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Author Coulombier, M.; Baral, P.; Orekhov, A.; Dohmen, R.; Raskin, J.P.; Pardoen, T.; Cordier, P.; Idrissi, H. url  doi
openurl 
  Title On-chip very low strain rate rheology of amorphous olivine films Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Acta materialia Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 266 Issue Pages 119693-12  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Recent observations made by the authors revealed the activation of stress induced amorphization and sliding at grain boundary in olivine [1], a mechanism which is expected to play a pivotal role in the viscosity drop at the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary and the brittle -ductile transition in the lithospheric mantle. However, there is a lack of information in the literature regarding the intrinsic mechanical properties and the elementary deformation mechanisms of this material, especially at time scales relevant for geodynamics. In the present work, amorphous olivine films were obtained by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The mechanical response including the rate dependent behavior are investigated using a tension -on -chip (TOC) method developed at UCLouvain allowing to perform creep/relaxation tests on thin films at extremely low strain rates. In the present work, strain rate down to 10-12 s- 1 was reached which is unique. High strain rate sensitivity of 0.054 is observed together with the activation of relaxation at the very early stage of deformation. Furthermore, digital image correlation (DIC), used for the first time on films deformed by TOC, reveals local strain heterogeneities. The relationship between such heterogeneities, the high strain rate sensitivity and the effect of the electron beam in the scanning electron microscope is discussed and compared to the literature.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001170513400001 Publication Date 2024-01-17  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1359-6454 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 9.4 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 9.4; 2024 IF: 5.301  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:204864 Serial 9163  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Gios, E.; Verbruggen, E.; Audet, J.; Burns, R.; Butterbach-Bahl, K.; Espenberg, M.; Fritz, C.; Glatzel, S.; Jurasinski, G.; Larmola, T.; Mander, U.; Nielsen, C.; Rodriguez, A.F.; Scheer, C.; Zak, D.; Silvennoinen, H.M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Unraveling microbial processes involved in carbon and nitrogen cycling and greenhouse gas emissions in rewetted peatlands by molecular biology Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Biogeochemistry Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plant and Ecosystems (PLECO) – Ecology in a time of change  
  Abstract Restoration of drained peatlands through rewetting has recently emerged as a prevailing strategy to mitigate excessive greenhouse gas emissions and re-establish the vital carbon sequestration capacity of peatlands. Rewetting can help to restore vegetation communities and biodiversity, while still allowing for extensive agricultural management such as paludiculture. Belowground processes governing carbon fluxes and greenhouse gas dynamics are mediated by a complex network of microbial communities and processes. Our understanding of this complexity and its multi-factorial controls in rewetted peatlands is limited. Here, we summarize the research regarding the role of soil microbial communities and functions in driving carbon and nutrient cycling in rewetted peatlands including the use of molecular biology techniques in understanding biogeochemical processes linked to greenhouse gas fluxes. We emphasize that rapidly advancing molecular biology approaches, such as high-throughput sequencing, are powerful tools helping to elucidate the dynamics of key biogeochemical processes when combined with isotope tracing and greenhouse gas measuring techniques. Insights gained from the gathered studies can help inform efficient monitoring practices for rewetted peatlands and the development of climate-smart restoration and management strategies.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001185747700001 Publication Date 2024-03-16  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0168-2563; 1573-515x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4; 2024 IF: 3.428  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:204875 Serial 9239  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Vlasov, E. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Exploiting secondary electrons in transmission electron microscopy for 3D characterization of nanoparticle morphologies Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2024 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages x, 118 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Electron tomography (ET) is an indispensable tool for determining the three-dimensional (3D) structure of nanomaterials in (scanning) transmission electron microscopy ((S)TEM). ET enables 3D characterization of a variety of nanomaterials across different fields, including life sciences, chemistry, solid-state physics, and materials science down to atomic resolution. However, the acquisition of a conventional tilt series for ET is a time-consuming process and thus cannot capture fast transformations of materials in realistic conditions. Moreover, only a limited number of nanoparticles (NPs) can be investigated, hampering a general understanding of the average properties of the material. Therefore, alternative characterization techniques that allow for high-resolution characterization of the surface structure without the need to acquire a full tilt series in ET are required which would enable a more time-efficient investigation with better statistical value. In the first part of this work, an alternative technique for the characterization of the morphology of NPs to improve the throughput and temporal resolution of ET is presented. The proposed technique exploits surface-sensitive secondary electron (SE) imaging in STEM employed using a modification of electron beam-induced current (EBIC) setup. The time- and dose efficiency of SEEBIC are tested in comparison with ET and superior spatial resolution is shown compared to conventional scanning electron microscopy. Finally, contrast artefacts arising in SEEBIC images are described, and their origin is discussed. The second part of my thesis focuses on real applications of the proposed technique and introduces a high-throughput methodology that combines images acquired by SEEBIC with quantitative image analysis to retrieve information about the helicity of gold nanorods. It shows that SEEBIC imaging overcomes the limitation of ET providing a general understanding of the connection between structure and chiroptical properties.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2024-06-17  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:204905 Serial 9149  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ramirez-Rojas, I. openurl 
  Title Underground connections : the interplay between tropical rainforest trees and soil microbial communities Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2024 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 205 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Plant and Ecosystems (PLECO) – Ecology in a time of change  
  Abstract Tropical rainforests host an exceptional biodiversity and play a fundamental role in the regulation of global climatic cycles. Soil fungi and bacteria are key players in the transformation and processing of nutrients in terrestrial ecosystems while having an essential role as tree mutualists or antagonists. Still, there are gaps in our understanding of the main variables driving soil microbes on these forests and it is unclear how future climate change scenarios may impact soil microbes and further affect the ecosystem. In this thesis, we first explored the drivers of the microbial community composition in two pristine forests in French Guiana by using amplicon DNA sequencing. The neighboring tree species were found to be a crucial factor influencing the fungal and bacterial community composition at our sites regardless of the season. Additionally, within the environmental factors explored, soil moisture, phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) availability were consistently the main soil properties controlling the composition of soil microbial communities. Secondly, as increased nutrient deposition due to anthropogenic activities are expected to affect tropical forests ecosystems N and P availability, a factorial N and P nutrient addition experiment in the same sites was used to assess the effects of changes in the soil nutrient stoichiometry on the soil microbial communities. These results showed that after 3 years of nutrient additions, the bacterial and fungal community composition was affected by both the N and P additions. Besides, the fungal community composition had a stronger response to the nutrient addition, especially when P was added. Moreover, when the nutrient addition effect was assessed in bacteria and fungi with different life strategies, we found different nutrient optima between them. Furthermore, to study the effect of the connection to an existing mycorrhizal mycelium on tree seedlings, I established a mycelium exclusion experiment. Interestingly, we could not detect an effect of the mycorrhizal mycelium exclusion on the seedling N uptake, performance, or fungal community composition in roots after one year. All together this work provides a deeper understanding of the factors influencing the soil microbial communities on these lowland tropical forests, demonstrating that the tree community composition exerts a higher influence on the soil microbial community composition than previously expected. Moreover, our results show that the fungal and bacterial community composition and its relationship with trees in the vicinity is highly dependent on the ecosystem nutrient availability.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:204907 Serial 9237  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Deben, C.; Freire Boullosa, L.; Rodrigues Fortes, F.; Cardenas De La Hoz, E.; Le Compte, M.; Seghers, S.; Peeters, M.; Vanlanduit, S.; Lin, A.; Dijkstra, K.K.; Van Schil, P.; Hendriks, J.M.H.; Prenen, H.; Roeyen, G.; Lardon, F.; Smits, E. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Auranofin repurposing for lung and pancreatic cancer : low CA12 expression as a marker of sensitivity in patient-derived organoids, with potentiated efficacy by AKT inhibition Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 43 Issue 1 Pages 88-15  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT); Antwerp Surgical Training, Anatomy and Research Centre (ASTARC); Center for Oncological Research (CORE)  
  Abstract Background This study explores the repurposing of Auranofin (AF), an anti-rheumatic drug, for treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) adenocarcinoma and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Drug repurposing in oncology offers a cost-effective and time-efficient approach to developing new cancer therapies. Our research focuses on evaluating AF's selective cytotoxicity against cancer cells, identifying RNAseq-based biomarkers to predict AF response, and finding the most effective co-therapeutic agents for combination with AF. Methods Our investigation employed a comprehensive drug screening of AF in combination with eleven anticancer agents in cancerous PDAC and NSCLC patient-derived organoids (n = 7), and non-cancerous pulmonary organoids (n = 2). Additionally, we conducted RNA sequencing to identify potential biomarkers for AF sensitivity and experimented with various drug combinations to optimize AF's therapeutic efficacy. Results The results revealed that AF demonstrates a preferential cytotoxic effect on NSCLC and PDAC cancer cells at clinically relevant concentrations below 1 µM, sparing normal epithelial cells. We identified Carbonic Anhydrase 12 (CA12) as a significant RNAseq-based biomarker, closely associated with the NF-κB survival signaling pathway, which is crucial in cancer cell response to oxidative stress. Our findings suggest that cancer cells with low CA12 expression are more susceptible to AF treatment. Furthermore, the combination of AF with the AKT inhibitor MK2206 was found to be particularly effective, exhibiting potent and selective cytotoxic synergy, especially in tumor organoid models classified as intermediate responders to AF, without adverse effects on healthy organoids. Conclusion Our research offers valuable insights into the use of AF for treating NSCLC and PDAC. It highlights AF's cancer cell selectivity, establishes CA12 as a predictive biomarker for AF sensitivity, and underscores the enhanced efficacy of AF when combined with MK2206 and other therapeutics. These findings pave the way for further exploration of AF in cancer treatment, particularly in identifying patient populations most likely to benefit from its use and in optimizing combination therapies for improved patient outcomes.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001190581500001 Publication Date 2024-03-22  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1756-9966 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:204924 Serial 9136  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Finizola e Silva, M.; Cools, J.; Cools, J.; Van Passel, S. url  doi
openurl 
  Title A systematic review identifying the drivers and barriers to the adoption of climate-smart agriculture by smallholder farmers in Africa Type Administrative Services
  Year 2024 Publication Frontiers in environmental economics Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 3 Issue Pages 1356335-14  
  Keywords Administrative Services; A3 Journal article; Economics; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM)  
  Abstract Climate change impact, food security concerns, and greenhouse gas emissions are pressuring agricultural production systems in developing countries. There is a need for a shift toward sustainable food systems. One of the concepts introduced to drive this shift is climate-smart agriculture (CSA), endorsed by international organizations to address multifaceted challenges. Despite widespread attention and support, the adoption of CSA among African farmers remains low. This systematic literature review aims to shed light on the factors influencing CSA adoption amongst African farmers. Within the articles identified as relevant, over 50 CSA practices and more than 40 factors influencing CSA adoption were distinguished. These influencing factors can be categorized as personal, farm- related, financial, environmental, and informational. The focus of this review is to identify and explain the overall impact (positive, negative, or mixed) of these factors on CSA adoption. Overall, many factors result in mixed effects, only some factors have an unambiguous positive or negative effect on CSA adoption. For instance, educational level emerges as a key personal factor, positively impacting CSA adoption, along with positive influences from farmers’ experience and farm size among farm-related factors. Financial factors reveal distinct patterns, with income from farming and access to credit positively influencing adoption, while off-farm income exhibits a negative effect. Environmental factors, though less researched, indicate positive impacts related to changes in rainfall patterns, temperature, and droughts. Lastly, informational factors consistently exhibit a positive effect on CSA adoption, with training, access to extension, group memberships, climate information, and CSA awareness playing crucial roles. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers seeking to enhance CSA adoption in Africa, offering a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted dynamics at play.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2024-04-03  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205017 Serial 9233  
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Author Smets, B.; Boschker, H.T.S.; Wetherington, M.T.; Lelong, G.; Hidalgo-Martinez, S.; Polerecky, L.; Nuyts, G.; De Wael, K.; Meysman, F.J.R. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Multi-wavelength Raman microscopy of nickel-based electron transport in cable bacteria Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Frontiers in microbiology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 15 Issue Pages 1208033-16  
  Keywords A1 Journal article  
  Abstract Cable bacteria embed a network of conductive protein fibers in their cell envelope that efficiently guides electron transport over distances spanning up to several centimeters. This form of long-distance electron transport is unique in biology and is mediated by a metalloprotein with a sulfur-coordinated nickel (Ni) cofactor. However, the molecular structure of this cofactor remains presently unknown. Here, we applied multi-wavelength Raman microscopy to identify cell compounds linked to the unique cable bacterium physiology, combined with stable isotope labeling, and orientation-dependent and ultralow-frequency Raman microscopy to gain insight into the structure and organization of this novel Ni-cofactor. Raman spectra of native cable bacterium filaments reveal vibrational modes originating from cytochromes, polyphosphate granules, proteins, as well as the Ni-cofactor. After selective extraction of the conductive fiber network from the cell envelope, the Raman spectrum becomes simpler, and primarily retains vibrational modes associated with the Ni-cofactor. These Ni-cofactor modes exhibit intense Raman scattering as well as a strong orientation-dependent response. The signal intensity is particularly elevated when the polarization of incident laser light is parallel to the direction of the conductive fibers. This orientation dependence allows to selectively identify the modes that are associated with the Ni-cofactor. We identified 13 such modes, some of which display strong Raman signals across the entire range of applied wavelengths (405–1,064 nm). Assignment of vibrational modes, supported by stable isotope labeling, suggest that the structure of the Ni-cofactor shares a resemblance with that of nickel bis(1,2-dithiolene) complexes. Overall, our results indicate that cable bacteria have evolved a unique cofactor structure that does not resemble any of the known Ni-cofactors in biology.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001189511900001 Publication Date 2024-03-08  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1664-302x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205115 Serial 9214  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Pankratov, D.; Hidalgo Martinez, S.; Karman, C.; Gerzhik, A.; Gomila, G.; Trashin, S.; Boschker, H.T.S.; Geelhoed, J.S.; Mayer, D.; De Wael, K.; Meysman, F.J.R. url  doi
openurl 
  Title The organo-metal-like nature of long-range conduction in cable bacteria Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Bioelectrochemistry: an international journal devoted to electrochemical aspects of biology and biological aspects of electrochemistry Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 157 Issue Pages 108675-10  
  Keywords A1 Journal article  
  Abstract Cable bacteria are filamentous, multicellular microorganisms that display an exceptional form of biological electron transport across centimeter-scale distances. Currents are guided through a network of nickel-containing protein fibers within the cell envelope. Still, the mechanism of long-range conduction remains unresolved. Here, we characterize the conductance of the fiber network under dry and wet, physiologically relevant, conditions. Our data reveal that the fiber conductivity is high (median value: 27 S cm−1; range: 2 to 564 S cm−1), does not show any redox signature, has a low thermal activation energy (Ea = 69 ± 23 meV), and is not affected by humidity or the presence of ions. These features set the nickel-based conduction mechanism in cable bacteria apart from other known forms of biological electron transport. As such, conduction resembles that of an organic semi-metal with a high charge carrier density. Our observation that biochemistry can synthesize an organo-metal-like structure opens the way for novel bio-based electronic technologies.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2024-02-25  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1567-5394 ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor 5 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5; 2024 IF: 3.346  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205117 Serial 9215  
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Author De Keyzer, M.; Soens, T.; Verbruggen, C. file  isbn
openurl 
  Title Mens en natuur : een geschiedenis Type MA2 Book as author
  Year 2024 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 313 p.  
  Keywords MA2 Book as author; History; Centre for Urban History  
  Abstract Onze relatie met de natuur om ons heen is, op zijn zachtst gezegd, ingewikkeld. Mensen gingen niet plots een bedreiging vormen voor het leven op aarde nadat ze er eeuwenlang mee in harmonie hadden geleefd. Verschillende ideeën over de omgang met de natuurlijke omgeving – sommige duurzaam, andere ronduit desastreus – hebben altijd naast elkaar bestaan. We waren er ons al verrassend vroeg van bewust dat ons handelen een nefaste impact kon hebben op de natuur. Maar die bezwaren werden geregeld aan de kant geschoven. Deze inleiding tot de milieugeschiedenis helpt de lezer te begrijpen hoe onze hedendaagse problematische omgang met de natuur en ons milieu tot stand is gekomen. Het is een introductie tot het recente onderzoek naar de relatie tussen mens en natuur doorheen de eeuwen, in de Lage Landen en ver daarbuiten.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN 978-94-014-0395-5 Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205213 Serial 9212  
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Author Ahmadi Eshtehardi, H. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Combined computational-experimental study on plasma and plasma catalysis for N2 fixation Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2024 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 160 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Humanity feels the urge of shifting to a sustainable society more than at any other time in its history. Electrification of chemical industry plays a key role in this transition. The possibility of producing fertilizers from air using renewable electricity, and simultaneously, no greenhouse gas emission, resulted in an increasing interest toward plasma technology as a solution for electrification of a part of the chemical industry in the past few years. Additionally, the activation of nitrogen molecules by vibrational and electronic excitation reactions in plasma can lead to an energy-efficient process. Last but not least, the modularity (fast on/off characteristic) of plasma technology makes it capable of using intermittent renewable electricity on site for the production of fertilizers using air. All these advantages offered by plasma technology make it a potential solution for the on-site production of fertilizers in small and decentralized plants using air and renewable electricity, which leads to a considerable reduction in fertilizer production and transportation costs. However, industrialization of plasma-based NF suffers from several challenges, including challenges of plasma catalysis for the selective production of desired species, the high energy cost of plasma-based NF compared to current industrial processes, and the design and development of scaled up and energy-efficient plasma reactors for industrial purposes. In the framework of this thesis we have tried to add to the state-of-the-art (SOTA) in plasma-based NOx production and deal with its limitations using a combination of experimental and modelling work.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2024-06-14  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205246 Serial 9139  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Manaigo, F. url  openurl
  Title Study of a gliding arc discharge for sustainable nitrogen fixation into NOx Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2024 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages xxiv, 114 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract With the growth of the world population, the agricultural sector is required to meet an increasing demand for nutrients and currently relies on industrially produced fertilizers. Among them, nitrogen-based fertilizers are the most common choice and require N2 to be converted into more reactive molecules in a process called “nitrogen fixation”. This is mainly performed through the Haber-Bosch process, which, is not ideal since it requires large-scale facilities to be economical and is associated with a high energy cost and high CO2 emissions, resulting in an environmental impact that is pushing for the study of greener alternatives. Among these, plasma-based nitrogen fixation into NOx is promising, and gliding arc plasma, specifically, proved to be suitable for nitrogen fixation. This thesis aims to study plasma-based nitrogen fixation focusing on an atmospheric pressure gliding arc plasma on three different levels. On a fundamental level, an approach dealing with laser-based excitation of separate rotational lines was successfully developed. This method can be implemented on atmospheric discharges that produce rather high NOx densities and, thus, can impose essential restrictions for the use of “classical” laser-induced fluorescence methods. The approach is then implemented, providing a discussion on the two-dimensional distributions of both the gas temperature and the NO ground state density. A clear correlation between these quantities is found and the effects of both the gas temperature and the plasma power on NO and NO2 concentrations are discussed, revealing how the NO oxidation is already significant in the plasma afterglow region and how the gas flow rate is a crucial parameter affecting the temperature gradients. >From a technological level, the conventional approach of introducing external resistors to stabilize the arc is challenged by studying both its performance and its stability replacing the external resistor with an inductor. We conclude that similar stabilization results can be obtained while significantly lowering the overall energy cost, which decreased from up to a maximum of 7.9 MJ/mol N to 3 MJ/mol N. Finally, we study whether a small-scale fertilizer production facility based on a gliding arc plasma can be a local competitive alternative. This is done by proposing a comparative model to understand how capital, operative expenditures and transport costs affect the production costs. The model highlights how, with the current best available technology, plasma-based nitrogen fixation, while being an interesting alternative for NOx synthesis, still requires a more efficient use of H2 for direct NH3 production.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205259 Serial 9175  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author De Luca, F.; Abate, S.; Bogaerts, A.; Centi, G. url  openurl
  Title Electrified CO2 conversion : integrating experimental, computational, and process simulation methods for sustainable chemical synthesis Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2024 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages xv, 152 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Nowadays, the burning of fossil fuels, particularly petroleum, natural gas, and coal, meets the rising need for power and fuels for automobiles and industries. This has given rise to ecological and climate challenges. This thesis explores these issues from three distinct perspectives: (i) experimental, (ii) computational, and (iii) process simulation, with a focus on studying CO2 as an alternative and economically viable raw material. Firstly, the experimental study is focused on the synthesis, characterization, and testing of novel catalysts for electroreduction of CO2 and oxalic acid, an intermediate product of CO2. Electrocatalysts based on Cu supported by citrus (orange and lemon) peel biomass are prepared. These catalysts exhibit activity in the electrochemical reduction of CO2, emphasizing the effectiveness of biomasses, particularly orange peels, as environmentally friendly precursors for sustainable and efficient electrocatalysts. In addition, graphitic carbon nitrides/TiO2 nanotubes (g-C3N4/TiNT) composites are prepared for the electrocatalytic reduction of oxalic acid to glycolic acid, revealing superior electrocatalytic properties compared to pristine TiNT. Characterization by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electronic microscopy were performed for all the prepared electrocatalysts. Delving into the reduction of CO2 on Cu catalysts, a computational study about the synthesis of methanol on Cu(111) surface is performed by using the Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package. A systematic study is carried out to define the activation energies of the elementary reactions by using mGGA DF. Consequently, it is shown that the rate-controlling step is CH3O* hydrogenation and the formate pathway on Cu(111) proceeds through the HCOOH* intermediate. Finally, the process simulation, performed by using the software Aspen Plus 11 from AspenTech Inc., is based on the comparison of a catalytic (oxidation of ethylene glycol) and an electrocatalytic process (CO2 electroreduction chain) to synthesize glycolic acid. An economic analysis of the operational and investment costs reveals that the catalytic process is more cost-effective due to the current instability of electrocatalysts and proton exchange membranes, resulting in increased maintenance costs and, consequently, higher prices for the product.  
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  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205262 Serial 9147  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Thiruvottriyur Shanmugam, S.; Campos, R.; Trashin, S.; Daems, E.; Carneiro, D.; Fraga, A.; Ribeiro, R.; De Wael, K. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Singlet oxygen-based photoelectrochemical detection of miRNAs in prostate cancer patients’ plasma : a novel diagnostic tool for liquid biopsy Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Bioelectrochemistry: an international journal devoted to electrochemical aspects of biology and biological aspects of electrochemistry Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 158 Issue Pages 108698-108699  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract Dysregulation of miRNA expression occurs in many cancers, making miRNAs useful in cancer diagnosis and therapeutic guidance. In a clinical context using methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the limited amount of miRNAs in circulation often limits their quantification. Here, we present a PCR-free and sensitive singlet oxygen (1O2)-based strategy for the detection and quantification of miRNAs in untreated human plasma from patients diagnosed with prostate cancer. A target miRNA is specifically captured by functionalised magnetic beads and a detection oligonucleotide probe in a sandwich-like format. The formed complex is concentrated at the sensor surface via magnetic beads, providing an interface for the photoinduced redox signal amplification. The detection oligonucleotide probe bears a molecular photosensitiser, which produces 1O2 upon illumination, oxidising a redox reporter and creating a redox cycling loop, allowing quantification of pM level miRNA in diluted human plasma within minutes after hybridisation and without target amplification.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2024-04-04  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1567-5394 ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor 5 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5; 2024 IF: 3.346  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205281 Serial 9229  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Lelouche, S.N.K.; Lemir, I.; Biglione, C.; Craig, T.; Bals, S.; Horcajada, P. url  doi
openurl 
  Title AuNP/MIL-88B-NH₂ nanocomposite for the valorization of nitroarene by green catalytic hydrogenation Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Chemistry: a European journal Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 1-10  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The efficiency of a catalytic process is assessed based on conversion, yield, and time effectiveness. However, these parameters are insufficient for evaluating environmentally sustainable research. As the world is urged to shift towards green catalysis, additional factors such as reaction media, raw material availability, sustainability, waste minimization and catalyst biosafety, need to be considered to accurately determine the efficacy and sustainability of the process. By combining the high porosity and versatility of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and the activity of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), efficient, cyclable and biosafe composite catalysts can be achieved. Thus, a composite based on AuNPs and the nanometric flexible porous iron(III) aminoterephthalate MIL-88B-NH2 was successfully synthesized and fully characterized. This nanocomposite was tested as catalyst in the reduction of nitroarenes, which were identified as anthropogenic water pollutants, reaching cyclable high conversion rates at short times for different nitroarenes. Both synthesis and catalytic reactions were performed using green conditions, and even further tested in a time-optimizing one-pot synthesis and catalysis experiment. The sustainability and environmental impact of the catalytic conditions were assessed by green metrics. Thus, this study provides an easily implementable synthesis, and efficient catalysis, while minimizing the environmental and health impact of the process.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001204094600001 Publication Date 2024-03-22  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0947-6539 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 4.3 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.3; 2024 IF: 5.317  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205426 Serial 9135  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Tsonev, I.; Ahmadi Eshtehardi, H.; Delplancke, M.-P.; Bogaerts, A. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Importance of geometric effects in scaling up energy-efficient plasma-based nitrogen fixation Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Sustainable energy & fuels Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 1-19  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Despite the recent promising potential of plasma-based nitrogen fixation, the technology faces significant challenges in efficient upscaling. To tackle this challenge, we investigate two reactors, i.e., a small one, operating in a flow rate range of 5-20 ln min-1 and current range of 200-500 mA, and a larger one, operating at higher flow rate (100-300 ln min-1) and current (400-1000 mA). Both reactors operate in a pin-to-pin configuration and are powered by direct current (DC) from the same power supply unit, to allow easy comparison and evaluate the effect of upscaling. In the small reactor, we achieve the lowest energy cost (EC) of 2.8 MJ mol-1, for a NOx concentration of 1.72%, at a flow rate of 20 ln min-1, yielding a production rate (PR) of 33 g h-1. These values are obtained in air; in oxygen-enriched air, the results are typically better, at the cost of producing oxygen-enriched air. In the large reactor, the higher flow rates reduce the NOx concentration due to lower SEI, while maintaining a similar EC. This stresses the important effect of the geometrical configuration of the arc, which is typically concentrated in the center of the reactor, resulting in limited coverage of the reacting gas flow, and this is identified as the limiting factor for upscaling. However, our experiments reveal that by changing the reactor configuration, and thus the plasma geometry and power deposition mechanisms, the amount of gas treated by the plasma can be enhanced, leading to successful upscaling. To obtain more insights in our experiments, we performed thermodynamic equilibrium calculations. First of all, they show that our measured lowest EC closely aligns with the calculated minimum thermodynamic equilibrium at atmospheric pressure. In addition, they reveal that the limited NOx production in the large reactor results from the contracted nature of the plasma. To solve this limitation, we let the large reactor operate in so-called torch configuration. Indeed, the latter enhances the NOx concentrations compared to the pin-to-pin configuration, yielding a PR of 80 g h-1 at an EC of 2.9 MJ mol-1 and NOx concentration of 0.31%. This illustrates the importance of reactor design in upscaling. With the focus on feasibility evaluation of scaling-up plasma-based nitrogen fixation by combined experiments and thermodynamic modelling, we aim to tackle the challenge of design and development of an energy-efficient and scaled-up plasma reactor.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001203657700001 Publication Date 2024-04-11  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205435 Serial 9155  
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Author Wu, X.; Ding, J.; Cui, W.; Lin, W.; Xue, Z.; Yang, Z.; Liu, J.; Nie, X.; Zhu, W.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Sang, X. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Enhanced electrical properties of Bi2-xSbxTe3 nanoflake thin films through interface engineering Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Energy & environment materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages e12755-8  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The structure-property relationship at interfaces is difficult to probe for thermoelectric materials with a complex interfacial microstructure. Designing thermoelectric materials with a simple, structurally-uniform interface provides a facile way to understand how these interfaces influence the transport properties. Here, we synthesized Bi2-xSbxTe3 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4) nanoflakes using a hydrothermal method, and prepared Bi2-xSbxTe3 thin films with predominantly (0001) interfaces by stacking the nanoflakes through spin coating. The influence of the annealing temperature and Sb content on the (0001) interface structure was systematically investigated at atomic scale using aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy. Annealing and Sb doping facilitate atom diffusion and migration between adjacent nanoflakes along the (0001) interface. As such it enhances interfacial connectivity and improves the electrical transport properties. Interfac reactions create new interfaces that increase the scattering and the Seebeck coefficient. Due to the simultaneous optimization of electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient, the maximum power factor of the Bi1.8Sb0.2Te3 nanoflake films reaches 1.72 mW m(-1) K-2, which is 43% higher than that of a pure Bi2Te3 thin film.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001204495900001 Publication Date 2024-04-18  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205438 Serial 9148  
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Author Cioni, M.; Delle Piane, M.; Polino, D.; Rapetti, D.; Crippa, M.; Arslan Irmak, E.; Van Aert, S.; Bals, S.; Pavan, G.M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Sampling real-time atomic dynamics in metal nanoparticles by combining experiments, simulations, and machine learning Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Advanced Science Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 1-13  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Even at low temperatures, metal nanoparticles (NPs) possess atomic dynamics that are key for their properties but challenging to elucidate. Recent experimental advances allow obtaining atomic-resolution snapshots of the NPs in realistic regimes, but data acquisition limitations hinder the experimental reconstruction of the atomic dynamics present within them. Molecular simulations have the advantage that these allow directly tracking the motion of atoms over time. However, these typically start from ideal/perfect NP structures and, suffering from sampling limits, provide results that are often dependent on the initial/putative structure and remain purely indicative. Here, by combining state-of-the-art experimental and computational approaches, how it is possible to tackle the limitations of both approaches and resolve the atomistic dynamics present in metal NPs in realistic conditions is demonstrated. Annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy enables the acquisition of ten high-resolution images of an Au NP at intervals of 0.6 s. These are used to reconstruct atomistic 3D models of the real NP used to run ten independent molecular dynamics simulations. Machine learning analyses of the simulation trajectories allow resolving the real-time atomic dynamics present within the NP. This provides a robust combined experimental/computational approach to characterize the structural dynamics of metal NPs in realistic conditions. Experimental and computational techniques are bridged to unveil atomic dynamics in gold nanoparticles (NPs), using annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy and molecular dynamics simulations informed by machine learning. The approach provides unprecedented insights into the real-time structural behaviors of NPs, merging state-of-the-art techniques to accurately characterize their dynamics under realistic conditions. image  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001206888000001 Publication Date 2024-04-24  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2198-3844 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 15.1 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes This work was supported by the funding received by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (grant agreement no. 818776- DYNAPOL, no. 770887 PICOMETRICS and no. 815128 REALNANO). The authors also acknowledge the computational resources provided by the Swiss National Supercomputing Center (CSCS), by CINECA, and the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium) G.0346.21N. Approved Most recent IF: 15.1; 2024 IF: 9.034  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205442 Serial 9171  
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Author Pastorelli, G.; Miranda, A.S.O.; Avranovich Clerici, E.; d'Imporzano, P.; Hansen, B.V.; Janssens, K.; Davies, G.R.; Borring, N. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Darkening of lead white in old master drawings and historic prints : a multi-analytical investigation Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Microchemical journal Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 199 Issue Pages 109912-10  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Antwerp X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy (AXIS)  
  Abstract Old master drawings and historic prints often feature white highlights, which are typically painted using lead white, one of the most widely used historical white pigments. However, it has been observed that many of these highlights discolour over time, becoming dark brown or black due to unclear degradation processes. This phenomenon not only misrepresents the original artefacts, threatening their suitability for public display, but also diminishes their longevity. To ensure their preservation, it is essential to determine why some lead white highlights in these museum objects retain their light tones while others are prone to darkening. The objective of this study was to identify the relationships between the composition, provenance, and production methods of lead white pigments, and their role in the discolouration observed on drawings, lithographs and early photographs. Selected samples and artefacts were examined using a range of analytical techniques, namely X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), and lead isotope analysis. While XRF analyses confirmed the presence of lead as the primary element in the majority of the highlights, XRPD measurements identified a variety of lead compounds such as the carbonates cerussite and hydrocerussite alongside galena-a black crystalline sulfide-and lead sulfates. Additionally, isotope analyses classified the lead raw materials into five main groups. Through these measurements, the examined lead white pigments were categorised based on their compositional properties in relation to the raw materials used, as well as their geographical and temporal origin. A significant finding is that lead white pigments from different production periods, spanning from older to more modern, may be characterised by varying proneness to discolouration irrespective of their provenance.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001166502200001 Publication Date 2024-01-03  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0026-265x; 0026-265x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 4.8 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.8; 2024 IF: 3.034  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205450 Serial 9197  
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Author Yorulmaz, U.; Šabani, D.; Sevik, C.; Milošević, M.V. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Goodenough-Kanamori-Anderson high-temperature ferromagnetism in tetragonal transition-metal xenes Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication 2D materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 11 Issue 3 Pages 035013-10  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract Seminal Goodenough-Kanamori-Anderson (GKA) rules provide an inceptive understanding of the superexchange interaction of two magnetic metal ions bridged with an anion, and suggest fostered ferromagnetic interaction for orthogonal bridging bonds. However, there are no examples of two-dimensional (2D) materials with structure that optimizes the GKA arguments towards enhanced ferromagnetism and its critical temperature. Here we reveal that an ideally planar GKA ferromagnetism is indeed stable in selected tetragonal transition-metal xenes (tTMXs), with Curie temperature above 300 K found in CrC and MnC. We provide the general orbitally-resolved analysis of magnetic interactions that supports the claims and sheds light at the mechanisms dominating the magnetic exchange process in these structures. Furthermore, we propose the set of three GKA-like rules that will guarantee room temperature ferromagetnism. With recent advent of epitaxially-grown tetragonal 2D materials, our findings earmark tTMXs for facilitated spintronic and magnonic applications, or as a desirable magnetic constituent of functional 2D heterostructures.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001208053200001 Publication Date 2024-04-12  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2053-1583 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 5.5 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5.5; 2024 IF: 6.937  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205464 Serial 9153  
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Author Pascucci, F.; Conti, S.; Perali, A.; Tempère, J.; Neilson, D. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Effects of intralayer correlations on electron-hole double-layer superfluidity Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Physical review B Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 109 Issue 9 Pages 094512-94515  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Theory of quantum systems and complex systems; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract We investigate the intralayer correlations acting within the layers in a superfluid system of electron -hole spatially separated layers. In this system, superfluidity is predicted to be almost exclusively confined to the Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) and crossover regimes where the electron -hole pairs are well localized. In this case, Hartree-Fock is an excellent approximation for the intralayer correlations. We find in the BEC regime that the effect of the intralayer correlations on superfluid properties is negligible but in the BCS-BEC crossover regime the superfluid gap is significantly weakened by the intralayer correlations. This is caused by the intralayer correlations boosting the number of low -energy particle -hole excitations that drive the screening. We further find that the intralayer correlations suppress the predicted phenomenon in which the average pair size passes through a minimum as the crossover regime is traversed.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001199662600001 Publication Date 2024-03-18  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2469-9969; 2469-9950 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 3.7 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.7; 2024 IF: 3.836  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205476 Serial 9145  
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Author Moura, V.N.; Chaves, A.; Peeters, F.M.; Milošević, M.V. url  doi
openurl 
  Title McMillan-Ginzburg-Landau theory of singularities and discommensurations in charge density wave states of transition metal dichalcogenides Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Physical review B Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 109 Issue 9 Pages 094507-94511  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract The McMillan-Ginzburg-Landau (MGL) model for charge density waves (CDW) is employed in a systematic phenomenological study of the different phases that have been probed in recent experiments involving transition metal dichalcogenides. We implemented an efficient imaginary time evolution method to solve the MGL equations, which enabled us to investigate the role of different coupling parameters on the CDW patterns and to perform calculations with different energy functionals that lead to several experimentally observed singularities in the CDW phase profiles. In particular, by choosing the appropriate energy functionals, we were able to obtain phases that go beyond the well-known periodic phase slips (discommensurations), exhibiting also topological defects (i.e., vortex-antivortex pairs), domain walls where the CDW order parameter is suppressed, and even CDW with broken rotational symmetry. Finally, we briefly discuss the effect of these different CDW phases on the profile and critical temperature of the competing superconducting state.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001199651500001 Publication Date 2024-03-11  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2469-9969; 2469-9950 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 3.7 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.7; 2024 IF: 3.836  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205491 Serial 9158  
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Author Tschulkow, M.; Pizzol, M.; Compernolle, T.; Van den Bosch, S.; Sels, B.; Van Passel, S. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title The environmental impacts of the lignin-first biorefineries : a consequential life cycle assessment approach Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Resources, conservation and recycling Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 204 Issue Pages 107466-107469  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering Management (ENM)  
  Abstract The emerging reductive catalytic fractionation biorefinery which is currently under development aims to convert woody biomass efficiently into high-value products. Despite its potential, the environmental consequences of its implementation are not well known. Therefore, a forward-looking consequential life cycle assessment examines greenhouse gas emissions associated with its products (pulp, phenolic monomers, and oligomers) compared to alternative market options. Findings indicate that current greenhouse gas emissions exceed those of the existing alternatives, with by-products and the gaseous waste stream as major contributors. Process adaption to (i) produce higher-valued products (bleached pulps, phenols, and propylene) and (ii) incinerate gaseous waste stream for energy are proposed, potentially reducing emissions by up to 50 %, outperforming alternative options. Compared to land-based transportation, waterways can increase feedstock availability by up to 1000 km without an increase in emissions. In conclusion, the consequential approach provides valuable insights for enhancing and optimizing the environmental performance of the process.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001186282000001 Publication Date 2024-02-14  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0921-3449 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 13.2 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 13.2; 2024 IF: 3.313  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205493 Serial 9234  
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Author Leigh, S.; Doyle, S.J.; Smith, G.J.; Gibson, A.R.; Boswell, R.W.; Charles, C.; Dedrick, J.P. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Ionization and neutral gas heating efficiency in radio frequency electrothermal microthrusters : the role of driving frequency Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Physics of plasmas Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 31 Issue 2 Pages 023509-23513  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract The development of compact, low power, charge-neutral propulsion sources is of significant recent interest due to the rising application of micro-scale satellite platforms. Among such sources, radio frequency (rf) electrothermal microthrusters present an attractive option due to their scalability, reliability, and tunable control of power coupling to the propellant. For micropropulsion applications, where available power is limited, it is of particular importance to understand how electrical power can be transferred to the propellant efficiently, a process that is underpinned by the plasma sheath dynamics. In this work, two-dimensional fluid/Monte Carlo simulations are employed to investigate the effects of applied voltage frequency on the electron, ion, and neutral heating in an rf capacitively coupled plasma microthruster operating in argon. Variations in the electron and argon ion densities and power deposition, and their consequent effect on neutral-gas heating, are investigated with relation to the phase-averaged and phase-resolved sheath dynamics for rf voltage frequencies of 6-108 MHz at 450 V. Driving voltage frequencies above 40.68 MHz exhibit enhanced volumetric ionization from bulk electrons at the expense of the ion heating efficiency. Lower driving voltage frequencies below 13.56 MHz exhibit more efficient ionization due to secondary electrons and an increasing fraction of rf power deposition into ions. Thermal efficiencies are improved by a factor of 2.5 at 6 MHz as compared to the more traditional 13.56 MHz, indicating a favorable operating regime for low power satellite applications.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001207449000001 Publication Date 2024-02-23  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1070-664x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 2.2 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.2; 2024 IF: 2.115  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205506 Serial 9156  
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Author Wang, J.; Zhao, W.-S.; Hu, Y.; Filho, R.N.C.; Peeters, F.M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Charged vacancy in graphene : interplay between Landau levels and atomic collapse resonances Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Physical review B Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 109 Issue 10 Pages 104103-104106  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract The interplay between a magnetic field and the Coulomb potential from a charged vacancy on the electron states in graphene is investigated within the tight-binding model. The Coulomb potential removes locally Landau level degeneracy, while the vacancy introduces a satellite level next to the normal Landau level. These satellite levels are found throughout the positive-energy region, but in the negative-energy region, they turn into atomic collapse resonances. Crossings between Landau levels with different angular quantum number m are found. Unlike the point impurity system in which an anticrossing occurs between Landau levels of the same m, in this work anticrossing is found between the normal Landau level and the vacancy-induced level. The atomic collapse resonance hybridizes with the Landau levels. The charge at which the lowest Landau level m = -1, N = 1 crosses E = 0 increases with enhancing magnetic field. A Landau level scaling anomaly occurs when the charge is larger than the critical charge beta 0.6 and this critical charge is independent of the magnetic field.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001199561900008 Publication Date 2024-03-04  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2469-9969; 2469-9950 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 3.7 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.7; 2024 IF: 3.836  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205508 Serial 9137  
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Author Yang, C.-Q.; Yin, Z.-W.; Li, W.; Cui, W.-J.; Zhou, X.-G.; Wang, L.-D.; Zhi, R.; Xu, Y.-Y.; Tao, Z.-W.; Sang, X.; Cheng, Y.-B.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Hu, Z.-Y.; Su, B.-L. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Atomically deciphering the phase segregation in mixed halide perovskite Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Advanced functional materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 1-10  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Mixed-halide perovskites show promising applications in tandem solar cells owing to their adjustable bandgap. One major obstacle to their commercialization is halide phase segregation, which results in large open-circuit voltage deficiency and J-V hysteresis. However, the ambiguous interplay between structural origin and phase segregation often results in aimless and unspecific optimization strategies for the device's performance and stability. An atomic scale is directly figured out the abundant Ruddlesden-Popper anti-phase boundaries (RP-APBs) within a CsPbIBr2 polycrystalline film and revealed that phase segregation predominantly occurs at RP-APB-enriched interfaces due to the defect-mediated lattice strain. By compensating their structural lead halide, such RP-APBs are eliminated, and the decreasing of strain can be observed, resulting in the suppression of halide phase segregation. The present work provides the deciphering to precisely regulate the perovskite atomic structure for achieving photo-stable mixed halide wide-bandgap perovskites of high-efficiency tandem solar cell commercial applications. The phase segregation in mixed halide perovskite film predominantly occurs at Ruddlesden-Popper anti-phase boundaries (RP-APBs)-enriched interfaces due to the defect-mediated lattice strain. The RP-APBs defects can be eliminated by compensating for their structural lead halide deficiency, resulting in the suppression of halide phase segregation. image  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001200673300001 Publication Date 2024-04-12  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1616-301x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 19 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 19; 2024 IF: 12.124  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205509 Serial 9134  
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Author Chai, Z.-N.; Wang, X.-C.; Yusupov, M.; Zhang, Y.-T. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Unveiling the interaction mechanisms of cold atmospheric plasma and amino acids by machine learning Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Plasma processes and polymers Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 1-26  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Plasma medicine has attracted tremendous interest in a variety of medical conditions, ranging from wound healing to antimicrobial applications, even in cancer treatment, through the interactions of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) and various biological tissues directly or indirectly. The underlying mechanisms of CAP treatment are still poorly understood although the oxidative effects of CAP with amino acids, peptides, and proteins have been explored experimentally. In this study, machine learning (ML) technology is introduced to efficiently unveil the interaction mechanisms of amino acids and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in seconds based on the data obtained from the reactive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, which are performed to probe the interaction of five types of amino acids with various ROS on the timescale of hundreds of picoseconds but with the huge computational load of several days. The oxidative reactions typically start with H-abstraction, and the details of the breaking and formation of chemical bonds are revealed; the modification types, such as nitrosylation, hydroxylation, and carbonylation, can be observed. The dose effects of ROS are also investigated by varying the number of ROS in the simulation box, indicating agreement with the experimental observation. To overcome the limits of timescales and the size of molecular systems in reactive MD simulations, a deep neural network (DNN) with five hidden layers is constructed according to the reaction data and employed to predict the type of oxidative modification and the probability of occurrence only in seconds as the dose of ROS varies. The well-trained DNN can effectively and accurately predict the oxidative processes and productions, which greatly improves the computational efficiency by almost ten orders of magnitude compared with the reactive MD simulation. This study shows the great potential of ML technology to efficiently unveil the underpinning mechanisms in plasma medicine based on the data from reactive MD simulations or experimental measurements. In this study, since reactive molecular dynamics simulation can currently only describe interactions between a few hundred atoms in a few hundred picoseconds, deep neural networks (DNN) are introduced to enhance the simulation results by predicting more data efficiently. image  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001202061200001 Publication Date 2024-04-15  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1612-8850 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 3.5 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.5; 2024 IF: 2.846  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205512 Serial 9181  
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Author Poppe, R.; Roth, N.; Neder, R.B.; Palatinus, L.; Iversen, B.B.; Hadermann, J. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Refining short-range order parameters from the three-dimensional diffuse scattering in single-crystal electron diffraction data Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication IUCrJ Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 11 Issue 1 Pages 82-91  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Our study compares short-range order parameters refined from the diffuse scattering in single-crystal X-ray and single-crystal electron diffraction data. Nb0.84CoSb was chosen as a reference material. The correlations between neighbouring vacancies and the displacements of Sb and Co atoms were refined from the diffuse scattering using a Monte Carlo refinement in DISCUS. The difference between the Sb and Co displacements refined from the diffuse scattering and the Sb and Co displacements refined from the Bragg reflections in single-crystal X-ray diffraction data is 0.012 (7) angstrom for the refinement on diffuse scattering in single-crystal X-ray diffraction data and 0.03 (2) angstrom for the refinement on the diffuse scattering in single-crystal electron diffraction data. As electron diffraction requires much smaller crystals than X-ray diffraction, this opens up the possibility of refining short-range order parameters in many technologically relevant materials for which no crystals large enough for single-crystal X-ray diffraction are available.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001168018300012 Publication Date 2023-12-14  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2052-2525 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 3.9 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.9; 2024 IF: 5.793  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205513 Serial 9170  
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Author Fang, W.; Wang, X.; Li, S.; Hao, Y.; Yang, Y.; Zhao, W.; Liu, R.; Li, D.; Li, C.; Gao, X.; Wang, L.; Guo, H.; Yi, Y. doi  openurl
  Title Plasma-catalytic one-step steam reforming of CH₄ to CH₃OH and H₂ promoted by oligomerized [Cu-O-Cu] species on zeolites Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Green chemistry : cutting-edge research for a greener sustainable future Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 26 Issue 9 Pages 5150-5154  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Oligomerized [Cu-O-Cu] species are reported to be efficient in promoting plasma catalytic one-step steam reforming of methane to methanol and hydrogen, achieving 6.8% CH4 conversion and 73.1% CH3OH selectivity without CO2.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001195192800001 Publication Date 2024-04-02  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1463-9262; 1463-9270 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 9.8 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 9.8; 2024 IF: 9.125  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205514 Serial 9165  
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Author Vermeulen, B.B.; Monteiro, M.G.; Giuliano, D.; Sorée, B.; Couet, S.; Temst, K.; Nguyen, V.D. doi  openurl
  Title Magnetization-switching dynamics driven by chiral coupling Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Physical review applied Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 21 Issue 2 Pages 024050-11  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract The Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) is known to play a central role in stabilizing chiral spin textures such as skyrmions and domain walls (DWs). Electrical manipulation of DW and skyrmion motion offers possibilities for next-generation, scalable and energy-efficient spintronic devices. However, achieving the full potential of these nanoscale devices requires overcoming several challenges, including reliable electrical write and read techniques for these magnetic objects, and addressing pinning and Joule-heating concerns. Here, through micromagnetic simulations and analytical modeling, we show that DMI can directly induce magnetization switching of a nanomagnet with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA). We find that the switching is driven by the interplay between the DMI-induced magnetic frustration and the PMA. By introducing magnetic tunnel junctions to electrically access and control the magnetization direction of the PMA nanomagnet, we first show the potential of this concept to enable high-density fieldfree spin-orbit torque magnetic random-access memory. Ultimately, we demonstrate that it offers a way of transferring and processing spin information for logic operation without relying on current-driven DW or skyrmion motion.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001187487900001 Publication Date 2024-02-26  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2331-7019 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.6 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.6; 2024 IF: 4.808  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205518 Serial 9157  
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Author Xiao, H.; Wen, H.; Xu, W.; Cheng, Y.; Zhang, J.; Cheng, X.; Xiao, Y.; Ding, L.; Li, H.; He, B.; Peeters, F.M. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Terahertz magneto-optical properties of Nitrogen-doped diamond Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Infrared physics and technology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 138 Issue Pages 105237-105239  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract Nitrogen-doped diamond (N-D) is one of the most important carbon-based electronic and optical materials. Here we study the terahertz (THz) magneto-optical (MO) properties of N-D grown by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The optical microscope, SEM, XRD, Raman spectrum, FTIR spectroscopy and XPS are used for the characterization of N-D samples. Applying THz time-domain spectroscopy (TDS), in combination with the polarization test and the presence of magnetic field in Faraday geometry, THz MO transmissions through N-D are measured from 0 to 8 T at 80 K. The complex right- and left-handed circular transmission coefficients and MO conductivities for N-D are obtained accordingly. Through fitting the experimental results with theoretical formulas of the dielectric constant and MO conductivities for an electron gas, we are able to determine magneto-optically the key electronic parameters of N-D, such as the static dielectric constant epsilon b, the electron density ne, the electronic relaxation time tau, the electronic localization factor alpha and, particularly, the effective electron mass m* obtained under non-resonant condition. The dependence of these parameters upon magnetic field is examined and analyzed. We find that the MO conductivities of N-D can be described rightly by the MO Drude-Smith formulas developed by us previously. It is shown that N-doping and the presence of the magnetic field can lead towards the larger epsilon b and heavier m* in diamond, while ne/tau/alpha in N-D decreases/increases/decreases with increasing magnetic field. The results obtained from this work are benefit to us in gaining an in-depth understanding of the electronic and optoelectronic properties of N-D.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001200173100001 Publication Date 2024-02-15  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1350-4495 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 3.3 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.3; 2024 IF: 1.713  
  Call Number (up) UA @ admin @ c:irua:205523 Serial 9178  
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