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Author (up) Guerrero, R.M.; Lemir, I.D.; Carrasco, S.; Fernández-Ruiz, C.; Kavak, S.; Pizarro, P.; Serrano, D.P.; Bals, S.; Horcajada, P.; Pérez, Y. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Scaling-Up Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Highly Defective Pd@UiO-66-NH2Catalysts for Selective Olefin Hydrogenation under Ambient Conditions Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2024 Publication ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces Abbreviated Journal ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT) ;  
  Abstract The need to develop green and cost-effective industrial catalytic processes has led to growing interest in preparing more robust, efficient, and selective heterogeneous catalysts at a large scale. In this regard, microwave-assisted synthesis is a fast method for fabricating heterogeneous catalysts (including metal oxides, zeolites, metal–organic frameworks, and supported metal nanoparticles) with enhanced catalytic properties, enabling synthesis scale-up. Herein, the synthesis of nanosized UiO-66-NH2 was optimized via a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method to obtain defective matrices essential for the stabilization of metal nanoparticles, promoting catalytically active sites for hydrogenation reactions (760 kg·m–3·day–1 space time yield, STY). Then, this protocol was scaled up in a multimodal microwave reactor, reaching 86% yield (ca. 1 g, 1450 kg·m–3·day–1 STY) in only 30 min. Afterward, Pd nanoparticles were formed in situ decorating the nanoMOF by an effective and fast microwave-assisted hydrothermal method, resulting in the formation of Pd@UiO-66-NH2 composites. Both the localization and oxidation states of Pd nanoparticles (NPs) in the MOF were achieved using high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The optimal composite, loaded with 1.7 wt % Pd, exhibited an extraordinary catalytic activity (>95% yield, 100% selectivity) under mild conditions (1 bar H2, 25 °C, 1 h reaction time), not only in the selective hydrogenation of a variety of single alkenes (1-hexene, 1-octene, 1-tridecene, cyclohexene, and tetraphenyl ethylene) but also in the conversion of a complex mixture of alkenes (i.e., 1-hexene, 1-tridecene, and anethole). The results showed a powerful interaction and synergy between the active phase (Pd NPs) and the catalytic porous scaffold (UiO-66-NH2), which are essential for the selectivity and recyclability.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2024-04-26  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1944-8244 ISBN Additional Links  
  Impact Factor 9.5 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from “Comunidad de Madrid” and European Regional Development Fund-FEDER through the project HUB MADRID+CIRCULAR; the State Research Agency (MCIN/AEI /10.13039/501100011033) through the grant with reference number CEX2019-000931-M received in the 2019 call for “Severo Ochoa Centres of Excellence” and “María de Maeztu Units of Excellence” of the State Programme for Knowledge Generation and Scientific and Technological Strengthening of the R&D&I System; and MICIU through the project “NAPOLION” (PID2022-139956OB-I00). S.K. acknowledges the Flemish Fund for Scientific Research (FWO Vlaanderen) through a PhD research grant (1181124N). Approved Most recent IF: 9.5; 2024 IF: 7.504  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @ Serial 9126  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Guzzinati, G.; Altantzis, T.; Batuk, M.; De Backer, A.; Lumbeeck, G.; Samaee, V.; Batuk, D.; Idrissi, H.; Hadermann, J.; Van Aert, S.; Schryvers, D.; Verbeeck, J.; Bals, S. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Recent Advances in Transmission Electron Microscopy for Materials Science at the EMAT Lab of the University of Antwerp Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2018 Publication Materials Abbreviated Journal Materials  
  Volume 11 Issue 11 Pages 1304  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The rapid progress in materials science that enables the design of materials down to the nanoscale also demands characterization techniques able to analyze the materials down to the same scale, such as transmission electron microscopy. As Belgium’s foremost electron microscopy group, among the largest in the world, EMAT is continuously contributing to the development of TEM techniques, such as high-resolution imaging, diffraction, electron tomography, and spectroscopies, with an emphasis on quantification and reproducibility, as well as employing TEM methodology at the highest level to solve real-world materials science problems. The lab’s recent contributions are presented here together with specific case studies in order to highlight the usefulness of TEM to the advancement of materials science.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000444112800041 Publication Date 2018-07-28  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1996-1944 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.654 Times cited 15 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, G.0502.18N, G.0267.18N, G.0120.12N, G.0365.15N, G.0934.17N, S.0100.18N AUHA13009 ; European Research Council, COLOURATOM 335078 ; Universiteit Antwerpen, GOA Solarpaint ; G. Guzzinati, T. Altantzis and A. De Backer have been supported by postdoctoral fellowship grants from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO). Funding was also received from the European Research Council (starting grant no. COLOURATOM 335078), the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no. 770887), the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium) through project fundings (G.0502.18N, G.0267.18N, G.0120.12N, G.0365.15N, G.0934.17N, S.0100.18N, G.0401.16N) and from the University of Antwerp through GOA project Solarpaint. Funding for the TopSPIN precession system under grant AUHA13009, as well as for the Qu-Ant-EM microscope, is acknowledged from the HERCULES Foundation. H. Idrissi is mandated by the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (F.R.S.-FNRS). (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:can); saraecas; ECAS_Sara; Approved Most recent IF: 2.654  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:153737UA @ admin @ c:irua:153737 Serial 5064  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Hamon, C.; Novikov, S.M.; Scarabelli, L.; Solís, D.M.; Altantzis, T.; Bals, S.; Taboada, J.M.; Obelleiro, F.; Liz-Marzán, L.M. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Collective Plasmonic Properties in Few-Layer Gold Nanorod Supercrystals Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2015 Publication ACS Photonics Abbreviated Journal Acs Photonics  
  Volume 2 Issue 2 Pages 1482-1488  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Gold nanorod supercrystals have been widely employed for the detection of relevant bioanalytes with detection limits ranging from nano- to picomolar levels,

confirming the promising nature of these structures for biosensing. Even though a relationship between the height of the supercrystal (i.e., the number of stacked nanorod layers)and the enhancement factor has been proposed, no systematic

study has been reported. In order to tackle this problem, we prepared gold nanorod supercrystals with varying numbers of stacked layers and analyzed them extensively by atomic force microscopy, electron microscopy and surface enhanced Raman scattering. The experimental results were compared to numerical

simulations performed on real-size supercrystals composed of thousands of nanorod building blocks. Analysis of the hot spot distribution in the simulated supercrystals showed the presence of standing waves that were distributed at different depths, depending on the number of layers in each supercrystal. On the basis of these theoretical results, we interpreted the experimental

data in terms of analyte penetration into the topmost layer only, which indicates that diffusion to the interior of the supercrystals would be crucial if the complete field enhancement produced by the stacked nanorods is to be exploited. We propose that our conclusions will be of high relevance in the design of next generation plasmonic devices.
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000363435600013 Publication Date 2015-09-03  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2330-4022 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 6.756 Times cited 70 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The authors are thankful to Dr. Luis Yate for assistance with sample preparation. This work was supported by the European Research Council (ERC Advanced Grant #267867 Plasmaquo and ERC Starting Grant #335078 Colouratom) and the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MAT2013-46101-R). D.M.S., J.M.T., and F.O. acknowledge funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Spanish Ministerio de Economiá y Competitividad (MAT2014-58201-C2-1-R, MAT2014-58201- C2-2-R, Project TACTICA), from the ERDF and the Galician Regional Government under Projects CN2012/279 and CN2012/260 (AtlantTIC) and the Plan I2C (2011−2015), and from the ERDF and the Extremadura Regional Government (Junta de Extremadura Project IB13185).; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 6.756; 2015 IF: NA  
  Call Number c:irua:129458 Serial 3978  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) He, Z.; Ke, X.; Bals, S.; Van Tendeloo, G. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Direct evidence for the existence of multi-walled carbon nanotubes with hexagonal cross-sections Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2012 Publication Carbon Abbreviated Journal Carbon  
  Volume 50 Issue 7 Pages 2524-2529  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with a polygonal cross-section have been paid increasing attention since their three-dimensional structure is related to specific physical properties, which are found to be different in comparison to CNTs with a circular cross-section. Here, we report the existence of novel multi-walled CNTs yielding walls with a rounded-hexagonal configuration. This structure was directly confirmed for the first time by both cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy and electron tomography. The morphology of the Fe catalytic particle also exhibits hexagonal characteristics, and is proposed as the origin of the formation of the rounded-hexagonal walls of the CNT. This observation is of great importance with respect to the design of polygonal (such as pentagonal or hexagonal) cross-sectional CNTs. By controlling the morphology of the catalytic nanoparticles it will be possible to grow CNTs with desired electronic and mechanical properties.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Oxford Editor  
  Language Wos 000303038400015 Publication Date 2012-02-06  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0008-6223; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 6.337 Times cited 8 Open Access  
  Notes Fwo Approved Most recent IF: 6.337; 2012 IF: 5.868  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:96956 Serial 711  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Heidari Mezerji, H.; van den Broek, W.; Bals, S. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title A practical method to determine the effective resolution in incoherent experimental electron tomography Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2011 Publication Ultramicroscopy Abbreviated Journal Ultramicroscopy  
  Volume 111 Issue 5 Pages 330-336  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Vision lab  
  Abstract It is not straightforward to determine resolution for a 3D reconstruction when performing an electron tomography experiment. Different contributions such as missing wedge and misalignment add up and often influence the final resolution in an anisotropic manner. The conventional resolution measures can not be used for all of the reconstruction techniques, especially for iterative techniques which are more commonly used for electron tomography in materials science. Here we define a quantitative resolution measure that determines the resolution in three orthogonal directions of the reconstruction. As an application we use this measure to determine the optimum number of simultaneous iterative reconstruction technique (SIRT) iterations to reconstruct the gold nanoparticles, based on a high angle annular dark field STEM (HAADF-STEM) tilt series.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Amsterdam Editor  
  Language Wos 000289396900005 Publication Date 2011-01-24  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0304-3991; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.843 Times cited 26 Open Access  
  Notes Esteem 026019; Fwo Approved Most recent IF: 2.843; 2011 IF: 2.471  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:87606 Serial 2688  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Heidari, H.; van den Broek, W.; Bals, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Quantitative electron tomography : the effect of the three-dimensional point spread function Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2013 Publication Ultramicroscopy Abbreviated Journal Ultramicroscopy  
  Volume 135 Issue Pages 1-5  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The intensity levels in a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction, obtained by electron tomography, can be influenced by several experimental imperfections. Such artifacts will hamper a quantitative interpretation of the results. In this paper, we will correct for artificial intensity variations by determining the 3D point spread function (PSF) of a tomographic reconstruction based on high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy. The large tails of the PSF cause an underestimation of the intensity of smaller particles, which in turn hampers an accurate radius estimate. Here, the error introduced by the PSF is quantified and corrected a posteriori.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Amsterdam Editor  
  Language Wos 000326941500001 Publication Date 2013-06-21  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0304-3991; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.843 Times cited 6 Open Access  
  Notes Esteem2; Sunflower; esteem2_jra4 Approved Most recent IF: 2.843; 2013 IF: 2.745  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:111397 Serial 2756  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Heyvaert, W.; Pedrazo-Tardajos, A.; Kadu, A.; Claes, N.; González-Rubio, G.; Liz-Marzán, L.M.; Albrecht, W.; Bals, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  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 Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:186959 Serial 6956  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Hill, E.H.; Claes, N.; Bals, S.; Liz-Marzán, L.M. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Layered Silicate Clays as Templates for Anisotropic Gold Nanoparticle Growth Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Chemistry of materials Abbreviated Journal Chem Mater  
  Volume 28 Issue 28 Pages 5131-5139  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Clay minerals are abundant natural materials arising in the presence of water and are composed of small particles of different sizes and shapes. The interlamellar space between layered silicate clays can also be used to host a variety of different organic and inorganic guest molecules or particles. Recent studies of clay−metal hybrids formed by impregnation of nanoparticles into the interlayer spaces of the clays have not demonstrated the ability for templated growth following the shape of the particles. Following this line of interest, a method for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles on the synthetic layered silicate clay laponite was developed. This approach can be used to make metal−clay nanoparticles with a variety of morphologies while retaining the molecular adsorption properties of the clay. The surface enhanced Raman scattering enhancement of these particles was also found to be greater than that obtained from other metal nanoparticles of a similar morphology, likely due to increased dye adsorption by the presence of the clay. The hybrid particles presented herein will contribute to further study of plasmonic

sensing, catalysis, dye aggregation, and novel composite materials.
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000380576700031 Publication Date 2016-07-02  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0897-4756 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 9.466 Times cited 13 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This work has been supported by the European Research Council (ERC Advanced Grant No. 267867, PLASMAQUO). E.H.H. thanks the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness for providing a Juan de la Cierva Fellowship (FJCI-2014-22598). N.C. and S.B. acknowledge financial support from European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant #335078-COLOURATOM). We gratefully acknowledge A. B. Serrano-Montes for providing the seed-mediated Au nanostars.; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 9.466  
  Call Number c:irua:135178 c:irua:135178 Serial 4117  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Hinterding, S.O.M.; Berends, A.C.; Kurttepeli, M.; Moret, M.-E.; Meeldijk, J.D.; Bals, S.; van der Stam, W.; de Donega, C.M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Tailoring Cu+ for Ga3+ cation exchange in Cu2-xS and CuInS2 nanocrystals by controlling the Ga precursor chemistry Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2019 Publication ACS nano Abbreviated Journal Acs Nano  
  Volume 13 Issue 13 Pages 12880-12893  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Nanoscale cation exchange (CE) has resulted in colloidal nanomaterials that are unattainable by direct synthesis methods. Aliovalent CE is complex and synthetically challenging because the exchange of an unequal number of host and guest cations is required to maintain charge balance. An approach to control aliovalent CE reactions is the use of a single reactant to both supply the guest cation and extract the host cation. Here, we study the application of GaCl3-L complexes [L = trioctylphosphine (TOP), triphenylphosphite (TPP), diphenylphosphine (DPP)] as reactants in the exchange of Cu+ for Ga3+ in Cu2-xS nanocrystals. We find that noncomplexed GaCl3 etches the nanocrystals by S2- extraction, whereas GaCl3-TOP is unreactive. Successful exchange of Cu+ for Ga3+ is only possible when GaCl3 is complexed with either TPP or DPP. This is attributed to the pivotal role of the Cu2-xS-GaCl3-L activated complex that forms at the surface of the nanocrystal at the onset of the CE reaction, which must be such that simultaneous Ga3+ insertion and Cu+ extraction can occur. This requisite is only met if GaCl3 is bound to a phosphine ligand, with a moderate bond strength, to allow facile dissociation of the complex at the nanocrystal surface. The general validity of this mechanism is demonstrated by using GaCl3-DPP to convert CuInS2 into (Cu,Ga,In)S-2 nanocrystals, which increases the photoluminescence quantum yield 10 -fold, while blue -shifting the photoluminescence into the NIR biological window. This highlights the general applicability of the mechanistic insights provided by our work.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000500650000061 Publication Date 2019-10-16  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1936-0851 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 13.942 Times cited 27 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes ; S.O.M.H., W.v.d.S., A.C.B., and C.d.M.D. acknowledge financial support from the division of Chemical Sciences (CW) of The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) under Grant Nos. ECHO.712.012.0001 and ECHO.712.014.001. S.B. acknowledges financial support from the European Research Council (ERC Consolidator Grant No. 815128-REALNANO). S.O.M.H. is supported by The Netherlands Center for Multiscale Catalytic Energy Conversion (MCEC), an NWO Gravitation Programme funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the government of The Netherlands. DFT calculations were carried out on the Dutch national e-infrastructure with the support of SURF Cooperative. This work was sponsored by NWO Physical Sciences for the use of supercomputer facilities. The authors thank Jessi van der Hoeven for EDS and TEM measurements. ; sygma Approved Most recent IF: 13.942  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:165149 Serial 6324  
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Author (up) Hudry, D.; De Backer, A.; Popescu, R.; Busko, D.; Howard, I.A.; Bals, S.; Zhang, Y.; Pedrazo‐Tardajos, A.; Van Aert, S.; Gerthsen, D.; Altantzis, T.; Richards, B.S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Interface Pattern Engineering in Core‐Shell Upconverting Nanocrystals: Shedding Light on Critical Parameters and Consequences for the Photoluminescence Properties Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2021 Publication Small Abbreviated Journal Small  
  Volume Issue Pages 2104441  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)  
  Abstract Advances in controlling energy migration pathways in core-shell lanthanide (Ln)-based hetero-nanocrystals (HNCs) have relied heavily on assumptions about how optically active centers are distributed within individual HNCs. In this article, it is demonstrated that different types of interface patterns can be formed depending on shell growth conditions. Such interface patterns are not only identified but also characterized with spatial resolution ranging from the nanometer- to the atomic-scale. In the most favorable cases, atomic-scale resolved maps of individual particles are obtained. It is also demonstrated that, for the same type of core-shell architecture, the interface pattern can be engineered with thicknesses of just 1 nm up to several tens of nanometers. Total alloying between the core and shell domains is also possible when using ultra-small particles as seeds. Finally, with different types of interface patterns (same architecture and chemical composition of the core and shell domains) it is possible to modify the output color (yellow, red, and green-yellow) or change (improvement or degradation) the absolute upconversion quantum yield. The results presented in this article introduce an important paradigm shift and pave the way toward the emergence of a new generation of core-shell Ln-based HNCs with better control over their atomic-scale organization.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000710758000001 Publication Date 2021-10-25  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1613-6810 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 8.643 Times cited 17 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support provided by the Helmholtz Recruitment Initiative Fellowship (B.S.R.) and the Helmholtz Association's Research Field Energy (Materials and Technologies for the Energy Transition program, Topic 1 Photovoltaics and Wind Energy). The authors would like to thank the Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMF) for STEM access. This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme (Grant agreement no. 770887 PICOMETRICS to S.V.A. and Grant agreement no. 815128 REALNANO to S.B.). The authors acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium) through Projects no. G.0502.18N, G.0267.18N, and a postdoctoral grant to A.D.B. T.A. acknowledges funding from the University of Antwerp Research fund (BOF). This project had received funding (EUSMI proposal #E181100205) from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant agreement no 731019 (EUSMI). D.H. would like to thank “CGFigures” for helpful tutorials on 3D graphics with Blender.; sygmaSB Approved Most recent IF: 8.643  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:183285 Serial 6817  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Hugenschmidt, M.; Jannis, D.; Kadu, A.A.; Grünewald, L.; De Marchi, S.; Perez-Juste, J.; Verbeeck, J.; Van Aert, S.; Bals, S. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Low-dose 4D-STEM tomography for beam-sensitive nanocomposites Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication ACS materials letters Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 6 Issue 1 Pages 165-173  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Electron tomography is essential for investigating the three-dimensional (3D) structure of nanomaterials. However, many of these materials, such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), are extremely sensitive to electron radiation, making it difficult to acquire a series of projection images for electron tomography without inducing electron-beam damage. Another significant challenge is the high contrast in high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy that can be expected for nanocomposites composed of a metal nanoparticle and an MOF. This strong contrast leads to so-called metal artifacts in the 3D reconstruction. To overcome these limitations, we here present low-dose electron tomography based on four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy (4D-STEM) data sets, collected using an ultrafast and highly sensitive direct electron detector. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate the applicability of the method for an Au nanostar embedded in a ZIF-8 MOF, which is of great interest for applications in various fields, including drug delivery.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001141178500001 Publication Date 2023-12-11  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2639-4979 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes This work was supported by the European Research Council (Grant 815128 REALNANO to S.B., Grant 770887 PICOMETRICS to S.V.A.). J.P.-J. and S.M. acknowledge financial support from the MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (Grants No. PID2019-108954RB-I00) and EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement no. 883390 (SERSing). J.V., S.B., S.V.A., and L.G. acknowledge funding from the Flemish government (iBOF-21-085 PERsist). Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:202771 Serial 9053  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Huijben, M.; Rijnders, G.; Blank, D.H.A.; Bals, S.; Van Aert, S.; Verbeeck, J.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Brinkman, A.; Hilgenkamp, H. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Electronically coupled complementary interfaces between perovskite band insulators Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2006 Publication Nature materials Abbreviated Journal Nat Mater  
  Volume 5 Issue Pages 556-560  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication London Editor  
  Language Wos 000238708900021 Publication Date 2006-06-18  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1476-1122;1476-4660; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 39.737 Times cited 315 Open Access  
  Notes Fwo Approved Most recent IF: 39.737; 2006 IF: 19.194  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:59713UA @ admin @ c:irua:59713 Serial 1019  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Hutter, E.M.; Bladt, E.; Goris, B.; Pietra, F.; van der Bok, J.C.; Boneschanscher, M.P.; de Donega, C.M.; Bals, S.; Vanmaekelbergh, D. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Conformal and atomic characterization of ultrathin CdSe platelets with a helical shape Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2014 Publication Nano letters Abbreviated Journal Nano Lett  
  Volume 14 Issue 11 Pages 6257-6262  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Currently, ultrathin colloidal CdSe semiconductor nanoplatelets (NPLs) with a uniform thickness that is controllable up to the atomic scale can be prepared. The optical properties of these 2D semiconductor systems are the subject of extensive research. Here, we reveal their natural morphology and atomic arrangement. Using cryo-TEM (cryo-transmission electron microscopy), we show that the shape of rectangular NPLs in solution resembles a helix. Fast incorporation of these NPLs in silica preserves and immobilizes their helical shape, which allowed us to perform an in-depth study by high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM). Electron tomography measurements confirm and detail the helical shape of these systems. Additionally, high-resolution HAADF-STEM shows the thickness of the NPLs on the atomic scale and furthermore that these are consistently folded along a ?110? direction. The presence of a silica shell on both the top and bottom surfaces shows that Cd atoms must be accessible for silica precursor (and ligand) molecules on both sides.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Washington Editor  
  Language Wos 000345723800036 Publication Date 2014-10-27  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1530-6984 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 12.712 Times cited 43 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Dariusz Mitoraj, Hans Meeldijk, Relinde van Dijk-Moes, and Stephan Zevenhuizen are acknowledged for technical support and help with some experiments. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP/2007-2013)/ERC Grant Agreement no. 291667. The authors acknowledge financial support from FOM and NOW [FOM program Functional NanoParticle Solids (FNPS)]. S.B. acknowledges financial support from European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant #335078- COLOURATOMS). E.B. and B.G. gratefully acknowledge financial support by the Flemish Fund for Scientific Research (FWO Vlaanderen).; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 12.712; 2014 IF: 13.592  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:122209 Serial 490  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Huybrechts, W.; Mali, G.; Kuśtrowski, P.; Willhammar, T.; Mertens, M.; Bals, S.; Van Der Voort, P.; Cool, P. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Post-synthesis bromination of benzene bridged PMO as a way to create a high potential hybrid material Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Microporous and mesoporous materials: zeolites, clays, carbons and related materials Abbreviated Journal Micropor Mesopor Mat  
  Volume 236 Issue 236 Pages 244-249  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA)  
  Abstract Periodic mesoporous organosilicas provide the best of two worlds: the strength and porosity of an inorganic framework combined with the infinite possibilities created by the organic bridging unit. In this work we focus on post-synthetical modification of benzene bridged PMO, in order to create bromobenzene PMO. In the past, this proved to be very challenging due to unwanted structural deterioration. However, now we have found a way to brominate this material whilst keeping the structure intact. In-depth structural analysis by solid state NMR and XPS shows both vast progress over previous attempts as well as potential for improvement.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Amsterdam Editor  
  Language Wos 000385899600028 Publication Date 2016-09-10  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1387-1811 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 3.615 Times cited 7 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes ; The authors would like to thank financial support from the FWO-Flanders (project no G.0068.13). The authors further acknowledge financial support of the University of Antwerp through BOF GOA funding. S.B. acknowledges financial support from European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant #335078-COLOURATOM). ; ecas_Sara Approved Most recent IF: 3.615  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:135274 Serial 4228  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Ignatova, K.; Vlasov, E.; Seddon, S.D.; Gauquelin, N.; Verbeeck, J.; Wermeille, D.; Bals, S.; Hase, T.P.A.; Arnalds, U.B. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Phase coexistence induced surface roughness in V2O3/Ni magnetic heterostructures Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2024 Publication APL Materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 12 Issue 4 Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT) ;  
  Abstract We present an investigation of the microstructure changes in V2O3 as it goes through its inherent structural phase transition. Using V2O3 films with a well-defined crystal structure deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering on r-plane Al2O3 substrates, we study the phase coexistence region and its impact on the surface roughness of the films and the magnetic properties of overlying Ni magnetic layers in V2O3/Ni hybrid magnetic heterostructures. The simultaneous presence of two phases in V2O3 during its structural phase transition was identified with high resolution x-ray diffraction and led to an increase in surface roughness observed using x-ray reflectivity. The roughness reaches its maximum at the midpoint of the transition. In V2O3/Ni hybrid heterostructures, we find a concomitant increase in the coercivity of the magnetic layer correlated with the increased roughness of the V2O3 surface. The chemical homogeneity of the V2O3 is confirmed through transmission electron microscopy analysis. High-angle annular dark field imaging and electron energy loss spectroscopy reveal an atomically flat interface between Al2O3 and V2O3, as well as a sharp interface between V2O3 and Ni.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001202661800003 Publication Date 2024-04-01  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2166-532X ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 6.1 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes This work was supported by the funding from the University of Iceland Research Fund, the Icelandic Research Fund Grant No. 207111. Instrumentation funding from the Icelandic Infrastructure Fund is acknowledged. This work was based on experiments per- formed at the BM28 (XMaS) beamline at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France. XMaS is a National Research Facility funded by the UK EPSRC and managed by the Universi- ties of Liverpool and Warwick. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No. 823717—ESTEEM3. Approved Most recent IF: 6.1; 2024 IF: 4.335  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:205569 Serial 9120  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Imran, M.; Peng, L.; Pianetti, A.; Pinchetti, V.; Ramade, J.; Zito, J.; Di Stasio, F.; Buha, J.; Toso, S.; Song, J.; Infante, I.; Bals, S.; Brovelli, S.; Manna, L. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Halide perovskite-lead chalcohalide nanocrystal heterostructures Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2021 Publication Journal Of The American Chemical Society Abbreviated Journal J Am Chem Soc  
  Volume 143 Issue 3 Pages 1435-1446  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract We report the synthesis of colloidal CsPbX3-Pb4S3Br2 (X = Cl, Br, I) nanocrystal heterostructures, providing an example of a sharp and atomically resolved epitaxial interface between a metal halide perovskite and a non-perovskite lattice. The CsPbBr3-Pb4S3Br2 nanocrystals are prepared by a two-step direct synthesis using preformed subnanometer CsPbBr3 clusters. Density functional theory calculations indicate the creation of a quasi-type II alignment at the heterointerface as well as the formation of localized trap states, promoting ultrafast separation of photogenerated excitons and carrier trapping, as confirmed by spectroscopic experiments. Postsynthesis reaction with either Cl- or I- ions delivers the corresponding CsPbCI3-Pb4S3Br2 and CsPbI3-Pb4S3Br2 heterostructures, thus enabling anion exchange only in the perovskite domain. An increased structural rigidity is conferred to the perovskite lattice when it is interfaced with the chalcohalide lattice. This is attested by the improved stability of the metastable gamma phase (or “black” phase) of CsPbI3 in the CsPbI3-Pb4S3Br2 heterostructure.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000614064400024 Publication Date 2021-01-15  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0002-7863 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 13.858 Times cited 54 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This work was performed on the Dutch national e-infrastructure with the support of SURF Cooperative. L.P. and J.S. are thankful for the support by the National Key R&D Program of China (2018YFC0910600) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (61775145). F.D.S. and S.B. acknowledge support by the European Research Council via the ERC-StG “NANOLED” (851794) and the ERC-Cog “REALNANO” (815128). The authors acknowledge financial support from the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 Programme through Grant Agreement No. 731019 (EUSMI). S.B., A.P., and V.P. gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR) through grant “Dipartimenti di Eccellenza2017 Materials For Energy”.; sygma Approved Most recent IF: 13.858  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:176584 Serial 6726  
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Author (up) Imran, M.; Ramade, J.; Di Stasio, F.; De Franco, M.; Buha, J.; Van Aert, S.; Goldoni, L.; Lauciello, S.; Prato, M.; Infante, I.; Bals, S.; Manna, L. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Alloy CsCdxPb1–xBr3Perovskite Nanocrystals: The Role of Surface Passivation in Preserving Composition and Blue Emission Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2020 Publication Chemistry Of Materials Abbreviated Journal Chem Mater  
  Volume 32 Issue Pages acs.chemmater.0c03825  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Various strategies have been proposed to engineer the band gap of metal halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) while preserving their structure and composition and thus ensuring spectral stability of the emission color. An aspect that has only been marginally investigated is how the type of surface passivation influences the structural/color stability of AMX3 perovskite NCs composed of two different M2+ cations. Here, we report the synthesis of blue-emitting Cs-oleate capped CsCdxPb1–xBr3 NCs, which exhibit a cubic perovskite phase containing Cd-rich domains of Ruddlesden–Popper phases (RP phases). The RP domains spontaneously transform into pure orthorhombic perovskite ones upon NC aging, and the emission color of the NCs shifts from blue to green over days. On the other hand, postsynthesis ligand exchange with various Cs-carboxylate or ammonium bromide salts, right after NC synthesis, provides monocrystalline NCs with cubic phase, highlighting the metastability of RP domains. When NCs are treated with Cs-carboxylates (including Cs-oleate), most of the Cd2+ ions are expelled from NCs upon aging, and the NCs phase evolves from cubic to orthorhombic and their emission color changes from blue to green. Instead, when NCs are coated with ammonium bromides, the loss of Cd2+ ions is suppressed and the NCs tend to retain their blue emission (both in colloidal dispersions and in electroluminescent devices), as well as their cubic phase, over time. The improved compositional and structural stability in the latter cases is ascribed to the saturation of surface vacancies, which may act as channels for the expulsion of Cd2+ ions from NCs.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000603288800034 Publication Date 2020-12-04  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0897-4756 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 8.6 Times cited 44 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes European Commission; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, G.0267.18N ; H2020 European Research Council, 770887 815128 851794 ; We acknowledge funding from the FLAG-ERA JTC2019 project PeroGas. S.B., and S.V.A. acknowledges funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (ERC Consolidator Grants #815128REALNANO and #770887PICOMETRICS) and from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium) through project funding G.0267.18N. F.D.S. acknowledges the funding from ERC starting grant NANOLED (851794). The computational work was carried out on the Dutch National e-infrastructure with the support of the SURF Cooperative; sygma Approved Most recent IF: 8.6; 2020 IF: 9.466  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:174004 Serial 6659  
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Author (up) Irtem, E.; Arenas Esteban, D.; Duarte, M.; Choukroun, D.; Lee, S.; Ibáñez, M.; Bals, S.; Breugelmans, T. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Ligand-Mode Directed Selectivity in Cu–Ag Core–Shell Based Gas Diffusion Electrodes for CO2Electroreduction Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2020 Publication Acs Catalysis Abbreviated Journal Acs Catal  
  Volume Issue Pages 13468-13478  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)  
  Abstract Bimetallic nanoparticles with tailored size and specific composition have shown promise as stable and selective catalysts for electrochemical reduction of CO2 (CO2R) in batch systems. Yet, limited effort was devoted to understand the effect of ligand coverage and postsynthesis treatments on CO2 reduction, especially under industrially applicable conditions, such as at high currents (>100 mA/cm2) using gas diffusion electrodes (GDE) and flow reactors. In this work, Cu–Ag core–shell nanoparticles (11 ± 2 nm) were prepared with three different surface modes: (i) capped with oleylamine, (ii) capped with monoisopropylamine, and (iii) surfactant free with a reducing borohydride agent; Cu–Ag (OAm), Cu–Ag (MIPA), and Cu–Ag (NaBH4), respectively. The ligand exchange and removal was evidenced by infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) analysis, whereas high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) showed their effect on the interparticle distance and nanoparticle rearrangement. Later on, we developed a process-on-substrate method to track these effects on CO2R. Cu–Ag (OAm) gave a lower on-set potential for hydrocarbon production, whereas Cu–Ag (MIPA) and Cu–Ag (NaBH4) promoted syngas production. The electrochemical impedance and surface area analysis on the well-controlled electrodes showed gradual increases in the electrical conductivity and active surface area after each surface treatment. We found that the increasing amount of the triple phase boundaries (the meeting point for the electron–electrolyte–CO2 reactant) affect the required electrode potential and eventually the C+2e̅/C2e̅ product ratio. This study highlights the importance of the electron transfer to those active sites affected by the capping agents—particularly on larger substrates that are crucial for their industrial application.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000592978900031 Publication Date 2020-11-04  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2155-5435 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 12.9 Times cited 23 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The authors also acknowledge financial support from the University Research Fund (BOF-GOA-PS ID No. 33928). S.L. has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie SkłodowskaCurie Grant Agreement No. 665385. Approved Most recent IF: 12.9; 2020 IF: 10.614  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:173803 Serial 6432  
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Author (up) Jain, N.; Hao, Y.; Parekh, U.; Kaltenegger, M.; Pedrazo-Tardajos, A.; Lazzaroni, R.; Resel, R.; Geerts, Y.H.; Bals, S.; Van Aert, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Exploring the effects of graphene and temperature in reducing electron beam damage: A TEM and electron diffraction-based quantitative study on Lead Phthalocyanine (PbPc) crystals Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Micron Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 169 Issue Pages 103444  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of organic crystals, such as Lead Phthalocyanine (PbPc), is very challenging since these materials are prone to electron beam damage leading to the breakdown of the crystal structure during investigation. Quantification of the damage is imperative to enable high-resolution imaging of PbPc crystals with minimum structural changes. In this work, we performed a detailed electron diffraction study to quantitatively measure degradation of PbPc crystals upon electron beam irradiation. Our study is based on the quantification of the fading intensity of the spots in the electron diffraction patterns. At various incident dose rates (e/Å2/s) and acceleration voltages, we experimentally extracted the decay rate (1/s), which directly correlates with the rate of beam damage. In this manner, a value for the critical dose (e/Å2) could be determined, which can be used as a measure to quantify beam damage. Using the same methodology, we explored the influence of cryogenic temperatures, graphene TEM substrates, and graphene encapsulation in prolonging the lifetime of the PbPc crystal structure during TEM investigation. The knowledge obtained by diffraction experiments is then translated to real space high-resolution TEM imaging of PbPc.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000965998800001 Publication Date 2023-03-21  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0968-4328 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.4 Times cited 1 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This work is supported by FWO and FNRS within the 2Dto3D network of the EOS (Excellence of Science) program (grant number 30489208) and ERC-CoGREALNANO-815128 (to Prof. Dr. Sara Bals). N.J. would like to thank Dr. Kunal S. Mali and Dr. Da Wang for useful and interesting discussions on sample preparation procedures. Approved Most recent IF: 2.4; 2023 IF: 1.98  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:196069 Serial 7379  
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Author (up) Javon, E.; Gaceur, M.; Dachraoui, W.; Margeat, O.; Ackermann, J.; Ilenia Saba, M.; Delugas, P.; Mattoni, A.; Bals, S.; Van Tendeloo, G. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Competing forces in the self-assembly of coupled ZnO nanopyramids Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2015 Publication ACS nano Abbreviated Journal Acs Nano  
  Volume 9 Issue 9 Pages 3685-3694  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Self-assembly (SA) of nanostructures has recently gained increasing interest. A clear understanding of the process is not straightforward since SA of nanoparticles is a complex multiscale phenomenon including different driving forces. Here, we study the SA between aluminum doped ZnO nanopyramids into couples by combining inorganic chemistry and advanced electron microscopy techniques with atomistic simulations. Our results show that the SA of the coupled nanopyramids is controlled first by morphology, as coupling only occurs in the case of pyramids with well-developed facets of the basal planes. The combination of electron microscopy and atomistic modeling reveals that the coupling is further driven by strong ligandligand interaction between the bases of the pyramids as dominant force, while screening effects due to Al doping or solvent as well as corecore interaction are only minor contributions. Our combined approach provides a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between the interactions at work in the coupled SA of ZnO nanopyramids.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000353867000030 Publication Date 2015-03-12  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1936-0851;1936-086X; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 13.942 Times cited 21 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Esmi; 335078 Colouratom; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 13.942; 2015 IF: 12.881  
  Call Number c:irua:125978 Serial 434  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Jenkinson, K.; Liz-Marzan, L.M.; Bals, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Multimode electron tomography sheds light on synthesis, structure, and properties of complex metal-based nanoparticles Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Advanced materials Abbreviated Journal Adv Mater  
  Volume 34 Issue 36 Pages 2110394-19  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Electron tomography has become a cornerstone technique for the visualization of nanoparticle morphology in three dimensions. However, to obtain in-depth information about a nanoparticle beyond surface faceting and morphology, different electron microscopy signals must be combined. The most notable examples of these combined signals include annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (ADF-STEM) with different collection angles and the combination of ADF-STEM with energy-dispersive X-ray or electron energy loss spectroscopies. Here, the experimental and computational development of various multimode tomography techniques in connection to the fundamental materials science challenges that multimode tomography has been instrumental to overcoming are summarized. Although the techniques can be applied to a wide variety of compositions, the study is restricted to metal and metal oxide nanoparticles for the sake of simplicity. Current challenges and future directions of multimode tomography are additionally discussed.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000831332200001 Publication Date 2022-04-19  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0935-9648 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 29.4 Times cited 10 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The authors thank the financial support of the European Research Council (ERC-AdG-2017 787510, ERC-CoG-2019 815128) and of the European Commission (EUSMI, Grant 731019 and ESTEEM3, Grant 823717). Approved Most recent IF: 29.4  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189616 Serial 7087  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Jenkinson, K.; Spadaro, M.C.; Golovanova, V.; Andreu, T.; Morante, J.R.; Arbiol, J.; Bals, S. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Direct operando visualization of metal support interactions induced by hydrogen spillover during CO₂ hydrogenation Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Advanced materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 35 Issue 51 Pages 2306447-10  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The understanding of catalyst active sites is a fundamental challenge for the future rational design of optimized and bespoke catalysts. For instance, the partial reduction of Ce4+ surface sites to Ce3+ and the formation of oxygen vacancies are critical for CO2 hydrogenation, CO oxidation, and the water gas shift reaction. Furthermore, metal nanoparticles, the reducible support, and metal support interactions are prone to evolve under reaction conditions; therefore a catalyst structure must be characterized under operando conditions to identify active states and deduce structure-activity relationships. In the present work, temperature-induced morphological and chemical changes in Ni nanoparticle-decorated mesoporous CeO2 by means of in situ quantitative multimode electron tomography and in situ heating electron energy loss spectroscopy, respectively, are investigated. Moreover, operando electron energy loss spectroscopy is employed using a windowed gas cell and reveals the role of Ni-induced hydrogen spillover on active Ce3+ site formation and enhancement of the overall catalytic performance.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001106139400001 Publication Date 2023-10-22  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0935-9648 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 29.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 29.4; 2023 IF: 19.791  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:201143 Serial 9022  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Jinschek, J.R.; Bals, S.; Gopal, V.; Xus, X.; Kisielowski, C. doi  openurl
  Title Probing local stoichiometry in InGaN based quantum wells of solid-state LEDs Type A3 Journal article
  Year 2004 Publication Microscopy and microanalysis Abbreviated Journal Microsc Microanal  
  Volume 10 Issue S:2 Pages 294-295  
  Keywords A3 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2008-01-04  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1431-9276;1435-8115; ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor 1.891 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 1.891; 2004 IF: 2.389  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:87599 Serial 2714  
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Author (up) Johnson, G.; Yang, M.Y.; Liu, C.; Zhou, H.; Zuo, X.; Dickie, D.A.; Wang, S.; Gao, W.; Anaclet, B.; Perras, F.A.; Ma, F.; Zeng, C.; Wang, D.; Bals, S.; Dai, S.; Xu, Z.; Liu, G.; Goddard III, W.A.; Zhang, S. doi  openurl
  Title Nanocluster superstructures assembled via surface ligand switching at high temperature Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Nature synthesis Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 2 Issue 9 Pages 828-837  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Superstructures with nanoscale building blocks, when coupled with precise control of the constituent units, open opportunities in rationally designing and manufacturing desired functional materials. Yet, synthetic strategies for the large-scale production of superstructures are scarce. We report a scalable and generalized approach to synthesizing superstructures assembled from atomically precise Ce24O28(OH)8 and other rare-earth metal-oxide nanoclusters alongside a detailed description of the self-assembly mechanism. Combining operando small-angle X-ray scattering, ex situ molecular and structural characterizations, and molecular dynamics simulations indicates that a high-temperature ligand-switching mechanism, from oleate to benzoate, governs the formation of the nanocluster assembly. The chemical tuning of surface ligands controls superstructure disassembly and reassembly, and furthermore, enables the synthesis of multicomponent superstructures. This synthetic approach, and the accurate mechanistic understanding, are promising for the preparation of superstructures for use in electronics, plasmonics, magnetics and catalysis. Synthesizing superstructures with precisely controlled nanoscale building blocks is challenging. Here the assembly of superstructures is reported from atomically precise Ce24O28(OH)8 and other rare-earth metal-oxide nanoclusters and their multicomponent combinations. A high-temperature ligand-switching mechanism controls the self-assembly.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001124824000001 Publication Date 2023-05-01  
  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 2 Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:202180 Serial 9060  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Justo, Y.; Goris, B.; Sundar Kamal, J.; Geiregat, P.; Bals, S.; Hens, Z. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Multiple dot-in-rod PbS/CdS heterostructures with high photoluminescence quantum yield in the near-infrared Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2012 Publication Journal of the American Chemical Society Abbreviated Journal J Am Chem Soc  
  Volume 134 Issue 12 Pages 5484-5487  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Pb cations in PbS quantum rods made from CdS quantum rods by successive complete cationic exchange reactions are partially re-exchanged for Cd cations. Using STEM-HAADF, we show that this leads to the formation of unique multiple dot-in-rod PbS/CdS heteronanostructures, with a photoluminescence quantum yield of 4555%. We argue that the formation of multiple dot-in-rods is related to the initial polycrystallinity of the PbS quantum rods, where each PbS crystallite transforms in a separate PbS/CdS dot-in-dot. Effective mass modeling indicates that electronic coupling between the different PbS conduction band states is feasible for the multiple dot-in-rod geometries obtained, while the hole states remain largely uncoupled.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor  
  Language Wos 000302489500015 Publication Date 2012-03-16  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0002-7863;1520-5126; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 13.858 Times cited 41 Open Access  
  Notes Fwo; Iap Approved Most recent IF: 13.858; 2012 IF: 10.677  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:96957 Serial 2226  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author (up) Kalesaki, E.; Boneschanscher, M.P.; Geuchies, J.J.; Delerue, C.; Morais Smith, C.; Evers, W.H.; Allan, G.; Altantzis, T.; Bals, S.; Vanmaekelbergh, D. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Preparation and study of 2-D semiconductors with Dirac type bands due to the honeycomb nanogeometry Type P1 Proceeding
  Year 2014 Publication Proceedings of the Society of Photo-optical Instrumentation Engineers T2 – Proceedings of SPIE Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 8981 Issue Pages 898107-898107  
  Keywords P1 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The interest in 2-dimensional systems with a honeycomb lattice and related Dirac-­type electronic bands has exceeded the prototype graphene1. Currently, 2-­dimensional atomic2,3 and nanoscale4-­8 systems are extensively investigated in the search for materials with novel electronic properties that can be tailored by geometry. The immediate question that arises is how to fabricate 2-­D semiconductors that have a honeycomb nanogeometry, and as a consequence of that, display a Dirac-­type band structure? Here, we show that atomically coherent honeycomb superlattices of rocksalt (PbSe, PbTe) and zincblende (CdSe, CdTe) semiconductors can be obtained by nanocrystal self-­assembly and facet-­to-­facet atomic bonding, and subsequent cation exchange. We present a extended structural analysis of atomically coherent 2-­D honeycomb structures that were recently obtained with self-assembly and facet-­to-­facet bonding9. We show that this process may in principle lead to three different types of honeycomb structures, one with a graphene type-­, and two others with a silicene-­type structure. Using TEM, electron diffraction, STM and GISAXS it is convincingly shown that the structures are from the silicene-­type. In the second part of this work, we describe the electronic structure of graphene-­type and silicene type honeycomb semiconductors. We present the results of advanced electronic structure calculations using the sp3d5s* atomistic tight-­binding method10. For simplicity, we focus on semiconductors with a simple and single conduction band for the native bulk semiconductor. When the 3-­D geometry is changed into 2-­D honeycomb, a conduction band structure transformation to two types of Dirac cones, one for S-­ and one for P-­orbitals, is observed. The width of the bands depends on the honeycomb period and the coupling between the nanocrystals. Furthermore, there is a dispersionless P-­orbital band, which also forms a landmark of the honeycomb structure. The effects of considerable intrinsic spin-­orbit coupling are briefly considered. For heavy-­element compounds such as CdTe, strong intrinsic spin-­‐orbit coupling opens a non-­trivial gap at the P-­orbital Dirac point, leading to a quantum Spin Hall effect10-­12. Our work shows that well known semiconductor crystals, known for centuries, can lead to systems with entirely new electronic properties, by the simple action of nanogeometry. It can be foreseen that such structures will play a key role in future opto-­electronic applications, provided that they can be fabricated in a straightforward way.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000336040600004 Publication Date 2014-03-07  
  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 2 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This work has been supported by funding of the French National Research Agency [ANR, (ANR-­‐09-­‐BLAN-­‐0421-­‐01)], NWO and the Dutch organization FOM [Programs “Control over Functional Nanoparticle Solids” (FNPS) and “Designing Dirac Carriers in Semiconductors” Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number c:irua:131912 Serial 4039  
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Author (up) Kavak, S.; Kadu, A.A.; Claes, N.; Sánchez-Iglesias, A.; Liz-Marzán, L.M.; Batenburg, K.J.; Bals, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Quantitative 3D Investigation of Nanoparticle Assemblies by Volumetric Segmentation of Electron Tomography Data Sets Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 127 Issue 20 Pages 9725-9734  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Morphological characterization of nanoparticle assemblies and hybrid nanomaterials is critical in determining their structure-property relationships as well as in the development of structures with desired properties. Electron tomography has become a widely utilized technique for the three-dimensional characterization of nanoparticle assemblies. However, the extraction of quantitative morphological parameters from the reconstructed volume can be a complex and labor-intensive task. In this study, we aim to overcome this challenge by automating the volumetric segmentation process applied to three-dimensional reconstructions of nanoparticle assemblies. The key to enabling automated characterization is to assess the performance of different volumetric segmentation methods in accurately extracting predefined quantitative descriptors for morphological characterization. In our methodology, we compare the quantitative descriptors obtained through manual segmentation with those obtained through automated segmentation methods, to evaluate their accuracy and effectiveness. To show generality, our study focuses on the characterization of assemblies of CdSe/CdS quantum dots, gold nanospheres and CdSe/CdS encapsulated in polymeric micelles, and silica-coated gold nanorods decorated with both CdSe/CdS or PbS quantum dots. We use two unsupervised segmentation algorithms: the watershed transform and the spherical Hough transform. Our results demonstrate that the choice of automated segmentation method is crucial for accurately extracting the predefined quantitative descriptors. Specifically, the spherical Hough transform exhibits superior performance in accurately extracting quantitative descriptors, such as particle size and interparticle distance, thereby allowing for an objective, efficient, and reliable volumetric segmentation of complex nanoparticle assemblies.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000991752700001 Publication Date 2023-05-25  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 3.7 Times cited 2 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 1181122N ; Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, 861950 ; H2020 European Research Council, 815128 ; Approved Most recent IF: 3.7; 2023 IF: 4.536  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:196971 Serial 8793  
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Author (up) Ke, X.; Bals, S.; Cott, D.; Hantschel, T.; Bender, H.; Van Tendeloo, G. doi  openurl
  Title Three-dimensional analysis of carbon nanotube networks in interconnects by electron tomography without missing wedge artifacts Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2010 Publication Microscopy and microanalysis Abbreviated Journal Microsc Microanal  
  Volume 16 Issue 2 Pages 210-217  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The three-dimensional (3D) distribution of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) grown inside semiconductor contact holes is studied by electron tomography. The use of a specialized tomography holder results in an angular tilt range of ±90°, which means that the so-called missing wedge is absent. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) sample for this purpose consists of a micropillar that is prepared by a dedicated procedure using the focused ion beam (FIB) but keeping the CNTs intact. The 3D results are combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to study the relation between the CNTs and the catalyst particles used during their growth. The reconstruction, based on the full range of tilt angles, is compared with a reconstruction where a missing wedge is present. This clearly illustates that the missing wedge will lead to an unreliable interpretation and will limit quantitative studies  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Cambridge, Mass. Editor  
  Language Wos 000276137200011 Publication Date 2010-02-26  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1431-9276;1435-8115; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 1.891 Times cited 42 Open Access  
  Notes Esteem 026019; Fwo; Iap-Vi Approved Most recent IF: 1.891; 2010 IF: 3.259  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:82279 Serial 3642  
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Author (up) Ke, X.; Bals, S.; Romo Negreira, A.; Hantschel, T.; Bender, H.; Van Tendeloo, G. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title TEM sample preparation by FIB for carbon nanotube interconnects Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2009 Publication Ultramicroscopy Abbreviated Journal Ultramicroscopy  
  Volume 109 Issue 11 Pages 1353-1359  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract A powerful method to study carbon nanotubes (CNTs) grown in patterned substrates for potential interconnects applications is transmission electron microscopy (TEM). However, high-quality TEM samples are necessary for such a study. Here, TEM specimen preparation by focused ion beam (FIB) has been used to obtain lamellae of patterned samples containing CNTs grown inside contact holes. A dual-cap Pt protection layer and an extensive 5 kV cleaning procedure are applied in order to preserve the CNTs and avoid deterioration during milling. TEM results show that the inner shell structure of the carbon nanotubes has been preserved, which proves that focused ion beam is a useful technique to prepare TEM samples of CNT interconnects.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Amsterdam Editor  
  Language Wos 000270765800006 Publication Date 2009-07-11  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0304-3991; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.843 Times cited 21 Open Access  
  Notes Esteem 026019; Iap Approved Most recent IF: 2.843; 2009 IF: 2.067  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:79074 Serial 3485  
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Author (up) Ke, X.; Bittencourt, C.; Bals, S.; Van Tendeloo, G. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Low-dose patterning of platinum nanoclusters on carbon nanotubes by focused-electron-beam-induced deposition as studied by TEM Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2013 Publication Beilstein journal of nanotechnology Abbreviated Journal Beilstein J Nanotech  
  Volume 4 Issue Pages 77-86  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Focused-electron-beam-induced deposition (FEBID) is used as a direct-write approach to decorate ultrasmall Pt nanoclusters on carbon nanotubes at selected sites in a straightforward maskless manner. The as-deposited nanostructures are studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in 2D and 3D, demonstrating that the Pt nanoclusters are well-dispersed, covering the selected areas of the CNT surface completely. The ability of FEBID to graft nanoclusters on multiple sides, through an electron-transparent target within one step, is unique as a physical deposition method. Using high-resolution TEM we have shown that the CNT structure can be well preserved thanks to the low dose used in FEBID. By tuning the electron-beam parameters, the density and distribution of the nanoclusters can be controlled. The purity of as-deposited nanoclusters can be improved by low-energy electron irradiation at room temperature.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000314499700001 Publication Date 2013-02-04  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2190-4286; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 3.127 Times cited 12 Open Access  
  Notes 262348 ESMI; 246791 COUNTATOMS; FWO G002410N; ESF Cost Action NanoTP MP0901 Approved Most recent IF: 3.127; 2013 IF: 2.332  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:106187 Serial 1848  
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