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Author Trenchev, G.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Dual-vortex plasmatron: A novel plasma source for CO2 conversion Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Journal Of Co2 Utilization Abbreviated Journal (up) J Co2 Util
Volume 39 Issue Pages 101152
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Atmospheric pressure gliding arc (GA) discharges are gaining increasing interest for CO2 conversion and other gas conversion applications, due to their simplicity and high energy efficiency. However, they are characterized by some drawbacks, such as non-uniform gas treatment, limiting the conversion, as well as the development of a hot cathode spot, resulting in severe electrode degradation. In this work, we built a dual-vortex plasmatron, which is a GA plasma reactor with innovative electrode configuration, to solve the above problems. The design aims to improve the CO2 conversion capability of the GA reactor by elongating the arc in two directions, to increase the residence time of the gas inside the arc, and to actively cool the cathode spot by rotation of the arc and gas convection. The measured CO2 conversion and corresponding energy efficiency indeed look very promising. In addition, we developed a fluid dynamics non-thermal plasma model with argon chemistry, to study the arc behavior in the reactor and to explain the experimental results.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000546648400008 Publication Date 2020-03-20
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2212-9820 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 7.7 Times cited Open Access
Notes Fund for Scientific Research – Flanders, G.0383.16N 11U53.16N ; Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government; UAntwerpen; We acknowledge financial support from the Fund for Scientific Research – Flanders (FWO); grant numbers G.0383.16N and 11U53.16N. The calculations were performed 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. We would also like to thank G. Van Loon from the University of Antwerp for building the DVP reactor. Approved Most recent IF: 7.7; 2020 IF: 4.292
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:167593 Serial 6356
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Author Dinh, D.K.; Trenchev, G.; Lee, D.H.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Arc plasma reactor modification for enhancing performance of dry reforming of methane Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Journal Of Co2 Utilization Abbreviated Journal (up) J Co2 Util
Volume 42 Issue Pages 101352
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Arc plasma technology is gaining increasing interest for a variety of chemical reaction applications. In this study, we demonstrate how modifying the reactor geometry can significantly enhance the chemical reaction perfor­mance. Using dry reforming of methane as a model reaction, we studied different rotating arc reactors (con­ventional rotating arc reactor and nozzle-type rotating arc reactor) to evaluate the effect of attaching a downstream nozzle. The nozzle structure focuses the heat to a confined reaction volume, resulting in enhanced heat transfer from the arc into gas activation and reduced heat losses to the reactor walls. Compared to the conventional rotating arc reactor, this yields much higher CH4 and CO2 conversion (i.e., 74% and 49%, respectively, versus 40% and 28% in the conventional reactor, at 5 kJ/L) as well as energy efficiency (i.e., 53% versus 36%). The different performance in both reactors was explained by both experiments (measurements of temperature and oscillogram of current and voltage) and numerical modelling of the gas flow dynamics, heat transfer and fluid plasma of the reactor chambers. The results provide important insights for design optimization of arc plasma reactors for various chemical reactions.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000599717000009 Publication Date 2020-11-05
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2212-9820 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 7.7 Times cited Open Access
Notes Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, NK225F and NG0340) ; This work is supported by the Institutional research program (NK225F and NG0340) of the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials. Approved Most recent IF: 7.7; 2020 IF: 4.292
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:173859 Serial 6431
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Author Kaliyappan, P.; Paulus, A.; D’Haen, J.; Samyn, P.; Uytdenhouwen, Y.; Hafezkhiabani, N.; Bogaerts, A.; Meynen, V.; Elen, K.; Hardy, A.; Van Bael, M.K.
Title Probing the impact of material properties of core-shell SiO₂@TiO₂ spheres on the plasma-catalytic CO₂ dissociation using a packed bed DBD plasma reactor Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Journal Of Co2 Utilization Abbreviated Journal (up) J Co2 Util
Volume 46 Issue Pages 101468
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA); Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Plasma catalysis, a promising technology for conversion of CO2 into value-added chemicals near room temperature, is gaining increasing interest. A dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma has attracted attention due to its simple design and operation at near ambient conditions, ease to implement catalysts in the plasma zone and upscaling ability to industrial applications. To improve its main drawbacks, being relatively low conversion and energy efficiency, a packing material is used in the plasma discharge zone of the reactor, sometimes decorated by a catalytic material. Nevertheless, the extent to which different properties of the packing material influence plasma performance is still largely unexplored and unknown. In this study, the particular effect of synthesis induced differences in the morphology of a TiO2 shell covering a SiO2 core packing material on the plasma conversion of CO2 is studied. TiO2 has been successfully deposited around 1.6–1.8 mm sized SiO2 spheres by means of spray coating, starting from aqueous citratoperoxotitanate(IV) precursors. Parameters such as concentration of the Ti(IV) precursor solutions and addition of a binder were found to affect the shells’ properties and surface morphology and to have a major impact on the CO2 conversion in a packed bed DBD plasma reactor. Core-shell SiO2@TiO2 obtained from 0.25 M citratoperoxotitante(IV) precursors with the addition of a LUDOX binder showed the highest CO2 conversion 37.7% (at a space time of 70 s corresponding to an energy efficiency of 2%) and the highest energy efficiency of 4.8% (at a space time of 2.5 s corresponding to a conversion of 3%).
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000634280300004 Publication Date 2021-02-15
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2212-9820 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.292 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.292
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:175958 Serial 6773
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Author Van Alphen, S.; Slaets, J.; Ceulemans, S.; Aghaei, M.; Snyders, R.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Effect of N2 on CO2-CH4 conversion in a gliding arc plasmatron: Can this major component in industrial emissions improve the energy efficiency? Type A1 Journal Article;Plasma-based CO2-CH4 conversion
Year 2021 Publication Journal Of Co2 Utilization Abbreviated Journal (up) J Co2 Util
Volume 54 Issue Pages 101767
Keywords A1 Journal Article;Plasma-based CO2-CH4 conversion; Effect of N2; Plasma chemistry; Computational modelling; Gliding arc plasmatron; Plasma, laser ablation and surface modeling Antwerp (PLASMANT) ;
Abstract Plasma-based CO2 and CH4 conversion is gaining increasing interest, and a great portion of research is dedicated to adapting the process to actual industrial conditions. In an industrial context, the process needs to be able to process N2 admixtures, since most industrial gas emissions contain significant amounts of N2, and gas separations are financially costly. In this paper we therefore investigate the effect of N2 on the CO2 and CH4 conversion in a gliding arc plasmatron reactor. The addition of 20 % N2 reduces the energy cost of the conversion process by 21 % compared to a pure CO2/CH4 mixture, from 2.9 down to 2.2 eV/molec (or from 11.5 to 8.7 kJ/L), yielding a CO2 and CH4 (absolute) conversion of 28.6 and 35.9 % and an energy efficiency of 58 %. These results are among the best reported in literature for plasma-based DRM, demonstrating the benefits of N2 present in the mix. Compared to DRM results in different plasma reactor types, a low energy cost was achieved. To understand the underlying mechanisms of N2 addition, we developed a combination of four different computational models, which reveal that the beneficial effect of N2 addition is attributed to (i) a rise in the electron density (increasing the plasma conductivity, and therefore reducing the plasma power needed to sustain the plasma, which reduces the energy cost), as well as (ii) a rise in the gas temperature, which accelerates the CO2 and CH4 conversion reactions.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000715057300005 Publication Date 2021-10-28
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2212-9820 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.292 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes This research was supported by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innova­ tion programme (grant agreement No 810182 – SCOPE ERC Synergy project), the Excellence of Science FWO-FNRS project (FWO grant ID GoF9618n, EOS ID 30505023), and through long-term structural fund­ing (Methusalem). The calculations were performed 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: 4.292
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:184044 Serial 6827
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Author Wanten, B.; Maerivoet, S.; Vantomme, C.; Slaets, J.; Trenchev, G.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Dry reforming of methane in an atmospheric pressure glow discharge: Confining the plasma to expand the performance Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication Journal Of Co2 Utilization Abbreviated Journal (up) J Co2 Util
Volume 56 Issue Pages 101869
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract We present a confined atmospheric pressure glow discharge plasma reactor, with very good performance towards dry reforming of methane, i.e., CO2 and CH4 conversion of 64 % and 94 %, respectively, at an energy cost of 3.5–4 eV/molecule (or 14–16 kJ/L). This excellent performance is among the best reported up to now for all types of plasma reactors in literature, and is due to the confinement of the plasma, which maximizes the fraction of gas passing through the active plasma region. The main product formed is syngas, with H2O and C2H2 as byproducts. We developed a quasi-1D chemical kinetics model, showing good agreement with the experimental results, which provides a thorough insight in the reaction pathways underlying the conversion of CO2 and CH4 and the formation of the different products.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000740230000002 Publication Date 2021-12-23
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2212-9820 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 7.7 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Vlaamse regering; European Research Council, 810182 ; Herculesstichting; European Research Council; Horizon 2020 Framework Programme; Universiteit Antwerpen; This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 810182 – SCOPE ERC Synergy project), and through long-term structural funding (Methusalem). The calculations were performed 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. Finally, we thank T. Kenis, J. Van den Hoek, and T. Breugelmans from the University of Antwerp, for per­ forming the liquid analysis. Approved Most recent IF: 7.7
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:185163 Serial 6899
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Author Li, S.; Liu, C.; Bogaerts, A.; Gallucci, F.
Title Editorial: Special issue on CO2 utilization with plasma technology Type Editorial
Year 2022 Publication Journal Of Co2 Utilization Abbreviated Journal (up) J Co2 Util
Volume 61 Issue Pages 102017
Keywords Editorial; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Plasma technology has advanced significantly in recent years, with application ranging from chemical conversion, to surface treatment, material development and several other fields. Special attention has been paid to the development of possible novel approaches for the conversion of chemicals in a more sustainable way. Plasma technology offers advantages over thermochemical routes such as high process versatility, mild reaction condition, one-step synthesis, fast reaction and instant control. More importantly, it can be easily combined with elec­tricity generated from various renewable sources and is suitable for energy storage via the conversion of intermittent renewable energy into carbon-neutral fuels or other chemicals. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the development of plasma technology for CO2 uti­lization. Investigation on different reactions such as CO2 splitting, dry reforming of methane (DRM) and CO2 hydrogenation with different types of plasma reactors and catalysts have been reported by researchers worldwide. Although technological maturity still needs to be increased, the potential of plasma has been well-recognized by the scientific community and industry. More research output in the future is expected as a result of intensive research activities and various kinds of invest­ment. In this context, we present this special issue on CO2 utilization with plasma technology, which collects 22 articles, covering topics in related areas such as plasma reactor design, plasma catalysis, plasmamaterial interaction, modeling and new ideas for possible applications.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000798071200005 Publication Date 0000-00-00
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2212-9820 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor 7.7 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 7.7
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:188287 Serial 7058
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Author Vertongen, R.; Trenchev, G.; Van Loenhout, R.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Enhancing CO2 conversion with plasma reactors in series and O2 removal Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication Journal Of Co2 Utilization Abbreviated Journal (up) J Co2 Util
Volume 66 Issue Pages 102252
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract In this work, we take a crucial step towards the industrial readiness of plasma-based CO2 conversion. We present a stepwise method to study plasma reactors in series as a first approach to a recycle flow. By means of this procedure, the CO2 conversion is enhanced by a factor of 3, demonstrating that a single-pass plasma treatment performs far below the optimal capacity of the reactor. Furthermore, we explore the effect of O2 in the mixture with our flexible procedure. Addition of O2 in the mixture has a clear detrimental effect on the conversion, in agreement with other experiments in atmospheric pressure plasmas. O2 removal is however highly beneficial, demonstrating a conversion per pass that is 1.6 times higher than the standard procedure. Indeed, extracting one of the products prevents recombination reactions. Based on these insights, we discuss opportunities for further improvements, especially in the field of specialised separation techniques.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000872550900003 Publication Date 0000-00-00
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2212-9820 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 7.7 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes We acknowledge financial support from the Fund for Scientific Research (FWO) Flanders (Grant ID 110221 N), the Flemish Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (VLAIO) (Grant ID HBC.2021.0251), and the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 810182 – SCOPE ERC Synergy project). We also thank L. Hollevoet, K. Rouwenhorst, F. Girard-Sahun, B. Wanten and I. Tsonev for the inter­esting discussions and practical help with the experiments. Approved Most recent IF: 7.7
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:191467 Serial 7111
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Author Baguer, N.; Georgieva, V.; Calderin, L.; Todorov, I.T.; van Gils, S.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Study of the nucleation and growth of TiO2 and ZnO thin films by means of molecular dynamics simulations Type A1 Journal article
Year 2009 Publication Journal of crystal growth Abbreviated Journal (up) J Cryst Growth
Volume 311 Issue 16 Pages 4034-4043
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract The nucleation and growth of titanium dioxide (TiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films on Fe2O3 (hematite), Al2O3 (á-alumina) and SiO2 (á-quartz) are studied by molecular dynamics simulations. The results show the formation of a strong interface region between the substrate and the film in the six systems studied here. A combination of polycrystalline and amorphous phases are observed in the TiO2 films grown on the three substrates. ZnO deposition on the Fe2O3 and Al2O3 crystals yields a monocrystalline film growth. The ZnO film deposited on the SiO2 crystal exhibits less crystallinity. The simulation results are compared with experimental results available in the literature.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Amsterdam Editor
Language Wos 000269580100012 Publication Date 2009-06-24
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-0248; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.751 Times cited 23 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 1.751; 2009 IF: 1.534
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:77453 Serial 3338
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Author Vanraes, P.; Wardenier, N.; Surmont, P.; Lynen, F.; Nikiforov, A.; Van Hulle, S.W.H.; Leys, C.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Removal of alachlor, diuron and isoproturon in water in a falling film dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor combined with adsorption on activated carbon textile: Reaction mechanisms and oxidation by-products Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication Journal of hazardous materials Abbreviated Journal (up) J Hazard Mater
Volume 354 Issue Pages 180-190
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract A falling film dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor combined with adsorption on activated carbon textile material was optimized to minimize the formation of hazardous oxidation by-products from the treatment of persistent pesticides (alachlor, diuron and isoproturon) in water. The formation of by-products and the reaction mechanism was investigated by HPLC-TOF-MS. The maximum concentration of each by-product was at least two orders of magnitude below the initial pesticide concentration, during the first 10 min of treatment. After 30 min of treatment, the individual by-product concentrations had decreased to values of at least three orders of magnitude below the initial pesticide concentration. The proposed oxidation pathways revealed five main oxidation steps: dechlorination, dealkylation, hydroxylation, addition of a double-bonded oxygen and nitrification. The latter is one of the main oxidation mechanisms of diuron and isoproturon for air plasma treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the formation of nitrificated intermediates is reported for the plasma treatment of non-phenolic compounds.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000437814600021 Publication Date 2018-05-03
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0304-3894 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 6.065 Times cited 4 Open Access Not_Open_Access: Available from 04.05.2020
Notes This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. The authors would like to thank Carbon Cloth Division for Zorflex® samples and personally thank Jack Taylor for fruitful discussion of active carbon water treatment processes Approved Most recent IF: 6.065
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:152179 Serial 4989
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Author Cenian, A.; Chernukho, A.; Bogaerts, A.; Gijbels, R.
Title Comment on 'Integral cross sections for electron impact excitation of electronic states of N2' Type Editorial
Year 2002 Publication Journal of physics: B : atomic and molecular physics Abbreviated Journal (up) J Phys B-At Mol Opt
Volume 35 Issue 24 Pages 5163-5166
Keywords Editorial; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Based on the existing experimental data and their statistical errors, it is not possible to make a sound recommendation of the cross-section set of Campbell et al (J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 34 (2001) 1185). We comment on this paper.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Iop publishing ltd Place of Publication Bristol Editor
Language Wos 000180629500021 Publication Date 2002-12-05
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0953-4075; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.792 Times cited 2 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 1.792; 2002 IF: 1.969
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:40193 Serial 409
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Author Cordeiro, R.M.; Yusupov, M.; Razzokov, J.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Parametrization and Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Nitrogen Oxyanions and Oxyacids for Applications in Atmospheric and Biomolecular Sciences Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Journal Of Physical Chemistry B Abbreviated Journal (up) J Phys Chem B
Volume 124 Issue 6 Pages 1082-1089
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Nitrogen oxyanions and oxyacids are important agents in atmospheric chemistry and medical biology. Although their chemical behavior in solution is relatively well understood, they may behave very differently at the water/air interface of atmospheric aerosols or at the membrane/water interface of cells. Here, we developed a fully classical model for molecular dynamics simulations of NO3−, NO2−, HNO3, and HNO2 in the framework of the GROMOS 53A6 and 54A7 force field versions. The model successfully accounted for the poorly structured solvation shell and ion pairing tendency of NO3−. Accurate pure-liquid properties and hydration free energies were obtained for the oxyacids. Simulations at the water/air interface showed a local enrichment of HNO3 and depletion of NO3−. The effect was discussed in light of earlier spectroscopic data and ab initio calculations, suggesting that HNO3 behaves as a weaker acid at the surface of water. Our model will hopefully allow for efficient and accurate simulations of nitrogen oxyanions and oxyacids in solution and at microheterogeneous interface environments.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000512222500015 Publication Date 2020-02-13
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1520-6106 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.3 Times cited Open Access
Notes We thank Universidade Federal do ABC for providing the computational resources needed for completion of this work. This study was financed in part by the Coordenaçaõ de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nı ́vel Superior – Brasil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001. Approved Most recent IF: 3.3; 2020 IF: 3.177
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:166488 Serial 6340
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Author Wendelen, W.; Dzhurakhalov, A.A.; Peeters, F.M.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Combined molecular dynamics: continuum study of phase transitions in bulk metals under ultrashort pulsed laser irradiation Type A1 Journal article
Year 2010 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal (up) J Phys Chem C
Volume 114 Issue 12 Pages 5652-5660
Keywords A1 Journal article; Integrated Molecular Plant Physiology Research (IMPRES); Condensed Matter Theory (CMT); Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract The phase transition processes induced by ultrashort, 100 fs pulsed laser irradiation of Au, Cu, and Ni are studied by means of a combined atomistic-continuum approach. A moderately low absorbed laser fluence range, from 200 to 600 J/m2 is considered to study phase transitions by means of a local and a nonlocal order parameter. At low laser fluences, the occurrence of layer-by-layer evaporation has been observed, which suggests a direct solid to vapor transition. The calculated amount of molten material remains very limited under the conditions studied, especially for Ni. Therefore, our results show that a kinetic equation that describes a direct solid to vapor transition might be the best approach to model laser-induced phase transitions by continuum models. Furthermore, the results provide more insight into the applicability of analytical superheating theories that were implemented in continuum models and help the understanding of nonequilibrium phase transitions.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor
Language Wos 000275855600044 Publication Date 2010-01-26
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447;1932-7455; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 2 Open Access
Notes ; A.D. gratefully acknowledges Professor M. Hot (ULB, Brussels) for the basic MD-code that was modified further for the laser-induced melting processes. W.W, and A.D. are thankful to Professor L.V. Zhigilei for useful discussions and advices. The calculations were performed on the CALCUA computing facility of the University of Antwerp. This work was supported by the Belgian Science Policy (IAP). ; Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2010 IF: 4.524
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:81391 Serial 402
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Author Tinck, S.; Neyts, E.C.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Fluorinesilicon surface reactions during cryogenic and near room temperature etching Type A1 Journal article
Year 2014 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal (up) J Phys Chem C
Volume 118 Issue 51 Pages 30315-30324
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Cyrogenic etching of silicon is envisaged to enable better control over plasma processing in the microelectronics industry, albeit little is known about the fundamental differences compared to the room temperature process. We here present molecular dynamics simulations carried out to obtain sticking probabilities, thermal desorption rates, surface diffusion speeds, and sputter yields of F, F2, Si, SiF, SiF2, SiF3, SiF4, and the corresponding ions on Si(100) and on SiF13 surfaces, both at cryogenic and near room temperature. The different surface behavior during conventional etching and cryoetching is discussed. F2 is found to be relatively reactive compared to other species like SiF03. Thermal desorption occurs at a significantly lower rate under cryogenic conditions, which results in an accumulation of physisorbed species. Moreover, ion incorporation is often observed for ions with energies of 30400 eV, which results in a relatively low net sputter yield. The obtained results suggest that the actual etching of Si, under both cryogenic and near room temperature conditions, is based on the complete conversion of the Si surface to physisorbed SiF4, followed by subsequent sputtering of these molecules, instead of direct sputtering of the SiF03 surface.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor
Language Wos 000347360200101 Publication Date 2014-11-25
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447;1932-7455; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 11 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2014 IF: 4.772
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:122957 Serial 1239
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Author Aerts, R.; Martens, T.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Influence of vibrational states on CO2 splitting by dielectric barrier discharges Type A1 Journal article
Year 2012 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal (up) J Phys Chem C
Volume 116 Issue 44 Pages 23257-23273
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract In this paper, the splitting of CO2 in a pulsed plasma system, such as a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), is evaluated from a chemical point of view by means of numerical modeling. For this purpose, a chemical reaction set of CO2 in an atmospheric pressure plasma is developed, including the vibrational states of CO2, O2, and CO. The simulated pulses are matched to the conditions of a filament (or microdischarge) and repeated with intervals of 1 μs. The influence of vibrationally excited CO2 as well as other neutral species, ions, and electrons on the CO2 splitting is discussed. Our calculations predict that the electrons have the largest contribution to the CO2 splitting at the conditions under study, by electron impact dissociation. The contribution of vibrationally excited CO2 levels in the splitting of CO2 is found be 6.4%, when only considering one microdischarge pulse and its afterglow, but it can be much higher for consecutive discharge pulses, as is typical for a filamentary DBD, when the interpulse time is short enough and accumulation effects in the vibrationally excited CO2 densities can occur.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor
Language Wos 000310769300012 Publication Date 2012-10-19
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447;1932-7455; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 112 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2012 IF: 4.814
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:101764 Serial 1659
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Author Khalilov, U.; Pourtois, G.; Huygh, S.; van Duin, A.C.T.; Neyts, E.C.; Bogaerts, A.
Title New mechanism for oxidation of native silicon oxide Type A1 Journal article
Year 2013 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal (up) J Phys Chem C
Volume 117 Issue 19 Pages 9819-9825
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Continued miniaturization of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) requires an ever-decreasing thickness of the gate oxide. The structure of ultrathin silicon oxide films, however, critically depends on the oxidation mechanism. Using reactive atomistic simulations, we here demonstrate how the oxidation mechanism in hyperthermal oxidation of such structures may be controlled by the oxidation temperature and the oxidant energy. Specifically, we study the interaction of hyperthermal oxygen with energies of 15 eV with thin SiOx (x ≤ 2) films with a native oxide thickness of about 10 Å. We analyze the oxygen penetration depth probability and compare with results of the hyperthermal oxidation of a bare Si(100){2 × 1} (c-Si) surface. The temperature-dependent oxidation mechanisms are discussed in detail. Our results demonstrate that, at low (i.e., room) temperature, the penetrated oxygen mostly resides in the oxide region rather than at the SiOx|c-Si interface. However, at higher temperatures, starting at around 700 K, oxygen atoms are found to penetrate and to diffuse through the oxide layer followed by reaction at the c-Si boundary. We demonstrate that hyperthermal oxidation resembles thermal oxidation, which can be described by the DealGrove model at high temperatures. Furthermore, defect creation mechanisms that occur during the oxidation process are also analyzed. This study is useful for the fabrication of ultrathin silicon oxide gate oxides for metal-oxide-semiconductor devices as it links parameters that can be straightforwardly controlled in experiment (oxygen temperature, velocity) with the silicon oxide structure.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor
Language Wos 000319649100032 Publication Date 2013-04-23
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447;1932-7455; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 24 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2013 IF: 4.835
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:107989 Serial 2321
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Neyts, E.C.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Numerical study of the size-dependent melting mechanisms of nickel nanoclusters Type A1 Journal article
Year 2009 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal (up) J Phys Chem C
Volume 113 Issue 7 Pages 2771-2776
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Molecular dynamics simulations were used to investigate the size-dependent melting mechanism of nickel nanoclusters of various sizes. The melting process was monitored by the caloric curve, the overall cluster Lindemann index, and the atomic Lindemann index. Size-dependent melting temperatures were determined, and the correct linear dependence on inverse diameter was recovered. We found that the melting mechanism gradually changes from dynamic coexistence melting to surface melting with increasing cluster size. These findings are of importance in better understanding carbon nanotube growth by catalytic chemical vapor deposition as the phase state of the catalyst nanoparticle codetermines the growth mechanism.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor
Language Wos Publication Date 0000-00-00
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 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2009 IF: 4.224
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:76495 Serial 2410
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Kolev, I.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Numerical study of the sputtering in a dc magnetron Type A1 Journal article
Year 2009 Publication Journal of vacuum science and technology: A: vacuum surfaces and films Abbreviated Journal (up) J Phys Chem C
Volume 27 Issue 1 Pages 20-28
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Molecular dynamics simulations were used to investigate the size-dependent melting mechanism of nickel nanoclusters of various sizes. The melting process was monitored by the caloric curve, the overall cluster Lindemann index, and the atomic Lindemann index. Size-dependent melting temperatures were determined, and the correct linear dependence on inverse diameter was recovered. We found that the melting mechanism gradually changes from dynamic coexistence melting to surface melting with increasing cluster size. These findings are of importance in better understanding carbon nanotube growth by catalytic chemical vapor deposition as the phase state of the catalyst nanoparticle codetermines the growth mechanism.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication New York, N.Y. Editor
Language Wos 000263299600018 Publication Date 2009-02-03
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447;1932-7455; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 66 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2009 IF: 4.224
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:71634 Serial 2411
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author De Bie, C.; van Dijk, J.; Bogaerts, A.
Title The Dominant Pathways for the Conversion of Methane into Oxygenates and Syngas in an Atmospheric Pressure Dielectric Barrier Discharge Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal (up) J Phys Chem C
Volume 119 Issue 119 Pages 22331-22350
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract A one-dimensional fluid model for a dielectric barrier discharge in CH4/O2 and CH4/CO2 gas mixtures is developed. The model describes the gas-phase chemistry for partial oxidation and for dry reforming of methane. The spatially averaged densities of the various plasma species are presented as a function of time and initial gas mixing ratio. Besides, the conversion of the inlet gases and the selectivities of the reaction products are calculated. Syngas, higher hydrocarbons, and higher oxygenates are typically found to be important reaction products. Furthermore, the main underlying reaction pathways for the formation of syngas, methanol, formaldehyde, and other higher oxygenates are determined.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000362385700010 Publication Date 2015-09-10
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447;1932-7455; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 46 Open Access
Notes This work was carried out 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 Universiteit Antwerpen. The authors also acknowledge financial support from the IAP/7 (Interuniversity Attraction Pole) program “PSI-Physical Chemistry of Plasma- Surface Interactions” by the Belgian Federal Office for Science Policy (BELSPO) and from the Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO). Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2015 IF: 4.772
Call Number c:irua:128774 Serial 3960
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Snoeckx, R.; Aerts, R.; Tu, X.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Plasma-based dry reforming : a computational study ranging from the nanoseconds to seconds time scale Type A1 Journal article
Year 2013 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal (up) J Phys Chem C
Volume 117 Issue 10 Pages 4957-4970
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract We present a computational study for the conversion of CH4 and CO2 into value-added chemicals, i.e., the so-called dry reforming of methane, in a dielectric barrier discharge reactor. A zero-dimensional chemical kinetics model is applied to study the plasma chemistry in a 1:1 CH4/CO2 mixture. The calculations are first performed for one microdischarge pulse and its afterglow, to study in detail the chemical pathways of the conversion. Subsequently, long time-scale simulations are carried out, corresponding to real residence times in the plasma, assuming a large number of consecutive microdischarge pulses, to mimic the conditions of the filamentary discharge regime in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor. The conversion of CH4 and CO2 as well as the selectivity of the formed products and the energy cost and energy efficiency of the process are calculated and compared to experiments for a range of different powers and gas flows, and reasonable agreement is reached.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor
Language Wos 000316308400010 Publication Date 2013-02-18
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447;1932-7455; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 118 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2013 IF: 4.835
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:106516 Serial 2628
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Yusupov, M.; Bogaerts, A.; Huygh, S.; Snoeckx, R.; van Duin, A.C.T.; Neyts, E.C.
Title Plasma-induced destruction of bacterial cell wall components : a reactive molecular dynamics simulation Type A1 Journal article
Year 2013 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal (up) J Phys Chem C
Volume 117 Issue 11 Pages 5993-5998
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasmas are gaining increasing attention for biomedical applications. However, very little fundamental information on the interaction mechanisms between the plasma species and biological cells is currently available. We investigate the interaction of important plasma species, such as OH, H2O2, O, O3, as well as O2 and H2O, with bacterial peptidoglycan by means of reactive molecular dynamics simulations, aiming for a better understanding of plasma disinfection. Our results show that OH, O, O3, and H2O2 can break structurally important bonds of peptidoglycan (i.e., CO, CN, or CC bonds), which consequently leads to the destruction of the bacterial cell wall. The mechanisms behind these breakups are, however, dependent on the impinging plasma species, and this also determines the effectiveness of the cell wall destruction.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor
Language Wos 000316773000056 Publication Date 2013-02-23
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447;1932-7455; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 59 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2013 IF: 4.835
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:107154 Serial 2636
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Somers, W.; Bogaerts, A.; van Duin, A.C.T.; Neyts, E.C.
Title Plasma species interacting with nickel surfaces : toward an atomic scale understanding of plasma-catalysis Type A1 Journal article
Year 2012 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal (up) J Phys Chem C
Volume 116 Issue 39 Pages 20958-20965
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract The adsorption probability and reaction behavior of CHx plasma species on various nickel catalyst surfaces is investigated by means of reactive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using the ReaxFF potential. Such catalysts are used in the reforming of hydrocarbons and in the growth of carbon nanotubes, and further insight in the underlying mechanisms of these processes is needed to increase their applicability. Single and consecutive impacts of CHx radicals (x={1,2,3}) were performed on four different Ni surfaces, at a temperature of 400 K. The adsorption probability is shown to be related to the number of free electrons, i.e. a higher number leads to more adsorptions, and the steric hindrance caused by the hydrogen atoms bonded to the impacting CHx species. Furthermore, some of the CH bonds break after adsorption, which generally leads to diffusion of the hydrogen atom over the surface. Additionally, these adsorbed H-atoms can be used in reactions to form new molecules, such as CH4 and C2Hx, although this is dependent on the precise morphology of the surface. New molecules are also formed by subtraction of H-atoms from adsorbed radicals, leading to occasional formation of H2 and C2Hx molecules.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor
Language Wos 000309375700040 Publication Date 2012-09-10
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447;1932-7455; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 37 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2012 IF: 4.814
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:101522 Serial 2640
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Heijkers, S.; Snoeckx, R.; Kozák, T.; Silva, T.; Godfroid, T.; Britun, N.; Snyders, R.; Bogaerts, A.
Title CO2 conversion in a microwave plasma reactor in the presence of N2 : elucidating the role of vibrational levels Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal (up) J Phys Chem C
Volume 119 Issue 119 Pages 12815-12828
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract A chemical kinetics model is developed for a CO2/N2 microwave plasma, focusing especially on the vibrational levels of both CO2 and N2. The model is used to calculate the CO2 and N2 conversion as well as the energy efficiency of CO2 conversion for different power densities and for N2 fractions in the CO2/N2 gas mixture ranging from 0 to 90%. The calculation results are compared with measurements, and agreements within 23% and 33% are generally found for the CO2 conversion and N2 conversion, respectively. To explain the observed trends, the destruction and formation processes of both CO2 and N2 are analyzed, as well as the vibrational distribution functions of both CO2 and N2. The results indicate that N2 contributes in populating the lower asymmetric levels of CO2, leading to a higher absolute CO2 conversion upon increasing N2 fraction. However, the effective CO2 conversion drops because there is less CO2 initially present in the gas mixture; thus, the energy efficiency also drops with rising N2 fraction.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor
Language Wos 000356317500005 Publication Date 2015-05-13
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447;1932-7455; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 56 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2015 IF: 4.772
Call Number c:irua:126325 Serial 3523
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Khalilov, U.; Yusupov, M.; Bogaerts, A.; Neyts, E.C.
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 (up) 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
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
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Huygh, S.; Bogaerts, A.; Neyts, E.C.
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 (up) 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
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
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Zhang, Y.-R.; Neyts, E.C.; Bogaerts, A.
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 (up) 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
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
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author De Bie, C.; van Dijk, J.; Bogaerts, A.
Title CO2Hydrogenation in a Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Revealed Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal (up) J Phys Chem C
Volume 120 Issue 120 Pages 25210-25224
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract The hydrogenation of carbon dioxide in a dielectric barrier discharge plasma is studied with a one-dimensional fluid model. The spatially averaged densities of the most important end products formed in the CO2/H2 mixture are determined as a function of the initial gas mixing ratio. CO and H2O are found to be present at the highest densities and to a lower content also CH4, C2H6, CH2O, CH3OH, O2, and some other higher hydrocarbons and oxygenates. The main underlying reaction

pathways for the conversion of the inlet gases and the formation of CO, CH4, CH2O, and CH3OH are pointed out for various gas mixing ratios. The CO2 conversion and the production of value added products is found to be quite low, also in comparison to a CO2/CH4 mixture, and this can be explained by the model.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000387737900007 Publication Date 2016-11-10
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 16 Open Access
Notes Federaal Wetenschapsbeleid; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek; Approved Most recent IF: 4.536
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ c:irua:140082 c:irua:139167 Serial 4414
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Verlackt, C.C.W.; Van Boxem, W.; Dewaele, D.; Lemière, F.; Sobott, F.; Benedikt, J.; Neyts, E.C.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Mechanisms of Peptide Oxidation by Hydroxyl Radicals: Insight at the Molecular Scale Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal (up) J Phys Chem C
Volume 121 Issue 121 Pages 5787-5799
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to provide atomic scale insight in the initial interaction between hydroxyl radicals (OH) and peptide systems in solution. These OH radicals are representative reactive oxygen species produced by cold atmospheric plasmas. The use of plasma for biomedical applications is gaining increasing interest, but the fundamental mechanisms behind the plasma modifications still remain largely elusive. This study helps to gain more insight in the underlying mechanisms of plasma medicine but is also more generally applicable to peptide oxidation, of interest for other applications. Combining both reactive and nonreactive MD simulations, we are able to elucidate the reactivity of the amino acids inside the peptide systems and their effect on their structure up to 1 μs. Additionally, experiments were performed, treating the simulated peptides with a plasma jet. The computational results presented here correlate well with the obtained experimental data and highlight the importance of the chemical environment for the reactivity of the individual amino acids, so that specific amino acids are attacked in higher numbers than expected. Furthermore, the long time scale simulations suggest that a single oxidation has an effect on the 3D conformation due to an increase in hydrophilicity and intra- and intermolecular interactions.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000396969900037 Publication Date 2017-03-16
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 5 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, G012413N ; Approved Most recent IF: 4.536
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ c:irua:142202 Serial 4537
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Berthelot, A.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Modeling of CO2Splitting in a Microwave Plasma: How to Improve the Conversion and Energy Efficiency Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal (up) J Phys Chem C
Volume 121 Issue 121 Pages 8236-8251
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Microwave plasmas are one of the most promising techniques for CO2 conversion into value-added chemicals and fuels since they are very energy efficient. Nevertheless, experiments show that this high energy efficiency is only reached at low pressures and significantly drops toward atmospheric pressure, which is a clear limitation for industrial applications. In this paper, we use a zerodimensional reaction kinetics model to simulate a CO2 microwave plasma in a pressure range from 50 mbar to 1 bar, in order to evaluate the reasons for this decrease in energy efficiency at atmospheric pressure. The code includes a detailed description of the vibrational kinetics of CO2, CO, and O2 as well as the energy exchanges between them because the vibrational kinetics is known to be crucial for energy efficient CO2 splitting. First, we use a self-consistent gas temperature calculation in order to assess the key performance indicators for CO2 splitting, i.e., the CO2 conversion and corresponding energy efficiency. Our results indicate that lower pressures and higher power densities lead to more vibrational excitation, which is beneficial for the conversion. We also demonstrate the key role of the gas temperature. The model predicts the highest conversion and energy efficiencies at pressures around 300 mbar, which is in agreement with experiments from the literature. We also show the beneficial aspect of fast gas cooling in the afterglow at high pressure. In a second step, we study in more detail the effects of pressure, gas temperature, and power density on the vibrational distribution function and on the dissociation and recombination mechanisms of CO2, which define the CO2 splitting efficiency. This study allows us to identify the limiting factors of CO2 conversion and to propose potential solutions to improve the process.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000400039300002 Publication Date 2017-04-20
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 47 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Federaal Wetenschapsbeleid; Approved Most recent IF: 4.536
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ c:irua:142809 Serial 4567
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Trenchev, G.; Kolev, S.; Wang, W.; Ramakers, M.; Bogaerts, A.
Title CO2Conversion in a Gliding Arc Plasmatron: Multidimensional Modeling for Improved Efficiency Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal (up) J Phys Chem C
Volume 121 Issue 44 Pages 24470-24479
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract The gliding arc plasmatron (GAP) is a highly efficient atmospheric plasma source, which is very promising for CO2 conversion applications. To understand its operation principles and to improve its application, we present here comprehensive modeling results, obtained by means of computational fluid dynamics simulations and plasma modeling. Because of the complexity of the CO2 plasma, a full 3D plasma model would be computationally impractical. Therefore, we combine a 3D turbulent gas flow model with a 2D plasma and gas heating model in order to calculate the plasma parameters and CO2 conversion characteristics. In addition, a complete 3D gas flow and plasma model with simplified argon chemistry is used to evaluate the gliding arc evolution in space and time. The calculated values are compared with experimental data from literature as much as possible in order to validate the model. The insights obtained in this study are very helpful for improving the application of CO2 conversion, as they allow us to identify the limiting factors in the performance, based on which solutions can be provided on how to further improve the capabilities of CO2 conversion in the GAP.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000415140400014 Publication Date 2017-11-09
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 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes H2020 Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions, 657304 ; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 11U5316N G038316N ; Approved Most recent IF: 4.536
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:147193 Serial 4765
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Heijkers, S.; Bogaerts, A.
Title CO2Conversion in a Gliding Arc Plasmatron: Elucidating the Chemistry through Kinetic Modeling Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal (up) J Phys Chem C
Volume 121 Issue 41 Pages 22644-22655
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract By means of chemical kinetics modeling, it is possible to elucidate the main dissociation mechanisms of CO2 in a gliding arc plasmatron (GAP). We obtain good agreement between the calculated and experimental conversions and energy efficiencies, indicating that the model can indeed be used to study the underlying mechanisms. The calculations predict that vibration-induced dissociation is the main dissociation mechanism of CO2, but it occurs mainly from the lowest vibrational levels because of fast thermalization of the vibrational distribution. Based on these findings, we propose ideas for improving the performance of the GAP, but testing of these ideas in the simulations reveals that they do not always lead to significant enhancement, because of other side effects, thus illustrating the complexity of the process. Nevertheless, the model allows more insight into the underlying mechanisms to be obtained and limitations to be identified.
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000413617900007 Publication Date 2017-10-19
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ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 6 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Federaal Wetenschapsbeleid, IAP/7 ; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, G.0383.16N ; Approved Most recent IF: 4.536
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:147436 Serial 4801
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