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Author Ustarroz, J.; Geboes, B.; Vanrompay, H.; Sentosun, K.; Bals, S.; Breugelmans, T.; Hubin, A. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Electrodeposition of Highly Porous Pt Nanoparticles Studied by Quantitative 3D Electron Tomography: Influence of Growth Mechanisms and Potential Cycling on the Active Surface Area Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication ACS applied materials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal Acs Appl Mater Inter  
  Volume 9 Issue 9 Pages 16168-16177  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)  
  Abstract Nanoporous Pt nanoparticles (NPs) are promising fuel cell catalysts due to their large surface area and increased electrocatalytic activity towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Herein, we report on the infuence of the growth mechanisms on the surface properties of electrodeposited Pt dendritic NPs with large surface areas. The electrochemically active surface was studied by hydrogen underpotential deposition (HUPD) and compared for the rst time to high angle annular dark eld scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) quantitative 3D electron tomography of individual nanoparticles. Large nucleation overpotential leads to a large surface coverage of Pt roughened spheroids, which provide large roughness factor (Rf ) but low mass-speci c electrochemically active surface area (EASA). Lowering the nucleation overpotential leads to highly porous Pt NPs with pores protruding to the center of the structure. At the expense of smaller Rf , the obtained EASA values of these structures are in the range of these of large surface area supported fuel cell catalysts. The active surface area of the Pt dendritic NPs was measured by electron tomography and it was found that the potential cycling in the H adsorption/desorption and Pt oxidation/reduction region, which is generally performed to determine the EASA, leads to a signi cant reduction of that surface area due to a partial collapse of their dendritic and porous morphology. Interestingly, the extrapolation of the microscopic tomography results to macroscopic electrochemical parameters indicated that the surface properties measured by H UPD are comparable to the values measured on individual NPs by electron tomography after the degradation caused by the H UPD measurement. These results highlight that the combination of electrochemical and quantitative 3D surface analysis techniques is essential to provide insights into the surface properties, the electrochemical stability and, hence, the applicability of these materials. Moreover, it indicates that care must be taken with widely used electrochemical methods of surface area determination, especially in the case of large surface area and possibly unstable nanostructures, since the measured surface can be strongly a ected by the measurement itself.  
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  Language Wos 000401782500028 Publication Date 2017-04-18  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1944-8244 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 7.504 Times cited 24 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Jon Ustarroz acknowledges funding from the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek in Flanders (FWO, postdoctoral grant 12I7816N). S. Bals acknowledges funding from the European Research Council (Starting Grant No. COLOURATOMS 335078). S.B. and T.B. acknowledge the University of Antwerp for nancial support in the frame of a GOA project. H.V. gratefully acknowledges nancial support by the Flemish Fund for Scienti c Research (FWO Vlaanderen). All the authors acknowledge Laurens Stevaert for his contribution to the work presented in this manuscript. (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); ECAS_Sara Approved Most recent IF: 7.504  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:142345UA @ admin @ c:irua:142345 Serial 4552  
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Author Mernissi Cherigui, E.A.; Sentosun, K.; Bouckenooge, P.; Vanrompay, H.; Bals, S.; Terryn, H.; Ustarroz, J. url  doi
openurl 
  Title A Comprehensive Study of the Electrodeposition of Nickel Nanostructures from Deep Eutectic Solvents: Self-Limiting Growth by Electrolysis of Residual Water Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C  
  Volume 121 Issue 121 Pages 9337-9347  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The electrodeposition of nickel nanostructures on glassy carbon was investigated in 1:2 choline chloride – urea (1:2 ChCl-U) deep eutectic solvent (DES). By combining electrochemical techniques with ex-situ FE-SEM, XPS, HAADF-STEM and EDX, the electrochemical processes occurring during nickel deposition were better understood. Special attention was given to the interaction between the solvent and the growing nickel nanoparticles. The application of a suffciently negative potential results into the electrocatlytic hydrolisis of residual water in the DES, which leads to the formation of a mixed layer of Ni/Ni(OH)2(ads). In addition, hydrogen bonds between hydroxide species and the DES components could be formed, quenching the growth of the nickel clusters favouring their aggregation. Due to these processes, a highly dense distribution of nickel nanostructures can be obtained within a wide potential range. Understanding the role of residual water and the interactions at the interface during metal electrodeposition from DESs is essential to produce supported nanostructures in a controllable way for a broad range of applications and technologies.  
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  Language Wos 000400881100027 Publication Date 2017-04-12  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 66 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes E.A. Mernissi Cherigui acknowledges funding from the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek in Flanders (FWO, research project G019014N). S. Bals acknowledges funding from the European Research Council (Starting Grant No. COLOURATOMS 335078). H.V. gratefully acknowledges financial support by the Flemish Fund for Scientifi c Research (FWO Vlaanderen). Finally, J. Ustarroz acknowledges funding from the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek in Flanders (FWO, postdoctoral grant 12I7816N). (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); ECAS_Sara Approved Most recent IF: 4.536  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:142208UA @ admin @ c:irua:142208 Serial 4551  
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Author Willhammar, T.; Sentosun, K.; Mourdikoudis, S.; Goris, B.; Kurttepeli, M.; Bercx, M.; Lamoen, D.; Partoens, B.; Pastoriza-Santos, I.; Pérez-Juste, J.; Liz-Marzán, L.M.; Bals, S.; Van Tendeloo, G. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Structure and vacancy distribution in copper telluride nanoparticles influence plasmonic activity in the near-infrared Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication Nature communications Abbreviated Journal Nat Commun  
  Volume 8 Issue 8 Pages 14925  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract Copper chalcogenides find applications in different domains including photonics, photothermal therapy and photovoltaics. CuTe nanocrystals have been proposed as an alternative to noble metal particles for plasmonics. Although it is known that deviations from stoichiometry are a prerequisite for plasmonic activity in the near-infrared, an accurate description of the material and its (optical) properties is hindered by an insufficient understanding of the atomic structure and the influence of defects, especially for materials in their nanocrystalline form. We demonstrate that the structure of Cu1.5±xTe nanocrystals canbe determined using electron diffraction tomography. Real-space high-resolution electron tomography directly reveals the three-dimensional distribution of vacancies in the structure. Through first-principles density functional theory, we furthermore demonstrate that the influence of these vacancies on the optical properties of the nanocrystals is determined. Since our methodology is applicable to a variety of crystalline nanostructured materials, it is expected to provide unique insights concerning structure–property correlations.  
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  Language Wos 000397799700001 Publication Date 2017-03-30  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2041-1723 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 12.124 Times cited 37 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The work was financially supported by the European Research Council through an ERC Starting Grant (#335078-COLOURATOMS). T.W. acknowledges the Swedish Research Council for an international postdoc grant. We acknowledge financial support of FWO-Vlaanderen through project G.0216.14N, G.0369.15N and a postdoctoral research grant to B.G. The computational resources and services used in this work were provided by the VSC (Flemish Supercomputer Center) and the HPC infrastructure of the University of Antwerp (CalcUA), both funded by the FWO-Vlaanderen and the Flemish Government–Department EWI. The work was further supported by the Spanish MINECO (MAT2013-45168-R). S.M. thanks the Action ooSupporting Postdoctoral Researchers44 of the Operational Program ‘Education and Lifelong Learning’ (Action’s Beneficiary: General Secretariat for Research and Technology of Greece), which was co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Greek State. (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:can); ECAS_Sara Approved Most recent IF: 12.124  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:142203UA @ admin @ c:irua:142203 Serial 4538  
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Author van der Stam, W.; Geuchies, J.J.; Altantzis, T.; van den Bos, K.H.W.; Meeldijk, J.D.; Van Aert, S.; Bals, S.; Vanmaekelbergh, D.; de Mello Donega, C. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Highly Emissive Divalent-Ion-Doped Colloidal CsPb1–xMxBr3Perovskite Nanocrystals through Cation Exchange Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication Journal of the American Chemical Society Abbreviated Journal J Am Chem Soc  
  Volume 139 Issue 139 Pages 4087-4097  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Colloidal CsPbX3 (X = Br, Cl, and I) perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have emerged as promising phosphors and solar cell materials due to their remarkable optoelectronic properties. These properties can be tailored by not only controlling the size and shape of the NCs but also postsynthetic composition tuning through topotactic

anion exchange. In contrast, property control by cation exchange is still underdeveloped for colloidal CsPbX3 NCs. Here, we present a method that allows partial cation exchange in colloidal CsPbBr3 NCs, whereby Pb2+ is exchanged for several isovalent cations, resulting in doped CsPb1−xMxBr3 NCs (M= Sn2+, Cd2+, and Zn2+; 0 < x ≤ 0.1), with preservation of the original NC shape. The size of the parent NCs is also preserved in the product NCs, apart from a small (few

%) contraction of the unit cells upon incorporation of the guest cations. The partial Pb2+ for M2+ exchange leads to a blue-shift of the optical spectra, while maintaining the high photoluminescence quantum yields (>50%), sharp absorption features, and narrow emission of the parent CsPbBr3 NCs. The blue-shift in the optical spectra is attributed to the lattice contraction that accompanies the Pb2+ for M2+ cation exchange and is observed to scale linearly with the lattice contraction. This work opens up new possibilities to engineer the properties of halide perovskite NCs, which to date are demonstrated to be the only known

system where cation and anion exchange reactions can be sequentially combined while preserving the original NC shape, resulting in compositionally diverse perovskite NCs.
 
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  Language Wos 000397477700027 Publication Date 2017-03-10  
  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 535 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes W.v.d.S. 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 number ECHO.712.012.001. J.J.G. and D.V. acknowledge financial support from the Debye Graduate program. S.B. acknowledges financial support from the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant # 335078-COLOURATOMS). K.H.W.v.d.B., S.B., S.V.A. and T.A. acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium) through project fundings (G.0374.13N, G.0368.15N, G.0369.15N), a Ph.D. grant to K.H.W.v.d.B, and a postdoctoral research grant to T.A. (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); ECAS_Sara Approved Most recent IF: 13.858  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:141754UA @ admin @ c:irua:141754 Serial 4482  
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Author Benetti, G.; Cavaliere, E.; Canteri, A.; Landini, G.; Rossolini, G.M.; Pallecchi, L.; Chiodi, M.; Van Bael, M.J.; Winckelmans, N.; Bals, S.; Gavioli, L. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Direct synthesis of antimicrobial coatings based on tailored bi-elemental nanoparticles Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication APL materials Abbreviated Journal Apl Mater  
  Volume 5 Issue 5 Pages 036105  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Ultrathin coatings based on bi-elemental nanoparticles (NPs) are very promising to limit the surface-related spread of bacterial pathogens, particularly in nosocomial environments. However, tailoring the synthesis, composition, adhesion to substrate, and antimicrobial spectrum of the coating is an open challenge. Herein, we report on a radically new nanostructured coating, obtained by a one-step gas-phase deposition technique, and composed of bi-elemental Janus type Ag/Ti NPs. The NPs are characterized by a cluster-in-cluster mixing phase with metallic Ag nano-crystals embedded in amorphous TiO2 and present a promising antimicrobial activity including also multidrug resistant strains. We demonstrate the flexibility of the method to tune the embedded Ag nano-crystals dimension, the total relative composition of the coating, and the substrate type, opening the possibility of tailoring the dimension, composition, antimicrobial spectrum, and other physical/chemical properties of such multi-elemental systems. This work is expected to significantly spread the range of applications of NPs coatings, not only as an effective tool in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections but also in other technologically relevant fields like sensors or nano-/micro joining.  
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  Language Wos 000398951000014 Publication Date 2017-03-20  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2166-532X ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.335 Times cited 21 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes We thank Urs Gfeller for the XRF measurements, Francesco Banfi for valuable discussions on the manuscript and Giulio Viano for his valuable support in the microbiological analysis. The authors acknowledge the financial support of Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore through D.2.2 and D.3.1 grants and from the European Union through the 7th Framework Program (FP7) under a contract for an Integrated Infrastructure Initiative (Reference No. 312483 ESTEEM2). REFERENCES Approved Most recent IF: 4.335  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:141723UA @ admin @ c:irua:141723 Serial 4479  
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Author Zhong, Z.; Goris, B.; Schoenmakers, R.; Bals, S.; Batenburg, K.J. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title A bimodal tomographic reconstruction technique combining EDS-STEM and HAADF-STEM Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication Ultramicroscopy Abbreviated Journal Ultramicroscopy  
  Volume 174 Issue 174 Pages 35-45  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract A three-dimensional (3D) chemical characterization of nanomaterials can be obtained using tomography based on high angle annular dark field (HAADF) scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) or energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) STEM. These two complementary techniques have both advantages and disadvantages. The Z-contrast images have good image quality but lack robustness in the compositional analysis, while the elemental maps give more element-specific information, but at a low signal-to-noise ratio and a longer exposure time. Our aim is to combine these two types of complementary information in one single tomographic reconstruction process. Therefore, an imaging model is proposed combining both HAADF-STEM

and EDS-STEM. Based on this model, the elemental distributions can be reconstructed using both types of information simultaneously during the reconstruction process. The performance of the new technique is evaluated using simulated data and real experimental data. The results demonstrate that combining two imaging modalities leads to tomographic reconstructions with suppressed noise and enhanced contrast.
 
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  Language Wos 000403342200005 Publication Date 2016-12-11  
  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 26 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This research is supported by the Dutch Technology Foundation STW (http://www.stw.nl/), which is part of the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), and which is partly funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation under project number 13314. It is also supported by the Flemish research foundation (FWO Vlaanderen) by project funding (G038116N) and a postdoctoral research grant to B.G. Funding from the European Research Council (Starting Grant No. COLOURATOMS 335078) is acknowledged by S.B. The authors would like to thank Dr. Bernd Rieger and Dr. Richard Aveyard for useful discussions, and Prof. Dr. Luis M. Liz-Marzan for providing the investigated samples. We also acknowledge COST Action MP1207 for networking support. (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:cannot); saraecas; ECAS_Sara; Approved Most recent IF: 2.843  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:141719UA @ admin @ c:irua:141719 Serial 4484  
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Author Zhuge, X.; Jinnai, H.; Dunin-Borkowski, R.E.; Migunov, V.; Bals, S.; Cool, P.; Bons, A.-J.; Batenburg, K.J. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Automated discrete electron tomography – Towards routine high-fidelity reconstruction of nanomaterials Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication Ultramicroscopy Abbreviated Journal Ultramicroscopy  
  Volume 175 Issue 175 Pages 87-96  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA)  
  Abstract Electron tomography is an essential imaging technique for the investigation of morphology and 3D structure of nanomaterials. This method, however, suffers from well-known missing wedge artifacts due to a restricted tilt range, which limits the objectiveness, repeatability and efficiency of quantitative structural analysis. Discrete tomography represents one of the promising reconstruction techniques for materials science, potentially capable of delivering higher fidelity reconstructions by exploiting the prior knowledge of the limited number of material compositions in a specimen. However, the application of discrete tomography to practical datasets remains a difficult task due to the underlying challenging mathematical problem. In practice, it is often hard to obtain consistent reconstructions from experimental datasets. In addition, numerous parameters need to be tuned manually, which can lead to bias and non-repeatability. In this paper, we present the application of a new

iterative reconstruction technique, named TVR-DART, for discrete electron tomography. The technique is capable of consistently delivering reconstructions with significantly reduced missing wedge artifacts for a variety of challenging data and imaging conditions, and can automatically estimate its key parameters. We describe the principles of the technique and apply it to datasets from three different types of samples acquired under diverse imaging modes. By further reducing the available tilt range and number of projections, we show that the

proposed technique can still produce consistent reconstructions with minimized missing wedge artifacts. This new development promises to provide the electron microscopy community with an easy-to-use and robust tool for high-fidelity 3D characterization of nanomaterials.
 
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  Language Wos 000403342500008 Publication Date 2017-01-24  
  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 22 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This work has been supported in part by the Stichting voor de Technische Wetenschappen (STW) through a personal grant (Veni,13610), and was in part by ExxonMobil Chemical Europe Inc. The authors further acknowledge financial support from the University of Antwerp through BOF GOA funding. S.B. acknowledges financial support from the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant #335078-COLOURATOMS). R.D.B. is grateful for funding from the European Research Council under the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013)/ ERC grant agreement number 320832. Thomas Altantzis is gratefully acknowledged for acquiring the Anatase nanosheets dataset. (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:cannot); saraecas; ECAS_Sara; Approved Most recent IF: 2.843  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:141218UA @ admin @ c:irua:141218 Serial 4485  
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Author Blommaerts, N.; Asapu, R.; Claes, N.; Bals, S.; Lenaerts, S.; Verbruggen, S.W. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Gas phase photocatalytic spiral reactor for fast and efficient pollutant degradation Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication Chemical engineering journal Abbreviated Journal Chem Eng J  
  Volume 316 Issue 316 Pages 850-856  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Photocatalytic reactors for the degradation of gaseous organic pollutants often suffer from major limitations such as small reaction area, sub-optimal irradiation conditions and thus limited reaction rate. In this work, an alternative solution is presented that involves a glass tube coated on the inside with (silvermodified) TiO2 and spiraled around a UVA lamp. First, the spiral reactor is coated from the inside with TiO2 using an experimentally verified procedure that is optimized toward UV light transmission. This procedure is kept as simple as possible and involves a single casting step of a 1 wt% suspension of TiO2 in ethanol through the spiral. This results in a coated tube that absorbs nearly all incident UV light under the experimental conditions used. The optimized coated spiral reactor is then benchmarked to a conventional annular photoreactor of the same outer dimensions and total catalyst loading over a broad range of experimental conditions. Although residence time distribution experiments indicate slightly longer dwelling of molecules in the spiral reactor, no significant difference in by-passing of gas between the spiral reactor and the annular reactor can be claimed. Acetaldehyde degradation efficiency of 100% is obtained with the spiral reactor for a residence time as low as 60 s, whereas the annular reactor could not achieve full degradation even at 1000 s residence time. In a final case study, addition of long-term stable silver nanoparticles, protected by an ultra-thin polymer shell applied via the layer-by-layer (LbL) method, to the spiral reactor coating is shown to double the degradation efficiency and provides an interesting strategy to cope with higher pollutant concentrations without changing the overall dimensions.  
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  Language Wos 000398985200089 Publication Date 2017-02-08  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1385-8947 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 6.216 Times cited 30 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes N.B. wishes to thank the University of Antwerp – Belgium for financial support. N.C. and S.B. acknowledge financial support from European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant #335078- COLOURATOM). S.W.V. acknowledges the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) for a postdoctoral fellowship. (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:cannot); ecas_sara Approved Most recent IF: 6.216  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:140925UA @ admin @ c:irua:140925 Serial 4481  
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Author Rodal-Cedeira, S.; Montes-García, V.; Polavarapu, L.; Solís, D.M.; Heidari, H.; La Porta, A.; Angiola, M.; Martucci, A.; Taboada, J.M.; Obelleiro, F.; Bals, S.; Pérez-Juste, J.; Pastoriza-Santos, I. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Plasmonic Au@Pd Nanorods with Boosted Refractive Index Susceptibility and SERS Efficiency: A Multifunctional Platform for Hydrogen Sensing and Monitoring of Catalytic Reactions Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Chemistry of materials Abbreviated Journal Chem Mater  
  Volume 28 Issue 28 Pages 9169-9180  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Palladium nanoparticles (NPs) have received tremendous attention over the years due to their high catalytic activity for various chemical reactions. However, unlike other noble metal nanoparticles such as Au and Ag NPs, they exhibit poor plasmonic properties with broad extinction spectra and less scattering efficiency, and thus limiting their applications in the field of plasmonics. Therefore, it has been challenging to integrate tunable and strong plasmonic properties into catalytic Pd nanoparticles. Here we show that plasmonic Au@Pd nanorods (NRs) with relatively narrow and remarkably tunable optical responses in the NIR region can be obtained by directional growth of Pd on penta-twinned Au NR seeds. We found the presence of bromide ions facilitates the stabilization of facets for the directional growth of Pd shell to obtain Au@Pd nanorods (NR) with controlled length scales. Interestingly, it turns out the Au NR supported Pd NRs exhibit much narrow extinction compared to pure Pd NRs, which makes them suitable for plasmonic sensing applications. Moreover, these nanostructures display, to the best of our knowledge, one of the highest ensemble refractive index sensitivity values reported to date (1067 nm per refractive index unit, RIU). Additionally, we showed the application of such plasmonic Au@Pd NRs for localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)-based sensing of hydrogen both in solution as well as on substrate. Finally, we demonstrate the integration of excellent plasmonic properties in catalytic palladium enables the in situ monitoring of a reaction progress by surface-enhanced Raman scattering. We postulate the proposed approach to boost the plasmonic properties of Pd nanoparticles will ignite the design of complex shaped plasmonic Pd NPs to be used in various plasmonic applications such as sensing and in situ monitoring of various chemical reactions.  
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  Language Wos 000391080900036 Publication Date 2016-12-27  
  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 80 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Funding from Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Grants MAT2013-45168-R and MAT2016-77809-R) is gratefully acknowledge. A.L.P. and S.B. acknowledge support by the European Research Council through an ERC Starting Grant (#335078-COLOURATOMS). L. P. acknowledges the financial support from by the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung. V. M.-G. acknowledges the financial support from FPU scholarship from the Spanish MINECO. (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); ECAS_Sara Approved Most recent IF: 9.466  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:139513 Serial 4344  
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Author Garzia Trulli, M.; Claes, N.; Pype, J.; Bals, S.; Baert, K.; Terryn, H.; Sardella, E.; Favia, P.; Vanhulsel, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Deposition of aminosilane coatings on porous Al2O3microspheres by means of dielectric barrier discharges Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication Plasma processes and polymers Abbreviated Journal Plasma Process Polym  
  Volume 14 Issue 14 Pages 1600211  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA)  
  Abstract Advances in the synthesis of porous microspheres and in their functionalization are increasing the interest in applications of alumina. This paper deals with coatings plasma deposited from 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane by means of dielectric barrier discharges on alumina porous microspheres, shaped by a vibrational droplet coagulation technique. Aims of the work are the functionalization of the particles with active amino groups, as well as the evaluation of their surface coverage and of the penetration of the coatings into their pores. A multi-diagnostic approach was used for the chemical/morphological characterization of the particles. It was found that 5 min exposure to plasma discharges promotes the deposition of homogeneous coatings onto the microspheres and within their pores, down to 1 μm.  
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  Language Wos 000410773200003 Publication Date 2017-01-05  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1612-8850 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.846 Times cited 8 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The technical assistance of the VITO staff (Materials Dpt.) is gratefully acknowledged, especially D. Havermans, E. Van Hoof, R. Kemps (SEM-EDX), and A. De Wilde (Hg Porosimetry). Drs. S. Mullens and G. Scheltjens are kindly acknowledged for constructive discussions. Strategic Initiative Materials in Flanders (SIM) is gratefully acknowledged for its financial support. This research was carried out in the framework of the SIM-TRAP program (Tools for rational processing of nano-particles: controlling and tailoring nanoparticle based or nanomodified particle based materials). N. Claes and S. Bals acknowledge financial support from European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant #335078-COLOURATOM). (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted ; pdfversion:cannot); saraecas; ECAS_Sara; Approved Most recent IF: 2.846  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:139511UA @ admin @ c:irua:139511 Serial 4342  
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Author Sánchez-Iglesias, A.; Winckelmans, N.; Altantzis, T.; Bals, S.; Grzelczak, M.; Liz-Marzán, L.M. url  doi
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  Title High-Yield Seeded Growth of Monodisperse Pentatwinned Gold Nanoparticles through Thermally Induced Seed Twinning Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Journal of the American Chemical Society Abbreviated Journal J Am Chem Soc  
  Volume 139 Issue 139 Pages 107-110  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract We show here that thermal treatment of small seeds results in extensive twinning and a subsequent drastic yield improvement (>85%) in the formation of pentatwinned nanoparticles, with pre-selected morphology (nanorods, bipyramids and decahedra) and aspect ratio. The “quality” of the seeds thus defines the yield of the obtained nanoparticles, which in the case of nanorods avoids the need for additives such as Ag+ ions. This modified seeded growth method also improves reproducibility, as the seeds can be stored for extended periods of time without compromising the quality of the final nanoparticles. Additionally, minor modification of the seeds with Pd allows their localization within the final particles, which opens new avenues toward mechanistic studies. All together, these results represent a paradigm shift in anisotropic gold nanoparticle synthesis.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000392036900025 Publication Date 2016-12-29  
  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 267 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Financial support is acknowledged from the European Research Council through ERC Advanced Grant Plasmaquo and the ERC Starting Grant COLOURATOM. T.A. acknowledges financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium) through a postdoctoral grant. (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); ECAS_Sara Approved Most recent IF: 13.858  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:139018UA @ admin @ c:irua:139018 Serial 4339  
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Author Bladt, E.; van Dijk-Moes, R.J.A.; Peters, J.; Montanarella, F.; de Mello Donega, C.; Vanmaekelbergh, D.; Bals, S. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Atomic Structure of Wurtzite CdSe (Core)/CdS (Giant Shell) Nanobullets Related to Epitaxy and Growth Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Journal of the American Chemical Society Abbreviated Journal J Am Chem Soc  
  Volume 138 Issue 138 Pages 14288-14293  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Hetero-nanocrystals consisting of a CdSe core and a giant CdS shell have shown remarkable optical properties which are promising for applications in opto-electrical devices. Since these properties sensitively depend on the size and shape, a morphological characterization is of high interest. Here, we present a High Angle Annular Dark Field Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (HAADF-STEM) study of CdSe (core) / CdS (giant shell) hetero-nanocrystals. Electron tomography reveals that the nanocrystals have a bullet shape, either ending in a tip or a small dip, and that the CdSe core is positioned closer to the tip (or dip) than to the hexagonal base. Based on a high resolution HAADF-STEM study, we were able to determine all the surface facets. We present a heuristic model for the different growth stages of the CdS crystal around the CdSe core.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000387095000026 Publication Date 2016-11-02  
  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 28 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes S.B. acknowledges financial support from European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant #335078-COLOURATOMS). D.V. wishes to acknowledge the Dutch Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM) in the programme ‘Designing Dirac Carriers in Semiconductor Superstructures’. E.B. gratefully acknowledges 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: 13.858  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:138251 Serial 4325  
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Author Tong, Y.; Bladt, E.; Aygüler, M.F.; Manzi, A.; Milowska, K.Z.; Hintermayr, V.A.; Docampo, P.; Bals, S.; Urban, A.S.; Polavarapu, L.; Feldmann, J. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Highly Luminescent Cesium Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals with Tunable Composition and Thickness by Ultrasonication Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Angewandte Chemie: international edition in English Abbreviated Journal Angew Chem Int Edit  
  Volume 55 Issue 55 Pages 13887-13892  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract We describe the simple, scalable, single-step, and polar-solvent-free synthesis of high-quality colloidal CsPbX3 (X=Cl, Br, and I) perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) with tunable halide ion composition and thickness by direct ultrasonication of the corresponding precursor solutions in the presence of organic capping molecules. High angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) revealed the cubic crystal structure and surface termination of the NCs with atomic resolution. The NCs exhibit high photoluminescence quantum yields, narrow emission line widths, and considerable air stability. Furthermore, we investigated the quantum size effects in CsPbBr3 and CsPbI3 nanoplatelets by tuning their thickness down to only three to six monolayers. The high quality of the prepared NCs (CsPbBr3) was confirmed by amplified spontaneous emission with low thresholds. The versatility of this synthesis approach was demonstrated by synthesizing different perovskite NCs.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000387024200040 Publication Date 2016-09-30  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1433-7851 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 11.994 Times cited 549 Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes This work was supported by the Bavarian State Ministry of Science, Research, and Arts through the grant “Solar Technologies go Hybrid (SolTech)”, by the China Scholarship Council (Y.T.) and by the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung (L.P.). P.D. acknowledges support from the European Union through the award of a Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship. M.A. acknowledges the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey. S.B. acknowledges financial support from European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant #335078-COLOURATOMS). E.B. gratefully acknowledges financial support by the Flemish Fund for Scientific Research (FWO Vlaanderen).; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:yellow; preprint:; postprint:restricted ; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 11.994  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:138215 Serial 4327  
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Author Alania, M.; Altantzis, T.; De Backer, A.; Lobato, I.; Bals, S.; Van Aert, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Depth sectioning combined with atom-counting in HAADF STEM to retrieve the 3D atomic structure Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Ultramicroscopy Abbreviated Journal Ultramicroscopy  
  Volume 177 Issue 177 Pages 36-42  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Aberration correction in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) has greatly improved the lateral and depth resolution. When using depth sectioning, a technique during which a series of images is recorded at different defocus values, single impurity atoms can be visualised in three dimensions. In this paper, we investigate new possibilities emerging when combining depth sectioning and precise atom-counting in order to reconstruct nanosized particles in three dimensions. Although the depth resolution does not allow one to precisely locate each atom within an atomic column, it will be shown that the depth location of an atomic column as a whole can be measured precisely. In this manner, the morphology of a nanoparticle can be reconstructed in three dimensions. This will be demonstrated using simulations and experimental data of a gold nanorod.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000401219800006 Publication Date 2016-11-09  
  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 13 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The authors acknowledge financial support from the European Union under the Seventh Framework Program under a contract for an Integrated Infrastructure Initiative. Reference No. 312483-ESTEEM2. S. Bals acknowledges funding from the European Research Council (Starting Grant No. COLOURATOMS 335078). The authors acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium) through project fundings (G.0374.13N, G.0369.15N and G.0368.15N) and a post-doctoral grant to A. De Backer and T. Altantzis. The authors are grateful to Professor Luis M. Liz-Marzán for providing the sample.; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 2.843  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:138015UA @ admin @ c:irua:138015 Serial 4316  
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Author Polavarapu, L.; Zanaga, D.; Altantzis, T.; Rodal-Cedeira, S.; Pastoriza-Santos, I.; Pérez-Juste, J.; Bals, S.; Liz-Marzán, L.M. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Galvanic Replacement Coupled to Seeded Growth as a Route for Shape-Controlled Synthesis of Plasmonic Nanorattles Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Journal of the American Chemical Society Abbreviated Journal J Am Chem Soc  
  Volume 138 Issue 138 Pages 11453-11456  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Shape-controlled synthesis of metal nanoparticles (NPs) requires mechanistic understanding toward the development of modern nanoscience and nanotechnology. We demonstrate here an unconventional shape transformation of Au@Ag core−shell NPs (nanorods and nanocubes) into octahedral nanorattles via roomtemperature galvanic replacement coupled with seeded growth. The corresponding morphological and chemical transformations were investigated in three dimensions, using state-of-the-art X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy (XEDS) tomography. The addition of a reducing agent (ascorbic acid) plays a key role in this unconventional mechanistic path, in which galvanic replacement is found to dominate initially when the shell is made of Ag, while seeded growth suppresses transmetalation when a composition of Au:Ag (∼60:40) is reached in the shell, as revealed by quantitative XEDS tomography. This work not only opens new avenues toward the shape control of hollow NPs beyond the morphology of sacrificial templates, but also expands our understanding of chemical transformations in nanoscale galvanic replacement reactions. The XEDS electron tomography study presented here can be generally applied to investigate a wide range of nanoscale morphological and chemical transformations.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000383410700008 Publication Date 2016-09-14  
  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 75 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This work has been funded by the European Research Council (ERC Advanced Grant No. 267867- PLASMAQUO, ERC Starting Grant No. 335078-COLOURATOMS) and Spanish MINECO (Grants MAT2013-45168-R and MAT2013-46101-R); ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 13.858  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:137123 Serial 4329  
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Author Liu, Y.; Claes, N.; Trepka, B.; Bals, S.; Lang, P.R. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title A combined 3D and 2D light scattering study on aqueous colloidal model systems with tunable interactions Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Soft matter Abbreviated Journal Soft Matter  
  Volume 12 Issue 12 Pages 8485-8494  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract In this article we report on the synthesis and characterization of a system of colloidal spheres suspended in an aqueous solvent which can be refractive index-matched, thus allowing for investigations of the particle near-wall dynamics by evanescent wave dynamic light scattering at concentrations up to the isotropic to ordered transition and beyond. The particles are synthesized by copolymerization of a fluorinated acrylic ester monomer with a polyethylene-glycol (PEG) oligomer by surfactant free emulsion polymerization. Static and dynamic light scattering experiments in combination with cryo transmission electron microscopy reveal that the particles have a core shell structure with a significant enrichment of the PEG chains on the particles surface. In index-matching DMSO/water suspensions the particles arrange in an ordered phase at volume fraction above 7%, if no additional electrolyte is present. The near-wall dynamics at low volume fraction are quantitatively described by the combination of electrostatic repulsion and hydrodynamic interaction between the particles and the wall. At volume fractions close to the isotropic to ordered transition, the near-wall dynamics are more complex and qualitatively reminiscent of the behaviour which was observed in hard sphere suspensions at high concentrations.  
  Address Forschugszentrum Julich, Institute of Complex Systems ICS-3, Julich, Germany. p.lang@fz-juelich.de and Heinrich-Heine Universitat, Dusseldorf, Germany  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Wos 000386247100004 Publication Date 2016-08-22  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1744-683X ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 3.889 Times cited 2 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The authors thank Prof. J. K. G. Dhont and the ICS-3 group for useful discussions and support. YL would like to thank the Marie Sklodowska Curie Initial Training Network SOMATAI under the EU Grant Agreement No. 316866 for financial support. BT contributed to this work during an internship at Forschungszentrum Ju¨lich supported by the International Helmholtz Research School of Biophysics and Soft Matter (IHRS BioSoft), which is gratefully acknowledged. SB and NC acknowledge financial support from the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant No. 335078-COLOURATOMS).; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:yellow; preprint:; postprint:restricted ; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 3.889  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:136166 Serial 4292  
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Author Geuchies, J.J.; van Overbeek, C.; Evers, W.H.; Goris, B.; de Backer, A.; Gantapara, A.P.; Rabouw, F.T.; Hilhorst, J.; Peters, J.L.; Konovalov, O.; Petukhov, A.V.; Dijkstra, M.; Siebbeles, L.D.A.; van Aert, S.; Bals, S.; Vanmaekelbergh, D. url  doi
openurl 
  Title In situ study of the formation mechanism of two-dimensional superlattices from PbSe nanocrystals Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Nature materials Abbreviated Journal Nat Mater  
  Volume 15 Issue 15 Pages 1248-1254  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Oriented attachment of PbSe nanocubes can result in the formation of two-dimensional (2D) superstructures with long-range nanoscale and atomic order. This questions the applicability of classic models in which the superlattice grows by first forming a nucleus, followed by sequential irreversible attachment of nanocrystals, as one misaligned attachment would disrupt the 2D order beyond repair. Here, we demonstrate the formation mechanism of 2D PbSe superstructures with square geometry by using in situ grazing-incidence X-ray scattering (small angle and wide angle), ex situ electron microscopy, and Monte Carlo simulations. We observed nanocrystal adsorption at the liquid/gas interface, followed by the formation of a hexagonal nanocrystal monolayer. The hexagonal geometry transforms gradually through a pseudo-hexagonal phase into a phase with square order, driven by attractive interactions between the {100} planes perpendicular to the liquid substrate, which maximize facet-to-facet overlap. The nanocrystals then attach atomically via a necking process, resulting in 2D square superlattices.  
  Address Condensed Matter and Interfaces, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CC Utrecht, The Netherlands  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Wos 000389104400011 Publication Date 2016-09-05  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1476-1122 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 39.737 Times cited 182 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This research is part of the programme ‘Designing Dirac Carriers in semiconductor honeycomb superlattices (DDC13),’ which is supported by the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM), which is part of the Dutch Research Council (NWO). J.J.G. acknowledges funding from the Debye and ESRF Graduate Programs. The authors gratefully acknowledge funding from the Research Foundation Flanders (G.036915 G.037413 and funding of postdoctoral grants to B.G. and A.d.B). S.B. acknowledges the European Research Council, ERC grant No 335078—Colouratom. The authors gratefully acknowledge I. Swart and M. van Huis for fruitful discussions. We acknowledge funding from NWO-CW TOPPUNT ‘Superficial Superstructures’. The X-ray scattering measurements were performed at the ID10 beamline at ESRF under proposal numbers SC-4125 and SC-3786. The authors thank G. L. Destri and F. Zontone for their support during the experiments.; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:yellow; preprint:; postprint:restricted ; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 39.737  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:136165 Serial 4289  
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Author van der Stam, W.; Gradmann, S.; Altantzis, T.; Ke, X.; Baldus, M.; Bals, S.; de Mello Donega, C. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Shape Control of Colloidal Cu2-x S Polyhedral Nanocrystals by Tuning the Nucleation Rates Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Chemistry of materials Abbreviated Journal Chem Mater  
  Volume 28 Issue 28 Pages 6705-6715  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Synthesis protocols for colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) with narrow size and shape distributions are of particular interest for the successful implementation of these nanocrystals into devices. Moreover, the preparation of NCs with well-defined crystal phases is of key importance. In this work, we show that Sn(IV)-thiolate complexes formed in situ strongly influence the nucleation and growth rates of colloidal Cu2-x S polyhedral NCs, thereby dictating their final size, shape, and crystal structure. This allowed us to successfully synthesize hexagonal bifrustums and hexagonal bipyramid NCs with low-chalcocite crystal structure, and hexagonal nanoplatelets with various thicknesses and aspect ratios with the djurleite crystal structure, by solely varying the concentration of Sn(IV)-additives (namely, SnBr4) in the reaction medium. Solution and solid-state 119Sn NMR measurements show that SnBr4 is converted in situ to Sn(IV)-thiolate complexes, which increase the Cu2-x S nucleation barrier without affecting the precursor conversion rates. This influences both the nucleation and growth rates in a concentration-dependent fashion and leads to a better separation between nucleation and growth. Our approach of tuning the nucleation and growth rates with in situ-generated Sn-thiolate complexes might have a more general impact due to the availability of various metal-thiolate complexes, possibly resulting in polyhedral NCs of a wide variety of metal-sulfide compositions.  
  Address Condensed Matter and Interfaces, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University , P.O. Box 80000, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Wos 000384399000037 Publication Date 2016-09-02  
  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 27 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes W.v.d.S. 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 number ECHO.712.012.001. M.B. also gratefully acknowledges NWO for funding the NMR infrastructure (Middle Groot program, grant number 700.58.102). S.B. acknowledges financial support from the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant # 335078-COLOURATOMS).; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 9.466  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:135928 Serial 4285  
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Author Zanaga, D.; Altantzis, T.; Sanctorum, J.; Freitag, B.; Bals, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title An alternative approach for ζ-factor measurement using pure element nanoparticles Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Ultramicroscopy Abbreviated Journal Ultramicroscopy  
  Volume 164 Issue 164 Pages 11-16  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract It is very challenging to measure the chemical composition of hetero nanostructures in a reliable and quantitative manner. Here, we propose a novel and straightforward approach that can be used to quantify energy dispersive X-ray spectra acquired in a transmission electron microscope. Our method is based on a combination of electron tomography and the so-called ζ-factor technique. We will demonstrate the reliability of our approach as well as its applicability by investigating Au-Ag and Au-Pt hetero nanostructures. Given its simplicity, we expect that the method could become a new standard in the field of chemical characterization using electron microscopy.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000373526200002 Publication Date 2016-03-10  
  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 19 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The authors acknowledge financial support from the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant # 335078-COLOURATOMS) and the European Union under the FP7 (Integrated Infrastructure Initiative N. 312483 – ESTEEM2). The authors would also like to thank Luis M. Liz-Marzán, Ana Sánchez-Iglesias, Stefanos Mourdikoudis and Cristina Fernández-López for sample provision and useful discussions.; esteem2jra4; ECASSara; (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 2.843  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ Serial 4019  
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Author Pramanik, G.; Kvakova, K.; Thottappali, M.A.; Rais, D.; Pfleger, J.; Greben, M.; El-Zoka, A.; Bals, S.; Dracinsky, M.; Valenta, J.; Cigler, P. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Inverse heavy-atom effect in near infrared photoluminescent gold nanoclusters Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2021 Publication Nanoscale Abbreviated Journal Nanoscale  
  Volume 13 Issue 23 Pages 10462-10467  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT) ;  
  Abstract Fluorophores functionalized with heavy elements show enhanced intersystem crossing due to increased spin–orbit coupling, which in turn shortens the fluorescence decay lifetime (<italic>τ</italic><sup>PL</sup>). This phenomenon is known as the heavy-atom effect (HAE). Here, we report the observation of increased<italic>τ</italic><sup>PL</sup>upon functionalisation of near-infrared photoluminescent gold nanoclusters with iodine. The heavy atom-mediated increase in<italic>τ</italic><sup>PL</sup>is in striking contrast with the HAE and referred to as inverse HAE. Femtosecond and nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy revealed overcompensation of a slight decrease in lifetime of the transition associated with the Au core (ps) by a large increase in the long-lived triplet state lifetime associated with the Au shell, which contributed to the observed inverse HAE. This unique observation of inverse HAE in gold nanoclusters provides the means to enhance the triplet excited state lifetime.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2021-05-24  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2040-3364 ISBN Additional Links  
  Impact Factor 7.367 Times cited 7 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The authors acknowledge support from GACR project Nr.18- 12533S. G. P. acknowledges support from EUSMI project No. E180200060; J.P. from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic – Program INTER-EXCELLENCE (LTAUSA19066). Approved Most recent IF: 7.367  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ Serial 6950  
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Author Vlasov, E.; Heyvaert, W.; Ni, B.; Van Gordon, K.; Girod, R.; Verbeeck, J.; Liz-Marzán, L.M.; Bals, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title High-Throughput Morphological Chirality Quantification of Twisted and Wrinkled Gold Nanorods Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2024 Publication ACS Nano Abbreviated Journal ACS Nano  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT) ;  
  Abstract Chirality in gold nanostructures offers an exciting opportunity to tune their differential optical response to left- and right-handed circularly polarized light, as well as their interactions with biomolecules and living matter. However, tuning and understanding such interactions demands quantification of the structural features that are responsible for the chiral behavior. Electron tomography (ET) enables structural characterization at the single-particle level and has been used to quantify the helicity of complex chiral nanorods. However, the technique is time-consuming and consequently lacks statistical value. To address this issue, we introduce herein a high-throughput methodology that combines images acquired by secondary electron-based electron beam-induced current (SEEBIC) with quantitative image analysis. As a result, the geometric chirality of hundreds of nanoparticles can be quantified in less than 1 h. When combining the drastic gain in data collection efficiency of SEEBIC with a limited number of ET data sets, a better understanding of how the chiral structure of individual chiral nanoparticles translates into the ensemble chiroptical response can be reached.  
  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 1936-0851 ISBN Additional Links  
  Impact Factor 17.1 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes The authors acknowledge financial support by the European Research Council (ERC CoG No. 815128 REALNANO to S.B.) and from MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (Grant PID2020-117779RB-I00 to L.M.L.-M and FPI Fellowship PRE2021-097588 to K.V.G.). Funded by the European Union under Project 101131111 − DELIGHT, JV acknowledges the eBEAM project supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program FETPROACT-EIC-07- 2020: emerging paradigms and communities. Approved Most recent IF: 17.1; 2024 IF: 13.942  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ Serial 9121  
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Author 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 (down) EMAT @ emat @ Serial 9126  
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Author Van Gordon, K.; Ni, B.; Girod, R.; Mychinko, M.; Bevilacqua, F.; Bals, S.; Liz‐Marzán, L.M. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Single Crystal and Pentatwinned Gold Nanorods Result in Chiral Nanocrystals with Reverse Handedness Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2024 Publication Angewandte Chemie International Edition Abbreviated Journal Angew Chem Int Ed  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT) ;  
  Abstract Handedness is an essential attribute of chiral nanocrystals, having a major influence on their properties. During chemical growth, the handedness of nanocrystals is usually tuned by selecting the corresponding enantiomer of chiral molecules involved in asymmetric growth, often known as chiral inducers. We report that, even using the same chiral inducer enantiomer, the handedness of chiral gold nanocrystals can be reversed by using Au nanorod seeds with either single crystalline or pentatwinned structure. This effect holds for chiral growth induced both by amino acids and by chiral micelles. Although it was challenging to discern the morphological handedness for<italic>L</italic>‐cystine‐directed particles, even using electron tomography, both cases showed circular dichroism bands of opposite sign, with nearly mirrored chiroptical signatures for chiral micelle‐directed growth, along with quasi‐helical wrinkles of inverted handedness. These results expand the chiral growth toolbox with an effect that might be exploited to yield a host of interesting morphologies with tunable optical properties.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2024-05-24  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1433-7851 ISBN Additional Links  
  Impact Factor 16.6 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Ana Sánchez-Iglesias is acknowledged for support in the synthesis of pentatwinned gold nanorods. The authors acknowledge financial support by the European Research Council (ERC CoG No. 815128 REALNANO to S.B.), from MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (Grant PID2020- 117779RB-I00 to L.M.L.-M and FPI Fellowship PRE2021- 097588 to K.V.G.), and by KU Leuven (C14/22/085). This work has been funded by the European Union under Project 101131111—DELIGHT. Funding for open access charge: Universidade de Vigo/ CRUE-CISUG. Approved Most recent IF: 16.6; 2024 IF: 11.994  
  Call Number (down) EMAT @ emat @ Serial 9129  
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Author Goris, B.; Meledina, M.; Turner, S.; Zhong, Z.; Batenburg, K.J.; Bals, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Three dimensional mapping of Fe dopants in ceria nanocrystals using direct spectroscopic electron tomography Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Ultramicroscopy Abbreviated Journal Ultramicroscopy  
  Volume 171 Issue 171 Pages 55-62  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Electron tomography is a powerful technique for the 3D characterization of the morphology of nanostructures. Nevertheless, resolving the chemical composition of complex nanostructures in 3D remains challenging and the number of studies in which electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) is combined with tomography is limited. During the last decade, dedicated reconstruction algorithms have been developed for HAADF-STEM tomography using prior knowledge about the investigated sample. Here, we will use the prior knowledge that the experimental spectrum of each reconstructed voxel is a linear combination of a well-known set of references spectra in a so-called direct spectroscopic tomography technique. Based on a simulation experiment, it is shown that this technique provides superior results in comparison to conventional reconstruction methods for spectroscopic data, especially for spectrum images containing a relatively low signal to noise ratio. Next, this technique is used to investigate the spatial distribution of Fe dopants in Fe:Ceria nanoparticles in 3D. It is shown that the presence of the Fe2+ dopants is correlated with a reduction of the Ce atoms from Ce4+ towards Ce3+. In addition, it is demonstrated that most of the Fe dopants are located near the voids inside the nanoparticle.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000389106200007 Publication Date 2016-09-06  
  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 13 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The work was supported by the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO Vlaanderen) by project funding (G038116N, 3G004613) and by a post-doctoral research grants to B.G. S.B. acknowledges funding from the European Research Council (Starting Grant no. COLOURATOMS 335078). K.J.B. acknowledges funding from The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) (program 639.072.005.). We would like to thank Dr. Hilde Poelman, Dr. Vladimir Galvita and Prof. Dr. Guy B. Marin for the synthesis of the investigated sample.; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 2.843  
  Call Number (down) c:irua:135185 c:irua:135185 Serial 4123  
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Author 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 (down) c:irua:135178 c:irua:135178 Serial 4117  
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Author Kinnear, C.; Rodriguez-Lorenzo, L.; Clift, M.J.D.; Goris, B.; Bals, S.; Rothen, B.; Fink, A.S. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Decoupling the shape parameter to assess gold nanorod uptake by mammalian cells Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Nanoscale Abbreviated Journal Nanoscale  
  Volume 8 Issue 8 Pages 16416-16426  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The impact of nanoparticles (NPs) upon biological systems can be fundamentally associated with their physicochemical parameters. A further often-stated tenet is the importance of NP shape on rates of endocytosis. However, given the convoluted parameters concerning the NP-cell interaction, it is experimentally challenging to attribute any findings to shape alone. Herein we demonstrate that shape, below a certain limit, which is specific to nanomedicine, is not important for the endocytosis of spherocylinders by either epithelial or macrophage cells in vitro. Through a systematic approach, we reshaped a single batch of gold nanorods into different aspect ratios resulting in near-spheres and studied their cytotoxicity, (pro-)inflammatory status, and endocytosis/exocytosis. It was found that on a length scale of ~10-90 nm and at aspect ratios less than 5, NP shape has little impact upon their entry into either macrophages or epithelial cells. Conversely, nanorods with an aspect ratio above 5 were preferentially endocytosed by epithelial cells, whereas there was a lack of shape dependent uptake following exposure to macrophages in vitro. These findings have implications both in the understanding of nanoparticle reshaping mechanisms, as well as in the future rational design of nanomaterials for biomedical applications.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000384531600036 Publication Date 2016-08-08  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2040-3364 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 7.367 Times cited 23 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The authors would like to thank C. Endes for her help and technical assistance with all cell culture experiments. The work was supported by the Adolphe Merkle Foundation, the Swiss National Science Foundation (PP00P2123373), the Swiss National Science Foundation through the National Centre of Competence in Research Bio-Inspired Materials, the Flemish Fund for Scientific Research (FWO Vlaanderen) through a postdoctoral research grant, and the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant #335078-COLOURATOMS). The authors also appreciate financial support from the European Union under the Seventh Framework Program (Integrated Infrastructure Initiative N. 262348 European Soft Matter Infrastructure, ESMI).; ECASSara; (ROMEO:yellow; preprint:; postprint:restricted ; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 7.367  
  Call Number (down) c:irua:135087 c:irua:135087 Serial 4109  
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Author Altantzis, T.; Coutino-Gonzalez, E.; Baekelant, W.; Martinez, G.T.; Abakumov, A.M.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Roeffaers, M.B.J.; Bals, S.; Hofkens, J. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Direct Observation of Luminescent Silver Clusters Confined in Faujasite Zeolites Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication ACS nano Abbreviated Journal Acs Nano  
  Volume 10 Issue 10 Pages 7604-7611  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract One of the ultimate goals in the study of metal clusters is the correlation between the atomic-scale organization and their physicochemical properties. However, direct observation of the atomic organization of such minuscule metal clusters is heavily hindered by radiation damage imposed by the different characterization techniques. We present direct evidence of the structural arrangement, at an atomic level, of luminescent silver species stabilized in faujasite (FAU) zeolites using aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy. Two different silver clusters were identified in Ag-FAU zeolites, a trinuclear silver species associated with green emission and a tetranuclear silver species related to yellow emission. By combining direct imaging with complementary information obtained from X-ray powder diffraction and Rietveld analysis, we were able to elucidate the main differences at an atomic scale between luminescent (heat-treated) and nonluminescent (cation-exchanged) Ag-FAU zeolites. It is expected that such insights will trigger the directed synthesis of functional metal nanocluster-zeolite composites with tailored luminescent properties.  
  Address RIES, Hokkaido University , N20W10, Kita-Ward Sapporo 001-0020, Japan  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Wos 000381959100043 Publication Date 2016-07-08  
  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 57 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Belgian Federal government (Belspo through the IAP-VI/27 and IAP-VII/05 programs), the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013 under grant agreement no. 310651 SACS and no. 312483-ESTEEM2), the Flemish government in the form of long-term structural funding “Methusalem” grant METH/15/04 CASAS2, the Hercules foundation (HER/11/14), the “Strategisch Initiatief Materialen” SoPPoM program, and the Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO) grants G.0349.12 and G.0B39.15. S.B. acknowledges funding from ERC Starting Grant COLOURATOMS (335078). The authors thank Prof. S. Van Aert for helpful discussions, Dr. T. De Baerdemaeker for XRD measurements, Mr. B. Dieu for the preparation of graphical material, and UOP Antwerp for the kind donation of zeolite samples.; esteem2jra4; ECASSara; (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 13.942  
  Call Number (down) c:irua:134576 c:irua:134576 Serial 4102  
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Author Asapu, R.; Claes, N.; Bals, S.; Denys, S.; Detavernier, C.; Lenaerts, S.; Verbruggen, S.W. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Silver-polymer core-shell nanoparticles for ultrastable plasmon-enhanced photocatalysis Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication Applied catalysis : B : environmental Abbreviated Journal Appl Catal B-Environ  
  Volume 200 Issue 200 Pages 31-38  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Affordable silver-polymer core-shell nanoparticles are prepared using the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique. The metallic silver core is encapsulated with an ultra-thin protective shell that prevents oxidation and clustering without compromising the plasmonic properties. The core-shell nanoparticles retain their plasmonic near field enhancement effect, as studied from finite element numerical simulations. Control over the shell thickness up to the sub-nanometer level is there for key. The particles are used to prepare a plasmonic Ag-TiO2 photocatalyst of which the gas phase photocatalytic activity is monitored over a period of four months. The described system outperforms pristine TiO2 and retains its plasmonic enhancement in contrast to TiO2 modified with bare silver nanoparticles. With this an important step is made toward the development of long-term stable plasmonic (photocatalytic) applications.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000384775600004 Publication Date 2016-06-28  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0926-3373 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 9.446 Times cited 45 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes CD, SL and SWV acknowledge the Research Foundation − Flanders (FWO) for financial support. CD further acknowledges BOF-UGent (GOA 01G01513) and the Hercules Foundation (AUGE/09/014). SB acknowledges the European Research Council for the ERC Starting Grant #335078-COLOURATOM.; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 9.446  
  Call Number (down) c:irua:134384 c:irua:134384UA @ admin @ c:irua:134384 Serial 4104  
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Author van den Bos, K.H. W.; De Backer, A.; Martinez, G.T.; Winckelmans, N.; Bals, S.; Nellist, P.D.; Van Aert, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Unscrambling Mixed Elements using High Angle Annular Dark Field Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Physical review letters Abbreviated Journal Phys Rev Lett  
  Volume 116 Issue 116 Pages 246101  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The development of new nanocrystals with outstanding physicochemical properties requires a full threedimensional (3D) characterization at the atomic scale. For homogeneous nanocrystals, counting the number of atoms in each atomic column from high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy images has been shown to be a successful technique to get access to this 3D information. However, technologically important nanostructures often consist of more than one chemical element. In order to extend atom counting to heterogeneous materials, a new atomic lensing model is presented. This model takes dynamical electron diffraction into account and opens up new possibilities for unraveling the 3D composition at the atomic scale. Here, the method is applied to determine the 3D structure of Au@Ag core-shell nanorods, but it is applicable to a wide range of heterogeneous complex nanostructures.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000378059500010 Publication Date 2016-06-17  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0031-9007 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 8.462 Times cited 46 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The authors acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium) through Projects No. G.0374.13N, No. G.0368.15N, and No. G.0369.15N, and by grants to K. H.W. van den Bos and A. De Backer. S. Bals and N. Winckelmans acknowledge funding from the European Research Council (Starting Grant No. COLOURATOMS 335078). The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme under Grant No. 312483—ESTEEM2. The authors are grateful to A. Rosenauer for providing the STEMsim program.; esteem2jra2; ECASSara; (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:can); Approved Most recent IF: 8.462  
  Call Number (down) c:irua:133954 c:irua:133954 Serial 4084  
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Author Zanaga, D.; Altantzis, T.; Polavarapu, L.; Liz-Marzán, L.M.; Freitag, B.; Bals, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title A New Method for Quantitative XEDS Tomography of Complex Heteronanostructures Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Particle and particle systems characterization Abbreviated Journal Part Part Syst Char  
  Volume 33 Issue 33 Pages 396-403  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Reliable quantification of 3D results obtained by X-ray Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (XEDS) tomography is currently hampered by the presence of shadowing effects and poor spatial resolution. Here, we present a method that overcomes these problems by synergistically combining quantified XEDS data and High Angle Annular Dark Field – Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (HAADF-STEM) tomography. As a proof of principle, the approach is applied to characterize a complex Au/Ag nanorattle obtained through a galvanic replacement reaction. However, the technique we propose here is widely applicable to a broad range of nanostructures.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000379970000008 Publication Date 2016-03-31  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0934-0866 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.474 Times cited 29 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The authors acknowledge financial support from European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant # 335078-COLOURATOMS, ERC Advanced Grant # 291667 HierarSACol and ERC Advanced Grant 267867 – PLASMAQUO), the European Union under the FP7 (Integrated Infrastructure Initiative N. 262348 European Soft Matter Infrastructure, ESMI and N. 312483 ESTEEM2).; esteem2jra4; ECASSara; (ROMEO:yellow; preprint:; postprint:restricted ; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 4.474  
  Call Number (down) c:irua:132643 c:irua:132643 Serial 4052  
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