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Author van der Sluijs, M.M.; Salzmann, B.B.V.; Arenas Esteban, D.; Li, C.; Jannis, D.; Brafine, L.C.; Laning, T.D.; Reinders, J.W.C.; Hijmans, N.S.A.; Moes, J.R.; Verbeeck, J.; Bals, S.; Vanmaekelbergh, D. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Study of the Mechanism and Increasing Crystallinity in the Self-Templated Growth of Ultrathin PbS Nanosheets Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Chemistry of materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Colloidal 2D semiconductor nanocrystals, the analogue of solid-state quantum wells, have attracted strong interest in material science and physics. Molar quantities of suspended quantum objects with spectrally pure absorption and emission can be synthesized. For the visible region, CdSe nanoplatelets with atomically precise thickness and tailorable emission have been (almost) perfected. For the near-infrared region, PbS nanosheets (NSs) hold strong promise, but the photoluminescence quantum yield is low and many questions on the crystallinity, atomic structure, intriguing rectangular shape, and formation mechanism remain to be answered. Here, we report on a detailed investigation of the PbS NSs prepared with a lead thiocyanate single source precursor. Atomically resolved HAADF-STEM imaging reveals the presence of defects and small cubic domains in the deformed orthorhombic PbS crystal lattice. Moreover, variations in thickness are observed in the NSs, but only in steps of 2 PbS monolayers. To study the reaction mechanism, a synthesis at a lower temperature allowed for the study of reaction intermediates. Specifically, we studied the evolution of pseudo-crystalline templates towards mature, crystalline PbS NSs. We propose a self-induced templating mechanism based on an oleylamine-lead-thiocyanate (OLAM-Pb-SCN) complex with two Pb-SCN units as a building block; the interactions between the long-chain ligands regulate the crystal structure and possibly the lateral dimensions.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000959572100001 Publication Date 2023-03-25  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0897-4756 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 8.6 Times cited 2 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) H2020 Research Infrastructures, 731019 ; H2020 European Research Council, 692691 815128 ; Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 715.016.002 ; Approved Most recent IF: 8.6; 2023 IF: 9.466  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:195894 Serial 7255  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Kourmoulakis, G.; Michail, A.; Paradisanos, I.; Marie, X.; Glazov, M.M.; Jorissen, B.; Covaci, L.; Stratakis, E.; Papagelis, K.; Parthenios, J.; Kioseoglou, G. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Biaxial strain tuning of exciton energy and polarization in monolayer WS2 Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Applied Physics Letters Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 123 Issue 22 Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT) ;  
  Abstract We perform micro-photoluminescence and Raman experiments to examine the impact of biaxial tensile strain on the optical properties of WS2 monolayers. A strong shift on the order of −130 meV per % of strain is observed in the neutral exciton emission at room temperature. Under near-resonant excitation, we measure a monotonic decrease in the circular polarization degree under the applied strain. We experimentally separate the effect of the strain-induced energy detuning and evaluate the pure effect coming from the biaxial strain. The analysis shows that the suppression of the circular polarization degree under the biaxial strain is related to an interplay of energy and polarization relaxation channels as well as to variations in the exciton oscillator strength affecting the long-range exchange interaction.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001124156400003 Publication Date 2023-11-27  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0003-6951 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 4 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes (up) Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation, HFRI-FM17-3034 ; Approved Most recent IF: 4; 2023 IF: 3.411  
  Call Number CMT @ cmt @c:irua:202178 Serial 8991  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Bhatia, H.; Keshavarz, M.; Martin, C.; Van Gaal, L.; Zhang, Y.; de Coen, B.; Schrenker, N.J.; Valli, D.; Ottesen, M.; Bremholm, M.; Van de Vondel, J.; Bals, S.; Hofkens, J.; Debroye, E. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Achieving High Moisture Tolerance in Pseudohalide Perovskite Nanocrystals for Light-Emitting Diode Application Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication ACS Applied Optical Materials Abbreviated Journal ACS Appl. Opt. Mater.  
  Volume 1 Issue 6 Pages 1184-1191  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT) ;  
  Abstract The addition of potassium thiocyanate (KSCN) to the FAPbBr3 structure and subsequent post-treatment of nanocrystals (NCs) lead to high quantum confinement, resulting in a photoluminescent quantum yield (PLQY) approaching unity and microsecond decay times. This synergistic approach demonstrated exceptional stability under humid conditions, retaining 70% of the PLQY for over a month, while the untreated NCs degrade within 24 h. Additionally, the devices incorporating the post-treated NCs displayed 1.5% external quantum efficiency (EQE), a 5-fold improvement over untreated devices. These results provide promising opportunities for the use of perovskites in moisture-stable optoelectronics.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2023-06-23  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2771-9855 ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Hercules Foundation, HER/11/14 ; European Commission; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovaci?n, PID2021-128761OA-C22 ; European Regional Development Fund; Vlaamse regering, CASAS2 Meth/15/04 ; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 1238622N 1514220N 1S45223N G.0B39.15 G.0B49.15 G098319N S002019N ZW15_09-GOH6316 ; Onderzoeksraad, KU Leuven, C14/19/079 db/21/006/bm iBOF-21-085 STG/21/010 ; Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, SBPLY/21/180501/000127 ; H2020 European Research Council, 642196 815128 ; Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:201011 Serial 8975  
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Author Van Gordon, K.; Baúlde, S.; Mychinko, M.; Heyvaert, W.; Obelleiro-Liz, M.; Criado, A.; Bals, S.; Liz-Marzán, L.M.; Mosquera, J. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Tuning the Growth of Chiral Gold Nanoparticles Through Rational Design of a Chiral Molecular Inducer Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Nano Letters Abbreviated Journal Nano Lett.  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT) ;  
  Abstract The bottom-up production of chiral gold nanomaterials holds great potential for the advancement of biosensing and nano-optics, among other applications. Reproducible preparations of colloidal nanomaterials with chiral morphology have been reported, using cosurfactants or chiral inducers such as thiolated amino acids. However, the underlying growth mechanisms for these nanomaterials remain insufficiently understood. We introduce herein a purposely devised chiral inducer, a cysteine modified with a hydrophobic chain, as a versatile chiral inducer. The amphiphilic and chiral features of this molecule provide control over the chiral morphology and the chiroptical signature of the obtained nanoparticles by simply varying the concentration of chiral inducer. These results are supported by circular dichroism and electromagnetic modeling as well as electron tomography to analyze structural evolution at the facet scale. Our observations suggest complex roles for the factors involved in chiral synthesis: the chemical nature of the chiral inducers and the influence of cosurfactants.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001092787000001 Publication Date 2023-10-25  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1530-6984 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 10.8 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) J.M. Taboada and F. Obelleiro are thanked for support with electromagnetic simulations. The authors acknowledge financial support by the European Research Council (ERC CoG No. 815128 REALNANO to S. Bals; ERC AdG No. 787510, 4DbioSERS to L.M.L.-M.) and from MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and “ESF Investing in your future” (Grant PID2020-117779RB-I00 to L.M.L.-M., Grant RYC2020-030183-I to A.C., and Grants RYC2019-027842-I, PID2020-117885GA-I00 to J.M.). Approved Most recent IF: 10.8; 2023 IF: 12.712  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:200590 Serial 8963  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Arenas Esteban, D.; Pacquets, L.; Choukroun, D.; Hoekx, S.; Kadu, A.A.; Schalck, J.; Daems, N.; Breugelmans, T.; Bals, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title 3D characterization of the structural transformation undergone by Cu@Ag core-shell nanoparticles following CO₂ reduction reaction Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Chemistry of materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 35 Issue 17 Pages 6682-6691  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)  
  Abstract The increasing use of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) is significantly advancing the field of electrocatalysis. In particular, Cu/Ag bimetallic interfaces are widely used to enhance the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (eCO(2)RR) toward CO and, more recently, C-2 products. However, drastic changes in the product distribution and performance when Cu@Ag core-shell configurations are used can often be observed under electrochemical reaction conditions, especially during the first few minutes of the reaction. Possible structural changes that generate these observations remain underexplored; therefore, the structure-property relationship is hardly understood. In this study, we use electron tomography to investigate the structural transformation mechanism of Cu@Ag core-shells NPs during the critical first minutes of the eCO(2)RR. In this manner, we found that the crystallinity of the Cu seed determines whether the formation of a complete and homogeneous Ag shell is possible. Moreover, by tracking the particles' transformations, we conclude that modifications of the Cu-Ag interface and Cu2O enrichment at the surface of the NPs are key factors contributing to the product generation changes. These insights provide a better understanding of how bimetallic core-shell NPs transform under electrochemical conditions.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001061530700001 Publication Date 2023-08-31  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0897-4756; 1520-5002 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 8.6 Times cited 1 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) L.P. was supported through a PhD fellowship for strategicbasic research (1S56920N) of the Research Foundation – Flanders(FWO). S.H. was supported through a PhD fellowship for strategic basicresearch (1S42623N) of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO).S.B., D.A.E., and A.A.K. acknowledge financial support from ERC Consolidator Grant Number 815128 REALNANO. This research was financed by the researchcouncil of the University of Antwerp (BOF-GOA 33928). Approved Most recent IF: 8.6; 2023 IF: 9.466  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:199187 Serial 8825  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Rivas-Murias, B.; Testa-Anta, M.; Skorikov, A.S.; Comesana-Hermo, M.; Bals, S.; Salgueirino, V. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Interfaceless exchange bias in CoFe₂O₄ nanocrystals Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Nano letters Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 23 Issue 5 Pages 1688-1695  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Oxidized cobalt ferrite nanocrystals with a modified distribution of the magnetic cations in their spinel structure give place to an unusual exchange-coupled system with a double reversal of the magnetization, exchange bias, and increased coercivity, but without the presence of a clear physical interface that delimits two well-differentiated magnetic phases. More specifically, the partial oxidation of cobalt cations and the formation of Fe vacancies at the surface region entail the formation of a cobalt-rich mixed ferrite spinel, which is strongly pinned by the ferrimagnetic background from the cobalt ferrite lattice. This particular configuration of exchange-biased magnetic behavior, involving two different magnetic phases but without the occurrence of a crystallographically coherent interface, revolu-tionizes the established concept of exchange bias phenomenology.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000940892000001 Publication Date 2023-02-27  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1530-6984 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 10.8 Times cited 4 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) M.T.-A. acknowledges financial support from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovaci?n under grant FJC2021- 046680-I. S.B. acknowledges funding from the European Research Council under the European Union?s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (ERC Consolidator Grant N o 815128 REALNANO) . V.S. acknowledges the financial support from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovaci?n under project PID2020-119242-I00 and from the European Union under project H2020-MSCA-RISE-2019 PEPSA-MATE (project number 872233) . Approved Most recent IF: 10.8; 2023 IF: 12.712  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:195186 Serial 7315  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author de la Encarnación, C.; Jungwirth, F.; Vila-Liarte, D.; Renero-Lecuna, C.; Kavak, S.; Orue, I.; Wilhelm, C.; Bals, S.; Henriksen-Lacey, M.; Jimenez de Aberasturi, D.; Liz-Marzán, L.M. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Hybrid core–shell nanoparticles for cell-specific magnetic separation and photothermal heating Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Journal of materials chemistry B : materials for biology and medicine Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Hyperthermia, as the process of heating a malignant site above 42 °C to trigger cell death, has emerged as an effective and selective cancer therapy strategy. Various modalities of hyperthermia have been proposed, among which magnetic and photothermal hyperthermia are known to benefit from the use of nanomaterials. In this context, we introduce herein a hybrid colloidal nanostructure comprising plasmonic gold nanorods (AuNRs) covered by a silica shell, onto which iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) are subsequently grown. The resulting hybrid nanostructures are responsive to both external magnetic fields and near-infrared irradiation. As a result, they can be applied for the targeted magnetic separation of selected cell populations – upon targeting by antibody functionalization – as well as for photothermal heating. Through this combined functionality, the therapeutic effect of photothermal heating can be enhanced. We demonstrate both the fabrication of the hybrid system and its application for targeted photothermal hyperthermia of human glioblastoma cells.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000968908400001 Publication Date 2023-04-05  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2050-750X ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 7 Times cited 1 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, PID2019-108854RA-I00 ; H2020 European Research Council, ERC AdG 787510, 4DBIOSERS ERC CoG 815128, REALNANO ; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, PhD research grant 1181122N ; Approved Most recent IF: 7; 2023 IF: 4.543  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:195879 Serial 7261  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Special Issue on “Dielectric Barrier Discharges and their Applications” in Commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of Dr. Ulrich Kogelschatz’s Work Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing Abbreviated Journal Plasma Chem Plasma Process  
  Volume 43 Issue 6 Pages 1281-1285  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Plasma, laser ablation and surface modeling Antwerp (PLASMANT) ;  
  Abstract n/a  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001110371000001 Publication Date 2023-11-30  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0272-4324 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 3.6 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes (up) n/a Approved Most recent IF: 3.6; 2023 IF: 2.355  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:201387 Serial 8969  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Cui, Z.; Hao, Y.; Jafarzadeh, A.; Li, S.; Bogaerts, A.; Li, L. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title The adsorption and decomposition of SF6 over defective and hydroxylated MgO surfaces: A DFT study Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Surfaces and interfaces Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 36 Issue Pages 102602  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Plasma degradation is one of the most effective methods for the abatement of greenhouse gas sulfur hexafluoride

(SF6). To evaluate the potential of MgO as a catalyst in plasma degradation, we investigate the catalytic properties

of MgO on SF6 adsorption and activation by density functional theory (DFT) where the O-defective and

hydroxylated surfaces are considered as two typical plasma-generated surfaces. Our results show that perfect

MgO (001) and (111) surfaces cannot interact with SF6 and only physical adsorption happens. In case of Odefective

MgO surfaces, the O vacancy is the most stable adsorption site. SF6 undergoes a decomposition to SF5

and F over the O-defective MgO (001) surface and undergoes an elongation of the bottom S-F bond over the Odefective

(111) surface. Besides, SF6 shows a physically adsorption at the stepsite of the MgO (001) surface,

accompanied by small changes in its bond angle and length. Furthermore, SF6 is found to be physically and

chemically adsorbed over 0.5 and 1.0 ML (monolayer) H-covered O-terminated MgO (111) surfaces, respectively.

The SF6 molecule undergoes a self-decomposition on the 1.0 ML hydroxylated surface via a surface bonding

process. This study shows that defective and hydroxylated MgO surfaces have the surface capacities for SF6

activation, which shows that MgO has potential as packing material in SF6 waste treatment in packed-bed

plasmas.
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000916285000001 Publication Date 2022-12-24  
  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 OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) National Natural Science Foundation of China, 52207155 ; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek; Vlaams Supercomputer Centrum; Vlaamse regering; Approved Most recent IF: 6.2; 2023 IF: NA  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:194364 Serial 7244  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Han, I.; Song, I.S.; Choi, S.A.; Lee, T.; Yusupov, M.; Shaw, P.; Bogaerts, A.; Choi, E.H.; Ryu, J.J. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Bioactive Nonthermal Biocompatible Plasma Enhances Migration on Human Gingival Fibroblasts Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Advanced healthcare materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 12 Issue 4 Pages 2200527  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract This study hypothesizes that the application of low-dose nonthermal biocompatible dielectric barrier discharge plasma (DBD-NBP) to human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) will inhibit colony formation but not cell death and induce matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression, extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, and subsequent cell migration, which can result in enhanced wound healing. HGFs treated with plasma for 3 min migrate to each other across the gap faster than those in the control and 5-min treatment groups on days 1 and 3. The plasma-treated HGFs show significantly high expression levels of the cell cycle arrest-related p21 gene and enhanced MMP activity. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) mediated attenuation of wound healing or actin cytoskeleton rearrangement, and plasma-mediated reversal of this attenuation support the migratory effect of DBD-NBP. Further, this work performs computer simulations to investigate the effect of oxidation on the stability and conformation of the catalytic kinase domain (KD) of FAK. It is found that the oxidation of highly reactive amino acids (AAs) Cys427, Met442, Cys559, Met571, Met617, and Met643 changes the conformation and increases the structural flexibility of the FAK protein and thus modulates its function and activity. Low-dose DBD-NBP-induces host cell cycle arrest, ECM breakdown, and subsequent migration, thus contributing to the enhanced wound healing process.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000897762100001 Publication Date 2022-11-14  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2192-2640 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 10 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) National Research Foundation of Korea; Kementerian Pendidikan, 2020R1I1A1A01073071 2021R1A6A1A03038785 ; Approved Most recent IF: 10; 2023 IF: 5.11  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:192804 Serial 7242  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Adhami Sayad Mahaleh, M.; Narimisa, M.; Nikiforov, A.; Gromov, M.; Gorbanev, Y.; Bitar, R.; Morent, R.; De Geyter, N. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Nitrogen Oxidation in a Multi-Pin Plasma System in the Presence and Absence of a Plasma/Liquid Interface Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Applied Sciences Abbreviated Journal Applied Sciences  
  Volume 13 Issue 13 Pages 7619  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Plasma, laser ablation and surface modeling Antwerp (PLASMANT) ;  
  Abstract The recent energy crisis revealed that there is a strong need to replace hydrocarbon-fueled industrial nitrogen fixation processes by alternative, more sustainable methods. In light of this, plasma-based nitrogen fixation remains one of the most promising options, considering both theoretical and experimental aspects. Lately, plasma interacting with water has received considerable attention in nitrogen fixation applications as it can trigger a unique gas- and liquid-phase chemistry. Within this context, a critical exploration of plasma-assisted nitrogen fixation with or without water presence is of great interest with an emphasis on energy costs, particularly in plasma reactors which have potential for large-scale industrial application. In this work, the presence of water in a multi-pin plasma system on nitrogen oxidation is experimentally investigated by comparing two pulsed negative DC voltage plasmas in metal–metal and metal–liquid electrode configurations. The plasma setups are designed to create similar plasma properties, including plasma power and discharge regime in both configurations. The system energy cost is calculated, considering nitrogen-containing species generated in gas and liquid phases as measured by a gas analyzer, nitrate sensor, and a colorimetry method. The energy cost profile as a function of specific energy input showed a strong dependency on the plasma operational frequency and the gas flow rate, as a result of different plasma operation regimes and initiated reverse processes. More importantly, the presence of the plasma/liquid interface increased the energy cost up to 14 ± 8%. Overall, the results showed that the presence of water in the reaction zone has a negative impact on the nitrogen fixation process.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001031217300001 Publication Date 2023-06-28  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2076-3417 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.7 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes (up) NITROPLASM FWO-FNRS Excellence of Science, 30505023 ; European Union-NextGenerationEU, G0G2322N ; Approved Most recent IF: 2.7; 2023 IF: 1.679  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:198153 Serial 8802  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Vanraes, P.; Parayil Venugopalan, S.; Besemer, M.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Assessing neutral transport mechanisms in aspect ratio dependent etching by means of experiments and multiscale plasma modeling Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Plasma Sources Science and Technology Abbreviated Journal Plasma Sources Sci. Technol.  
  Volume 32 Issue 6 Pages 064004  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Plasma, laser ablation and surface modeling Antwerp (PLASMANT) ;  
  Abstract Since the onset of pattern transfer technologies for chip manufacturing, various strategies have been developed to circumvent or overcome aspect ratio dependent etching (ARDE). These methods have, however, their own limitations in terms of etch non-idealities, throughput or costs. Moreover, they have mainly been optimized for individual in-device features and die-scale patterns, while occasionally ending up with poor patterning of metrology marks, affecting the alignment and overlay in lithography. Obtaining a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of ARDE and how to mitigate them therefore remains a relevant challenge to date, for both marks and advanced nodes. In this work, we accordingly assessed the neutral transport mechanisms in ARDE by means of experiments and multiscale modeling for SiO<sub>2</sub>etching with CHF<sub>3</sub>/Ar and CF<sub>4</sub>/Ar plasmas. The experiments revealed a local maximum in the etch rate for an aspect ratio around unity, i.e. the simultaneous occurrence of regular and inverse reactive ion etching lag for a given etch condition. We were able to reproduce this ARDE trend in the simulations without taking into account charging effects and the polymer layer thickness, suggesting shadowing and diffuse reflection of neutrals as the primary underlying mechanisms. Subsequently, we explored four methods with the simulations to regulate ARDE, by varying the incident plasma species fluxes, the amount of polymer deposition, the ion energy and angular distribution and the initial hardmask sidewall angle, for which the latter was found to be promising in particular. Although our study focusses on feature dimensions characteristic to metrology marks and back-end-of-the-line integration, the obtained insights have a broader relevance, e.g. to the patterning of advanced nodes. Additionally, this work supports the insight that physisorption may be more important in plasma etching at room temperature than originally thought, in line with other recent studies, a topic on which we recommend further research.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001021250100001 Publication Date 2023-06-01  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0963-0252 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 3.8 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes (up) P Vanraes acknowledges funding by ASML for the project ‘Computational simulation of plasma etching of trench structures’. P Vanraes and A Bogaerts want to express their gratitude to Mark J Kushner (University of Michigan) for the sharing of the HPEM and MCFPM codes, and for the interesting exchange of views. P Vanraes wishes to thank Violeta Georgieva and Stefan Tinck for the fruitful discussions on the HPEM code, Yu-Ru Zhang for an example of the CCP reactor code and Karel Venken for his technical help with the server maintenance and use. S P Venugopalan and M Besemer wish to thank Luigi Scaccabarozzi, Sander Wuister, Coen Verschuren, Michael Kubis, Kuan-Ming Chen, Ruben Maas, Huaichen Zhang and Julien Mailfert (ASML) for the insightful discussions. Approved Most recent IF: 3.8; 2023 IF: 3.302  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:197760 Serial 8811  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Marchetti, A.; Gori, A.; Ferretti, A.M.; Esteban, D.A.; Bals, S.; Pigliacelli, C.; Metrangolo, P. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Templated Out‐of‐Equilibrium Self‐Assembly of Branched Au Nanoshells (Small 12/2023) Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Small Abbreviated Journal Small  
  Volume 19 Issue 12 Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT) ;  
  Abstract Out-of-equilibrium self-assembly of metal nanoparticles (NPs) has been devised using different

types of strategies and fuels, but the achievement of finite 3D structures with a controlled

morphology through this assembly mode is still rare. Here we used a spherical peptide-gold

superstructure (PAuSS) as a template to control the out-of-equilibrium self-assembly of Au NPs,

obtaining a transient 3D branched Au-nanoshell (BAuNS) stabilized by sodium dodecyl sulphate

(SDS). The BAuNS dismantled upon concentration gradient equilibration over time in the solution,

leading to NPs disassembly. Notably, BAuNS assembly and disassembly favoured temporary

interparticle plasmonic coupling, leading to a remarkable oscillation of their optical properties.
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2023-03-23  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1613-6810 ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor 13.3 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes (up) P.M. is grateful to the European Research Council (ERC) for the Starting Grant ERC-2012- StG_20111012 FOLDHALO (Grant Agreement no. 307108) and the Proof-of-Concept Grant ERC-2017-PoC MINIRES (Grant Agreement no.789815). A. M. and P. M. are thankful to the project Hydrogex funded by Cariplo Foundation (grant no. 2018-1720). D.A.E. and S.B. acknowledges financial support from ERC Consolidator Grant Number 815128 REALNANO and Grant Agreement No. 731019 (EUSMI). Approved Most recent IF: 13.3; 2023 IF: 8.643  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:200859 Serial 8960  
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Author Carrasco, S.; Orcajo, G.; Martínez, F.; Imaz, I.; Kavak, S.; Arenas-Esteban, D.; Maspoch, D.; Bals, S.; Calleja, G.; Horcajada, P. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Hf/porphyrin-based metal-organic framework PCN-224 for CO2 cycloaddition with epoxides Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Materials Today Advances Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 19 Issue Pages 100390  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Herein, we describe for the first time the synthesis of the highly porous Hf-tetracarboxylate porphyrin-based metal-organic framework (MOF) (Hf)PCN-224(M) (M = H2, Co2+). (Hf)PCN-224(H2) was easily and efficiently prepared following a simple microwave-assisted procedure with good yields (56–67%; space-time yields: 1100–1270 kg m−3·day−1), high crystallinity and phase purity by using trifluoromethanesulfonic acid and benzoic acid as modulators in less than 30 min. By simply introducing a preliminary step (10 min), 5,10,15,20-(tetra-4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin linker (TCPP) was quantitatively metalated with Co2+ without additional purification and/or time consuming protection/deprotection steps to further obtain (Hf)PCN-224(Co). (Hf)PCN-224(Co) was then tested as catalyst in CO2 cycloaddition reaction with different epoxides to yield cyclic carbonates, showing the best catalytic performance described to date compared to other PCNs, under mild conditions (1 bar CO2, room temperature, 18–24 h). Twelve epoxides were tested, obtaining from moderate to excellent conversions (35–96%). Moreover, this reaction was gram scaled-up (x50) without significant loss of yield to cyclic carbonates. (Hf)PCN-224(Co) maintained its integrity and crystallinity even after 8 consecutive runs, and poisoning was efficiently reverted by a simple thermal treatment (175 °C, 6 h), fully recovering the initial catalytic activity.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001025764000001 Publication Date 2023-06-19  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2590-0498 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 10 Times cited 1 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) S.C. acknowledges the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA-COFUND) grant agreement No 754382 (GOT Energy Talent). S.C. and P.H. acknowledge “Comunidad de Madrid” and European Regional Development Fund-FEDER 2014-2020-OE REACT-UE 1 for their financial support to VIRMOF-CM project associated to R&D projects in response to COVID-19. The authors acknowledge H2020-MSCA-ITN-2019 HeatNMof (ref. 860942), the M-ERA-NET C-MOF-cell (grant PCI2020-111998 funded by MCIN/AEI /10.13039/501100011033 and European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR) project, and Retos Investigación MOFSEIDON (grant PID2019-104228RB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) project. This work has been also supported by the Regional Government of Madrid (Project ACES2030-CM, S2018/EMT-4319) and the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos IMPULSO Project (grant MATER M − 3000). S.K acknowledges the Flemish Fund for Scientific Research (FWO Vlaanderen) through a PhD research grant (1181122 N). Approved Most recent IF: 10; 2023 IF: NA  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:197198 Serial 8800  
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Author Ren, P.; Zhang, T.; Jain, N.; Ching, H.Y.V.; Jaworski, A.; Barcaro, G.; Monti, S.; Silvestre-Albero, J.; Celorrio, V.; Chouhan, L.; Rokicinska, A.; Debroye, E.; Kustrowski, P.; Van Doorslaer, S.; Van Aert, S.; Bals, S.; Das, S. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title An atomically dispersed Mn-photocatalyst for generating hydrogen peroxide from seawater via the Water Oxidation Reaction (WOR) Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Journal of the American Chemical Society Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 145 Issue 30 Pages 16584-16596  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Organic synthesis (ORSY); Theory and Spectroscopy of Molecules and Materials (TSM²)  
  Abstract In this work, we have fabricatedan aryl amino-substitutedgraphiticcarbon nitride (g-C3N4) catalyst with atomicallydispersed Mn capable of generating hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) directly from seawater. This new catalyst exhibitedexcellent reactivity, obtaining up to 2230 & mu;M H2O2 in 7 h from alkaline water and up to 1800 & mu;Mfrom seawater under identical conditions. More importantly, the catalystwas quickly recovered for subsequent reuse without appreciable lossin performance. Interestingly, unlike the usual two-electron oxygenreduction reaction pathway, the generation of H2O2 was through a less common two-electron water oxidation reaction(WOR) process in which both the direct and indirect WOR processesoccurred; namely, photoinduced h(+) directly oxidized H2O to H2O2 via a one-step 2e(-) WOR, and photoinduced h(+) first oxidized a hydroxide (OH-) ion to generate a hydroxy radical ((OH)-O-& BULL;), and H2O2 was formed indirectly by thecombination of two (OH)-O-& BULL;. We have characterized thematerial, at the catalytic sites, at the atomic level using electronparamagnetic resonance, X-ray absorption near edge structure, extendedX-ray absorption fine structure, high-resolution transmission electronmicroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, magic-angle spinningsolid-state NMR spectroscopy, and multiscale molecular modeling, combiningclassical reactive molecular dynamics simulations and quantum chemistrycalculations.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001034983300001 Publication Date 2023-07-24  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0002-7863 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 15 Times cited 21 Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes (up) S.D. thanks the IOF grant and Francqui start up grant from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, for the financial support. P.R. thanks CSC and T.Z. thanks FWO for their financial assistance to finish this work. E.D. would like to thank the KU Leuven Research Fund for financial support through STG/21/010. J.S.A. acknowledges financial support from MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and EU NextGeneration/PRTR (Project PCI2020-111968/3D-Photocat) and Diamond Synchrotron (rapid access proposal SP32609). This work was supported by the European Research Council (grant 770887-PICOMETRICS to S.V.A. and Grant 815128-REALNANO to S.B.). S.B. and S.V.A. acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium, project G.0346.21 N). We also thank Mr. Jian Zhu and Mr. Shahid Ullah Khan from the University of Antwerp, Belgium, for helpful discussions. Approved Most recent IF: 15; 2023 IF: 13.858  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:198426 Serial 8831  
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Author Vijayakumar, J.; Savchenko, T.M.; Bracher, D.M.; Lumbeeck, G.; Béché, A.; Verbeeck, J.; Vajda, Š.; Nolting, F.; Vaz, Ca.f.; Kleibert, A. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Absence of a pressure gap and atomistic mechanism of the oxidation of pure Co nanoparticles Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Nature communications Abbreviated Journal Nat Commun  
  Volume 14 Issue 1 Pages 174  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Understanding chemical reactivity and magnetism of 3<italic>d</italic>transition metal nanoparticles is of fundamental interest for applications in fields ranging from spintronics to catalysis. Here, we present an atomistic picture of the early stage of the oxidation mechanism and its impact on the magnetism of Co nanoparticles. Our experiments reveal a two-step process characterized by (i) the initial formation of small CoO crystallites across the nanoparticle surface, until their coalescence leads to structural completion of the oxide shell passivating the metallic core; (ii) progressive conversion of the CoO shell to Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>and void formation due to the nanoscale Kirkendall effect. The Co nanoparticles remain highly reactive toward oxygen during phase (i), demonstrating the absence of a pressure gap whereby a low reactivity at low pressures is postulated. Our results provide an important benchmark for the development of theoretical models for the chemical reactivity in catalysis and magnetism during metal oxidation at the nanoscale.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000955726400021 Publication Date 2023-01-12  
  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 16.6 Times cited 1 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, 200021160186 2002153540 ; EC | Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, 810310 823717 ; University of Basel | Swiss Nanoscience Institute, P1502 ; This work is funded by Swiss National Foundation (SNF) (Grants. No 200021160186 and 2002153540) and the Swiss Nanoscience Institut (SNI) (Grant No. SNI P1502). S.V. acknowledges support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 810310, which corresponds to the J. Heyrovsky Chair project (“ERA Chair at J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry AS CR – The institutional approach towards ERA”). The funders had no role in the preparation of the article. Part of this work was performed at the Surface/Interface: Microscopy (SIM) beamline of the Swiss Light Source (SLS), Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland. We kindly acknowledge Anja Weber and Elisabeth Müller from PSI for their help in fabricating the sample markers. A.B. and J. Verbeeck received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research Infrastructure – Integrating Activities for Advanced Communities under grant agreement No. 823717 – ESTEEM3 reported Approved Most recent IF: 16.6; 2023 IF: 12.124  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:196738 Serial 8804  
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Author de la Croix, T.; Claes, N.; Eyley, S.; Thielemans, W.; Bals, S.; De Vos, D. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Heterogeneous Pt-catalyzed transfer dehydrogenation of long-chain alkanes with ethylene Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Catalysis Science & Technology Abbreviated Journal Catal. Sci. Technol.  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT) ;  
  Abstract The dehydrogenation of long-chain alkanes to olefins and alkylaromatics is a challenging endothermic reaction, typically requiring harsh conditions which can lead to low selectivity and coking. More favorable thermodynamics can be achieved by using a hydrogen acceptor, such as ethylene. In this work, the potential of heterogeneous platinum catalysts for the transfer dehydrogenation of long-chain alkanes is investigated, using ethylene as a convenient hydrogen acceptor. Pt/C and Pt–Sn/C catalysts were prepared<italic>via</italic>a simple polyol method and characterized with CO pulse chemisorption, HAADF-STEM, and EDX measurements. Conversion of ethylene was monitored<italic>via</italic>gas-phase FTIR, and distribution of liquid products was analyzed<italic>via</italic>GC-FID, GC-MS, and 1H-NMR. Compared to unpromoted Pt/C, Sn-promoted catalysts show lower initial reaction rates, but better resistance to catalyst deactivation, while increasing selectivity towards alkylaromatics. Both reaction products and ethylene were found to inhibit the reaction significantly. At 250 °C for 22 h, TON up to 28 and 86 mol per mol Pt were obtained for Pt/C and PtSn<sub>2</sub>/C, respectively, with olefin selectivities of 94% and 53%. The remaining products were mainly unbranched alkylaromatics. These findings show the potential of simple heterogeneous catalysts in alkane transfer dehydrogenation, for the preparation of valuable olefins and alkylaromatics, or as an essential step in various tandem reactions.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001104905100001 Publication Date 2023-11-09  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2044-4753 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 5 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) T. de la Croix gratefully acknowledges the support of the Flanders Research Foundation (FWO) under project 11F6622N. D. De Vos is grateful to FWO for support of project G0D3721N, and to KU Leuven for the iBOF project 21/016/C3. S. Bals and N. Claes acknowledge funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (ERC Consolidator Grant No. 815128- REALNANO). W. Thielemans and S. Eyley thank KU Leuven (grant C14/18/061) and FWO (G0A1219N) for financial support. Approved Most recent IF: 5; 2023 IF: 5.773  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:201010 Serial 8968  
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Author Mosquera, J.; Wang, D.; Bals, S.; Liz-Marzan, L.M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Surfactant layers on gold nanorods Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Accounts of chemical research Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 56 Issue 10 Pages 1204-1212  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Gold nanorods (Au NRs) are an exceptionally promising tool in nanotechnology due to three key factors: (i) their strong interaction with electromagnetic radiation, stemming from their plasmonic nature, (ii) the ease with which the resonance frequency of their longitudinal plasmon mode can be tuned from the visible to the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic spect r u m based on their aspect ratio, and (iii) their simple and cost-effective preparation through seed-mediated chemical growth. In this synthetic method, surfactants play a critical role in controlling the size, shape, and colloidal stabi l i t y of Au NRs. For example, surfactants can stabilize specific crystallographic facets during the formation of Au NRs, leading to t h e formation of NRs with specific morphologies. The process of surfactant adsorption onto the NR surface may result in various assemblies of surfactant molecules, such as spherical micelles, elongated micelles, or bilayers. Again, the assembly mode is critical toward determining the further availabi l i t y of the Au NR surface to the surrounding medium. Despite its importance and a great deal of research effort, the interaction between Au NPs and surfactants remains insufficiently understood, because the assembly process is influenced by numerous factors, including the chemical nature of the surfactant, the surface morphology of Au NPs, and solution parameters. Therefore, gaining a more comprehensive understanding of these interactions is essential to unlock the full potential of the seed-mediated growth method and the applications of plasmonic NPs. A plethora of characterization techniques have been applied to reach such an understanding , but many open questions remain. In this Account, we review the current knowledge on the interactions between surfactants and Au NRs. We briefly introduce the state-of-the-art methods for synthesizing Au NRs and highlight the crucial role of cationic surfactants during this process. The self-assembly and organization of surfactants on the Au NR surface is then discussed to better understand their role in seed-mediated growth. Subsequently, we provide examples and elucidate how chemical additives can be used to modulate micellar assemblies, in turn allowing for a finer control over the growth of Au NRs, including chiral NRs. Next, we review the main experimental characterization and computational modeling techniques that have been applied to shed light on the arrangement of surfactants on Au NRs and summarize the advantages and disadvantages for each technique. The Account ends with a “Conclusions and Outlook” section, outlining promising future research directions and developments that we consider are sti l l required, mostly related to the application of electron microscopy in liquid and in 3D. Finally, we remark on the potential of exploiting machine learning techniques to predict synthetic routes for NPs with predefined structures and properties.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000986447000001 Publication Date 2023-05-08  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0001-4842 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 18.3 Times cited 8 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) The authors acknowledge financial support by the European Research Council (ERC CoG No. 815128 REALNANO to S.B.; ERC AdG No. 787510, 4DbioSERS to L.M.L.-M.) , from MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and “ESF Investing in your future” (Grant PID2020-117779RB-I00 to L.M.L.-M. and Grants RYC2019-027842-I , PID2020-117885GA-I00 to J.M.) , and by Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology (No. 2017B030301007) , National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics (No. 2016B01018) , MOE Interna-tional Laboratory for Optical Information Technologies, and the 111 projects. Approved Most recent IF: 18.3; 2023 IF: 20.268  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:196768 Serial 8940  
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Author Sa, J.; Hu, N.; Heyvaert, W.; Van Gordon, K.; Li, H.; Wang, L.; Bals, S.; Liz-Marzán, L.M.; Ni, W. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Spontaneous Chirality Evolved at the Au–Ag Interface in Plasmonic Nanorods Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Chemistry of materials Abbreviated Journal Chem. Mater.  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Chiral ligands are considered a required ingredient during the synthesis of dissymmetric plasmonic metal nanocrystals. The mechanism behind the generation of chiral structures involves the formation of high Miller index chiral facets, induced by the adsorption of such chiral ligands. We found however that, chirality can also evolve spontaneously, without the involvement of any chiral ligands, during the co-deposition of Au and Ag on Au nanorods. When using a specific Au/Ag ratio, phase segregation of the two metals leads to an interface within the obtained AuAg shell, which can be exposed by removing the Ag component via oxidative etching. Although a close-to-racemic mixture of chiral Au nanorods with right and left handedness is found in solution, electron tomography analysis evidences left- and righthanded helicities, both at the Au-Ag interface and at the exposed surface of Au NRs after Ag etching. The helicity profile of the NRs indicates dominating inclination angles in a range from 30° to 60°. Single-particle optical characterization also reveals random handedness in the plasmonic response of individual nanorods. We hypothesize that, the origin of chirality is related with symmetry breaking during the co-deposition of Au and Ag, through an initial perturbation in a small region on the Au-Ag interface that eventually leads to chiral segregation throughout the nanocrystal.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001052093300001 Publication Date 2023-08-21  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0897-4756 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 8.6 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) The authors acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant 22074102). LMLM acknowledges funding from 26 MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and “ESF Investing in your future” (Grant PID2020- 117779RB-I00). This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 823717 – ESTEEM3.; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovaci?n, PID2020-117779RB-I00 ; H2020 Research Infrastructures, 823717 ; European Social Fund, PID2020-117779RB-I00 ; National Natural Science Foundation of China, 22074102 ; Approved Most recent IF: 8.6; 2023 IF: 9.466  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:198151 Serial 8810  
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Author Denisov, N.; Jannis, D.; Orekhov, A.; Müller-Caspary, K.; Verbeeck, J. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Characterization of a Timepix detector for use in SEM acceleration voltage range Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Ultramicroscopy Abbreviated Journal Ultramicroscopy  
  Volume 253 Issue Pages 113777  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Hybrid pixel direct electron detectors are gaining popularity in electron microscopy due to their excellent properties. Some commercial cameras based on this technology are relatively affordable which makes them attractive tools for experimentation especially in combination with an SEM setup. To support this, a detector characterization (Modulation Transfer Function, Detective Quantum Efficiency) of an Advacam Minipix and Advacam Advapix detector in the 15–30 keV range was made. In the current work we present images of Point Spread Function, plots of MTF/DQE curves and values of DQE(0) for these detectors. At low beam currents, the silicon detector layer behaviour should be dominant, which could make these findings transferable to any other available detector based on either Medipix2, Timepix or Timepix3 provided the same detector layer is used.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001026912700001 Publication Date 2023-06-08  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0304-3991 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 2.2 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium) project SBO S000121N. The authors are grateful to Dr. Lobato for productive discussion of methods. Approved Most recent IF: 2.2; 2023 IF: 2.843  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:198258 Serial 8815  
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Author Vlasov, E.; Denisov, N.; Verbeeck, J. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Low-cost electron detector for scanning electron microscope Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication HardwareX Abbreviated Journal HardwareX  
  Volume 14 Issue Pages e00413  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Electron microscopy is an indispensable tool for the characterization of (nano) materials. Electron microscopes are typically very expensive and their internal operation is often shielded from the user. This situation can provide fast and high quality results for researchers focusing on e.g. materials science if they have access to the relevant instruments. For researchers focusing on technique development, wishing to test novel setups, however, the high entry price can lead to risk aversion and deter researchers from innovating electron microscopy technology further. The closed attitude of commercial entities about how exactly the different parts of electron microscopes work, makes it even harder for newcomers in this field. Here we propose an affordable, easy-to-build electron detector for use in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The aim of this project is to shed light on the functioning of such detectors as well as show that even a very modest design can lead to acceptable performance while providing high flexibility for experimentation and customization.  
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  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001042486000001 Publication Date 2023-03-10  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2468-0672 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited 1 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium) project SBO [Grant No. S000121N]. JV acknowledges funding from the HORIZON-INFRA-2022-TECH-01-01 project IMPRESS [Grant No. 101094299]. Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:195886 Serial 7252  
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Author Benedet, M.; Andrea Rizzi, G.; Gasparotto, A.; Gauquelin, N.; Orekhov, A.; Verbeeck, J.; Maccato, C.; Barreca, D. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Functionalization of graphitic carbon nitride systems by cobalt and cobalt-iron oxides boosts solar water oxidation performances Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Applied surface science Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 618 Issue Pages 156652  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The ever-increasing energy demand from the world population has made the intensive use of fossil fuels an overarching threat to global environment and human health. An appealing alternative is offered by sunlight-assisted photoelectrochemical water splitting to yield carbon-free hydrogen fuel, but kinetic limitations associated to the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) render the development of cost-effective, eco-friendly and stable electrocatalysts an imperative issue. In the present work, OER catalysts based on graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) were deposited on conducting glass substrates by a simple decantation procedure, followed by functionalization with low amounts of nanostructured CoO and CoFe2O4 by radio frequency (RF)-sputtering, and final annealing under inert atmosphere. A combination of advanced characterization tools was used to investigate the interplay between material features and electrochemical performances. The obtained results highlighted the formation of a p-n junction for the g-C3N4-CoO system, whereas a Z-scheme junction accounted for the remarkable performance enhancement yielded by g-C3N4-CoFe2O4. The intimate contact between the system components also afforded an improved electrocatalyst stability in comparison to various bare and functionalized g-C3N4-based systems. These findings emphasize the importance of tailoring g-C3N4 chemico-physical properties through the dispersion of complementary catalysts to fully exploit its applicative potential.  
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  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000950654300001 Publication Date 2023-02-04  
  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 6.7 Times cited 11 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from CNR (Progetti di Ricerca @CNR – avviso 2020 – ASSIST), Padova University (P-DiSC#04BIRD2020-UNIPD EUREKA, DOR 2020–2022), AMGA Foundation (NYMPHEA project), INSTM Consortium (INSTM21PDGASPAROTTO – NANOMAT, INSTM21PDBARMAC – ATENA) and the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 823717 – ESTEEM3. The FWO-Hercules fund G0H4316N 'Direct electron detector for soft matter TEM' is also acknowledged. Many thanks are due to Prof. Luca Gavioli (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Brescia, Italy) and Dr. Riccardo Lorenzin (Department of Chemical Sciences, Padova University, Italy) for their invaluable technical support.; esteem3reported; esteem3TA Approved Most recent IF: 6.7; 2023 IF: 3.387  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:196150 Serial 7376  
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Author Vega-Paredes, M.; Aymerich-Armengol, R.; Arenas Esteban, D.; Marti-Sanchez, S.; Bals, S.; Scheu, C.; Manjon, A.G. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Electrochemical stability of rhodium-platinum core-shell nanoparticles : an identical location scanning transmission electron microscopy study Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication ACS nano Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 17 Issue 17 Pages 16943-16951  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Rhodium-platinum core-shell nanoparticleson a carbonsupport (Rh@Pt/C NPs) are promising candidates as anode catalystsfor polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. However, their electrochemicalstability needs to be further explored for successful applicationin commercial fuel cells. Here we employ identical location scanningtransmission electron microscopy to track the morphological and compositionalchanges of Rh@Pt/C NPs during potential cycling (10 000 cycles,0.06-0.8 V-RHE, 0.5 H2SO4)down to the atomic level, which are then used for understanding thecurrent evolution occurring during the potential cycles. Our resultsreveal a high stability of the Rh@Pt/C system and point toward particledetachment from the carbon support as the main degradation mechanism.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001051495900001 Publication Date 2023-08-21  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1936-0851 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 17.1 Times cited 2 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) The authors would like to thank C. Bodirsky for providing the samples, N. Rivas Rivas for his corrections on the manuscript, and D. Chatain for providing her expertise on the equilibrium shape of nanoparticles. Special thanks to B. Breitbach for performing the XRD experiments. A.G.M. acknowledges the Grant RYC2021-033479- I funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and, as appropriate, by European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR. Approved Most recent IF: 17.1; 2023 IF: 13.942  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:199253 Serial 8859  
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Author Lin, A.; Sahun, M.; Biscop, E.; Verswyvel, H.; De Waele, J.; De Backer, J.; Theys, C.; Cuypers, B.; Laukens, K.; Berghe, W.V.; Smits, E.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Acquired non-thermal plasma resistance mediates a shift towards aerobic glycolysis and ferroptotic cell death in melanoma Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Drug resistance updates Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 67 Issue Pages 100914  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Pharmacology. Therapy; ADReM Data Lab (ADReM); Center for Oncological Research (CORE); Proteinscience, proteomics and epigenetic signaling (PPES); Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract To gain insights into the underlying mechanisms of NTP therapy sensitivity and resistance, using the firstever

NTP-resistant cell line derived from sensitive melanoma cells (A375).

Methods: Melanoma cells were exposed to NTP and re-cultured for 12 consecutive weeks before evaluation

against the parental control cells. Whole transcriptome sequencing analysis was performed to identify differentially

expressed genes and enriched molecular pathways. Glucose uptake, extracellular lactate, media acidification,

and mitochondrial respiration was analyzed to determine metabolic changes. Cell death inhibitors were

used to assess the NTP-induced cell death mechanisms, and apoptosis and ferroptosis was further validated via

Annexin V, Caspase 3/7, and lipid peroxidation analysis.

Results: Cells continuously exposed to NTP became 10 times more resistant to NTP compared to the parental cell

line of the same passage, based on their half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50). Sequencing and metabolic

analysis indicated that NTP-resistant cells had a preference towards aerobic glycolysis, while cell death analysis

revealed that NTP-resistant cells exhibited less apoptosis but were more vulnerable to lipid peroxidation and

ferroptosis.

Conclusions: A preference towards aerobic glycolysis and ferroptotic cell death are key physiological changes in

NTP-resistance cells, which opens new avenues for further, in-depth research into other cancer types.
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000925156500001 Publication Date 2022-12-29  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1368-7646 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 24.3 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) The authors would like to thank Dr. Christophe Deben and Ms. Hannah Zaryouh (Center for Oncological Research, University of Antwerp) for the use and their help with the D300e Digital Dispenser and Spark® Cyto, as well as Ms. Rapha¨elle Corremans (Laboratory Pathophysiology, University of Antwerp) for the use of their lactate meter. The authors would also like to acknowledge the help from Ms. Tias Verhezen and Mr. Cyrus Akbari, who was involved at the start of the project but could not continue due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors also acknowledge the resources and services provided by the VSC (Flemish Supercomputer Center). This work was funded in part by the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) and the Flemish Government. The FWO fellowships and grants that funded this work also include: 12S9221N (Abraham Lin), G044420N (Abraham Lin, Annemie Bogaerts), and 1S67621N (Hanne Verswyvel). We would also like to thank several patrons, as part of this research was funded by donations from different donors, including Dedert Schilde vzw, Mr. Willy Floren, and the Vereycken family. We would also like to acknowledge the support from the European Cooperation in Science & Technology (COST) Action on Therapeutical applications of Cold Plasmas (CA20114; PlasTHER). Approved Most recent IF: 24.3; 2023 IF: 10.906  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:193167 Serial 7240  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Bogaerts, A.; Centi, G.; Hessel, V.; Rebrov, E. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Challenges in unconventional catalysis Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Catalysis today Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 420 Issue Pages 114180  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Catalysis science and technology increased efforts recently to progress beyond conventional “thermal” catalysis and face the challenges of net-zero emissions and electrification of production. Nevertheless, a better gaps and opportunities analysis is necessary. This review analyses four emerging areas of unconventional or less- conventional catalysis which share the common aspect of using directly renewable energy sources: (i) plasma catalysis, (ii) catalysis for flow chemistry and process intensification, (iii) application of electromagnetic (EM) fields to modulate catalytic activity and (iv) nanoscale generation at the catalyst interface of a strong local EM by plasmonic effect. Plasma catalysis has demonstrated synergistic effects, where the outcome is higher than the sum of both processes alone. Still, the underlying mechanisms are complex, and synergy is not always obtained. There is a crucial need for a better understanding to (i) design catalysts tailored to the plasma environment, (ii) design plasma reactors with optimal transport of plasma species to the catalyst surface, and (iii) tune the plasma conditions so they work in optimal synergy with the catalyst. Microfluidic reactors (flow chemistry) is another emerging sector leading to the intensification of catalytic syntheses, particularly in organic chemistry. New unconventional catalysts must be designed to exploit in full the novel possibilities. With a focus on (a) continuous-flow photocatalysis, (b) electrochemical flow catalysis, (c) microwave flow catalysis and (d) ultra­ sound flow activation, a series of examples are discussed, with also indications on scale-up and process indus­ trialisation. The third area discussed regards the effect on catalytic performances of applying oriented EM fields spanning several orders of magnitude. Under well-defined conditions, gas breakdown and, in some cases, plasma formation generates activated gas phase species. The EM field-driven chemical conversion processes depend further on structured electric/magnetic catalysts, which shape the EM field in strength and direction. Different effects influencing chemical conversion have been reported, including reduced activation energy, surface charging, hot spot generation, and selective local heating. The last topic discussed is complementary to the third, focusing on the possibility of tuning the photo- and electro-catalytic properties by creating a strong localised electrical field with a plasmonic effect. The novel possibilities of hot carriers generated by the plasmonic effect are also discussed. This review thus aims to stimulate the reader to make new, creative catalysis to address the challenges of reaching a carbon-neutral world.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001004623300001 Publication Date 2023-05-09  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0920-5861 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 5.3 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) The EU ERC Synergy SCOPE project supported this work (project ID 810182) “ Surface-COnfined fast-modulated Plasma for process and Energy intensification in small molecules conversion”. This review thus aims to stimulate the reader to make new, creative catalysis to address the challenges of reaching a carbon-neutral world. Approved Most recent IF: 5.3; 2023 IF: 4.636  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:196446 Serial 7380  
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Author Mayda, S.; Monico, L.; Krishnan, D.; De Meyer, S.; Cotte, M.; Garrevoet, J.; Falkenberg, G.; Sandu, I.C.A.; Partoens, B.; Lamoen, D.; Romani, A.; Miliani, C.; Verbeeck, J.; Janssens, K. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title A combined experimental and computational approach to understanding CdS pigment oxidation in a renowned early 20th century painting Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Chemistry of materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 35 Issue 24 Pages 10403-10415  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Condensed Matter Theory (CMT); Antwerp X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy (AXIS)  
  Abstract Cadmium sulfide (CdS)-based yellow pigments have been used in a number of early 20th century artworks, including The Scream series painted by Edvard Munch. Some of these unique paintings are threatened by the discoloration of these CdS-based yellow oil paints because of the oxidation of the original sulfides to sulfates. The experimental data obtained here prove that moisture and cadmium chloride compounds play a key role in promoting such oxidation. To clarify how these two factors effectively prompt the process, we studied the band alignment between CdS, CdCl2, and Cd-(OH)Cl as well as the radicals center dot OH and H3O center dot by density functional theory (DFT) methods. Our results show that a stack of several layers of Cd-(OH)Cl creates a pocket of positive holes at the Cl-terminated surface and a pocket of electrons at the OH-terminated surface by leading in a difference in ionization energy at both surfaces. The resulting band alignment indicates that Cd-(OH)Cl can indeed play the role of an oxidative catalyst for CdS in a moist environment, thus providing an explanation for the experimental evidence.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001133000900001 Publication Date 2023-12-08  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0897-4756; 1520-5002 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes (up) The experimental research on the cadmium yellow powders/paint mock-ups and The Scream (ca. 1910) was financially supported by the European Union, research projects IPERION-CH (H2020-INFRAIA-2014-2015, GA no. 654028) and IPERION-HS (H2020-INFRAIA-2019-1, GA no. 871034) and the project AMIS within the program Dipartimenti di Eccellenza 2018-2022 (funded by MUR and the University of Perugia). For the beamtime grants received, the authors thank the ESRF-ID21 beamline (experiments HG64 and HG95), the DESY-P06 beamline, a member of the Helmholtz Association HGF (experiments I-20130221 EC and I-20160126 EC), and the project CALIPSOplus under the GA no. 730872 from the E.U. Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020. All of the staff of the MUNCH Museum (Conservation Department) is acknowledged for their collaboration. 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), both funded by the FWO – Vlaanderen and the Flemish Government, Department EWI. Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:202836 Serial 8999  
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Author Vlasov, E.; Skorikov, A.; Sánchez-Iglesias, A.; Liz-Marzán, L.M.; Verbeeck, J.; Bals, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Secondary electron induced current in scanning transmission electron microscopy: an alternative way to visualize the morphology of nanoparticles Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication ACS materials letters Abbreviated Journal ACS Materials Lett.  
  Volume Issue Pages 1916-1921  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Electron tomography (ET) is a powerful tool to determine the three-dimensional (3D) structure of nanomaterials in a transmission electron microscope. However, the acquisition of a conventional tilt series for ET is a time-consuming process and can therefore not provide 3D structural information in a time-efficient manner. Here, we propose surface-sensitive secondary electron (SE) imaging as an alternative to ET for the investigation of the morphology of nanomaterials. We use the SE electron beam induced current (SEEBIC) technique that maps the electrical current arising from holes generated by the emission of SEs from the sample. SEEBIC imaging can provide valuable information on the sample morphology with high spatial resolution and significantly shorter throughput times compared with ET. In addition, we discuss the contrast formation mechanisms that aid in the interpretation of SEEBIC data.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001006191600001 Publication Date 2023-06-12  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2639-4979 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited 1 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) The funding for this project was provided by European Research Council (ERC Consolidator Grant 815128, REALNANO). J.V. acknowledges the eBEAM project, which is supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement no. 101017720 (FET-Proactive EBEAM). L.M.L.-M. acknowledges funding from MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (grant # PID2020-117779RB-I00). Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:197004 Serial 8795  
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Author Benedoue, S.; Benedet, M.; Gasparotto, A.; Gauquelin, N.; Orekhov, A.; Verbeeck, J.; Seraglia, R.; Pagot, G.; Rizzi, G.A.; Balzano, V.; Gavioli, L.; Noto, V.D.; Barreca, D.; Maccato, C. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Insights into the Photoelectrocatalytic Behavior of gCN-Based Anode Materials Supported on Ni Foams Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Nanomaterials Abbreviated Journal Nanomaterials-Basel  
  Volume 13 Issue 6 Pages 1035  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Graphitic carbon nitride (gCN) is a promising n-type semiconductor widely investigated for photo-assisted water splitting, but less studied for the (photo)electrochemical degradation of aqueous organic pollutants. In these fields, attractive perspectives for advancements are offered by a proper engineering of the material properties, e.g., by depositing gCN onto conductive and porous scaffolds, tailoring its nanoscale morphology, and functionalizing it with suitable cocatalysts. The present study reports on a simple and easily controllable synthesis of gCN flakes on Ni foam substrates by electrophoretic deposition (EPD), and on their eventual decoration with Co-based cocatalysts [CoO, CoFe2O4, cobalt phosphate (CoPi)] via radio frequency (RF)-sputtering or electrodeposition. After examining the influence of processing conditions on the material characteristics, the developed systems are comparatively investigated as (photo)anodes for water splitting and photoelectrocatalysts for the degradation of a recalcitrant water pollutant [potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHP)]. The obtained results highlight that while gCN decoration with Co-based cocatalysts boosts water splitting performances, bare gCN as such is more efficient in KHP abatement, due to the occurrence of a different reaction mechanism. The related insights, provided by a multi-technique characterization, may provide valuable guidelines for the implementation of active nanomaterials in environmental remediation and sustainable solar-to-chemical energy conversion.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000960297000001 Publication Date 2023-03-13  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2079-4991 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 5.3 Times cited 3 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) The present work was financially supported by CNR (Progetti di Ricerca @CNR—avviso 2020—ASSIST), Padova University (P-DiSC#04BIRD2020-UNIPD EUREKA, DOR 2020–2022), AMGA Foundation (NYMPHEA project), INSTM Consortium (INSTM21PDGASPAROTTO—NANOMAT, INSTM21PDBARMAC—ATENA) and the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 823717—ESTEEM3. The FWO-Hercules fund G0H4316N ‘Direct electron detector for soft matter TEM’ is also acknowledged. Many thanks are also due to Dr. Riccardo Lorenzin for his support to experimental activities.; esteem3reported; esteem3TA Approved Most recent IF: 5.3; 2023 IF: 3.553  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:196115 Serial 7378  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Moggia, G.; Hoekx, S.; Daems, N.; Bals, S.; Breugelmans, T. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Synthesis and characterization of a highly electroactive composite based on Au nanoparticles supported on nanoporous activated carbon for electrocatalysis Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication ChemElectroChem Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 1-11  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)  
  Abstract A facile, “one-pot”, chemical approach to synthesize gold-based nanoparticles finely dispersed on porous activated carbon (Norit) was demonstrated in this work. The pH of the synthesis bath played a critical role in determining the optimal gold-carbon interaction, which enabled a successful deposition of the gold nanoparticles onto the carbon matrix with a maximized metal utilization of 93 %. The obtained AuNP/C nanocomposite was characterized using SEM, HAADF-STEM electron tomography and electrochemical techniques. It was found that the Au nanoparticles, with diameters between 5 and 20 nm, were evenly distributed over the carbon matrix, both inside and outside the pores. Electrochemical characterization indicated that the composite had a very large electroactive surface area (EASA), as high as 282.4 m2 gAu-1. By exploiting its very high EASA, the catalyst was intended to boost the productivity of glucaric acid in the electrooxidation of its precursor, gluconic acid. However, cyclic voltammetry experiments revealed a very limited reactivity towards gluconic acid oxidation, due to the spacial hindrance of gluconic acid molecule which prevented diffusion inside the catalyst nanopores. On the other hand, the as-synthesized nanocomposite promises to be effective towards the ORR, and might thus find potential application as anode catalyst for fuel cells as well as for the scalability of all those electrochemical reactions involving small molecules with high diffusivity and catalysed by noble metals (i. e. CO2, CH4, N2, etc..). Electrocatalysis: Gold nanoparticles with diameter between 5 and 20 nm evenly distributed onto porous activated carbon (Norit) were obtained using a facile “one-pot” chemical synthesis technique with very high metal utilization. The AuNP/C nanocomposite was characterized using SEM, HAADF-STEM electron tomography and electrochemical techniques, revealing a very large electroactive surface area (EASA). The figure shows the HAADF-STEM image (a) and the respective EDX elemental distribution (b) for the AuNP/C composite with 9.3 % Au-loading developed in this work (Au is marked in red and C in green).image  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001060398900001 Publication Date 2023-09-08  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2196-0216 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4 Times cited 1 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) The research described in this article has not been supported by the Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency of the European Commission. The views expressed in this article have not been adopted or in any way approved by the European Commission and do not constitute a statement of the European Commission & apos;s views.r S. Hoekx was supported by Research Foundation Flanders (FWO 1S42623N). The authors would like to thank Prof. Dr. Christophe Vande Velde, University of Antwerp, for the XRD analysis. Approved Most recent IF: 4; 2023 IF: 4.136  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:199210 Serial 8941  
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Author Mulder, J.T.; Meijer, M.S.; van Blaaderen, J.J.; du Fosse, I.; Jenkinson, K.; Bals, S.; Manna, L.; Houtepen, A.J. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Understanding and preventing photoluminescence quenching to achieve unity photoluminescence quantum yield in Yb:YLF nanocrystals Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication ACS applied materials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 15 Issue 2 Pages 3274-3286  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Ytterbium-doped LiYF4 (Yb:YLF) is a commonly used material for laser applications, as a photon upconversion medium, and for optical refrigeration. As nanocrystals (NCs), the material is also of interest for biological and physical applications. Unfortunately, as with most phosphors, with the reduction in size comes a large reduction of the photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY), which is typically associated with an increase in surface-related PL quenching. Here, we report the synthesis of bipyramidal Yb:YLF NCs with a short axis of similar to 60 nm. We systematically study and remove all sources of PL quenching in these NCs. By chemically removing all traces of water from the reaction mixture, we obtain NCs that exhibit a near-unity PLQY for an Yb3+ concentration below 20%. At higher Yb3+ concentrations, efficient concentration quenching occurs. The surface PL quenching is mitigated by growing an undoped YLF shell around the NC core, resulting in near-unity PLQY values even for fully Yb3+-based LiYbF4 cores. This unambiguously shows that the only remaining quenching sites in core-only Yb:YLF NCs reside on the surface and that concentration quenching is due to energy transfer to the surface. Monte Carlo simulations can reproduce the concentration dependence of the PLQY. Surprisingly, Fo''rster resonance energy transfer does not give satisfactory agreement with the experimental data, whereas nearest-neighbor energy transfer does. This work demonstrates that Yb3+-based nanophosphors can be synthesized with a quality close to that of bulk single crystals. The high Yb3+ concentration in the LiYbF4/LiYF4 core/shell nanocrystals increases the weak Yb3+ absorption, making these materials highly promising for fundamental studies and increasing their effectiveness in bioapplications and optical refrigeration.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000912997300001 Publication Date 2023-01-06  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1944-8244 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 9.5 Times cited 3 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (up) This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No. 766900 (Testing the Large-Scale Limit of Quantum Mechanics). A.J.H. and I.d.F. further acknowledge the European Research Council Horizon 2020 ERC Grant Agreement No. 678004 (Doping on Demand) for financial support. The authors thank Freddy Rabouw and Andries Meijerink (Utrecht University) for very fruitful discussions and extremely useful advice. The author s thank Jos Thieme for his help with the laser setups used . The authors furthermore thank Niranjan Saikumar for proofreading the manuscript. Approved Most recent IF: 9.5; 2023 IF: 7.504  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:194317 Serial 7348  
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