhedron clusters are determined using both the Lindemann index and the potential energy. Formulae are derived for calculating the equilibrium constants and the solid and liquid fractions during a phase transition, allowing more rational determination of the melting temperature with respect to the arbitrary Lindemann value. These results give more insight into the properties of nickelcarbon nanoclusters in general and can specifically be very useful for a better understanding of the synthesis of carbon nanotubes using the catalytic chemical vapor deposition method.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Cambridge Editor  
  Language Wos 000343000800049 Publication Date 2014-07-24  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2040-3364;2040-3372; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 7.367 Times cited 20 Open Access (up)  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 7.367; 2014 IF: 7.394  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:119408 Serial 3636  
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Author Zhang, Y.-R.; Van Laer, K.; Neyts, E.C.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Can plasma be formed in catalyst pores? A modeling investigation Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Applied catalysis : B : environmental Abbreviated Journal Appl Catal B-Environ  
  Volume 185 Issue 185 Pages 56-67  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract tWe investigate microdischarge formation inside catalyst pores by a two-dimensional fluid model forvarious pore sizes in the m-range and for various applied voltages. Indeed, this is a poorly understoodphenomenon in plasma catalysis. The calculations are performed for a dielectric barrier discharge inhelium, at atmospheric pressure. The electron and ion densities, electron temperature, electric field andpotential, as well as the electron impact ionization and excitation rate and the densities of excited plasmaspecies, are examined for a better understanding of the characteristics of the plasma inside a pore. Theresults indicate that the pore size and the applied voltage are critical parameters for the formation of amicrodischarge inside a pore. At an applied voltage of 20 kV, our calculations reveal that the ionizationmainly takes place inside the pore, and the electron density shows a significant increase near and inthe pore for pore sizes larger than 200m, whereas the effect of the pore on the total ion density isevident even for 10m pores. When the pore size is fixed at 30m, the presence of the pore has nosignificant influence on the plasma properties at an applied voltage of 2 kV. Upon increasing the voltage,the ionization process is enhanced due to the strong electric field and high electron temperature, andthe ion density shows a remarkable increase near and in the pore for voltages above 10 kV. These resultsindicate that the plasma species can be formed inside pores of structured catalysts (in the m range),and they may interact with the catalyst surface, and affect the plasma catalytic process.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000369452000006 Publication Date 2015-12-11  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0926-3373 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 9.446 Times cited 75 Open Access (up)  
  Notes This work was supported by the Fund for Scientific ResearchFlanders (FWO) (Grant no. G.0217.14N), the National Natural Sci-ence Foundation of China (Grant no. 11405019), and the ChinaPostdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant no. 2015T80244). Theauthors are very grateful to V. Meynen for the useful discussions oncatalysts. This work was carried out in part using the Turing HPCinfrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwer-pen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, fundedby the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (departmentEWI) and the University of Antwerp. Approved Most recent IF: 9.446  
  Call Number c:irua:129808 Serial 3984  
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Author Bogaerts, A.; Khosravian, N.; Van der Paal, J.; Verlackt, C.C.W.; Yusupov, M.; Kamaraj, B.; Neyts, E.C. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Multi-level molecular modelling for plasma medicine Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys  
  Volume 49 Issue 49 Pages 054002  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Modelling at the molecular or atomic scale can be very useful for obtaining a better insight in plasma medicine. This paper gives an overview of different atomic/molecular scale modelling approaches that can be used to study the direct interaction of plasma species with biomolecules or the consequences of these interactions for the biomolecules on a somewhat longer time-scale. These approaches include density functional theory (DFT), density functional based tight binding (DFTB), classical reactive and non-reactive molecular dynamics (MD) and united-atom or coarse-grained MD, as well as hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) methods. Specific examples will be given for three important types of biomolecules, present in human cells, i.e. proteins, DNA and phospholipids found in the cell membrane. The results show that each of these modelling approaches has its specific strengths and limitations, and is particularly useful for certain applications. A multi-level approach is therefore most suitable for obtaining a global picture of the plasma–biomolecule interactions.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000368944100003 Publication Date 2015-12-16  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0022-3727 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 11 Open Access (up)  
  Notes This work is financially supported by the Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO) and the Francqui Foundation. The calculations were carried out in part using the Turing HPC infrastructure of the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the Universiteit Antwerpen. Approved Most recent IF: 2.588  
  Call Number c:irua:131571 Serial 3985  
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Author Van der Paal, J.; Neyts, E.C.; Verlackt, C.C.W.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Effect of lipid peroxidation on membrane permeability of cancer and normal cells subjected to oxidative stress Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Chemical science Abbreviated Journal Chem Sci  
  Volume 7 Issue 7 Pages 489-498  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract We performed molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the effect of lipid peroxidation products on the structural and dynamic properties of the cell membrane. Our simulations predict that the lipid order in a phospholipid bilayer, as a model system for the cell membrane, decreases upon addition of lipid peroxidation products. Eventually, when all phospholipids are oxidized, pore formation can occur. This will allow reactive species, such as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), to enter the cell and cause oxidative damage to intracellular macromolecules, such as DNA or proteins. On the other hand, upon increasing the cholesterol fraction of lipid bilayers, the cell membrane order increases, eventually reaching a certain threshold, from which cholesterol is able to protect the membrane against pore formation. This finding is crucial for cancer treatment by plasma technology, producing a large number of RONS, as well as for other cancer treatment methods that cause an increase in the concentration of extracellular RONS. Indeed, cancer cells contain less cholesterol than their healthy counterparts. Thus, they will be more vulnerable to the consequences of lipid peroxidation, eventually enabling the penetration of RONS into the interior of the cell, giving rise to oxidative stress, inducing pro-apoptotic factors. This provides, for the first time, molecular level insight why plasma can selectively treat cancer cells, while leaving their healthy counterparts undamaged, as is indeed experimentally demonstrated.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000366826900058 Publication Date 2015-10-16  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2041-6520 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 8.668 Times cited 106 Open Access (up)  
  Notes The authors acknowledge nancial support from the Fund for Scientic Research (FWO) Flanders, grant number G012413N. The calculations were performed in part using the Turing HPC infrastructure of the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the Universiteit Antwerpen. Approved Most recent IF: 8.668  
  Call Number c:irua:131058 Serial 3986  
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Author Khalilov, U.; Bogaerts, A.; Neyts, E.C. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Atomic scale simulation of carbon nanotube nucleation from hydrocarbon precursors Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2015 Publication Nature communications Abbreviated Journal Nat Commun  
  Volume 6 Issue 6 Pages 10306  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Atomic scale simulations of the nucleation and growth of carbon nanotubes is essential for understanding their growth mechanism. In spite of over twenty years of simulation efforts in this area, limited progress has so far been made on addressing the role of the hydrocarbon growth precursor. Here we report on atomic scale simulations of cap nucleation of single-walled carbon nanotubes from hydrocarbon precursors. The presented mechanism emphasizes the important role of hydrogen in the nucleation process, and is discussed in relation to previously presented mechanisms. In particular, the role of hydrogen in the appearance of unstable carbon structures during in situ experimental observations as well as the initial stage of multi-walled carbon nanotube growth is discussed. The results are in good agreement with available experimental and quantum-mechanical results, and provide a basic understanding of the incubation and nucleation stages of hydrocarbon-based CNT growth at the atomic level.  
  Address PLASMANT research group, Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerpen, Belgium  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Wos 000367584500001 Publication Date 2015-12-22  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2041-1723 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 12.124 Times cited 37 Open Access (up)  
  Notes The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Fund of Scientific Research Flanders (FWO), Belgium, grant number 12M1315N. The work was carried out in part using the Turing HPC infrastructure of the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Centre VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the Universiteit Antwerpen. We thank Professor Adri C. T. van Duin for sharing the ReaxFF code. Approved Most recent IF: 12.124; 2015 IF: 11.470  
  Call Number c:irua:129975 Serial 3990  
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Author Bal, K.M.; Neyts, E.C. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Merging Metadynamics into Hyperdynamics: Accelerated Molecular Simulations Reaching Time Scales from Microseconds to Seconds Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2015 Publication Journal of chemical theory and computation Abbreviated Journal J Chem Theory Comput  
  Volume 11 Issue 11 Pages 4545-4554  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract The hyperdynamics method is a powerful tool to simulate slow processes at the atomic level. However, the construction of an optimal hyperdynamics potential is a task that is far from trivial. Here, we propose a generally applicable implementation of the hyperdynamics algorithm, borrowing two concepts from metadynamics. First, the use of a collective variable (CV) to represent the accelerated dynamics gives the method a very large flexibility and simplicity. Second, a metadynamics procedure can be used to construct a suitable history-dependent bias potential on-the-fly, effectively turning the algorithm into a self-learning accelerated molecular dynamics method. This collective variable-driven hyperdynamics (CVHD) method has a modular design: both the local system properties on which the bias is based, as well as the characteristics of the biasing method itself, can be chosen to match the needs of the considered system. As a result, system-specific details are abstracted from the biasing algorithm itself, making it extremely versatile and transparent. The method is tested on three model systems: diffusion on the Cu(001) surface and nickel-catalyzed methane decomposition, as examples of reactive processes with a bond-length-based CV, and the folding of a long polymer-like chain, using a set of dihedral angles as a CV. Boost factors up to 109, corresponding to a time scale of seconds, could be obtained while still accurately reproducing correct dynamics.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000362921700004 Publication Date 2015-09-02  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1549-9618 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 5.245 Times cited 41 Open Access (up)  
  Notes K.M.B. is funded as Ph.D. fellow (aspirant) of the FWOFlanders (Fund for Scientific Research-Flanders), Grant No. 11 V8915N. The computational resources and services used in this work were provided by the VSC (Flemish Supercomputer Center) and the HPC infrastructure of the University of Antwerp (CalcUA), funded by the Hercules Foundation and the Flemish Government−Department EWI. Approved Most recent IF: 5.245; 2015 IF: 5.498  
  Call Number c:irua:128183 Serial 3991  
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Author Neyts, E.C.; Ostrikov, K.K.; Sunkara, M.K.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Plasma Catalysis: Synergistic Effects at the Nanoscale Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2015 Publication Chemical reviews Abbreviated Journal Chem Rev  
  Volume 115 Issue 115 Pages 13408-13446  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Thermal-catalytic gas processing is integral to many current industrial processes. Ever-increasing demands on conversion and energy efficiencies are a strong driving force for the development of alternative approaches. Similarly, synthesis of several functional materials (such as nanowires and nanotubes) demands special processing conditions. Plasma catalysis provides such an alternative, where the catalytic process is complemented by the use of plasmas that activate the source gas. This combination is often observed to result in a synergy between plasma and catalyst. This Review introduces the current state-of-the-art in plasma catalysis, including numerous examples where plasma catalysis has demonstrated its benefits or shows future potential, including CO2 conversion, hydrocarbon reforming, synthesis of nanomaterials, ammonia production, and abatement of toxic waste gases. The underlying mechanisms governing these applications, as resulting from the interaction between the plasma and the catalyst, render the process highly complex, and little is known about the factors leading to the often-observed synergy. This Review critically examines the catalytic mechanisms relevant to each specific application.  
  Address Department of Chemistry, Research Group PLASMANT, Universiteit Antwerpen , Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk-Antwerp, Belgium  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Wos 000367563000006 Publication Date 2015-11-30  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0009-2665 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 47.928 Times cited 204 Open Access (up)  
  Notes ECN and AB gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Fund of Scientific Research Flanders (FWO), Belgium, Grant Number G.0217.14N. KO acknowledges partial support by the Australian Research Council and CSIRO’s OCE Science Leaders Program. MKS acknowledges partial support from US National Science Foundation through grants DMS 1125909 and EPSCoR 1355448 and also PhD students Babajide Ajayi, Apolo Nambo and Maria Carreon for their help. Approved Most recent IF: 47.928; 2015 IF: 46.568  
  Call Number c:irua:130001 Serial 3993  
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Author Khalilov, U.; Yusupov, M.; Bogaerts, A.; Neyts, E.C. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Selective Plasma Oxidation of Ultrasmall Si Nanowires Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C  
  Volume 120 Issue 120 Pages 472-477  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Device performance of Si|SiOx core-shell based nanowires critically depends on the exact control over the oxide thickness. Low-temperature plasma oxidation is a highly promising alternative to thermal oxidation allowing for improved control over the oxidation process, in particular for ultrasmall Si nanowires. We here elucidate the room temperature plasma oxidation mechanisms of ultrasmall Si nanowires using hybrid molecular dynamics / force-bias Monte Carlo simulations. We demonstrate how the oxidation and concurrent water formation mechanisms are a function of the oxidizing plasma species and we demonstrate how the resulting core-shell oxide thickness can be controlled through these species. A new mechanism of water formation is discussed in detail. The results provide a detailed atomic level explanation of the oxidation process of highly curved Si surfaces. These results point out a route toward plasma-based formation of ultrathin core-shell Si|SiOx nanowires at room temperature.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000368562200057 Publication Date 2015-12-21  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 3 Open Access (up)  
  Notes U.K. and M.Y. gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO), Grants 12M1315N and 1200216N. This work was carried out in part using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UA), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the UA. We thank Prof. A. C. T. van Duin for sharing the ReaxFF code. Approved Most recent IF: 4.536  
  Call Number c:irua:130677 Serial 4002  
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Author Neyts, E.C. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Plasma-Surface Interactions in Plasma Catalysis Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Plasma chemistry and plasma processing Abbreviated Journal Plasma Chem Plasma P  
  Volume 36 Issue 36 Pages 185-212  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract In this paper the various elementary plasma—surface interaction processes occurring in plasma catalysis are critically evaluated. Specifically, plasma catalysis at atmospheric pressure is considered. The importance of the various processes is analyzed for the most common plasma catalysis sources, viz. the dielectric barrier discharge and the gliding arc. The role and importance of surface chemical reactions (including adsorption, surface-mediated association and dissociation reactions, and desorption), plasma-induced surface modification, photocatalyst activation, heating, charging, surface discharge formation and electric field enhancement are discussed in the context of plasma catalysis. Numerous examples are provided to demonstrate the importance of the various processes.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000370720800011 Publication Date 2015-10-16  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0272-4324 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.355 Times cited 66 Open Access (up)  
  Notes The author is indebted to many colleagues for fruitful discussions. In particular discussions with A. Bogaerts (University of Antwerp, Belgium), H.-H. Kim (AIST, Japan), J. C. Whitehead (University of Manchester, UK) and T. Nozaki (Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan) are greatfully acknowledged and appreciated. Approved Most recent IF: 2.355  
  Call Number c:irua:130742 Serial 4004  
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Author Khosravian, N.; Kamaraj, B.; Neyts, E.C.; Bogaerts, A. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Structural modification of P-glycoprotein induced by OH radicals: Insights from atomistic simulations Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Scientific reports Abbreviated Journal Sci Rep-Uk  
  Volume 6 Issue 6 Pages 19466  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract This study reports on the possible effects of OH radical impact on the transmembrane domain 6 of P-glycoprotein, TM6, which plays a crucial role in drug binding in human cells. For the first time, we employ molecular dynamics (MD) simulations based on the self-consistent charge density functional tight binding (SCC-DFTB) method to elucidate the potential sites of fragmentation and mutation in this domain upon impact of OH radicals, and to obtain fundamental information about the underlying reaction mechanisms. Furthermore, we apply non-reactive MD simulations to investigate the long-term effect of this mutation, with possible implications for drug binding. Our simulations indicate that the interaction of OH radicals with TM6 might lead to the breaking of C-C and C-N peptide bonds, which eventually cause fragmentation of TM6. Moreover, according to our simulations, the OH radicals can yield mutation in the aromatic ring of phenylalanine in TM6, which in turn affects its structure. As TM6 plays an important role in the binding of a range of cytotoxic drugs with P-glycoprotein, any changes in its structure are likely to affect the response of the tumor cell in chemotherapy. This is crucial for cancer therapies based on reactive oxygen species, such as plasma treatment.  
  Address Research Group PLASMANT, Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Antwerp, Belgium  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Wos 000369573900001 Publication Date 2016-02-09  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2045-2322 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.259 Times cited 7 Open Access (up)  
  Notes The authors acknowledge financial support from the Fund for Scientific Research (FWO) Flanders, grant number G012413N. The calculations were performed in part using the Turing HPC infrastructure of the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the Universiteit Antwerpen.” Approved Most recent IF: 4.259  
  Call Number c:irua:131610 Serial 4031  
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Author Bal, K.M.; Neyts, E.C. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Direct observation of realistic-temperature fuel combustion mechanisms in atomistic simulations Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Chemical science Abbreviated Journal Chem Sci  
  Volume 7 Issue 7 Pages 5280-5286  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Atomistic simulations can in principle provide an unbiased description of all mechanisms, intermediates, and products of complex chemical processes. However, due to the severe time scale limitation of conventional simulation techniques, unrealistically high simulation temperatures are usually applied, which are a poor approximation of most practically relevant low-temperature applications. In this work, we demonstrate the direct observation at the atomic scale of the pyrolysis and oxidation of n-dodecane at temperatures as low as 700 K through the use of a novel simulation technique, collective variable-driven hyperdynamics (CVHD). A simulated timescale of up to 39 seconds is reached. Product compositions and dominant mechanisms are found to be strongly temperature-dependent, and are consistent with experiments and kinetic models. These simulations provide a first atomic-level look at the full dynamics of the complicated fuel combustion process at industrially relevant temperatures and time scales, unattainable by conventional molecular dynamics simulations.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000380893900059 Publication Date 2016-05-05  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2041-6520 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 8.668 Times cited 22 Open Access (up)  
  Notes K. M. B. is funded as PhD fellow (aspirant) of the FWO-Flanders (Fund for Scientic Research-Flanders), Grant 11V8915N. The computational resources and services used in this work were provided by the VSC (Flemish Supercomputer Center) and the HPC infrastructure of the University of Antwerp (CalcUA), funded by the Hercules Foundation and the Flemish Government – department EWI. The authors would also like to thank S. Banerjee for assisting with the interpretation of the experimental results. Approved Most recent IF: 8.668  
  Call Number c:irua:134577 c:irua:135670 Serial 4105  
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Author Tinck, S.; Tillocher, T.; Dussart, R.; Neyts, E.C.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Elucidating the effects of gas flow rate on an SF6inductively coupled plasma and on the silicon etch rate, by a combined experimental and theoretical investigation Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys  
  Volume 49 Issue 49 Pages 385201  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Experiments show that the etch rate of Si with SF6 inductively coupled plasma (ICP) is significantly influenced by the absolute gas flow rate in the range of 50–600 sccm, with a maximum at around 200 sccm. Therefore, we numerically investigate the effects of the gas flow rate on the bulk plasma properties and on the etch rate, to obtain more insight in the underlying reasons of this effect. A hybrid Monte Carlo—fluid model is applied to simulate an SF6 ICP. It is found that the etch rate is influenced by two simultaneous effects: (i) the residence time of the gas and (ii) the temperature profile of the plasma in the ICP volume, resulting indeed in a maximum etch rate at 200 sccm.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000384095900011 Publication Date 2016-08-24  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0022-3727 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 1 Open Access (up)  
  Notes We are very grateful to Mark Kushner for providing the computational model. The Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO; grant no. 0880.212.840) is acknowledged for financial support of this work. The work was carried out in part using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the University of Antwerp. Approved Most recent IF: 2.588  
  Call Number c:irua:134867 Serial 4108  
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Author Huygh, S.; Bogaerts, A.; Neyts, E.C. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title How Oxygen Vacancies Activate CO2 Dissociation on TiO2 Anatase (001) Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C  
  Volume 120 Issue 120 Pages 21659-21669  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract The adsorption, dissociation, and diffusion of CO2 on the anatase (001) surface was studied using DFT by means of the generalized gradient approximation using the Perdew−Burcke−Ernzerhof (PBE)-functional and applying corrections for long-range dispersion interactions. Different stable adsorption configurations were identified for the fully oxidized surface. The most stable adsorption configuration is the monodentated carbonate-like structure. Small energy barriers were identified for the conversion of a physisorbed to a chemisorbed configuration.

CO2 dissociation is found to be unfeasible on the stoichiometric surface. The introduction of oxygen vacancy defects gives rise to new highly stable adsorption configurations with a stronger activation of the C−O bonds. This leads to the possibility of exothermic dissociation of CO2 with barriers up to 22.2 kcal/mol,

corresponding to chemical lifetimes of less than 4 s at 300 K. These reactions cause a CO molecule to be formed, which will easily desorb, and the reduced surface to become oxidized. It is clear that oxygen vacancy defects play a key role in the catalytic activity of an anatase (001) surface. Oxygen vacancies play an important role in the dissociation of CO2 on the anatase (001) surface, and will play a significant role in complex problems, such as the catalytic conversion of CO2 to value-added chemicals.
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000384626800055 Publication Date 2016-09-02  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 49 Open Access (up)  
  Notes Stijn Huygh is funded as an aspirant of the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, project number 11C0115N). This work was carried out using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UAntwerpen), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI), and the UAntwerpen. Approved Most recent IF: 4.536  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ c:irua:136164 Serial 4291  
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Author Zhang, Y.-R.; Neyts, E.C.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Influence of the Material Dielectric Constant on Plasma Generation inside Catalyst Pores Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C  
  Volume 120 Issue 120 Pages 25923-25934  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Plasma catalysis is gaining increasing interest for various environmental applications, but the crucial question is whether plasma can be created inside catalyst pores and under which conditions. In practice, various catalytic support materials are used, with various dielectric constants. We investigate here the influence of the dielectric constant on the plasma properties inside catalyst pores and in the sheath in front of the pores, for various pore sizes. The calculations are performed by a two-dimensional fluid model for an atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge in helium. The electron impact ionization rate, electron temperature, electron and ion density, as well as the potential distribution and surface charge density, are analyzed for a better understanding of the discharge behavior inside catalyst pores. The results indicate that, in a 100 μm pore, the electron impact ionization in the pore, which is characteristic for the plasma generation inside the pore, is greatly enhanced for dielectric constants below 300. Smaller pore sizes only yield enhanced ionization for smaller dielectric constants, i.e., up to εr = 200, 150, and 50 for pore sizes of 50, 30, and 10 μm. Thus, the most common catalyst supports, i.e., Al2O3 and SiO2, which have dielectric constants around εr = 8−11 and 4.2, respectively, should allow more easily that microdischarges can be formed inside catalyst pores, even for smaller pore sizes. On the other hand, ferroelectric materials with dielectric constants above 300 never seem to yield plasma enhancement inside catalyst pores, not even for 100 μm pore sizes. Furthermore, it is clear that the dielectric constant of the material has a large effect on the extent of plasma enhancement inside the catalyst pores, especially in the range between εr = 4 and εr = 200. The obtained results are explained in detail based on the surface charge density at the pore walls,

and the potential distribution and electron temperature inside and above the pores. The results obtained with this model are

important for plasma catalysis, as the production plasma species in catalyst pores might affect the catalyst properties, and thus

improve the applications of plasma catalysis.
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000388429100029 Publication Date 2016-11-17  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 34 Open Access (up)  
  Notes This work was supported by the Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO) (Grant G.0217.14N), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant 11405019), and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant 2015T80244). This work was carried out in part using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI), and the University of Antwerp. Approved Most recent IF: 4.536  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ c:irua:138602 Serial 4319  
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