|   | 
Details
   web
Records
Author Barbiellini, B.; Kuriplach, J.; Saniz, R.
Title Study of rechargeable batteries using advanced spectroscopic and computational techniques Type Editorial
Year 2021 Publication Condensed Matter Abbreviated Journal
Volume 6 Issue 3 Pages 26
Keywords Editorial; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Improving the efficiency and longevity of energy storage systems based on Li- and Na-ion rechargeable batteries presents a major challenge. The main problems are essentially capacity loss and limited cyclability. These effects are due to a hierarchy of factors spanning various length and time scales, interconnected in a complex manner. As a consequence, and in spite of several decades of research, a proper understanding of the ageing process has remained somewhat elusive. In recent years, however, combinations of advanced spectroscopy techniques and first-principles simulations have been applied with success to tackle this problem. In this Special Issue, we are pleased to present a selection of articles that, by precisely applying these methods, unravel key aspects of the reduction-oxidation reaction and intercalation processes. Furthermore, the approaches presented provide improvements to standard diagnostic and characterisation techniques, enabling the detection of possible Li-ion flow bottlenecks causing the degradation of capacity and cyclability.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000699368400001 Publication Date 2021-07-26
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2410-3896 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:181630 Serial 6890
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Mallick, S.; Khalsa, G.; Kaaret, J.Z.; Zhang, W.; Batuk, M.; Gibbs, A.S.; Hadermann, J.; Halasyamani, P.S.; Benedek, N.A.; Hayward, M.A.
Title The influence of the 6s² configuration of Bi³+ on the structures of A ' BiNb₂O₇ (A ' = Rb, Na, Li) layered perovskite oxides Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Journal of the Chemical Society : Dalton transactions Abbreviated Journal
Volume 50 Issue 42 Pages 15359-15369
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Solid state compounds which exhibit non-centrosymmetric crystal structures are of great interest due to the physical properties they can exhibit. The 'hybrid improper' mechanism – in which two non-polar distortion modes couple to, and stabilize, a further polar distortion mode, yielding an acentric crystal structure – offers opportunities to prepare a range of novel non-centrosymmetric solids, but examples of compounds exhibiting acentric crystal structures stabilized by this mechanism are still relatively rare. Here we describe a series of bismuth-containing layered perovskite oxide phases, RbBiNb2O7, LiBiNb2O7 and NaBiNb2O7, which have structural frameworks compatible with hybrid-improper ferroelectricity, but also contain Bi3+ cations which are often observed to stabilize acentric crystal structures due to their 6s(2) electronic configurations. Neutron powder diffraction analysis reveals that RbBiNb2O7 and LiBiNb2O7 adopt polar crystal structures (space groups I2cm and B2cm respectively), compatible with stabilization by a trilinear coupling of non-polar and polar modes. The Bi3+ cations present are observed to enhance the magnitude of the polar distortions of these phases, but are not the primary driver for the acentric structure, as evidenced by the observation that replacing the Bi3+ cations with Nd3+ cations does not change the structural symmetry of the compounds. In contrast the non-centrosymmetric, but non-polar structure of NaBiNb2O7 (space group P2(1)2(1)2(1)) differs significantly from the centrosymmetric structure of NaNdNb2O7, which is attributed to a second-order Jahn-Teller distortion associated with the presence of the Bi3+ cations.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000706651100001 Publication Date 2021-10-05
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1477-9234 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:182584 Serial 6893
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Lezaack, M.B.; Hannard, F.; Zhao, L.; Orekhov, A.; Adrien, J.; Miettinen, A.; Idrissi, H.; Simar, A.
Title Towards ductilization of high strength 7XXX aluminium alloys via microstructural modifications obtained by friction stir processing and heat treatments Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Materialia Abbreviated Journal
Volume 20 Issue Pages 101248
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract High strength 7XXX aluminium series reach exceptional strength, higher than all other industrial aluminium alloys. However, they suffer from a lack of ductility compared to softer series. This work presents a procedure to improve the ductility of 7475 Al alloy in high strength condition, reaching a true fracture strain of 70% at full 500 MPa T6 yield strength. Using friction stir processing (FSP) and post-FSP heat treatments, 100% of industrial rolled material T6 yield stress is maintained but a 180% increase in fracture strain is measured for the processed material. This ductility improvement is studied by in-situ synchrotron X-ray tomography and is explained by the reduction of intermetallic particles size and the homogenization of their spatial distribution. Furthermore, the microstructure after FSP shows equiaxed refined grains which favour crack deviation as opposed to large cracks parallel to the elongated coarse grains in rolled plate. These results are paving the way to better formability and crashworthiness of 7XXX alloys.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000718127100006 Publication Date 2021-10-19
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2589-1529 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access
Notes Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:184145 Serial 6894
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Lavor, I.R.; da Costa, D.R.; Covaci, L.; Milošević, M.V.; Peeters, F.M.; Chaves, A.
Title Zitterbewegung of moiré excitons in twisted MoS₂/WSe₂ heterobilayers Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Physical review letters Abbreviated Journal
Volume 127 Issue 10 Pages 106801
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Abstract The moire pattern observed in stacked noncommensurate crystal lattices, such as heterobilayers of transition metal dichalcogenides, produces a periodic modulation of their band gap. Excitons subjected to this potential landscape exhibit a band structure that gives rise to a quasiparticle dubbed the moire exciton. In the case of MoS2/WSe2 heterobilayers, the moire trapping potential has honeycomb symmetry and, consequently, the moire exciton band structure is the same as that of a Dirac-Weyl fermion, whose mass can be further tuned down to zero with a perpendicularly applied field. Here we show that, analogously to other Dirac-like particles, the moire exciton exhibits a trembling motion, also known as Zitterbewegung, whose long timescales are compatible with current experimental techniques for exciton dynamics. This promotes the study of the dynamics of moire excitons in van der Waals heterostructures as an advantageous solid-state platform to probe Zitterbewegung, broadly tunable by gating and interlayer twist angle.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000692200800020 Publication Date 2021-08-31
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1079-7114 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 4 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:181599 Serial 6896
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Chen, B.; Gauquelin, N.; Green, R.J.; Verbeeck, J.; Rijnders, G.; Koster, G.
Title Asymmetric Interfacial Intermixing Associated Magnetic Coupling in LaMnO3/LaFeO3 Heterostructures Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Frontiers in physics Abbreviated Journal Front. Phys.
Volume 9 Issue Pages
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract The structural and magnetic properties of LaMnO<sub>3</sub>/LaFeO<sub>3</sub>(LMO/LFO) heterostructures are characterized using a combination of scanning transmission electron microscopy, electron energy-loss spectroscopy, bulk magnetometry, and resonant x-ray reflectivity. Unlike the relatively abrupt interface when LMO is deposited on top of LFO, the interface with reversed growth order shows significant cation intermixing of Mn<sup>3+</sup>and Fe<sup>3+</sup>, spreading ∼8 unit cells across the interface. The asymmetric interfacial chemical profiles result in distinct magnetic properties. The bilayer with abrupt interface shows a single magnetic hysteresis loop with strongly enhanced coercivity, as compared to the LMO plain film. However, the bilayer with intermixed interface shows a step-like hysteresis loop, associated with the separate switching of the “clean” and intermixed LMO sublayers. Our study illustrates the key role of interfacial chemical profile in determining the functional properties of oxide heterostructures.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000745284500001 Publication Date 2021-12-14
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2296-424X ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor Times cited 1 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes This work is supported by the international M-ERA.NET project SIOX (project 4288) and H2020 project ULPEC (project 732642). The X-Ant-EM microscope and the direct electron detector were partly funded by the Hercules fund from the Flemish Government. NG and JV acknowledge funding from GOA project “Solarpaint” of the University of Antwerp. RG was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). Part of the research described in this paper was performed at the Canadian Light Source, a national research facility of the University of Saskatchewan, which is supported by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), NSERC, the National Research Council (NRC), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Government of Saskatchewan, and the University of Saskatchewan. Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:185176 Serial 6901
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Zheng, Y.-R.; Vernieres, J.; Wang, Z.; Zhang, K.; Hochfilzer, D.; Krempl, K.; Liao, T.-W.; Presel, F.; Altantzis, T.; Fatermans, J.; Scott, S.B.; Secher, N.M.; Moon, C.; Liu, P.; Bals, S.; Van Aert, S.; Cao, A.; Anand, M.; Nørskov, J.K.; Kibsgaard, J.; Chorkendorff, I.
Title Monitoring oxygen production on mass-selected iridium–tantalum oxide electrocatalysts Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Nature Energy Abbreviated Journal Nat Energy
Volume Issue Pages
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)
Abstract Development of low-cost and high-performance oxygen evolution reaction catalysts is key to implementing polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyzers for hydrogen production. Iridium-based oxides are the state-of-the-art acidic oxygen evolution reactio catalysts but still suffer from inadequate activity and stability, and iridium's scarcity motivates the discovery of catalysts with lower iridium loadings. Here we report a mass-selected iridium-tantalum oxide catalyst prepared by a magnetron-based cluster source with considerably reduced noble-metal loadings beyond a commercial IrO2 catalyst. A sensitive electrochemistry/mass-spectrometry instrument coupled with isotope labelling was employed to investigate the oxygen production rate under dynamic operating conditions to account for the occurrence of side reactions and quantify the number of surface active sites. Iridium-tantalum oxide nanoparticles smaller than 2 nm exhibit a mass activity of 1.2 ± 0.5 kA “g” _“Ir” ^“-1” and a turnover frequency of 2.3 ± 0.9 s-1 at 320 mV overpotential, which are two and four times higher than those of mass-selected IrO2, respectively. Density functional theory calculations reveal that special iridium coordinations and the lowered aqueous decomposition free energy might be responsible for the enhanced performance.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000728458000001 Publication Date 2021-12-09
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2058-7546 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 95 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Y.-R.Z. and Z.W acknowledge funding from the Toyota Research Institute. This project has received funding from VILLUM FONDEN (grant no. 9455) and the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grants no. 741860-CLUNATRA, no. 815128−REALNANO and no. 770887−PICOMETRICS). S.B. and S.V.A. acknowledge funding from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, G026718N and G050218N). T.A. acknowledges the University of Antwerp Research Fund (BOF). STEM measurements were supported by the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research Infrastructure-Integrating Activities for Advanced Communities under grant agreement No 823717 – ESTEEM3.; sygmaSB Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:184794 Serial 6903
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Heyvaert, W.; Pedrazo-Tardajos, A.; Kadu, A.; Claes, N.; González-Rubio, G.; Liz-Marzán, L.M.; Albrecht, W.; Bals, S.
Title Quantification of the Helical Morphology of Chiral Gold Nanorods Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication ACS materials letters Abbreviated Journal ACS Materials Lett.
Volume 4 Issue Pages 642-649
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Chirality in inorganic nanoparticles and nanostructures has gained increasing scientific interest, because of the possibility to tune their ability to interact differently with left- and right-handed circularly polarized light. In some cases, the optical activity is hypothesized to originate from a chiral morphology of the nanomaterial. However, quantifying the degree of chirality in objects with sizes of tens of nanometers is far from straightforward. Electron tomography offers the possibility to faithfully retrieve the three-dimensional morphology of nanomaterials, but only a qualitative interpretation of the morphology of chiral nanoparticles has been possible so far. We introduce herein a methodology that enables us to quantify the helicity of complex chiral nanomaterials, based on the geometrical properties of a helix. We demonstrate that an analysis at the single particle level can provide significant insights into the origin of chiroptical properties.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000784490000013 Publication Date 2022-03-08
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 11 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes S.B. and A.P.-T. gratefully acknowledge funding by the European Research Council (ERC Consolidator Grant #815128-REALNANO) the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement #823717ESTEEM3. L.M.L.-M. acknowledges funding from MCIN/ AEI /10.13039/501100011033, grant # PID2020- 117779RB-I00 and the Maria de Maeztu Units of Excellence Program from the Spanish State Research Agency (Grant No. MDM-2017-0720). G.G.-R. thanks the Spanish Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación for an FPI (BES-2014- 068972) fellowship.; SygmaSB; esteem3reported; esteem3jra Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:186959 Serial 6956
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Sun, C.; Liao, X.; Peng, H.; Zhang, C.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Zhao, Y.; Wu, J.
Title Interfacial gliding-driven lattice oxygen release in layered cathodes Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication Cell reports physical science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract The oxygen release of layered cathodes causes many battery failures, but the underlying mechanism in an actual working cathode is still elusive as it involves secondary agglomerates that introduce complicated boundary structures. Here, we report a general structure instability on the mismatch boundaries driven by interfacial gliding-it introduces a shear stress causing a distortion of the metal-oxygen octahedra framework that reduces its kinetic stability. The migration of cations and diffusion of oxygen vacancies continue to degrade the whole particle from the boundary to the interior, followed by the formation of nano-sized cracks on the fast-degrading interfaces. This work reveals a robust chemical and mechanical interplay on the oxygen release inherent to the intergranular boundaries of layered cathodes. It also suggests that radially patterned columnar grains with low-angle planar boundaries would be an efficient approach to mitigate the boundary oxygen release.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000745659500012 Publication Date 2021-12-20
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:186420 Serial 6961
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Arslan Irmak, E.
Title Modelling three-dimensional nanoparticle transformations based on quantitative transmission electron microscopy Type Doctoral thesis
Year 2022 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 169 p.
Keywords Doctoral thesis; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Nanomaterials are materials that have at least one dimension in the nanometer length scale, which corresponds to a billionth of a meter. When three dimensions are confined to the nanometer scale, these materials are referred to as nanoparticles. These materials are of great interest since they exhibit unique physical and chemical properties that cannot be observed for bulk systems. Due to their unique and often superior properties, nanomaterials have become central in the field of electronics, catalysis, and medicine. Moreover, they are expected to be one of the most promising systems to tackle many challenges that our society is facing, such as reducing the emission of greenhouse gases and finding effective treatments for cancer. The unique properties of nanomaterials are linked to their size, shape, structure, and composition. If one is able to measure the positions of the atoms, their chemical nature, and the bonding between them, it becomes possible to predict the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials. In this manner, the development of novel nanostructures can be triggered. However, the morphology and structure of nanomaterials are highly sensitive to the conditions for relevant applications, such as elevated temperatures or intense light illumination. Furthermore, any small change in the local structure at higher temperatures or pressures may significantly modify their performance. Hence, three-dimensional (3D) characterization of nanomaterials under application-relevant conditions is important in designing them with desired functional properties for specific applications. Among different structural characterization approaches, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is one of the most efficient and versatile tools to investigate the structure and composition of nanomaterials since it can provide atomically resolved images, which are sensitive to the local 3D structure of the investigated sample. However, TEM only provides two-dimensional (2D) images of the 3D nanoparticle, which may lead to an incomplete understanding of their structure-property relationship. The most known and powerful technique for the 3D characterization of nanomaterials is electron tomography, where the images of a nanostructured material taken from different directions are mathematically combined to retrieve its 3D structure. Although these experiments are already state-of-the-art, 3D characterization by TEM is typically performed under ultra-high vacuum conditions and at room temperature. Such conditions are unfortunately not sufficient to understand transformations during synthesis or applications of nanomaterials. This limitation can be overcome by in situ TEM where external stimuli, such as heat, gas, and liquids, can be controllably introduced inside the TEM using specialized holders. However, there are some technical limitations to successful perform 3D in situ electron tomography experiments. For example, the long acquisition time required to collect a tilt series limits this technique when one wants to observe 3D dynamic changes with atomic resolution. A solution for this problem is the estimation of the 3D structure of nanomaterials from 2D projection images acquired along a single viewing direction. For this purpose, annular dark field scanning TEM (ADF STEM) imaging mode provides a valuable tool for quantitative structural investigation of nanomaterials from single 2D images due to its thickness and mass sensitivity. For quantitative analysis, an ADF STEM image is considered as a 2D array of pixels where relative variation of pixel intensity values is proportional to the total number of atoms and the atomic number of the elements in the sample. By applying advanced statistical approaches to these images, structural information, such as the number or types of atoms, can be retrieved with high accuracy and precision. The outcome can then be used to build a 3D starting model for energy minimization by atomistic simulations, for example, molecular dynamics simulations or the Monte Carlo method. However, this methodology needs to be further evaluated for in situ experiments. This thesis is devoted to presenting robust approaches to accurately define the 3D atomic structure of nanoparticles under application-relevant conditions and understand the mechanism behind the atomic-scale dynamics in nanoparticles in response to environmental stimuli.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos Publication Date
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:188295 Serial 7063
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Poulain, R.; Lumbeeck, G.; Hunka, J.; Proost, J.; Savolainen, H.; Idrissi, H.; Schryvers, D.; Gauquelin, N.; Klein, A.
Title Electronic and chemical properties of nickel oxide thin films and the intrinsic defects compensation mechanism Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication ACS applied electronic materials Abbreviated Journal
Volume 4 Issue 6 Pages 2718-2728
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Although largely studied, contradictory results on nickel oxide (NiO) properties can be found in the literature. We herein propose a comprehensive study that aims at leveling contradictions related to NiO materials with a focus on its conductivity, surface properties, and the intrinsic charge defects compensation mechanism with regards to the conditions preparation. The experiments were performed by in situ photo-electron spectroscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and optical as well as electrical measurements on polycrystalline NiO thin films prepared under various preparation conditions by reactive sputtering. The results show that surface and bulk properties were strongly related to the deposition temperature with in particular the observation of Fermi level pinning, high work function, and unstable oxygen-rich grain boundaries for the thin films produced at room temperature but not at high temperature (>200 degrees C). Finally, this study provides substantial information about surface and bulk NiO properties enabling to unveil the origin of the high electrical conductivity of room temperature NiO thin films and also for supporting a general electronic charge compensation mechanism of intrinsic defects according to the deposition temperature.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000819431200001 Publication Date 2022-06-07
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2637-6113 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access
Notes Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189555 Serial 7081
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Friedrich, T.; Yu, C.-P.; Verbeek, J.; Pennycook, T.; Van Aert, S.
Title Phase retrieval from 4-dimensional electron diffraction datasets Type P1 Proceeding
Year 2021 Publication Proceedings T2 – IEEE International Conference on Image Processing (ICIP), SEP 19-22, 2021, Electr. network Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 3453-3457
Keywords P1 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract We present a computational imaging mode for large scale electron microscopy data, which retrieves a complex wave from noisy/sparse intensity recordings using a deep learning approach and subsequently reconstructs an image of the specimen from the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) predicted exit waves. We demonstrate that an appropriate forward model in combination with open data frameworks can be used to generate large synthetic datasets for training. In combination with augmenting the data with Poisson noise corresponding to varying dose-values, we effectively eliminate overfitting issues. The U-NET[1] based architecture of the CNN is adapted to the task at hand and performs well while maintaining a relatively small size and fast performance. The validity of the approach is confirmed by comparing the reconstruction to well-established methods using simulated, as well as real electron microscopy data. The proposed method is shown to be effective particularly in the low dose range, evident by strong suppression of noise, good spatial resolution, and sensitivity to different atom types, enabling the simultaneous visualisation of light and heavy elements and making different atomic species distinguishable. Since the method acts on a very local scale and is comparatively fast it bears the potential to be used for near-real-time reconstruction during data acquisition.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000819455103114 Publication Date 2021-08-23
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 978-1-6654-4115-5 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189462 Serial 7089
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ding, Y.; Maitra, S.; Arenas Esteban, D.; Bals, S.; Vrielinck, H.; Barakat, T.; Roy, S.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Liu, J.; Li, Y.; Vlad, A.; Su, B.-L.
Title Photochemical production of hydrogen peroxide by digging pro-superoxide radical carbon vacancies in carbon nitride Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication Cell reports physical science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 3 Issue 5 Pages 100874-17
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Artificial photosynthesis of H2O2, an environmentally friendly oxidant and a clean fuel, holds great promise. However, improving its efficiency and stability for industrial implementation remains highly challenging. Here, we report the visible-light H2O2 artificial photosynthesis by digging pro-superoxide radical carbon vacancies in three-dimensional hierarchical porous g-C3N4 through a simple hydrolysis-freeze-drying-thermal treatment. A significant electronic structure change is revealed upon the implantation of carbon vacancies, broadening visible-light absorption and facilitating the photogenerated charge separation. The strong electron affinity of the carbon vacancies promotes superoxide radical (O-center dot(2)-) formation, significantly boosting the H2O2 photocatalytic production. The developed photocatalyst shows an H2O2 evolution rate of 6287.5 mM g(-1) h(-1) under visible-light irradiation with a long cycling stability being the best-performing photocatalyst among all reported g-C3N4-based systems. Our work provides fundamental insight into highly active and stable photocatalysts with great potential for safe industrial H2O2 production.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000805830100006 Publication Date 2022-04-28
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 12 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Y.D. thanks the China Scholarship Council (201808310127) for financial support. This work is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (U1663225) , Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (IRT_15R52) of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Program of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities-Plan 111 (grant no. B20002) from the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Education of China, and the National Key R&D Program of China (2016YFA0202602) . This research was also supported by the European Commission Interreg V France-Wallonie-Vlaanderen project “DepollutAir”. Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189706 Serial 7090
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Bagherpour, A.; Baral, P.; Colla, M.-S.; Orekhov, A.; Idrissi, H.; Haye, E.; Pardoen, T.; Lucas, S.
Title Tailoring Mechanical Properties of a-C:H:Cr Coatings Type A1 Journal Article
Year 2023 Publication Coatings Abbreviated Journal Coatings
Volume 13 Issue 12 Pages 2084
Keywords A1 Journal Article; Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT) ;
Abstract The development of coatings with tunable performances is critical to meet a wide range of technological applications each one with different requirements. Using the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process, scientists can create hydrogenated amorphous carbon coatings doped with metal (a-C:H:Me) with a broad range of mechanical properties, varying from those resembling polymers to ones resembling diamond. These diverse properties, without clear relations between the different families, make the material selection and optimization difficult but also very rich. An innovative approach is proposed here based on projected performance indices related to fracture energy, strength, and stiffness in order to classify and optimize a-C:H:Me coatings. Four different a-C:H:Cr coatings deposited by PECVD with Ar/C2H2 discharge under different bias voltage and pressures are investigated. A path is found to produce coatings with a selective critical energy release rate between 5–125 J/m2 without compromising yield strength (1.6–2.7 GPa) and elastic limit (≈0.05). Finally, fine-tuned coatings are categorized to meet desired applications under different testing conditions.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 001136013600001 Publication Date 2023-12-14
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2079-6412 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Walloon region under the PDR FNRS, C 62/5—PDR/OL 33677636 ; Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research, CDR—J.0113.20 ; National Fund for Scientific Reaserch; Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:202390 Serial 8982
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author De Backer, A.; Van Aert, S.; Faes, C.; Arslan Irmak, E.; Nellist, P.D.; Jones, L.
Title Experimental reconstructions of 3D atomic structures from electron microscopy images using a Bayesian genetic algorithm Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication N P J Computational Materials Abbreviated Journal npj Comput Mater
Volume 8 Issue 1 Pages 216
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract We introduce a Bayesian genetic algorithm for reconstructing atomic models of monotype crystalline nanoparticles from a single projection using Z-contrast imaging. The number of atoms in a projected atomic column obtained from annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy images serves as an input for the initial three-dimensional model. The algorithm minimizes the energy of the structure while utilizing a priori information about the finite precision of the atom-counting results and neighbor-mass relations. The results show promising prospects for obtaining reliable reconstructions of beam-sensitive nanoparticles during dynamical processes from images acquired with sufficiently low incident electron doses.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000866500900001 Publication Date 2022-10-12
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2057-3960 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes This work was supported by the European Research Council (Grant 770887 PICOMETRICS to S.V.A. and Grant 823717 ESTEEM3). The authors acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium) through project fundings (G.0267.18N, G.0502.18N, G.0346.21N) and a postdoctoral grant to A.D.B. L.J. acknowledges Science Foundation Ireland (SFI – grant number URF/RI/191637), the Royal Society, and the AMBER Centre. The authors acknowledge Aakash Varambhia for his assistance and expertise with the experimental recording and use of characterization facilities within the David Cockayne Centre for Electron Microscopy, Department of Materials, University of Oxford, and in particular the EPSRC (EP/K040375/1 South of England Analytical Electron Microscope).; esteem3reported; esteem3JRA Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:191398 Serial 7114
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Zhang, H.; Pryds, N.; Park, D.-S.; Gauquelin, N.; Santucci, S.; Christensen, D., V.; Jannis, D.; Chezganov, D.; Rata, D.A.; Insinga, A.R.; Castelli, I.E.; Verbeeck, J.; Lubomirsky, I.; Muralt, P.; Damjanovic, D.; Esposito, V.
Title Atomically engineered interfaces yield extraordinary electrostriction Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication Nature Abbreviated Journal
Volume 609 Issue 7928 Pages 695-700
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Electrostriction is a property of dielectric materials whereby an applied electric field induces a mechanical deformation proportional to the square of that field. The magnitude of the effect is usually minuscule (<10(-19) m(2) V-2 for simple oxides). However, symmetry-breaking phenomena at the interfaces can offer an efficient strategy for the design of new properties(1,2). Here we report an engineered electrostrictive effect via the epitaxial deposition of alternating layers of Gd2O3-doped CeO2 and Er2O3-stabilized delta-Bi2O3 with atomically controlled interfaces on NdGaO3 substrates. The value of the electrostriction coefficient achieved is 2.38 x 10(-14) m(2) V-2, exceeding the best known relaxor ferroelectrics by three orders of magnitude. Our theoretical calculations indicate that this greatly enhanced electrostriction arises from coherent strain imparted by interfacial lattice discontinuity. These artificial heterostructures open a new avenue for the design and manipulation of electrostrictive materials and devices for nano/micro actuation and cutting-edge sensors.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000859073900001 Publication Date 2022-09-21
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1476-4687 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 12 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes This research was supported by the BioWings project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020, Future and Emerging Technologies programme (grant no. 801267), and by the Danish Council for Independent Research Technology and Production Sciences for the DFF—Research Project 2 (grant no. 48293). N.P. and D.V.C. acknowledge funding from Villum Fonden for the NEED project (no. 00027993) and from the Danish Council for Independent Research Technology and Production Sciences for the DFF—Research Project 3 (grant no. 00069 B). V.E. acknowledges funding from Villum Fonden for the IRIDE project (no. 00022862). N.G. and J.V. acknowledge funding from the GOA project ('Solarpaint') of the University of Antwerp. The microscope used in this work was partly funded by the Hercules Fund from the Flemish Government. D.J. acknowledges funding from the FWO Project (no. G093417N) from the Flemish Fund for Scientific Research. D.C. acknowledges TOP/BOF funding from the University of Antwerp. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research Infrastructure—Integrating Activities for Advanced Communities—under grant agreement no. 823717-ESTEEM3. We thank T. D. Pomar and A. J. Bergne for English proofreading.; esteem3reported; esteem3TA Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:190576 Serial 7129
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Hao, Y.
Title A joint experimental-modeling study of the structure and properties of functional molecular monolayers for the control of organic crystal growth Type Doctoral thesis
Year 2022 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages xiii, 174 p.
Keywords Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Among all types of discovered crystals, those formed by organic molecules show the greatest diversity, which results from the intrinsic complexity of the organic molecules and the weak interactions between them. Even for a given compound, different crystal structures can exist. This feature is referred to as polymorphism in the modern crystallographic context and those different crystal forms are called polymorphs. In reality, the crystallization of organic molecules is often performed at the surface of a substrate, giving rise to heterogeneous crystallization. Except for the well-known catalyzing effects, the existence of substrates brings more possibilities to the polymorphic behaviors of organic molecules, promoting the formation of new polymorphs that are only stable in the vicinity of the substrates. For this reason, these new polymorphic forms are often described as substrate-induced polymorphs (SIPs). It is of great importance to understand the formation of SIPs for organic molecules as it has been reported that SIPs can show superior properties with respect to their bulk form counterparts. Up to now, most studies focus on the identifying and characterizing the presence of SIPs, which relies mainly on X-ray diffraction techniques. However, a detailed explanation about the origin of SIPs is still missing. In this work, we have combined several powerful experimental characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in order to reach an integrated view over the formation of SIPs. These experimental studies are strongly supported by computational chemistry simulations, such as density functional theory and molecular dynamics. A big advantage of using atomistic simulations is that it enables the possibility to predict a priori the crystal structures of SIPs and to establish a posteriori the general rules for the formation of SIPs. In practice, this thesis employs state-of-art atomistic simulation approaches in order to bridge substrate-induced polymorphism with a conceptually-connected research area: the self-assembly of molecular networks (SAMNs), also called 2D crystallization. Unlike SIPs, which extend at least several molecular layers, SAMNs are composed of a single layer of molecules with ordered packing. Our simulations have enabled a more comprehensive understanding about the role of substrate during the formation of SIPs and we elucidate how the positional and orientational order of molecules propagates from the substrate to the upper 2D and even 3D crystal layers. In this way, a fundamental understanding of the substrate-induced crystallization is gained by connecting 2D and 3D crystallization using substrate-induced approaches.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos Publication Date
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:191758 Serial 7176
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Pacquets, L.
Title Towards stable Cu-Ag bimetallic nanoparticles to boost the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction Type Doctoral thesis
Year 2022 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages xvi, 188 p.
Keywords Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)
Abstract Ever since the industrial revolution, the emission of greenhouse gasses dramatically increased, resulting in high CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. The electrochemical conversion of CO2 to value added products, such as carbon monoxide, formic acid, methane, ethylene and ethanol is a very promising strategy to inhibit CO2 emissions. Nevertheless, at the moment, the electrochemical CO2 reduction (eCO2R) is not yet industrially viable, mainly due to the lack of good electrocatalysts. On the other hand, core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged over the last couple of years as promising candidates. It is believed that bimetallic enhancement effects are behind the improved performance of these core-shell NPs when compared to the individual metals. Although widely investigated, there are still some remaining issues and/or open questions. Indeed, the development of a robust and straightforward synthesis method along with fundamental insight into their resistance towards electrochemical stress remains absent. A good control over morphology, size and composition is key in determining which properties are beneficial for the eCO2R. Since these catalysts are designed to be implemented in electrolyzers, they have to maintain long-term performance. This makes the design of a reproducible method, unveiling structure-performance relationships the effect of electrochemical stress, a crucial aspect. Exploring and modifying existing synthesis methods, have led to the acquisition of a robust and reproducible synthesis method where thermal decomposition of the Cu core is combined with the galvanic replacement of Ag in organic solvents. The implementation of this method has led to the design of a wide variety of Cu-Ag bimetallic NPs and enabled to investigate their composition-selectivity profile. Introducing Ag on Cu suppressed hydrogen and increased the CO formation. CO production was boosted by using Cu@Ag core-shells and was promoted even more by changing the type of electrolyte. As these nanoparticles suffered from degradation, the 3D mapping of the structural changes of Cu@Ag core-shells under operating conditions led to the hypothesis of a two-step degradation mechanism where initially Cu leaching was observed with the subsequent sintering of the Ag shells. One approach to avoid this electrochemical degradation, investigated in this research, was the application of an ultrathin carbon layer to protect the active layer. This ultrathin carbon layer operated as a protective layer, suppressing hydrogen production and increasing the stability of the electrocatalyst. In conclusion, the product selectivity can be tuned by using different Cu-Ag bimetallic nanoparticles synthesized through a robust method. Their unique degradation pathway of Cu@Ag core-shell nanoparticles has led to the proposition of a more accurate stabilization strategy. These findings can contribute significantly in the quest for improved electrocatalysts for the eCO2R.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos Publication Date
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:190236 Serial 7221
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Vlasov, E.; Denisov, N.; Verbeeck, J.
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.
Address
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 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 (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:195886 Serial 7252
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Birkholzer, Y.A.; Sotthewes, K.; Gauquelin, N.; Riekehr, L.; Jannis, D.; van der Minne, E.; Bu, Y.; Verbeeck, J.; Zandvliet, H.J.W.; Koster, G.; Rijnders, G.
Title High-strain-induced local modification of the electronic properties of VO₂ thin films Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication ACS applied electronic materials Abbreviated Journal
Volume 4 Issue 12 Pages 6020-6028
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Vanadium dioxide (VO2) is a popular candidate for electronic and optical switching applications due to its well-known semiconductor-metal transition. Its study is notoriously challenging due to the interplay of long- and short-range elastic distortions, as well as the symmetry change and the electronic structure changes. The inherent coupling of lattice and electronic degrees of freedom opens the avenue toward mechanical actuation of single domains. In this work, we show that we can manipulate and monitor the reversible semiconductor-to-metal transition of VO2 while applying a controlled amount of mechanical pressure by a nanosized metallic probe using an atomic force microscope. At a critical pressure, we can reversibly actuate the phase transition with a large modulation of the conductivity. Direct tunneling through the VO2-metal contact is observed as the main charge carrier injection mechanism before and after the phase transition of VO2. The tunneling barrier is formed by a very thin but persistently insulating surface layer of the VO2. The necessary pressure to induce the transition decreases with temperature. In addition, we measured the phase coexistence line in a hitherto unexplored regime. Our study provides valuable information on pressure-induced electronic modifications of the VO2 properties, as well as on nanoscale metal-oxide contacts, which can help in the future design of oxide electronics.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000890974900001 Publication Date 2022-11-18
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2637-6113 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor Times cited 2 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes This work received financial support from the project Green ICT (grant number 400.17.607) of the research program NWA, which is financed by the Dutch Research Council (NWO), Research Foundation Flanders (FWO grant number G0F1320N), and the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program within a contract for Integrating Activities for Advanced Communities (grant number 823717 − ESTEEM3). The K2 camera was funded through the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO-Hercules grant number G0H4316N – “Direct electron detector for soft matter TEM”).; esteem3reported; esteem3jra Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:192712 Serial 7309
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Penders, A.G.
Title Microstructural investigation of irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking mechanisms based on focused ion beam analysis of tested and industrial specimens Type Doctoral thesis
Year 2022 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages xxxviii, 226 p.
Keywords Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) is an intergranular cracking effect which can occur in heavily irradiated internal structural components of nuclear reactor cores. It is a complex phenomenon which is not yet fully understood because it occurs through an interplay of several material degradation processes. The factors that influence IASCC susceptibility include irradiation damage (neutrons and other irradiation particles stemming from the nuclear fission reaction), the operating temperature of the nuclear reactor, water corrosion, operating stresses, and the composition of materials susceptible to IASCC. Such materials are typically fabricated from austenitic stainless steels because of their relatively high strength, ductility, and fracture toughness. However, besides excellent metallurgical and corrosion resistant qualities, the operating conditions may still cause severe material degradation and component failure, which is extremely important for nuclear power plant safety and lifetime managements. Despite much accumulated data in the literature, both crack initiation and crack propagation mechanisms still need to be further elucidated. To that end, a probabilistic fracture model entitled the subcritical crack propagation (SCP) was recently developed, which assumes that the oxidized part of stainless steel in front of the crack plays an essential role in the crack initiation and crack propagation in sample failures. Still, despite a very good agreement with experimental observations, the SCP model but also other contemporary models favoured within the literature, require further experimental verification to what concerns the investigation of (IA)SCC. To that end, the main objective of this doctorate was to utilize experimental instrumentations like SEM, FIB-SEM and (S)TEM to conduct the investigation of the crack initiation and propagation processes in both tested and industrial specimens. Some of the investigated materials were retrieved within a nuclear reactor and are thus considered as unique test material to investigate the material degradation processes relevant for cracking. Other specimens were tailor-made to simulate the cracking processes of irradiated materials in otherwise un-irradiated materials. The newly acquired experimental results in this doctorate help rationalize existing models and methodologies used in the literature to analyse the IASCC failures of structural materials of reactor components. These results also facilitate in the development of predictive methodologies and mitigation strategies towards IASCC cracking and provide more information on IASCC from a microstructural perspective.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos Publication Date
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:192431 Serial 7323
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Kashiwar, A.
Title TEM investigations of deformation mechanisms in nanocrystalline metals and multilayered composites Type Doctoral thesis
Year 2022 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages xvi, 129 p.
Keywords Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract In the last few decades, nanostructuring has driven significant attention towards the development of novel metallic materials with advanced mechanical properties. Nanocrystalline (nc) metals are a class of nanostructured materials with grain sizes smaller than about 100 nm. These exhibit outstanding mechanical strength and fatigue properties compared to their coarse-grained (cg) counterparts. These are promising candidates for application as structural or functional materials. Nc metals in the form of thin films are employed as hard coatings on bulk components, structural components, and conductive layers in various micro-/nanoscale devices. These structural components and devices are often subjected to cyclic stresses or fatigue loading. Under these cyclic stresses, nc metals tend to exhibit the Bauschinger effect (BE). The strength loss during the BE is of great importance concerning the strength-ductility trade-off in nc metals. Furthermore, contact surfaces of the engineering components in service often undergo relative motion and are subject to both friction and wear. These extreme loading conditions demand nc metals with tailored interfacial characteristics for improved tribological performance. Aiming at ensuring high reliability and mechanical robustness for optimum performance of these components, there has been a strong motivation for understanding the mechanical properties and governing deformation mechanisms in nc metallic materials. This thesis aimed at in-depth investigation of microstructures at micro-/nanoscales using state-of-the-art in situ and ex situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to develop a closer link between the deformation structure and underlying deformation mechanisms in some nc metallic materials. The thesis has primarily focused on the in situ TEM nanomechanics of the BE and rotational deformation of grains in nc palladium thin films. A sputtered thin film of nc Pd was deformed inside TEM by cyclic loading-unloading experiments and the evolving microstructure was studied in real-time under different TEM imaging modes. The stress-strain response of the film exhibited a characteristic non-linear unloading behavior confirming the BE in the film. The corresponding bright-field TEM imaging revealed evidence of partially reversible dislocation activity. Towards a quantitative understanding of the deformation structure in real-time, in situ nanomechanical testing was coupled with precession-assisted automated crystal orientation mapping in scanning TEM (ACOM-STEM). Global ACOM-STEM analysis offered crystal orientation of a large number of grains at different states of deformation and confirmed partially reversible rotations of nanosized grains fitting to the observed BE during loading and unloading. Analysis of intragranular rotations showed substantial changes in the sub-structure within most of these grains indicating a dominant role of dislocation-based processes in driving these rotations. Globally, an unusually random evolution of texture was seen that demonstrated the influence of deformation heterogeneity and grain interactions on the resulting texture characteristics in nc metals. In the quest of understanding the grain interactions, local investigations based on annular dark-field STEM imaging during loading-unloading showed reversible changes in the contrast of grains with sets of adjoining grains exhibiting a unique cooperative rotation. Local analysis of the density of geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) showed the formation of dislocation pile-up at grain boundaries due to the generation of back-stresses during unloading. Critical observations of the evolution of GND density offered greater insights into the mechanism of cooperative grain rotations and these rotations were related to grain structure and grain boundary characteristics. In addition to understanding the influence of grain structure and grain boundaries, the thesis has further investigated the role of heterointerfaces in sputtered Au-Cu and Cu-Cr nanocrystalline multilayered composites (NMCs) deformed under cyclic sliding contact. The microstructural evolution in the NMCs was investigated at different deformation states by classical TEM imaging, ACOM-STEM as well as energy-filtered TEM (EFTEM). Au-Cu NMC with an initial high density of twin boundaries deformed by stress-driven detwinning with a concurrent change in grain structure in both Au and Cu. The formation of a vortex structure was observed due to plastic flow instabilities at Au-Cu interfaces that led to codeformation and mechanical intermixing. Cu-Cr NMC showed a preferential grain growth in Cu layers whereas no noticeable change in the grain sizes was seen in Cr layers. The phase maps revealed sharp interfaces between Cu and Cr layers indicating no intermixing between the immiscible phases. EFTEM results exposed the cracking processes in Cr layers with a concurrent migration of Cu in the cracks. Overall, the thesis has attempted to analyze the competing deformation processes and relate these with the microstructural heterogeneity in terms of grain structure and GB and interfacial characteristics in nc metallic materials.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos Publication Date
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189013 Serial 7343
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Yang, T.
Title Characterization of Laves phase structural evolution and regulation of its precipitation behavior in Al-Zn-Mg based alloys Type Doctoral thesis
Year 2023 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages ii, 106 p.
Keywords Doctoral thesis; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Al-Zn-Mg-based high strength alloys are widely used in aerospace applications due to their low density and excellent mechanical properties. A systematic study of the structural evolution of the nano-precipitation phase and its growth mechanism is an important guide for the design of new high-strength alloys. In this work, the Laves structure precipitates in Al-Zn-Mg(-Cu/Y) alloy was systematically characterized. Based on the structure evolution, the structure of submicron Laves particles and quasicrystalline particles in the alloy at microscale, as well as the regulation of the precipitation behavior after adding Y at nanoscale were further investigated. The main innovative results are summarized as follows: (1) Investigation on coexistence of defect structures in Laves structural nanoprecipitates. Three types of Laves structures can coexist within the η-MgZn2 precipitates: C14, C15 and C36, and the Laves structure transition sequence of C14→C36→C15 in this system was determined. Meanwhile, it was found that there are diverse defect structures in the MgZn2 phase, including stacking faults, planar defects and five-fold domain structures, which have significant effects on relieving the internal stress/strain of the precipitates. (2) Investigation on multiple phase transition of Laves structural nanoprecipitates from C14 to C36 and from C14 to quasicrystal clusters. It is found that C14 precipitates can be completely transformed into the C36 precipitates. And it is also found that the C14 Laves phase structure can also transform into quasicrystalline clusters. These investigations on various phase transition mechanisms among Laves phases provide theoretical support for the microstructural characterization of materials containing multi-scale Laves phases. (3) Characterization of Laves and quasicrystal structural particles in submicron scale. Submicron-scale quasicrystal particles were obtained in conventional casting Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys for the first time. Industrial impurity elements Fe and Ni can induce the formation of quasicrystalline particles. When there is no Fe/Ni enriched in particles, the structure is characterized as C15-Laves phase. When Fe/Ni is as quasicrystalline core, a stable core-shell quasicrystalline structure with Al-Fe-Ni nucleus and Mg-Cu-Zn shell can be formed. (4) Investigation on the regulation of nanoscale Laves precipitates’ growth. To regulate the defect structure of the precipitates, rare earth element Y was added in Al-Zn-Mg alloys and its influence on the precipitation behavior was investigated. The addition of Y element can dynamically combine with different alloying elements during aging process, which can refine the size of precipitate and further improve the nucleation rate and precipitation rate of the precipitates.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos Publication Date
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:196404 Serial 7631
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Mary Joy, R.; Pobedinskas, P.; Bourgeois, E.; Chakraborty, T.; Görlitz, J.; Herrmann, D.; Noël, C.; Heupel, J.; Jannis, D.; Gauquelin, N.; D'Haen, J.; Verbeeck, J.; Popov, C.; Houssiau, L.; Becher, C.; Nesládek, M.; Haenen, K.
Title Germanium vacancy centre formation in CVD nanocrystalline diamond using a solid dopant source Type A3 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication Science talks Abbreviated Journal Science Talks
Volume 5 Issue Pages 100157
Keywords A3 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos Publication Date 2023-02-09
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2772-5693 ISBN Additional Links UA library record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:196969 Serial 8791
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Vlasov, E.; Skorikov, A.; Sánchez-Iglesias, A.; Liz-Marzán, L.M.; Verbeeck, J.; Bals, S.
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 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 (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:197004 Serial 8795
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Liu, J.; Wang, C.; Yu, W.; Zhao, H.; Hu, Z.-Y.; Liu, F.; Hasan, T.; Li, Y.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Li, C.; Su, B.-L.
Title Bioinspired noncyclic transfer pathway electron donors for unprecedented hydrogen production Type A1 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication CCS chemistry Abbreviated Journal
Volume 5 Issue 6 Pages 1470-1482
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Electron donors are widely exploited in visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen production. As a typical electron donor pair and often the first choice for hydrogen production, the sodium sulfide-sodium sulfite pair has been extensively used. However, the resultant thiosulfate ions consume the photogenerated electrons to form an undesirable pseudocyclic electron transfer pathway during the photocatalytic process, strongly limiting the solar energy conversion efficiency. Here, we report novel and bioinspired electron donor pairs offering a noncyclic electron transfer pathway that provides more electrons without the consumption of the photogenerated electrons. Compared to the state-of-the-art electron donor pair Na2S-Na2SO3, these novel Na2S-NaH2PO2 and Na2S-NaNO2 electron donor pairs enable an unprecedented enhancement of up to 370% and 140% for average photocatalytic H-2 production over commercial CdS nanoparticles, and they are versatile for a large series of photocatalysts for visible-light water splitting. The discovery of these novel electron donor pairs can lead to a revolution in photocatalysis and is of great significance for industrial visible-light-driven H-2 production. [GRAPHICS] .
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 001037091900008 Publication Date 2022-06-30
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:198409 Serial 8837
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Beckwee, E.J.; Watson, G.; Houlleberghs, M.; Arenas Esteban, D.; Bals, S.; Van Der Voort, P.; Breynaert, E.; Martens, J.; Baron, G.V.; Denayer, J.F.M.
Title Enabling hydrate-based methane storage under mild operating conditions by periodic mesoporous organosilica nanotubes Type A1 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication Heliyon Abbreviated Journal
Volume 9 Issue 7 Pages e17662-14
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Biomethane is a renewable natural gas substitute produced from biogas. Storage of this sustainable energy vector in confined clathrate hydrates, encapsulated in the pores of a host material, is a highly promising avenue to improve storage capacity and energy efficiency. Herein, a new type of periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) nanotubes, referred to as hollow ring PMO (HR-PMO), capable of promoting methane clathrate hydrate formation under mild working conditions (273 K, 3.5 MPa) and at high water loading (5.1 g water/g HR-PMO) is reported. Gravimetric uptake measurements reveal a steep single-stepped isotherm and a noticeably high methane storage capacity (0.55 g methane/g HR-PMO; 0.11 g methane/g water at 3.5 MPa). The large working capacity throughout consecutive pressure-induced clathrate hydrate formationdissociation cycles demonstrates the material's excellent recyclability (97% preservation of capacity). Supported by ex situ cryo-electron tomography and x-ray diffraction, HR-PMO nanotubes are hypothesized to promote clathrate hydrate nucleation and growth by distribution and confinement of water in the mesopores of their outer wall, along the central channels of the nanotubes and on the external nanotube surface. These findings showcase the potential for application of organosilica materials with hierarchical and interconnected pore systems for pressure-based storage of biomethane in confined clathrate hydrates.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 001056264100001 Publication Date 2023-06-28
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2405-8440 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 4 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes E.J.B., G.W. and M.H. contributed equally to this work. M.H. acknowledges FWO for an FWO-SB fellowship. All authors acknowledge VLAIO for Moonshot funding (ARCLATH, n ? HBC.2019.0110, ARCLATH2, n ? HBC.2021.0254) . J.A.M. acknowledges the Flemish Government for long-term structural funding (Methusalem) and department EWI for infrastructure investment via the Hermes Fund (AH.2016.134) . NMRCoRe acknowledges the Flemish government, department EWI for financial support as International Research Infrastructure (I001321N: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Platform for Molecular Water Research) . J.A.M. acknowledges the European Research Council (ERC) for an Advanced Research Grant under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 834134 (WATUSO) . S.B acknowledges financial support by the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO grant G.0381.16N) . This project also received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 731019 (EUSMI) and No 815128 (REALNANO) . Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:199249 Serial 8862
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Lobato, I.; Friedrich, T.; Van Aert, S.
Title Deep convolutional neural networks to restore single-shot electron microscopy images Type A1 Journal article
Year 2024 Publication N P J Computational Materials Abbreviated Journal npj Comput Mater
Volume 10 Issue 1 Pages 10
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Advanced electron microscopy techniques, including scanning electron microscopes (SEM), scanning transmission electron microscopes (STEM), and transmission electron microscopes (TEM), have revolutionized imaging capabilities. However, achieving high-quality experimental images remains a challenge due to various distortions stemming from the instrumentation and external factors. These distortions, introduced at different stages of imaging, hinder the extraction of reliable quantitative insights. In this paper, we will discuss the main sources of distortion in TEM and S(T)EM images, develop models to describe them, and propose a method to correct these distortions using a convolutional neural network. We validate the effectiveness of our method on a range of simulated and experimental images, demonstrating its ability to significantly enhance the signal-to-noise ratio. This improvement leads to a more reliable extraction of quantitative structural information from the images. In summary, our findings offer a robust framework to enhance the quality of electron microscopy images, which in turn supports progress in structural analysis and quantification in materials science and biology.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 001138183000001 Publication Date 2024-01-09
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2057-3960 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes This work was supported by the European Research Council (Grant 770887 PICOMETRICS to S.V.A.). The authors acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium) through project fundings (G034621N, G0A7723N and EOS 40007495). S.V.A. acknowledges funding from the University of Antwerp Research Fund (BOF). The authors thank Lukas Grünewald for data acquisition and support for Fig. 7. Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:202714 Serial 8994
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Yu, R.; Zeng, W.; Zhou, L.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Mai, L.; Yao, Z.; Wu, J.
Title Layer-by-layer delithiation during lattice collapse as the origin of planar gliding and microcracking in Ni-rich cathodes Type A1 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication Cell reports physical science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 4 Issue 7 Pages 101480-14
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract High-energy-density nickel (Ni)-rich cathode materials are used in commercial lithium (Li)-ion batteries for electric vehicles, but they suffer from severe structural degradation upon cycling. Planar gliding and microcracking are seeds for fatal mechanical fracture, but their origin remains unclear. Herein, we show that “layer-by -layer delithiation”is activated at high voltages during the charge process when the “lattice collapse”(a characteristic high-voltage lattice evolution in Ni-rich cathodes) occurs. Layer-by-layer deli-thiation is evidenced by direct observation of the consecutive lattice collapse using in situ scanning transmission electron micro-scopy (STEM). The collapsing of the lattice initiates in the expanded planes and consecutively extends to the whole crystal. Localized strain will be induced at lattice-collapsing interface where planar gliding and intragranular microcracks are generated to release this strain. Our study reveals that layer-by-layer delithia-tion during lattice collapse is the fundamental origin of the mechanical instability in single-crystalline Ni-rich cathodes.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 001048074500001 Publication Date 2023-06-30
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:198299 Serial 8893
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Friedrich, T.
Title Quantifying atomic structures using neural networks from 4D scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) datasets Type Doctoral thesis
Year 2023 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 127 p.
Keywords Doctoral thesis; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Nanoscience and nanotechnologies are of immense importance across many fields of science and for numerous practical applications. In this context, scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and 4D-STEM are among the most powerful characterization methods at the atomic scale. Annular dark-field (ADF)-STEM can be used to quantify atomic structures in 3D by counting atoms based on a single projection image. In 4D-STEM a full diffraction pattern is recorded at each scan step, which enables more dose efficient imaging and the utilization of various advanced imaging modalities, which can however be complex and slow. Both, STEM and 4D-STEM suffer from noise and distortions. In the first section of this work the most important of these distortions are discussed and it is shown how image restoration with a dedicated convolutional neural network (CNN) can be beneficial for atomic structure quantifications in ADF-STEM. In the second part, a new 4D-STEM imaging method real-time-integrated-centre-of-mass (riCOM) is introduced, which is a very dose-efficient and fast algorithm that enables unprecedented live-imaging capabilities for 4D-STEM. It is based on the integrated centre-of-mass approach, but is reformulated with variable integration ranges and optional filters, which allows for a tunable contrast transfer function. This enables the imaging of light and heavy elements simultaneously at very low doses. In the third part another new 4D-STEM method, coined AIRPI (AI-assisted rapid phase imaging) is introduced, which uses a CNN to retrieve a patch of the specimen's phase image for each scan position, based on the diffraction patterns in the probe's immediate surroundings. This allows also live imaging in principle and surpasses comparable state-of-the-art algorithms in terms of resolution also at low doses. Different atomic columns can be reliably distinguished over a wide range of atomic numbers, enabling a very good image interpretability. Further, AIRPI can recover low frequency image components, which preserves thickness information. This is a unique and important feature which could make quantitative 4D-STEM feasible.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos Publication Date
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:196826 Serial 8919
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.
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 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 (up) Most recent IF: NA
Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:201011 Serial 8975
Permanent link to this record