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Author Saeumel, I.; Ramirez, L.R.; Santolin, J.; Pintado, K. url  doi
openurl 
  Title A step to disentangle diversity patterns in Uruguayan grasslands : climatic seasonality, novel land-uses, and landscape context drive diversity of ground flora Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Conservation Science and Practice Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 5 Issue 9 Pages 1-20  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract South American grasslands contain extraordinary biodiversity and play a central role in the subsistence of regional agroecosystems. In recent decades, afforestation, followed by the soybean planting boom, have led to drastic land-use changes at the expense of grasslands. Impacts on local biodiversity have remained understudied. We explored the taxonomic richness and ss-diversity of plants of ground layer (excluding trees and shrubs) at different land uses, its interplay at regional scale with environmental heterogeneity, and at local scale with novel land cover types and landscape configurations. We conducted correlation, principal component, NDMS, and SDR analysis to explore variation of taxonomic richness, richness difference, replacement, and similarity of ground flora as response to environmental filters and land use change across Uruguay. We surveyed 160 plots distributed in 10 land cover types, that is, closed and open native forests, different grasslands, crops, orchards, and timber plantations. We observed overlaying regional patterns driven by seasonality of temperature and precipitation, and land cover shaping taxonomic richness at local scale. Landscape configuration affects diversity patterns of native ground flora, which seems to be sustained mainly by the “old growth grassland” species pool. Taxonomic richness of native species decreases with an increase of distance to grassland. Crops and grasslands harbor a higher number of native species in the ground flora than native forests and timber plantations. The introduction of exotics is driven mostly by crops or highly modified pastures. Diversity patterns only partially reflect the ecoregion concept. Expanding the perspective from conservation in purely natural ecosystems to measures conserving species richness in human-modified landscapes is a powerful tool against species loss in the Anthropocene.  
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  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001034673500001 Publication Date 2023-07-24  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2578-4854 ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:198300 Serial 8828  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Yu, R.; Zeng, W.; Zhou, L.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Mai, L.; Yao, Z.; Wu, J. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Layer-by-layer delithiation during lattice collapse as the origin of planar gliding and microcracking in Ni-rich cathodes Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Cell reports physical science Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 4 Issue 7 Pages 101480-14  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract High-energy-density nickel (Ni)-rich cathode materials are used in commercial lithium (Li)-ion batteries for electric vehicles, but they suffer from severe structural degradation upon cycling. Planar gliding and microcracking are seeds for fatal mechanical fracture, but their origin remains unclear. Herein, we show that “layer-by -layer delithiation”is activated at high voltages during the charge process when the “lattice collapse”(a characteristic high-voltage lattice evolution in Ni-rich cathodes) occurs. Layer-by-layer deli-thiation is evidenced by direct observation of the consecutive lattice collapse using in situ scanning transmission electron micro-scopy (STEM). The collapsing of the lattice initiates in the expanded planes and consecutively extends to the whole crystal. Localized strain will be induced at lattice-collapsing interface where planar gliding and intragranular microcracks are generated to release this strain. Our study reveals that layer-by-layer delithia-tion during lattice collapse is the fundamental origin of the mechanical instability in single-crystalline Ni-rich cathodes.  
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  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001048074500001 Publication Date 2023-06-30  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:198299 Serial 8893  
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Author Truta, F.; Drăgan, A.-M.; Tertis, M.; Parrilla, M.; Slosse, A.; Van Durme, F.; De Wael, K.; Cristea, C. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Electrochemical rapid detection of methamphetamine from confiscated samples using a graphene-based printed platform Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Sensors Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 23 Issue 13 Pages 6193-18  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract Methamphetamine (MAP) is a highly addictive and illegal stimulant drug that has a significant impact on the central nervous system. Its detection in biological and street samples is crucial for various organizations involved in forensic medicine, anti-drug efforts, and clinical diagnosis. In recent years, nanotechnology and nanomaterials have played a significant role in the development of analytical sensors for MAP detection. In this study, a fast, simple, and cost-effective electrochemical sensor is presented that is used for the sensitive detection of MAP in confiscated street samples with a complex matrix. The optimized screen-printed sensor based on a carbon working electrode modified with graphene demonstrated an excellent limit of detection, good sensitivity, and a wide dynamic range (1–500 μM) for the target illicit drug both for standard solutions and real samples (seized samples, tap water, and wastewater samples). It can detect MAP at concentrations as low as 300 nM in real samples. This limit of detection is suitable for the rapid preliminary screening of suspicious samples in customs, ports, airports, and on the street. Furthermore, the sensor exhibits a good recovery rate, indicating its reliability and repeatability. This quality is crucial for ensuring consistent and accurate results during screening processes.  
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  Language Wos 001033277900001 Publication Date 2023-07-07  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1424-8220 ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:198181 Serial 8857  
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Author Hassani, H. url  openurl
  Title First-principles study of polarons in WO₃ Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2023 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 181 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract Polarons are quasiparticles emerging in materials from the interaction of extra charge carriers with the surrounding atomic lattice. They appear in a wide va- riety of compounds and can have a profound impact on their properties, making the concept of a polaron a central and ubiquitous topic in material science. Al- though the concept is known for about 75 years, the origin of polarons is not yet fully elucidated. This thesis focuses on WO 3 as a well-known prototypical system for studying polarons, which inherent polaronic nature is linked to its remark- able electrical and chromic properties. The primary objective of this research is to provide a comprehensive atomistic description and understanding of polaron formation in WO 3 using first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calcula- tions. Additionally, the investigation explores the interactions between polarons and the possibility of bipolaron formation. Following a systematic strategy, we first extensively analyze the dielectric and lattice dynamical properties of WO 3 in both the room-temperature P 2 1 /n and ground-state P 2 1 /c phases. Our specific focus is on characterizing the zone-center phonons, which serve as the founda- tion for identifying the phonon modes involved in the polaron formation and charge localization process. Subsequently, we examine the impact of structural distortions on the electronic structure of WO 3 to elucidate the interplay between structural distortions and electronic properties, thereby laying the groundwork for understanding electron-phonon couplings. By incorporating these critical fac- tors, we address our primary research goals. The most common explanation for the polaron formation is associated with the electrostatic screening of the extra charge by the polarizable lattice. Here, we show that, even in ionic crystals, this is not necessarily the case. We demonstrate that polarons in this compound arise primarily from non-polar atomic distortions. We then unveil that this unexpected behavior originates from the undoing of distortive atomic motions, which lowers the bandgap. As such, we coin the name of anti-distortive polaron and validate its appearance through a simple quantum-dot model, in which charge localization is the result of balancing structural, electronic, and confinement energy costs. Then, we also study the polaron-polaron interaction and present the formation of the antiferromagnetic W 4+ bipolaronic state with relatively large formation energy. Our analysis of the W 4+ bipolaronic distortions on the global structure reveals the same behavior as in experiments where the highly distorted monoclinic phase transforms into a tetragonal phase as a function of doping. Additionally, leveraging our previous findings on asymmetric polaronic distortion and examin- ing different merging orientations, we stabilize the antiferromagnetic W 5+ -W 5+ bipolaronic state with an energy lower than the W 4+ state. This thesis clari- fies the formation of unusual medium-size 2D polarons and bipolarons in WO3,which might be relevant to the whole family of ABO 3 perovskites, to which WO 3 is closely related. The simplicity of the concept provides also obvious guidelines for tracking similar behavior in other families of compounds.  
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  ISSN ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:198169 Serial 8868  
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Author Vizarim, N.P. url  openurl
  Title Dynamic behavior of Skyrmions under the influence of periodic pinning in chiral magnetic infinite thin films Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2023 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 212 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract The miniaturization of transistors for application in new processors and logic devices poses a significant challenge in the field of materials. Spintronics, which relies on controlled movement of magnetic nanostructures, offers a promising solution. Among the candidates, magnetic skyrmions are considered one of the most promising. These chiral spin structures, characterized by topological protection and enhanced stability compared to vortices or magnetic bubbles, have been extensively studied. To advance in the control of skyrmion motion, essential for practical applications, we investigated their dynamic behavior in a two-dimensional chiral magnet at zero temperature. Our study focused on the influence of periodic arrays of pinning centers. The simulations considered skyrmions as point-like particles considering the following interactions: skyrmion-skyrmion interactions, interactions with pinning center arrays, a current of polarized spins, and the Magnus force. We conducted calculations for scenarios involving a single skyrmion as well as different skyrmion density values in the material. The aim was to explore possibilities for controlled skyrmion motion, investigate different dynamic regimes, and examine collective effects. The results demonstrate that by adjusting the size, strength, and density of the pinning centers, we can effectively control the motion of individual skyrmions and manage the flow of multiple skyrmions. Furthermore, we discovered that periodic arrays of pinning centers can facilitate topological selection when different species of skyrmions with distinct Magnus components are present. Employing alternating currents, we observed the significant role of the ratchet effect in the skyrmion dynamics. By fine-tuning the amplitudes of the alternating currents, we achieved direct and controlled motion of skyrmions in specific directions. These findings hold potential for advancing our understanding of skyrmion dynamics and can inspire future technological applications involving these quasi-particles. Overall, we anticipate that our results will be valuable to the scientific community, contributing to a deeper comprehension of skyrmion dynamics and paving the way for future technological applications.  
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  ISSN ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:198101 Serial 8852  
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Author Shi, P.; Gielis, J.; Niklas, K.J.; Niinemets, Ü.; Schrader, J. url  doi
isbn  openurl
  Title Leaf functional traits : ecological and evolutionary implications Type ME3 Book as editor
  Year 2023 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 185 p.  
  Keywords ME3 Book as editor; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2023-04-14  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN 978-2-8325-2086-4; 1664-8714 Additional Links (down) UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:198002 Serial 8894  
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Author Gielis, J. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Simon Stevin as a central figure in the development of abstract algebra and generic programming Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Symmetry : culture and science Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 34 Issue 2 Pages 155-168  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Simon Stevin (1548-1620) is mainly known for the decimal system and his Clootkrans proof. His influence is also profound in infinitesimal calculus, mechanics, and even in abstract algebra and today’s conception of polynomials, algorithms, and generic programming. Here we review his influence as assessed in generic programming. According to Dr. Stepanov, one of the most influential researchers in generic programming, Stevin’s work on polynomials can be regarded as the essence of generic programming: an algorithm from one domain can be applied in another similar domain.  
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  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001068714100003 Publication Date 2023-07-11  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0865-4824 ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access: Available from 08.02.2024  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:198000 Serial 8929  
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Author Biondo, O. openurl 
  Title Towards a fundamental understanding of energy-efficient, plasma-based CO<sub>2</sub> conversion Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2023 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 221 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Plasma-based CO2 conversion is worldwide gaining increasing interest. The aim of this work is to find potential pathways to improve the energy efficiency of plasma-based CO2 conversion beyond what is feasible for thermal chemistry. To do so, we use a combination of modeling and experiments to better understand the underlying mechanisms of CO2 conversion, ranging from non-thermal to thermal equilibrium conditions. Zero-dimensional (0D) chemical kinetics modelling, describing the detailed plasma chemistry, is developed to explore the vibrational kinetics of CO2, as the latter is known to play a crucial role in the energy efficient CO2 conversion. The 0D model is successfully validated against pulsed CO2 glow discharge experiments, enabling the reconstruction of the complex dynamics underlying gas heating in a pure CO2 discharge, paving the way towards the study of gas heating in more complex gas mixtures, such as CO2 plasmas with high dissociation degrees. Energy-efficient, plasma-based CO2 conversion can also be obtained upon the addition of a reactive carbon bed in the post-discharge region. The reaction between solid carbon and O2 to form CO allows to both reduce the separation costs and increase the selectivity towards CO, thus, increasing the energy efficiency of the overall conversion process. In this regard, a novel 0D model to infer the mechanism underlying the performance of the carbon bed over time is developed. The model outcome indicates that gas temperature and oxygen complexes formed at the surface of solid carbon play a fundamental and interdependent role. These findings open the way towards further optimization of the coupling between plasma and carbon bed. Experimentally, it has been demonstrated that “warm” plasmas (e.g. microwave or gliding arc plasmas) can yield very high energy efficiency for CO2 conversion, but typically only at reduced pressure. For industrial application, it will be important to realize such good energy efficiency at atmospheric pressure as well. However, recent experiments illustrate that the microwave plasma at atmospheric pressure is too close to thermal conditions to achieve a high energy efficiency. Hence, we use a comprehensive set of advanced diagnostics to characterize the plasma and the reactor performance, focusing on CO2 and CO2/CH4 microwave discharges. The results lead to a deeper understanding of the mechanism of power concentration with increasing pressure, typical of plasmas in most gases, which is of great importance for model validation and understanding of reactor performance.  
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  ISSN ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:197213 Serial 9108  
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Author Wittner, N. url  openurl
  Title Improving and characterising solid-state fungal pretreatment by Phanerochaete chrysosporium for sugar production from poplar wood Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2023 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 206 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Biochemical Wastewater Valorization & Engineering (BioWaVE)  
  Abstract Pretreatment is a critical step in the conversion of lignocellulose into biofuels and biochemicals. During pretreatment, the recalcitrance of lignocellulose is reduced, e.g. by removing lignin, thereby making the carbohydrates more accessible for enzymatic saccharification. Fungal delignification by white-rot fungi is a biotechnological alternative to chemical/physicochemical methods, which is carried out in solid-state fermentation with mild reaction conditions and without the formation of microbial inhibitors. However, fungal pretreatment presents some challenges, such as long pretreatment time, non-selective and low delignification, low enzymatic digestibility and feedstock sterilisation requirement, making its commercial implementation challenging compared to conventional methods. This study investigates the possibility of improving and characterising the solid-state fungal pretreatment of poplar wood by Phanerochaete chrysosporium. The individual and combined effects of MnSO4 and CuSO4 supplements on the delignification of sterilised wood are investigated using response surface methodology to improve the degree and selectivity of fungal delignification. Spore-inoculated solid-state fermentations are carried out for 4 weeks in sterile vented bottles. The mechanism of the concerted action of the metal ions on lignin degradation is then elucidated by relating fungal growth and ligninolytic enzyme activities to lignocellulose degradation as a function of pretreatment time. The optimised metal-supplemented system is then applied to the pretreatment of non-sterilised wood using different inoculation techniques (spores and pre-colonised substrate), nutrients (metal ions with or without glucose and sodium nitrate) and cultivation environments (sterile aerated bottles and open trays). The fermentations are then characterised using infrared spectroscopy, in particular NIR and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, with the aim of developing rapid lignin quantification methods as an alternative to conventional wet chemical methods. Finally, the feasibility of producing fermentable sugars from sterilised and non-sterilised poplar wood using fungal pretreatment is evaluated through a techno-economic analysis. Supplementing the pretreatment system with 2.01 µmol CuSO4 and 0.77 µmol MnSO4 g-1 wood resulted in 1.9-fold higher lignin degradation, 2.3-fold higher delignification selectivity value and 2.9-fold higher glucose yield. The improved delignification could be explained by the concerted action of Mn2+ and Cu2+ ions, with Mn2+ ions inducing and Cu2+ prolonging manganese peroxidase production responsible for delignification. Fungal pretreatment at non-sterile conditions was obtained using trays in a simple solid-state fermentation set-up without sterile aeration. A 1:3 ratio of pre-colonised and untreated wood was applied for inoculation and only Cu2+, Mn2+ and sodium nitrate as supplements. Remarkably, this technology resulted in a comparably high glucose yield (28.51 ± 0.28%) to the traditional method using sterilised wood, sterile aeration and spores as inoculum, while reducing the amount of wood to be sterilised by 71.2%. Infrared spectroscopy-based methods with high coefficients of determination (R_CV  
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  ISSN ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:197185 Serial 8883  
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Author Derks, K. file  openurl
  Title Scanning Michael Sweerts and Michaelina Wautier : uncovering the working methods of 17th-century Brussels artists by means of MA-XRF examination Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2023 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 634 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Art; Antwerp Cultural Heritage Sciences (ARCHES); Antwerp X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy (AXIS)  
  Abstract This dissertation focuses on the materials and techniques used by the Brussels artists Michael Sweerts (1618-1664) and Michaelina Wautier (1614-1689). It tries to answer the following research questions: 1.Did 17th-century Brussels-based artists use idiosyncratic painting materials and techniques, and can their work be distinguished from paintings created in other artistic centers based on these materials and techniques? 2.How did Sweerts and Wautier influence each other’s work? In order to answer the research questions, a selection of relevant and representative paintings from Sweerts’ and Wautier’s oeuvre has been studied with MA-XRF scanning and microscopic examination. The results are discussed in volume 2 of this dissertation, and form the basis upon which the chapters in volume 1 are built. MA-XRF scanning is a non-destructive imaging technique based on the technique of X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The technique allows for the collection of elemental information about the materials present in a work of art. The work presented in this dissertation has shed more light on the working methods of Sweerts and Wautier. It has shown they both showed an openness and willingness to continue learning and developing as an artist. Wautier did not feel constrained to work only in one genre and apparently carried on developing her skills throughout her career, as evidenced by Flower Garland with Butterfly. She might have trained with a specialized artist to master their idiosyncratic working methods and this diverse genre. This suggests that Wautier had an interest in art education. Sweerts too had a passion for art education: he was involved in the drawing academy of Camillo Pamphilj in Rome, and later established his own academy for life drawing in Brussels. Sweerts’ work clearly shows the influence of his Italian contemporaries. Whilst living in Rome, he adapted his working methods to local customs such as working on brightly colored grounds. Wautier’s oeuvre shows that she was open to explore different genres and that she took inspiration from her contemporaries, including Theodoor van Loon and Daniël Seghers. In doing so, she furthered the development of different genres as she added original elements to her compositions. It is the conclusion of this dissertation that Michaelina Wautier can thus be considered one of the innovative artists of mid-17th-century Flemish painting, who inspired other artists in the Low Countries, including Michael Sweerts.  
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  ISSN ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:197182 Serial 8927  
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Author Vervloessem, E. url  openurl
  Title The role of pulsing and humidity in plasma-based nitrogen fixation : a combined experimental and modeling study Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2023 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 358 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Nitrogen (N) is an indispensable building block for all living organisms as well as for pharmaceutical and chemical industry. In a nutshell, N is needed for plants to grow and beings to live and nitrogen fixation (NF) is the process that makes N available for plants as food by converting N2 into a reactive form, such as ammonia (NH3) or nitrogen oxides (NOx), upon reacting with O2 and H2. The aim of this thesis is to elucidate (wet) plasma-based nitrogen fixation with a focus on (1) the role of pulsing in achieving low energy consumption, (2) the role of H2O as a hydrogen source in nitrogen fixation and (3) elucidation of nitrogen fixation pathways in humid air and humid N2 plasma in a combined experimental and computational study. Furthermore, this thesis aims to take into account the knowledge-gaps and challenges identified in the discussion of the state of the art. Specifically, (1) we put our focus on branching out to another way of introducing water into the plasma system, i.e. H2O vapor, (2) we de-couple the problem for pathway elucidation by starting with characterization of the chosen plasma, next a simpler gas mixture and building up from there, (3) we include modelling, though not under wet conditions and (4) we focus on also analyzing species and performance outside liquid H2O. Firstly, based on the reaction analysis of a validated quasi-1D model, we can conclude that pulsing is indeed the key factor for energy-efficient NOx- formation, due to the strong temperature drop it causes. Secondly, the thesis shows that added H2O vapor, and not liquid H2O, is the main source of H for NH3 generation. Related to this, we discuss how the selectivity of plasma-based NF in humid air and humid N2 can be controlled by changing the humidity in the feed gas. Interestingly, NH3 production can be achieved in both N2 and air plasmas using H2O as a H source. Lastly, we identified a significant loss mechanism for NH3 and HNO2 that occurs in systems where these species are synthesized simultaneously, i.e. downstream from the plasma, HNO2 reacts with NH3 to form NH4NO2, which decomposes into N2 and H2O. This reduces the effective NF when not properly addressed, and should therefore be considered in future works aimed at optimizing plasma-based NF. In conclusion, this thesis adds further to the current state of the art of plasma-based NF both in the presence of H2O and in dry systems.  
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  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:197038 Serial 9088  
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Author Van Putte, N. url  openurl
  Title Improving groundwater dynamics : a key factor for successful tidal marsh restoration Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2023 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 166 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Ecosphere  
  Abstract Tidal marshes take up and release certain elements from and to the river water. Hence, they act as a filter, improving the estuarine water quality. This filtering function depends on the interaction between the marsh soil and water that infiltrates into the marsh platform at high tide and seeps out of the creek banks at low tide. In the past centuries, many tidal marshes disappeared due to large scale land reclamations, together with their associated ecosystem services. Nowadays, tidal marshes are increasingly restored on formerly embanked agricultural areas to regain these ecosystem services. Here, we studied the effect of historical agricultural land use on the contribution of restored tidal marshes to water quality improvement, and we investigated several solutions to stimulate the water quality improving function in newly restored tidal marshes. In restored tidal marshes, the soil is often compacted due to the historical agricultural land use, leading to a reduced organic matter content and micro- and macroporosity. In this compacted soil, groundwater flow is hindered, leading to a more waterlogged soil and reduced groundwater dynamics in the restored marsh as compared to a natural marsh. The depth of groundwater drainage and the groundwater flow velocity have important implications for the processes that contribute to water quality improvement, e.g. removal of nitrogen, phosphorus retention and silica cycling. Where groundwater drains deeper, i.e. in the vicinity of tidal creeks and in a more porous soil, these processes are promoted. We suggest that, in newly restored tidal marshes, the soil porosity can be increased by amending the soil (e.g. with organic matter), and the distance to the nearest tidal creek can be reduced by creek excavation. Numerical modelling showed that the largest gain in groundwater dynamics and seepage was attained when both measures were applied together. The effect of organic soil amendments on groundwater dynamics and nutrient cycling was further explored in a large scale in situ mesocosm experiment. Where the soil was amended, groundwater drained deeper and nitrogen removal increased. For new tidal marsh restoration projects, we advise to conduct an explorative soil study. When the soil is heavily compacted, design measures, such as creek initiation and organic soil amendments can be applied to jumpstart the contribution to water quality improvement of newly restored tidal marshes.  
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  ISSN ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:196965 Serial 8884  
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Author Friedrich, T. url  openurl
  Title Quantifying atomic structures using neural networks from 4D scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) datasets Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2023 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 127 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Nanoscience and nanotechnologies are of immense importance across many fields of science and for numerous practical applications. In this context, scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and 4D-STEM are among the most powerful characterization methods at the atomic scale. Annular dark-field (ADF)-STEM can be used to quantify atomic structures in 3D by counting atoms based on a single projection image. In 4D-STEM a full diffraction pattern is recorded at each scan step, which enables more dose efficient imaging and the utilization of various advanced imaging modalities, which can however be complex and slow. Both, STEM and 4D-STEM suffer from noise and distortions. In the first section of this work the most important of these distortions are discussed and it is shown how image restoration with a dedicated convolutional neural network (CNN) can be beneficial for atomic structure quantifications in ADF-STEM. In the second part, a new 4D-STEM imaging method real-time-integrated-centre-of-mass (riCOM) is introduced, which is a very dose-efficient and fast algorithm that enables unprecedented live-imaging capabilities for 4D-STEM. It is based on the integrated centre-of-mass approach, but is reformulated with variable integration ranges and optional filters, which allows for a tunable contrast transfer function. This enables the imaging of light and heavy elements simultaneously at very low doses. In the third part another new 4D-STEM method, coined AIRPI (AI-assisted rapid phase imaging) is introduced, which uses a CNN to retrieve a patch of the specimen's phase image for each scan position, based on the diffraction patterns in the probe's immediate surroundings. This allows also live imaging in principle and surpasses comparable state-of-the-art algorithms in terms of resolution also at low doses. Different atomic columns can be reliably distinguished over a wide range of atomic numbers, enabling a very good image interpretability. Further, AIRPI can recover low frequency image components, which preserves thickness information. This is a unique and important feature which could make quantitative 4D-STEM feasible.  
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
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  ISSN ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:196826 Serial 8919  
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Author Yang, T. openurl 
  Title Characterization of Laves phase structural evolution and regulation of its precipitation behavior in Al-Zn-Mg based alloys Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2023 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages ii, 106 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Al-Zn-Mg-based high strength alloys are widely used in aerospace applications due to their low density and excellent mechanical properties. A systematic study of the structural evolution of the nano-precipitation phase and its growth mechanism is an important guide for the design of new high-strength alloys. In this work, the Laves structure precipitates in Al-Zn-Mg(-Cu/Y) alloy was systematically characterized. Based on the structure evolution, the structure of submicron Laves particles and quasicrystalline particles in the alloy at microscale, as well as the regulation of the precipitation behavior after adding Y at nanoscale were further investigated. The main innovative results are summarized as follows: (1) Investigation on coexistence of defect structures in Laves structural nanoprecipitates. Three types of Laves structures can coexist within the η-MgZn2 precipitates: C14, C15 and C36, and the Laves structure transition sequence of C14→C36→C15 in this system was determined. Meanwhile, it was found that there are diverse defect structures in the MgZn2 phase, including stacking faults, planar defects and five-fold domain structures, which have significant effects on relieving the internal stress/strain of the precipitates. (2) Investigation on multiple phase transition of Laves structural nanoprecipitates from C14 to C36 and from C14 to quasicrystal clusters. It is found that C14 precipitates can be completely transformed into the C36 precipitates. And it is also found that the C14 Laves phase structure can also transform into quasicrystalline clusters. These investigations on various phase transition mechanisms among Laves phases provide theoretical support for the microstructural characterization of materials containing multi-scale Laves phases. (3) Characterization of Laves and quasicrystal structural particles in submicron scale. Submicron-scale quasicrystal particles were obtained in conventional casting Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys for the first time. Industrial impurity elements Fe and Ni can induce the formation of quasicrystalline particles. When there is no Fe/Ni enriched in particles, the structure is characterized as C15-Laves phase. When Fe/Ni is as quasicrystalline core, a stable core-shell quasicrystalline structure with Al-Fe-Ni nucleus and Mg-Cu-Zn shell can be formed. (4) Investigation on the regulation of nanoscale Laves precipitates’ growth. To regulate the defect structure of the precipitates, rare earth element Y was added in Al-Zn-Mg alloys and its influence on the precipitation behavior was investigated. The addition of Y element can dynamically combine with different alloying elements during aging process, which can refine the size of precipitate and further improve the nucleation rate and precipitation rate of the precipitates.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:196404 Serial 7631  
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Author Voordeckers, D. openurl 
  Title Design to breathe : understanding and altering wind patterns in street canyons to reduce human exposure to air pollution Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2023 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages xxii, 303 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Research Group for Urban Development; Intelligence in PRocesses, Advanced Catalysts and Solvents (iPRACS)  
  Abstract Air pollution is proclaimed by the World Health Organiaation (WHO) as the biggest environmental threat to human health. Street canyons, or urban roads flanked by a continuous row of high buildings on both sides, are perceived as typical bottleneck areas for air quality due to their lack of natural ventilation. This doctoral thesis aims to integrate expert knowledge on in-canyon flow fields and pollution dispersion in street canyons from the specialized field of (bio)engineering into the field of urban planning and vice versa. In Chapter 1, a Geospatial Information System (GIS) method was developed to detect exposure zones and hotspot street canyons. A critical combination between aspect ratio (AR > 0.65) and traffic volume (TVmax > 300) was detected and subsequently used to detect hotspot street canyons in three major European cities (Antwerp, London and Paris). Chapter 2 focusses on acquiring in-depth knowledge on flow and concentration fields in street canyons by conducting an extensive literature review on over 200 studies and translates this knowledge into nineteen guidelines and eleven spatial tools, comprised in a toolbox for urban planning. Subsequently, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used into a research trough design process (Chapter 4) to illustrate how the design tools can be applied to a specific case study (Belgiëlei, Antwerp). Alternations to traffic lanes (traffic lane reduction and lateral displacement) combined with low boundary walls (LBWs), were found to reduce NO2 levels in the entire pedestrian area up to – 3.6 % and peak pollutions were reduced by -8 %. A maximum NO2 reduction was reached by combining a traffic lane displacement with hedges, adjustments to the tree planting pattern and an increased ground-level permeability, leading to reductions up to – 4.5 % in the pedestrian areas. In conclusion, urban design was found to be a valuable tool to enhance the effect of emission reduction strategies and draw in-canyon concentrations closer to the value of the background concentration. However, the background concentration seemed to dominate the efficiency of the urban design interventions and therefore, additional measures should be taken to reduce background pollution levels. This dissertation aims to contribute to the awareness of air pollution in street canyons, as well as support local governments in taking action by delivering spatial tools and guidelines applicable for urban planning and represents a framework for the dissemination of expert information on air quality in street canyons to the field of urban planning.  
  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 (down) UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:196399 Serial 7767  
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Author Biely, K.; Van Passel, S. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Market power and sustainability : a new research agenda Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Discover Sustainability Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 5-13  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM)  
  Abstract Perfectly operating markets only exist in theory. Market failures are known to not only inhibit the proper functioning of the market, but also affect sustainability and thus a sustainability transition. In this regard, much attention has been paid to externalities or missing markets, even though these are not the only market failures. In this paper, we argue that market power and its relationship with sustainability has been neglected, despite the fact that, back in 1931, Hotelling indicated the connection between the two concepts. However, research that has been dealing with this connection has not been comprehensive and has only looked at one aspect of sustainability and market power. Due to the rising relevance of market power as well as of sustainability concerns, the connection between the two deserves thorough attention. Accordingly, we propose initiating a new interdisciplinary research agenda to comprehensively analyze the complex relationship between market power and sustainability.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000934090500003 Publication Date 2022-02-08  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2662-9984 ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:195360 Serial 7362  
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Author Kovács, A. url  openurl
  Title A structured methodology for natural deep eutectic solvent selection and formulation for enzymatic reactions Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2023 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages viii, 216 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT); Biochemical Wastewater Valorization & Engineering (BioWaVE); Intelligence in PRocesses, Advanced Catalysts and Solvents (iPRACS)  
  Abstract Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) show great promise as media for enzymatic reactions in areas where (bio)compatibility with natural or medicinal products is a must. While in theory they can be tailored to the intended reaction to ensure optimized yields, the knowledge to date is predominantly empirical, with some mechanistic reports providing a fragmented view at best. Therefore, it is not easy to explain experimental observations, let alone make predictions. The aim of this study was to develop a structured, holistic understanding of the effects of NADES media on enzymatic reactions, distinguishing between effects on solubility, solvation, viscosity, inhibition and denaturation. Experimental and computational chemistry methods were combined to separately study the interactions between enzyme, substrate, and NADES as reaction media. The initial enzyme activity and the final conversion of vinyl laurate transesterification by immobilized Candida antarctica lipase were studied experimentally. The direct effect of NADES on the same enzyme was modeled by molecular dynamics simulation. The effect of solubility was studied by both experimental and computational methods. To predict the solubility and viscosity of NADES, data-driven models were developed by combining group contribution and machine learning methods, based on the accumulated experimental knowledge on NADES found in the literature. Finally, the composed relationships and prediction models were applied to the practical example of deacetylation of mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs). The experimental findings show that the chosen NADES system has a significant effect on both the apparent initial activity and the final conversion. However, in the simulations, the enzyme retains its original structure; moreover, NADES has an additional stabilizing effect on the enzyme. In addition, changes in the molar ratio of the compounds in NADES do not show a significant effect on the stability of the enzyme. These results indicate that the main effect of NADES on the reaction is mainly related to the substrate-solvent interactions (solvation energy) and the viscosity of the system. On the other hand, the experimental results only confirmed the significance of solvation, viscosity did not show a clear correlation with the studied reaction parameters. The machine learning models built for solubility and viscosity gave quantitative predictions of these properties. The accumulated knowledge was used to optimize the yield in the deacetylation reaction of MELs. The combination of these methods provides fundamental knowledge about the effect of NADES on biocatalysis, but the results are also applicable to other uses of NADES.  
  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 (down) UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:194886 Serial 7276  
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Author Van Alphen, S. url  openurl
  Title Modelling plasma reactors for sustainable CO2 conversion and N2 fixation Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2023 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 202 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract 200 years ago, humanity started the industrial revolution by discovering fossil fuels, which lead to unprecedented technological advancements. However it has become alarmingly clear that the major environmental concerns associated with fossil fuels require a short-term transition from a carbon-based energy economy to a sustainable one based on green electricity. A key step concerning this transition exists in developing electricity-driven alternatives for chemical processes that rely on fossil fuels as a raw material. A technology that is gaining increasing interest to achieve this, is plasma technology. Using plasmas to induce chemical reactions by selectively heating electrons in a gas has already delivered promising results for gas conversion applications like CO2 conversion and N2 fixation, but plasma reactors still require optimization to be considered industrially competitive to existing fossil fuel-based processes and emerging other electricity-based technologies. In this thesis I develop computational models to describe plasma reactors and identify key mechanisms in three different plasma reactors for three different gas conversion applications, i.e. N2 fixation, combined CO2-CH4 conversion and CO2 splitting. I first developed models to describe a new rotating gliding arc (GA) reactor operating in two arc modes, which, as revealed by my model, are characterized by distinct plasma chemistry pathways. Subsequently, my colleague and I study the quenching effect of an effusion nozzle to this rotating GA reactor, reaching the best results to date for N2 fixation into NOx at atmospheric pressure, i.e., NOx concentrations up to 5.9%, at an energy cost down to 2.1 MJ/mol. Afterwards, I investigate the possible improvement of N2 admixtures in plasma-based CO2 and CH4 conversion, as significant amounts of N2 are often found in industrial CO2 waste streams, and gas separations are financially costly. Through combining my models with the experiment from a fellow PhD student, we reveal that moderate amounts of N2 (i.e. around 20%) increase both the electron density and the gas temperature to yield an overall energy cost reduction of 21%. Finally, I model quenching nozzles for plasma-based CO2 conversion in a microwave reactor, to explain the enhancements in CO2 conversion that were demonstrated in experiments. Through computational modelling I reveal that the nozzle introduces fast gas quenching resulting in the suppression of recombination reactions, which have more impact at low flow rates, where recombination is the most limiting factor in the conversion process.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
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  Language Wos Publication Date  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:194811 Serial 7270  
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Author McLachlan, G.; Majdak, P.; Reijniers, J.; Mihocic, M.; Peremans, H. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Dynamic spectral cues do not affect human sound localization during small head movements Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Frontiers in neuroscience Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 17 Issue Pages 1027827-10  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Psychology; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT); Engineering Management (ENM)  
  Abstract Natural listening involves a constant deployment of small head movement. Spatial listening is facilitated by head movements, especially when resolving front-back confusions, an otherwise common issue during sound localization under head-still conditions. The present study investigated which acoustic cues are utilized by human listeners to localize sounds using small head movements (below ±10° around the center). Seven normal-hearing subjects participated in a sound localization experiment in a virtual reality environment. Four acoustic cue stimulus conditions were presented (full spectrum, flattened spectrum, frozen spectrum, free-field) under three movement conditions (no movement, head rotations over the yaw axis and over the pitch axis). Localization performance was assessed using three metrics: lateral and polar precision error and front-back confusion rate. Analysis through mixed-effects models showed that even small yaw rotations provide a remarkable decrease in front-back confusion rate, whereas pitch rotations did not show much of an effect. Furthermore, MSS cues improved localization performance even in the presence of dITD cues. However, performance was similar between stimuli with and without dMSS cues. This indicates that human listeners utilize the MSS cues before the head moves, but do not rely on dMSS cues to localize sounds when utilizing small head movements.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000938567400001 Publication Date 2023-02-03  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1662-4548; 1662-453x ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:194507 Serial 9025  
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Author Wang, J. url  openurl
  Title Plasma catalysis : study of CO2 reforming of CH4 in a DBD reactor Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2022 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages XVI, 232 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA); Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract The plasma-based dry reforming in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor is important to achieve sustainable goals, but many challenges remain. For example, the conversion and energy yield of DBD reactors are relatively low, and the catalysts or packing materials used in existing studies cannot improve them, possibly due to the unsuitable properties and structures of catalysts or packing materials for plasma processes. In order to study the effect of catalyst structure on plasma-based dry reforming, a controllable synthesis of the catalyst supports or templates was explored. In Chapter 2, an initially immiscible synthesis method was proposed to synthesize uniform silica spheres, which can replace the organic solvent-based Stöber method to successfully synthesize silica particles with the same size ranges as the original Stöber process without addition of organic solvents. Using the silica spheres as templates, 3D porous Cu and CuO catalysts with different pore sizes were synthesized in Chapter 3 to study the effect of catalyst pore size on the plasma-catalytic dry reforming. In most cases, the smaller the pore size, the higher the conversion of CH4 and CO2 due to the reaction of radicals and ions formed in the plasma. An exception are the samples synthesized from 1 μm silica, which show better performance due to the electric field enhancement for pore sizes close to the Debye length. Besides the pore size, the particle diameter of the catalyst or packing is also one of the important factors affecting the interaction between plasma and catalyst. In Chapter 4, SiO2 spheres (with or without supported metal) were used to study the effect of different support particle sizes on plasma-based dry reforming. We found that a uniform SiO2 packing improves the conversion of plasma-based dry reforming. The conversion of plasma-based dry reforming first increases and then decreases with increasing particle size, due to the balance between the promoting and hindering effect of the particle filling on the plasma discharge. Chapter 5 is to improve the design of the DBD reactor itself, in order to try to increase its low energy yield. Some stainless steel rings were put over the inner electrode rod of the DBD reactor. The presence of rings increases the local electric field, the displaced charges and the discharge fraction, and also makes the discharge more stable and with more uniform intensity. The placement of the rings improves the performance of the reactor at 30 W supplied power.  
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  Language Wos Publication Date  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:194045 Serial 7273  
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Author Khazaei, M.; Wang, V.; Sevik, C.; Ranjbar, A.; Arai, M.; Yunoki, S. doi  openurl
  Title Electronic structures of iMAX phases and their two-dimensional derivatives: A family of piezoelectric materials Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2018 Publication Physical review materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 2 Issue 7 Pages 074002  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract Recently, a group of MAX phases, (Mo2/3Y1/3)(2)AlC, (Mo2/3Sc1/3)(2)AlC, (W2/3Sc1/3)(2)AlC,(W2/3Y1/3)(2)AlC, and (V-2/3 Zr-1/3)(2)AlC, with in-plane ordered double transition metals, named iMAX phases, have been synthesized. Experimentally, some of these MAX phases can be chemically exfoliated into two-dimensional (2D) single- or multilayered transition metal carbides, so-called MXenes. Accordingly, the 2D nanostructures derived from iMAX phases are named iMXenes. Here we investigate the structural stabilities and electronic structures of the experimentally discovered iMAX phases and their possible iMXene derivatives. We show that the iMAX phases and their pristine, F, or OH-terminated iMXenes are metallic. However, upon 0 termination, (Mo2/3Y1/3)(2)C, (Mo2/3Sc1/3)(2)C, (W2/3Y1/3)(2)C, and (W2/3Sc1/3)(2)C iMXenes turn into semiconductors. Owing to the absence of centrosymmetry, the semiconducting iMXenes may find applications in piezoelectricity. Our calculations reveal that the semiconducting iMXenes possess giant piezoelectric coefficients as large as 45 x 10(-)(10) C/m.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000438354500001 Publication Date 2018-07-12  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2475-9953 ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:193791 Serial 7876  
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Author Sarikurt, S.; Çakir, D.; Keceli, M.; Sevik, C. doi  openurl
  Title The influence of surface functionalization on thermal transport and thermoelectric properties of MXene monolayers Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2018 Publication Nanoscale Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 10 Issue 18 Pages 8859-8868  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract The newest members of a two-dimensional material family, involving transition metal carbides and nitrides (called MXenes), have garnered increasing attention due to their tunable electronic and thermal properties depending on the chemical composition and functionalization. This flexibility can be exploited to fabricate efficient electrochemical energy storage (batteries) and energy conversion (thermoelectric) devices. In this study, we calculated the Seebeck coefficients and lattice thermal conductivity values of oxygen terminated M2CO2 (where M = Ti, Zr, Hf, Sc) monolayer MXene crystals in two different functionalization configurations (model-II (MD-II) and model-III (MD-III)), using density functional theory and Boltzmann transport theory. We estimated the thermoelectric figure-of-merit, zT, of these materials by two different approaches, as well. First of all, we found that the structural model (i.e. adsorption site of oxygen atom on the surface of MXene) has a paramount impact on the electronic and thermoelectric properties of MXene crystals, which can be exploited to engineer the thermoelectric properties of these materials. The lattice thermal conductivity kappa(l), Seebeck coefficient and zT values may vary by 40% depending on the structural model. The MD-III configuration always has the larger band gap, Seebeck coefficient and zT, and smaller kappa(l) as compared to the MD-II structure due to a larger band gap, highly flat valence band and reduced crystal symmetry in the former. The MD-III configuration of Ti2CO2 and Zr2CO2 has the lowest kappa(l) as compared to the same configuration of Hf2CO2 and Sc2CO2. Among all the considered structures, the MD-II configuration of Hf2CO2 has the highest kappa(l), and Ti2CO2 and Zr2CO2 in the MD-III configuration have the lowest kappa(l). For instance, while the band gap of the MD-II configuration of Ti2CO2 is 0.26 eV, it becomes 0.69 eV in MD-III. The zT(max) value may reach up to 1.1 depending on the structural model of MXene.  
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  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000432096400055 Publication Date 2018-04-06  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2040-3364; 2040-3372 ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:193788 Serial 8654  
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Author Kocabas, T.; Cakir, D.; Gulseren, O.; Ay, F.; Perkgoz, N.K.; Sevik, C. doi  openurl
  Title A distinct correlation between the vibrational and thermal transport properties of group VA monolayer crystals Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2018 Publication Nanoscale Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 10 Issue 16 Pages 7803-7812  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract The investigation of thermal transport properties of novel two-dimensional materials is crucially important in order to assess their potential to be used in future technological applications, such as thermoelectric power generation. In this respect, the lattice thermal transport properties of the monolayer structures of group VA elements (P, As, Sb, Bi, PAs, PSb, PBi, AsSb, AsBi, SbBi, P3As1, P3Sb1, P1As3, and As3Sb1) with a black phosphorus like puckered structure were systematically investigated by first-principles calculations and an iterative solution of the phonon Boltzmann transport equation. Phosphorene was found to have the highest lattice thermal conductivity, , due to its low average atomic mass and strong interatomic bonding character. As a matter of course, anisotropic was obtained for all the considered materials, owing to anisotropy in frequency values and phonon group velocities calculated for these structures. However, the determined linear correlation between the anisotropy in the values of P, As, and Sb is significant. The results corresponding to the studied compound structures clearly point out that thermal (electronic) conductivity of pristine monolayers might be suppressed (improved) by alloying them with the same group elements. For instance, the room temperature of PBi along the armchair direction was predicted to be as low as 1.5 W m(-1) K-1, whereas that of P was predicted to be 21 W m(-1) K-1. In spite of the apparent differences in structural and vibrational properties, we peculiarly revealed an intriguing correlation between the values of all the considered materials as = c(1) + c(2)/m(2), in particular along the zigzag direction. Furthermore, our calculations on compound structures clearly showed that the thermoelectric potential of these materials can be improved by suppressing their thermal properties. The presence of ultra-low values and high electrical conductivity (especially along the armchair direction) makes this class of monolayers promising candidates for thermoelectric applications.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000431030000054 Publication Date 2018-03-22  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2040-3364; 2040-3372 ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:193785 Serial 7388  
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Author Sar, H.; Ozden, A.; Demiroglu, I.; Sevik, C.; Perkgoz, N.K.; Ay, F. doi  openurl
  Title Long-Term Stability Control of CVD-Grown Monolayer MoS2 Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2019 Publication Physica status solidi: rapid research letters Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 13 Issue 7 Pages 1800687  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract The structural stability of 2D transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) formations is of particular importance for their reliable device performance in nano-electronics and opto-electronics. Recent observations show that the CVD-grown TMD monolayers are likely to encounter stability problems such as cracking or fracturing when they are kept under ambient conditions. Here, two different growth configurations are investigated and a favorable growth geometry is proposed, which also sheds light onto the growth mechanism and provides a solution for the stability and fracture formation issues for TMDs specifically for MoS2 monolayers. It is shown that 18 months naturally and thermally aged MoS2 monolayer flakes grown using specifically developed conditions, retain their stability. To understand the mechanism of the structural deterioration, two possible effective mechanisms, S vacancy defects and growth-induced tensile stress, are assessed by the first principle calculations where the role of S vacancy defects in obtaining oxidation resistant MoS2 monolayer flakes is revealed to be rather more critical. Hence, these simulations, time-dependent observations and thermal aging experiments show that durability and stability of 2D MoS2 flakes can be controlled by CVD growth configuration.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000477671800009 Publication Date 2019-03-18  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1862-6254 ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:193784 Serial 8184  
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Author Ozden, A.; Ay, F.; Sevik, C.; Perkgoz, N.K. doi  openurl
  Title CVD growth of monolayer MoS2: Role of growth zone configuration and precursors ratio Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication Japanese journal of applied physics Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 56 Issue 6s:[1] Pages 06gg05  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract Single-layer, large-scale two-dimensional material growth is still a challenge for their wide-range usage. Therefore, we carried out a comprehensive study of monolayer MoS2 growth by CVD investigating the influence of growth zone configuration and precursors ratio. We first compared the two commonly used approaches regarding the relative substrate and precursor positions, namely, horizontal and face-down configurations where facedown approach is found to be more favorable to obtain larger flakes under identical growth conditions. Secondly, we used different types of substrate holders to investigate the influence of the Mo and S vapor confinement on the resulting diffusion environment. We suggest that local changes of the S to Mo vapor ratio in the growth zone is a key factor for the change of shape, size and uniformity of the resulting MoS2 formations, which is also confirmed by performing depositions under different precursor ratios. Therefore, to obtain continuous monolayer films, the S to Mo vapor ratio is needed to be kept within a certain range throughout the substrate. As a conclusion, we obtained monolayer triangles with a side length of 90 mu m and circles with a diameter of 500 mu m and continuous films with an area of 85 0 mu m x 1 cm when the S-to-Mo vapor ratio is optimized. (C) 2017 The Japan Society of Applied Physics  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000401059800003 Publication Date 2017-05-08  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0021-4922; 1347-4065 ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:193783 Serial 7747  
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Author Yorulmaz, B.; Ozden, A.; Sar, H.; Ay, F.; Sevik, C.; Perkgoz, N.K. doi  openurl
  Title CVD growth of monolayer WS2 through controlled seed formation and vapor density Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2019 Publication Materials science in semiconductor processing Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 93 Issue Pages 158-163  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract Large area, single layer WS2 has a high potential for use in optoelectrical devices with its high photo-luminescence intensity and low response time. In this work, we demonstrate a systematic study of controlled tungsten disulfide (WS2) monolayer growth using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique. With a detailed investigation of process parameters such as H-2 gas inclusion into the main carrier gas, growth temperature and duration, we have gained insight into two-dimensional (2D) WS2 synthesis through controlling the seed formations and the radical vapor density associated with WO3. We confirm that H-2 gas, when included to the carrier gas, is directly involved in WO3 reduction due to its reductive reagent nature, which provides a more effective sulfurization and monolayer formation process. Additionally, by changing the CVD growth configuration, hence, increasing the tungsten related vapor density and confining the reactant radicals, we succeed in realizing larger WS(2 )monolayers, which is still a technological challenge in order to utilize these structures for practical applications. Further optimization of the growth procedure is demonstrated by tuning the growth duration to prevent the excess seed formations and additional layers which will possibly limit the device performance of the monolayer flakes or films when applied.  
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  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000457727300018 Publication Date 2019-01-09  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1369-8001 ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:193782 Serial 7748  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Demirtas, M.; Odaci, C.; Perkgoz, N.K.; Sevik, C.; Ay, F. doi  openurl
  Title Low Loss Atomic Layer Deposited Al2O3 Waveguides for Applications in On-Chip Optical Amplifiers Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2018 Publication IEEE journal of selected topics in quantum electronics Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 24 Issue 4 Pages 3100508  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract We present the growth and optimization of ultralow loss Si-based Al2O3 planar waveguides, which have a high potential to boost the performance of rare-earth ion doped waveguide devices operating at visible and C-band wavelength ranges. The planar waveguide structures are grown using thermal atomic layer deposition. Systematic characterization of the obtained thin films is performed by spectroscopic ellipsometry, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses, and the optimum parameters are identified. The optical loss measurements for both transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic polarized light at 633, 829, and 1549 nm are performed. The lowest propagation loss value of 0.04 +/- 0.02 dB/cm for the Al2O3 waveguides for TE polarization at 1549 nm is demonstrated.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000431396300001 Publication Date 2018-04-18  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1077-260x ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:193780 Serial 8187  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Siriwardane, E.M.D.; Karki, P.; Sevik, C.; Cakir, D. doi  openurl
  Title Electronic and mechanical properties of stiff rhenium carbide monolayers: A first-principles investigation Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2018 Publication Applied surface science Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 458 Issue Pages 762-768  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract In this study, we predicted two new stable metallic Re-C based monolayer structures with a rectangular (r-ReC2) and a hexagonal (h-Re2C) crystal symmetry using first-principle calculations based on density functional theory. Our results obtained from mechanical and phonon calculations and high-temperature molecular dynamic simulations clearly proved the stability of these two-dimensional (2D) crystals. Interestingly, Re-C monolayers in common transition metal carbide structures (i.e. MXenes) were found to be unstable, contrary to expectations. We found that the stable structures, i.e. r-ReC2 and h-Re2C, display superior mechanical properties over the well-known 2D materials. The Young's modulus for r-ReC2 and h-Re2C are extremely high and were calculated as 351 (1310) and 617 (804) N/m (GPa), respectively. Both materials have larger Young's modulus values than the most of the well-known 2D materials. We showed that the combination of the short strong directional p-d bonds, the high coordination number of atoms in the unit-cell and high valence electron density result in strong mechanical properties. Due to its crystal structure, the r-ReC2 monolayer has anisotropic mechanical properties and the crystallographic direction parallel to the C-2 dimers is stiffer compared to perpendicular direction due to strong covalent bonding within C-2 dimers. h-Re2C was derived from the corresponding bulk structure for which we determined the critical thickness for the dynamically stable bulk-derived monolayer structures. In addition, we also investigated the electronic of these two stable structures. Both exhibit metallic behavior and Re-5d orbitals dominate the states around the Fermi level. Due to their ultra high mechanical stability and stiffness, these novel Re-C monolayers can be exploited in various engineering applications.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000441400000088 Publication Date 2018-07-11  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0169-4332 ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:193776 Serial 7875  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Mobaraki, A.; Kandemir, A.; Yapicioglu, H.; Gulseren, O.; Sevik, C. doi  openurl
  Title Validation of inter-atomic potential for WS2 and WSe2 crystals through assessment of thermal transport properties Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2018 Publication Computational materials science Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 144 Issue Pages 92-98  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract In recent years, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) displaying astonishing properties are emerged as a new class of two-dimensional layered materials. The understanding and characterization of thermal transport in these materials are crucial for efficient engineering of 2D TMD materials for applications such as thermoelectric devices or overcoming general overheating issues. In this work, we obtain accurate Stillinger-Weber type empirical potential parameter sets for single-layer WS2 and WSe2 crystals by utilizing particle swarm optimization, a stochastic search algorithm. For both systems, our results are quite consistent with first-principles calculations in terms of bond distances, lattice parameters, elastic constants and vibrational properties. Using the generated potentials, we investigate the effect of temperature on phonon energies and phonon linewidth by employing spectral energy density analysis. We compare the calculated frequency shift with respect to temperature with corresponding experimental data, clearly demonstrating the accuracy of the generated inter-atomic potentials in this study. Also, we evaluate the lattice thermal conductivities of these materials by means of classical molecular dynamics simulations. The predicted thermal properties are in very good agreement with the ones calculated from first-principles. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000424902300013 Publication Date 2017-12-16  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0927-0256 ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:193774 Serial 8729  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ozbal, G.; Senger, R.T.; Sevik, C.; Sevincli, H. doi  openurl
  Title Ballistic thermoelectric properties of monolayer semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides and oxides Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2019 Publication Physical review B Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 100 Issue 8 Pages 085415  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract Combining first-principles calculations with Landauer-Mittiker formalism, ballistic thermoelectric transport properties of semiconducting two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and oxides (TMOs) (namely MX2 with M = Cr, Mo, W, Ti, Zr, Hf; X = O, S, Se, Te) are investigated in their 2H and 1T phases. Having computed structural, as well as ballistic electronic and phononic transport properties for all structures, we report the thermoelectric properties of the semiconducting ones. We find that 2H phases of four of the studied structures have very promising thermoelectric properties, unlike their 1T phases. The maximum room temperature p-type thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of 1.57 is obtained for 2H-HfSe2, which can be as high as 3.30 at T = 800 K. Additionally, 2H-ZrSe2, 2H-ZrTe2, and 2H-HfS2 have considerable ZT values (both nand p-type), that are above 1 at room temperature. The 1T phases of Zr and Hf-based oxides possess relatively high power factors, however their high lattice thermal conductance values limit their ZT values to below 1 at room temperature.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000480389100007 Publication Date 2019-08-12  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2469-9969; 2469-9950 ISBN Additional Links (down) UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:193773 Serial 7549  
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