Abstract: In the framework of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action MP1103 Nanostructured Materials for Solid-State Hydrogen Storage were synthesized, characterized and modeled. This Action dealt with the state of the art of energy storage and set up a competitive and coordinated network capable to define new and unexplored ways for Solid State Hydrogen Storage by innovative and interdisciplinary research within the European Research Area. An important number of new compounds have been synthesized: metal hydrides, complex hydrides, metal halide ammines and amidoboranes. Tuning the structure from bulk to thin film, nanoparticles and nanoconfined composites improved the hydrogen sorption properties and opened the perspective to new technological applications. Direct imaging of the hydrogenation reactions and in situ measurements under operando conditions have been carried out in these studies. Computational screening methods allowed the prediction of suitable compounds for hydrogen storage and the modeling of the hydrogen sorption reactions on mono-, bi-, and three-dimensional systems. This manuscript presents a review of the main achievements of this Action. (C) 2016 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abstract: Purpose Social indicators are not easy to be quantitatively analyzed, although at the local scale, the social impacts might be relevant and important. Using the existing approaches for both quantitative and semi-qualitative measurements, this study aims to assess the social impacts of a company working on algae production systems in Belgium through social life cycle analysis (SLCA). By highlighting the opportunities and challenges on the way of applying the existing SLCA approaches at company level, the objective of this study is to contribute to the development of a suitable and clear SLCA approach when a company is considered as the unit of analysis. Methods Based on the list of potential social impact categories suggested by the United Nations Environment Program/Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (UNEP/SETAC) guidelines (2009) for SLCA, three stakeholder groups (workers, consumers, and local community) and three subcategories associated with each stakeholder group were identified as the most relevant for carbon capture and utilization technologies. Company and sector level data were collected using existing documents and reports, and the data were analyzed and scored using a combined quantitative and semi-quantitative approach to develop a social assessment model for the case study. Results and discussion The company appears to perform well for all the evaluated social indicators except the one related to the subcategory “equal opportunity/discrimination for workers” for which the share of women employed is lower compared with the sector-level data. The results of our assessment were further discussed regarding the challenges and limitations of performing SLCA at the company level. Based on our experience, the validity of the outcomes is significantly influenced by the data availability, the generality of the indicators introduced within the UNEP/SETAC guidelines, and the subjectivity in data collection for the semi-quantitative assessment among others. Conclusions By highlighting the difficulties and challenges of applying the SLCA at the company level, our study provides a starting point for improving the quantitative assessment and monitoring social implications at the company level within a regional foreground in Europe.

Abstract: (Sr1-xCax)(33)Bi-24,partial derivative Al48O141+3 partial derivative/2 fullerenoid solid solutions have been synthesized and the effect of partial substitution of Sr by Ca has been characterized by (scanning) transmission electron microscopy, applying different imaging methods. Most of the defects commonly observed in face centered cubic compounds, have also been observed in (Sr1-xCax)(33)Bi24-partial derivative Al48O141+3 partial derivative/2. Based on purely geometrical and topological models, structural presentations for the coherent twin boundaries and stacking faults have been constructed on the basis of complex spherical “Al84O210” units. The results are compared to defects observed in the crystallite fullerite C-60.

Abstract: Small numbers N < 5 of two-dimensional Coulomb-interacting electrons trapped in a parabolic potential placed in a perpendicular magnetic field are investigated. The reduced wave function of this system, which is obtained by fixing the positions of N-1 electrons, exhibits strong correlations between the electrons and the zeros. These zeros axe often called vortices. An exact-diagonalization scheme is used to obtain the wave functions and the results are compared with results obtained from the recently proposed rotating electron molecule (REM) theory. We find that the vortices gather around the fixed electrons and repel each other, which is to a much lesser extend so for the REM results.

Abstract: Ballistic electron transport through a finite chain of quantum circular rings is studied in the presence of the Rashba coupling, of strength a, and of a perpendicular magnetic field B. The transmission and reflection coefficients for a single ring, obtained analytically, help obtain the conductance through a chain of rings as a function of the strength a, the field B, and of the wave vector k of the incident electron. Due to destructive spin interferences caused by the Rashba coupling the chain can be totally opaque for certain ranges of k the width of which depends on values of a and B. Outside these ranges the conductance oscillates with high values between e(2)/h and 2e(2)/h. The effect of a periodic modulation of a or B on the conductance gaps is investigated. A periodic, square-wave conductance pattern, pertinent to the development of the spin transistor, results within wide stripes in the parameter space spanned by k, a, and B. Finite temperatures smoothen the square-wave profile of the conductance but do not alter its periodic character.

Abstract: We study the effect of electron confinement on the superconducting-to-normal phase transition driven by a magnetic field and/or on the current-carrying state of the superconducting condensate in nanowires. Our investigation is based on a self-consistent numerical solution of the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations. We show that in a parallel magnetic field and/or in the presence of supercurrent the transition from superconducting to normal phase occurs as a cascade of discontinuous jumps in the superconducting order parameter for diameters D < 10 divided by 15 nm at T = 0. The critical magnetic field exhibits quantum-size oscillations with pronounced resonant enhancements.

Abstract: When monolayer (ML) MoS2 is placed on a substrate, the proximity-induced interactions such as the Rashba spin-orbit coupling (RSOC) and exchange interaction (EI) can be introduced. Thus, the electronic system can behave like a spintronic device. In this study, we present a theoretical study on how the presence of the RSCO and EI can lead to the band splitting, the lifting of the valley degeneracy and to the spin polarization in n- and p-type ML MoS2. We find that the maxima of the in-plane spin orientation in the conduction and valence bands in ML MoS2 depend on the Rashba parameter and the effective Zeeman field factor. At a fixed Rashba parameter, the minima of the split conduction band and the maxima of the split valence band along with the spin polarization in ML MoS2 can be tuned effectively by varying the effective Zeeman field factor. On the basis that the EI can be induced by placing the ML MoS2 on a ferromagnetic substrate or by magnetic doping in ML MoS2, we predict that the interesting spintronic effects can be observed in n- and p-type ML MoS2. This work can be helpful to gain an in-depth understanding of the basic physical properties of ML MoS2 for application in advanced electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Abstract: Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) and plasma-treated liquids (PTLs) have recently become a promising option for cancer treatment, but the underlying mechanisms of the anti-cancer effect are still to a large extent unknown. Although hydrogen peroxide () has been recognized as the major anti-cancer agent of PTL and may enable selectivity in a certain concentration regime, the co-existence of nitrite can create a synergistic effect. We develop a mathematical model to describe the key species and features of the cellular response toward PTL. From the numerical solutions, we define a number of dependent variables, which represent feasible measures to quantify cell susceptibility in terms of the membrane diffusion rate constant and the intracellular catalase concentration. For each of these dependent variables, we investigate the regimes of selective versus non-selective, and of synergistic versus non-synergistic effect to evaluate their potential role as a measure of cell susceptibility. Our results suggest that the maximal intracellular concentration, which in the selective regime is almost four times greater for the most susceptible cells compared to the most resistant cells, could be used to quantify the cell susceptibility toward exogenous . We believe our theoretical approach brings novelty to the field of plasma oncology, and more broadly, to the field of redox biology, by proposing new ways to quantify the selective and synergistic anti-cancer effect of PTL in terms of inherent cell features.

Abstract: The phase transformation sequences during thermal decomposition are investigated for Ni-rich melt-quenched body-centred cubic (bcc) and amorphous Ni-Zr alloys. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) are used to determine the structure of crystallization products occurring after heating the melt-spun ribbon samples to various degrees of the phase transformation process monitored by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). A single DSC peak is observed for both the bcc and amorphous Ni(91)Zr(9) alloys and a two-step process is indicated by DSC for the amorphous Ni(90)Zr(10) alloy. In the bcc-Ni(91)Zr(9) alloy which is actually a Ni(Zr) solid solution phase, the phase transformation starts with the precipitation of Ni(5)Zr crystallites followed, after a sufficient depletion of the matrix in Zr, by the subsequent transformation of the bcc-Ni(Zr) lattice to face-centred cubic (fcc) Ni. In the amorphous alloy of the same composition, the final products are fcc-Ni and Ni(5)Zr but at intermediate stages of the phase transformation, bcc-Ni(Zr) crystallites also appear. In the a-Ni(90)Zr(10) alloy the first DSC peak corresponds to the formation of the bcc-Ni(Zr) phase which then decomposes (second DSC peak) to the equilibrium phases fcc-Ni and Ni(5)Zr. Thus, in addition to the previous observation of the formation of the metastable bcc-Ni(Zr) phase by rapid quenching from the melt, here we present evidence that this phase can form also after partial crystallization of metallic glasses of appropriate chemical compositions.

Abstract: Nanoscale Zr-based metal organic frameworks (MOFs) UiO-66 and UiO-67 were studied as potential anticancer drug delivery vehicles. Two model drugs were used, hydrophobic paclitaxel and hydrophilic cisplatin, and were adsorbed onto/into the nano MOFs (NMOFs). The drug loaded MOFs were further encapsulated inside a modified poly(epsilon-caprolactone) with d-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate polymeric matrix, in the form of microparticles, in order to prepare sustained release formulations and to reduce the drug toxicity. The drugs physical state and release rate was studied at 37 degrees C using Simulated Body Fluid. It was found that the drug release depends on the interaction between the MOFs and the drugs while the controlled release rates can be attributed to the microencapsulated formulations. The in vitro antitumor activity was assessed using HSC-3 (human oral squamous carcinoma; head and neck) and U-87 MG (human glioblastoma grade IV; astrocytoma) cancer cells. Cytotoxicity studies for both cell lines showed that the polymer coated, drug loaded MOFs exhibited better anticancer activity compared to free paclitaxel and cisplatin solutions at different concentrations.

Abstract: In 1999, phytoremediation was applied at the site of a Belgian car factory to contain two BTEX plumes. This case study evaluates the cost effectiveness of phytoremediation compared to other remediation options, applying a tailored approach for economic evaluation. Generally, when phytoremediation is addressed as being cost effective, the cost effectiveness is only determined on an average basis. This study however, demonstrates that an incremental analysis may provide a more nuanced conclusion. When the cost effectiveness is calculated on an average basis, in this particular case, the no containment strategy (natural attenuation) has the lowest cost per unit mass removed and hence, should be preferred. However, when the cost effectiveness is determined incrementally, no containment should only be preferred if the value of removing an extra gram of contaminant mass is lower than 320. Otherwise, a permeable reactive barrier should be adopted. A similar analysis is provided for the effect determined on the basis of remediation time. Phytoremediation is preferred compared to no containment if reaching the objective one year earlier is worth 7 000.

Abstract: Superelastic deformation of thin NiTi wires containing various nanograined microstructures was investigated by tensile cyclic loading with in situ evaluation of electric resistivity. Defects created by the superelastic cycling in these wires were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. The role of dislocation slip in superelastic deformation is discussed. NiTi wires having finest microstructures (grain diameter <100 nm) are highly resistant against dislocation slip, while those with fully recrystallized microstructure and grain size exceeding 200 nm are prone to dislocation slip. The density of the observed dislocation defects increases significantly with increasing grain size. The upper plateau stress of the superelastic stressstrain curves is largely grain size independent from 10 up to 1000 nm. It is hence claimed that the HallPetch relationship fails for the stress-induced martensitic transformation in this grain size range. It is proposed that dislocation slip taking place during superelastic cycling is responsible for the accumulated irreversible strains, cyclic instability and degradation of functional properties. No residual martensite phase was found in the microstructures of superelastically cycled wires by TEM and results of the in situ electric resistance measurements during straining also indirectly suggest that none or very little martensite phase remains in the studied cycled superelastic wires after unloading. The accumulation of dislocation defects, however, does not prevent the superelasticity. It only affects the shape of the stressstrain response, makes it unstable upon cycling and changes the deformation mode from localized to homogeneous. The activity of dislocation slip during superelastic deformation of NiTi increases with increasing test temperature and ultimately destroys the superelasticity as the plateau stress approaches the yield stress for slip. Deformation twins in the austenite phase ({1 1 4} compound twins) were frequently found in cycled wires having largest grain size. It is proposed that they formed in the highly deformed B19′ martensite phase during forward loading and are retained in austenite after unloading. Such twinning would represent an additional deformation mechanism of NiTi yielding residual irrecoverable strains.