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	Author	Raes, A.; Ninakanti, R.; Van den Bergh, L.; Borah, R.; Van Doorslaer, S.; Verbruggen, S.W.
	Title	Black titania by sonochemistry : a critical evaluation of existing methods			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Ultrasonics sonochemistry	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	100	Issue		Pages	106601-106609
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Theory and Spectroscopy of Molecules and Materials (TSM²); Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA)
	Abstract	In the field of photocatalysis, the fabrication of black titania is a booming topic, as it offers a system with improved solar light harvesting properties and increased overall efficiency. The darkening of white TiO2 powders can be ascribed to surface hydroxylation, oxygen vacancies, Ti3+ centres, or a combination thereof. A handful of studies suggests these defects can be conveniently introduced by acoustic cavitation, generated during sonochemical treatment of pristine TiO2 powders. In reproducing these studies, P25 TiO2 samples were ultrasonicated for various hours with a power density of 8000 W/L, resulting in powders that indeed became gradually darker with increasing sonication time. However, HAADF–STEM revealed that extensive erosion of the sonotrode tip took place and contaminated the samples, which appeared to be the primary reason for the observed colour change. This was confirmed by UV–Vis DRS and DRIFTS, that showed no significant alteration of the catalyst surface after sonication. EPR measurements showed that only an insignificant fraction of Ti3+ centres were produced, far less than in a TiO2 sample that was chemically reduced with NaBH4. No evidence of the presence oxygen vacancies could be found. The enhanced photocatalytic activities of ultrasonicated materials reported in literature can therefore not be ascribed to the synthesis of actual black (defected) TiO2, but rather to specific changes in morphology as a result of acoustic cavitation. Also, this study underlines the importance of considering probe erosion in sonochemical catalyst synthesis, which is an unavoidable side effect that can have an important impact on the catalyst appearance, properties and performance.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001084391500001	Publication Date	2023-09-15
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1350-4177	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	8.4	Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 8.4; 2023 IF: 4.218
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:198848			Serial	8838
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Borms, L.; Brusselaers, J.; Vrancken, K.C.M.; Deckmyn, S.; Marynissen, P.
	Title	Toward resilient organizations after COVID-19 : an analysis of circular and less circular companies			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Resources, conservation and recycling	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	188	Issue		Pages	106681-15
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Economics; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	The COVID-19 pandemic had large repercussions for our economy and organizations. Improved resilience can give organizations the ability to withstand crises and build back better and faster. This article assesses resilience of organizations and sole proprietorships in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic with eight circular strategies as explanatory variables. Furthermore, these eight circular strategies are also used to assess the organizations' and sole proprietorships' resilience outside of the COVID-19 pandemic. This analysis is conducted to explain how circular strategies can help companies and sole proprietorships maintain stability. The analysis was performed by means of a survey conducted between May and June 2020 in Flanders (Belgium), using a sample of 542 respondents. After performing a regression analysis combined with expert opinions collected through interviews, we find that companies and sole proprietorships with a higher circularity score have a significantly higher resilience score during crises and during normal times, compared to less circular companies. Furthermore, we find that the size of the company does not matter during a crisis to adapt and react flexibly, while it is important when there is no crisis. Finally, we argue that it is the combination of different circular strategies which yields to the highest results for the organizations' resilience and we provide policy recommendations based on the most asked support measures.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000867675200008	Publication Date	2022-09-21
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0921-3449	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	13.2	Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 13.2; 2023 IF: 3.313
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:191513			Serial	7344
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	Author	Van Schoubroeck, S.; Chacon, L.; Reynolds, A.M.; Lavoine, N.; Hakovirta, M.; Gonzalez, R.; Van Passel, S.; Venditti, R.A.
	Title	Environmental sustainability perception toward obvious recovered waste content in paper-based packaging : an online and in-person survey best-worst scaling experiment			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Resources, conservation and recycling	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	188	Issue		Pages	106682-13
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	This study explores consumers' visual sustainability impressions of paper-based packaging that has incorporated obvious waste content. Two research questions were addressed concerning (i) the environmental sustainability perception of noticeable waste content in packaging and (ii) the impact of the presentation format (i.e., online versus in-person surveys) when studying these perceptions. Best-worst scaling experiments were conducted, which made respondents choose the 'most' and 'least' environmentally friendly package. Packages were designed using paperboard substrates blending either brown linerboard or white hardwood pulp with different recovered waste materials. The results showed that consumers perceive obvious waste-containing packaging as more environmentally friendly than classical packaging (with no visual waste). Samples with a brown base and agricultural waste were perceived as more sustainable compared to white packaging and the use of paper waste. In addition, the presentation format changed respondents' perception, and should therefore be carefully considered when designing surveys.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000867675200002	Publication Date	2022-09-30
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0921-3449	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	13.2	Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 13.2; 2023 IF: 3.313
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:191509			Serial	7357
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	Author	Wittner, N.; Gergely, S.; Slezsák, J.; Broos, W.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Cornet, I.
	Title	Follow-up of solid-state fungal wood pretreatment by a novel near-infrared spectroscopy-based lignin calibration model			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Journal of microbiological methods	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	208	Issue		Pages	106725-106727
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Biochemical Wastewater Valorization & Engineering (BioWaVE)
	Abstract	Lignin removal plays a crucial role in the efficient bioconversion of lignocellulose to fermentable sugars. As a delignification process, fungal pretreatment has gained great interest due to its environmental friendliness and low energy consumption. In our previous study, a positive linear correlation between acid-insoluble lignin degradation and the achievable enzymatic saccharification yield has been found, hereby highlighting the importance of the close follow-up of lignin degradation during the solid-state fungal pretreatment process. However, the standard quantification of lignin, which relies on the two-step acid hydrolysis of the biomass, is highly laborious and time-consuming. Vibrational spectroscopy has been proven as a fast and easy alternative; however, it has not been extensively researched on lignocellulose subjected to solid-state fungal pretreatment. Therefore, the present study examined the suitability of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) for the rapid and easy assessment of lignin content in poplar wood pretreated with Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Furthermore, the predictive power of the obtained calibration model and the recently published ATR-FTIR spectroscopy-based model were compared for the first time using the same fungus-treated wood data set. PLSR was used to correlate the NIR spectra to the acid-insoluble lignin contents (19.9%-27.1%) of pretreated wood. After normalization and second derivation, a PLSR model with a good coefficient of determination (RCV2 = 0.89) and a low root mean square error (RMSECV = 0.55%) were obtained despite the heterogeneous nature of the fungal solid-state fermentation. The performance of this PLSR model was comparably good to the one obtained by ATR-FTIR (RCV2 = 0.87) while it required more extensive spectral pre-processing. In conclusion, both methods will be highly useful for the high-throughput and user-friendly monitoring of lignin degradation in a solid-state fungal pretreatment-based biorefinery concept.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000983287400001	Publication Date	2023-04-13
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0167-7012	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record
	Impact Factor	2.2	Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 2.2; 2023 IF: 1.79
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:195814			Serial	9038
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	Author	Moro, G.; Campos, R.; Daems, E.; Moretto, L.M.; De Wael, K.
	Title	Haem-mediated albumin biosensing : towards voltammetric detection of PFOA			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Bioelectrochemistry: an international journal devoted to electrochemical aspects of biology and biological aspects of electrochemistry	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	152	Issue		Pages	108428-7
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)
	Abstract	The haem group is a promising redox probe for the design of albumin-based voltammetric sensors. Among the endogenous ligands carried by human serum albumin (hSA), haem is characterised by a reversible redox behaviour and its binding kinetics strongly depend on hSA’s conformation, which, in turn, depends on the presence of other ligands. In this work, the potential applicability of haem, especially hemin, as a redox probe was first tested in a proof-of-concept study using perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) as model analyte. PFOA is known to bind hSA by occupying Sudlow’s I site (FA7) which is spatially related to the haem-binding site (FA1). The latter undergoes a conformational change, which is expected to affect hemin’s binding kinetics. To verify this hypothesis, hemin:albumin complexes in the presence/absence of PFOA were first screened by UV–Vis spectroscopy. Once the complex formation was verified, haem was further characterised via electrochemical methods to estimate its electron transfer kinetics. The hemin:albumin:PFOA system was studied in solution, with the aim of describing the multiple equilibria at stake and designing an electrochemical assay for PFOA monitoring. This latter could be integrated with protein-based bioremediation approaches for the treatment of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances polluted waters. Overall, our preliminary results show how hemin can be applied as a redox probe in albumin-based voltammetric sensing strategies.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000971630400001	Publication Date	2023-03-27
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1567-5394	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record
	Impact Factor	5	Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 5; 2023 IF: 3.346
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:195069			Serial	8876
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	Author	Campos, R.; Thiruvottriyur Shanmugam, S.; Daems, E.; Ribeiro, R.; De Wael, K.
	Title	Development of an electrochemiluminescent oligonucleotide-based assay for the quantification of prostate cancer associated miR-141-3p in human serum			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Bioelectrochemistry: an international journal devoted to electrochemical aspects of biology and biological aspects of electrochemistry	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	153	Issue		Pages	108495-108496
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)
	Abstract	MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small oligonucleotides (18–25 bases), biologically relevant for epigenetic regulation of key processes, particularly in association with cancer. Research effort has therefore been directed towards the monitoring and detection of miRNAs to progress (early) cancer diagnoses. Traditional detection strategies for miRNAs are expensive, with a lengthy time-to-result. In this study we develop an oligonucleotide-based assay using electrochemistry for the specific, selective and sensitive detection of a circulating miRNA (miR-141) associated with prostate cancer. In the assay, the excitation and readout of the signal are independent: an electrochemical stimulation followed by an optical readout. A ‘sandwich’ approach is incorporated, consisting of a biotinylated capture probe immobilised on streptavidin-functionalised surfaces and a detection probe labelled with digoxigenin. We show that the assay allows the detection of miR-141 in human serum, even in the presence of other miRNAs, with a LOD of 0.25 pM. The developed electrochemiluminescent assay has, therefore, the potential for efficient universal oligonucleotide target detection via the redesign of capture and detection probes.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001031760700001	Publication Date	2023-06-30
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1567-5394	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record
	Impact Factor	5	Times cited		Open Access	Not_Open_Access: Available from 01.01.2024
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 5; 2023 IF: 3.346
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:197615			Serial	8849
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Van Echelpoel, R.; Parrilla, M.; Sleegers, N.; Thiruvottriyur Shanmugam, S.; van Nuijs, A.L.N.; Slosse, A.; Van Durme, F.; De Wael, K.
	Title	Validated portable device for the qualitative and quantitative electrochemical detection of MDMA ready for on-site use			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Microchemical journal	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	190	Issue		Pages	108693-10
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Toxicological Centre; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)
	Abstract	Identifying and quantifying 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on-site in suspected illicit drug samples, whether it be at recreational settings or manufacturing sites, is a major challenge for law enforcement agencies (LEAs). Various analytical techniques exist to fulfil this goal, e.g. colourimetry and portable spectroscopic techniques, each having its specific limitations (e.g. low accuracy, fluorescence, no quantification) and strengths (e.g. fast, easy to use). In this work, for the first time, an electrochemical MDMA sensor is presented to become a detection tool that can realistically be used on-site. More specifically, the use of a single buffer solution and an unmodified screen-printed electrode, along with the integration of a data analysis algorithm and mobile application permits the straightforward on-site identification and quantification of MDMA in suspicious samples. Multiple studies investigating different parameters, including pH, concentration, reproducibility, temperature and binary mixture analyses, were executed. To fully understand all the occurring redox processes, liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis of partially electrolyzed MDMA samples was performed unravelling oxidation of the methylenedioxy group. Validation of the methodology was executed on 15 MDMA street samples analysed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and compared with the performance of a commercial portable Raman and Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) device. The novel methodology outperformed the spectroscopic techniques, correctly identifying all 15 street samples. Additionally, the electrochemical sensor predicted the purity of the tablets with a mean absolute error of 2.3%. Overall, this new, electrochemical detection strategy provides LEAs the rapid, low-cost, on-site detection and quantification of MDMA in suspicious samples, without requiring specialized training.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000977060400001	Publication Date	2023-03-31
	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; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	4.8	Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 4.8; 2023 IF: 3.034
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:195415			Serial	8952
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	Author	Truta, F.; Cruz, A.G.; Tertis, M.; Zaleski, C.; Adamu, G.; Allcock, N.S.; Suciu, M.; Stefan, M.-G.; Kiss, B.; Piletska, E.; De Wael, K.; Piletsky, S.A.; Cristea, C.
	Title	NanoMIPs-based electrochemical sensors for selective detection of amphetamine			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Microchemical journal	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	191	Issue		Pages	108821-10
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)
	Abstract	A highly sensitive and portable electrochemical sensor based on molecularly imprinted nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) was developed. NanoMIPs were computationally designed for specific recognition of amphetamine, and then synthetized using solid phase synthesis. NanoMIPs were immobilized onto screen-printed carbon electrodes using a composite film comprising chitosan, nanoMIPs, and graphene oxide.Ferrocenylmethyl methacrylate was incorporated in nanoMIPs allowing electrochemical detection. The signal recorded for the electrochemical oxidation of ferrocene has proven to be dependent on the presence of amphetamine interacting with nanMIPs. The sensor was tested successfully with street samples, with high sensitivity and satisfactory recoveries (from 100.9% to 107.6%). These results were validated with UPL-MS/MS. The present technology is suitable for forensic applications in selective determination of amphetamine in street samples.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001008428600001	Publication Date	2023-05-03
	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; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	4.8	Times cited		Open Access	Not_Open_Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 4.8; 2023 IF: 3.034
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:197397			Serial	8903
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	Author	Phuttaro, C.; Krishnan, S.; Saritpongteeraka, K.; Charnnok, B.; Diels, L.; Chaiprapat, S.
	Title	Integrated poultry waste management by co-digestion with perennial grass : effects of mixing ratio, pretreatments, reaction temperature, and effluent recycle on biomethanation yield			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Biochemical engineering journal	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	196	Issue		Pages	108937-12
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	This work aims to enhance the efficiency of integrated poultry waste management in bio-circular-green economy by maximizing the co-digestion of chicken manure and its digestate-grown biomass. In a series of batch assays, Napier grass (NG) was mixed with chicken manure (CM) at various proportions (100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 50:50, 40:60, 20:80 and 0:100) to identify co-substrate synergism, followed by physiochemical conditioning (size reduction and ultrasonication) of NG before co-digestion. Results indicated that NG mix of at least 80% was required to gain a full methanation potential of the individual substrates; no synergistic ratio above unity was found. However, the combined effect of size reduction and sonication was found to markedly improve the cosubstrate's biodegradability by 88.7%. The findings were then used to run continuous co-digestion at various operating regimes. In optimal continuous co-digestion condition, NG particle size of 0.6-2.4 mm combined with sonication intensity at 1111 kJ/kgTS improved biomethanation yield as high as 106.3%. Sub-thermophilic digestion at 45 degrees C was shown to give a higher and more stable CH4 yield than at 55 degrees C. Finally, it was also found that recycling liquid effluent at 40% to replace freshwater in feed, although showed no significant difference in CH4 yield (& alpha; = 0.05), noticeably increased system buffer capacity. This optimized biodegradation regime could give co-digestion waste management a higher overall plant efficiency and economic return.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001054826200001	Publication Date	2023-04-06
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1369-703x; 1873-295x	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record
	Impact Factor	3.9	Times cited		Open Access	Not_Open_Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 3.9; 2023 IF: 2.892
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:199209			Serial	8887
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	Author	Li, L.; Nijs, I.; De Boeck, H.; Vinduskova, O.; Reynaert, S.; Donnelly, C.; Zi, L.; Verbruggen, E.
	Title	Longer dry and wet spells alter the stochasticity of microbial community assembly in grassland soils			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Soil biology and biochemistry	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	178	Issue		Pages	108969-9
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; ADReM Data Lab (ADReM); Integrated Molecular Plant Physiology Research (IMPRES); Plant and Ecosystems (PLECO) – Ecology in a time of change
	Abstract	Climate change is increasing the duration of alternating wet and dry spells. These fluctuations affect soil water availability and other soil properties which are crucial drivers of soil microbial communities. While soil microbial communities have a moderate capacity to recover once a drought ceases, the expected alternation of strongly opposing regimes can challenge their capacity to adapt. Here, we set up experimental grassland mesocosms where precipitation frequency was adjusted along a gradient while holding total precipitation constant. The gradient varied the duration of wet and dry spells from 1 to 60 days during a total of 120 days, where we hy-pothesized that especially intermediate durations would increase the importance of stochastic community as-sembly due to frequent alternation of opposing environmental regimes. We examined bacterial and fungal community composition, diversity, co-occurrence patterns and assembly mechanisms across these different precipitation treatments. Our results show that 1) intermediate regimes of wet and dry spells increased the stochasticity of microbial community assembly whereas microbial communities at low and high regimes were subjected to more deterministic assembly, and 2) more persistent precipitation regimes (>6 days duration) reduced the fungal diversity and network connectivity but had little effect on bacterial communities. Collec-tively, these findings indicate that longer alternating wet and dry events lead to a less predictable and connected soil microbial community. This study provides new insight into the likely mechanisms through which precipi-tation persistence alters soil microbial communities and their predictability.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000930582500001	Publication Date	2023-01-28
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0038-0717	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	9.7	Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 9.7; 2023 IF: 4.857
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:195257			Serial	9211
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	Author	Drăgan, A.-M.; Parrilla, M.; Cambré, S.; Domínguez-Robles, J.; Detamornrat, U.; Donnelly, R.F.; Oprean, R.; Cristea, C.; De Wael, K.
	Title	Microneedle array-based electrochemical sensor functionalized with SWCNTs for the highly sensitive monitoring of MDMA in interstitial fluid			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Microchemical journal	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	193	Issue		Pages	109257-11
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Pharmacology. Therapy; Nanostructured and organic optical and electronic materials (NANOrOPT); Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)
	Abstract	Illicit drug consumption constitutes a great concern worldwide due to its increased spread and abuse, and the negative consequences exerted on society. For instance, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), a synthetic amphetamine-type substance, was abused by 20 million people worldwide in 2020. This psychoactive substance exerts a myriad of effects on the human body being dangerous for the consumer’s health. Besides, MDMA has been used in the treatment of some psychiatric conditions. Therefore, the development of wearable devices for MDMA sensing in biological fluids is of great importance for forensic toxicology (e.g., monitoring of patients with suspected or known MDMA consumption) as well as for therapeutic management of patients. Herein, we report the development of a wearable electrochemical platform based on a hollow microneedle (MN) array sensor for the monitoring of MDMA in the interstitial fluid by square-wave voltammetry. First, the holes of the MN array were modified with conductive pastes to devise a MN patch with a three-electrode system. Subsequently, the functionalization of the working electrode with nanomaterials enhanced MDMA detection. Thereafter, analytical parameters were evaluated exhibiting a slope of 0.05 µA µM−1 within a linear range from 1 to 50 µM and a limit of detection of 0.75 µM in artificial interstitial fluid. Importantly, critical parameters such as selectivity, piercing capability, temperature, reversibility and stability were assessed. Overall, the obtained MN sensor exhibited excellent analytical performance, making it a promising tool for MDMA tracking in interstitial fluid for individuals on probation or under therapeutic treatment.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001067945900001	Publication Date	2023-08-25
	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; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	4.8	Times cited		Open Access	Not_Open_Access: Available from 27.02.2024
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 4.8; 2023 IF: 3.034
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:198183			Serial	8898
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	Author	Reynaert, S.; Vienne, A.; de Boeck, H.J.; D'Hose, T.; Janssens, I.; Nijs, I.; Portillo-Estrada, M.; Verbruggen, E.; Vicca, S.
	Title	Basalt addition improves the performance of young grassland monocultures under more persistent weather featuring longer dry and wet spells			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Agricultural and forest meteorology	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	340	Issue	1	Pages	109610
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Plant and Ecosystems (PLECO) – Ecology in a time of change
	Abstract	Global warming is altering the intra-annual variability of precipitation patterns in the mid-latitudes, including a shift towards longer dry and wet spells compared to historic averages. Such fluctuations will likely alter soil water and nutrient dynamics of managed ecosystems which could negatively influence their functioning (e.g., productivity and fodder quality). Here, we investigated whether basalt addition could attenuate effects of increasingly persistent precipitation regimes (PR) on two agricultural grassland monocultures differing in drought resistance (low: Lolium perenne (LP) vs high: Festulolium (FL)) and digestibility (high: LP, low: FL), while improving soil C sequestration. In total, 32 experimental mesocosms were subjected to either a low (1-day wet/ dry alternation) or a highly (30-day wet/dry alternation) persistent PR over 120 days, keeping total precipitation equal. In half of these mesocosms, we mixed basalt with the top 20 cm soil layer at a rate of 50 t ha-1. Overall, 30-day PR increased average water availability resulting in improved aboveground biomass and shoot digestibility for both species, in spite of elevated physiological stress. These PR also increased shoot Si, K, N and C but reduced Ca accumulation. Basalt addition generally increased soil Al, Ni, Mg, Ca, P, K and Si availability without altering root biomass or total soil carbon. Moreover, differences in root N content and C:N ratio between species were reduced. Interestingly, basalt modified the PR effects on productivity. Within 30-day PR, basalt stimulated aboveground biomass (& PLUSMN;14%) and root Si and K contents without altering plant digestibility, palatability, crude protein content or Ni/Al content. These results indicate that basalt can stimulate grassland productivity and soil nutrient availability under more persistent PR without negatively affecting fodder quality. Hence, basalt application may improve the performance of young temperate grassland monocultures under climate change, though dry soil conditions may limit effects on soil C sequestration during summer.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001051084500001	Publication Date	2023-07-21
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0168-1923	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	6.2	Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 6.2; 2023 IF: 3.887
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:199204			Serial	9189
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Oliveira, M.C.; Cordeiro, R.M.; Bogaerts, A.
	Title	Effect of lipid oxidation on the channel properties of Cx26 hemichannels : a molecular dynamics study			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Archives of biochemistry and biophysics	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	746	Issue		Pages	109741-12
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
	Abstract	Intercellular communication plays a crucial role in cancer, as well as other diseases, such as inflammation, tissue degeneration, and neurological disorders. One of the proteins responsible for this, are connexins (Cxs), which come together to form a hemichannel. When two hemichannels of opposite cells interact with each other, they form a gap junction (GJ) channel, connecting the intracellular space of these cells. They allow the passage of ions, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), and signaling molecules from the interior of one cell to another cell, thus playing an essential role in cell growth, differentiation, and homeostasis. The importance of GJs for disease induction and therapy development is becoming more appreciated, especially in the context of oncology. Studies have shown that one of the mechanisms to control the formation and disruption of GJs is mediated by lipid oxidation pathways, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, we performed atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to evaluate how lipid oxidation influences the channel properties of Cx26 hemichannels, such as channel gating and permeability. Our results demonstrate that the Cx26 hemichannel is more compact in the presence of oxidized lipids, decreasing its pore diameter at the extracellular side and increasing it at the amino terminus domains, respectively. The permeability of the Cx26 hemichannel for water and RONS molecules is higher in the presence of oxidized lipids. The latter may facilitate the intracellular accumulation of RONS, possibly increasing oxidative stress in cells. A better understanding of this process will help to enhance the efficacy of oxidative stress-based cancer treatments.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001079100300001	Publication Date	2023-09-07
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0003-9861; 1096-0384	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record
	Impact Factor	3.9	Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 3.9; 2023 IF: 3.165
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:200282			Serial	9028
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	Author	De Bock, A.; Belmans, B.; Vanlanduit, S.; Blom, J.; Alvarado Alvarado, A.A.; Audenaert, A.
	Title	A review on the leaf area index (LAI) in vertical greening systems			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Building and environment	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	229	Issue		Pages	109926-14
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Sustainable Pavements and Asphalt Research (SuPAR); Energy and Materials in Infrastructure and Buildings
	Abstract	The leaf area index (LAI) is a key dynamic parameter in Vertical Greening Systems (VGS). It quantifies the total amount of leaf area in the canopy and largely determines the extent of co-benefits of VGS. Whereas many studies on VGS discuss the importance of the LAI, only few elaborate on the parameter itself, how it is determined and what the current limitations are in VGS. Moreover, although there is scientific consensus on the importance of LAI in VGS, specific non-destructive monitoring techniques for continuous LAI monitoring appear to be absent, which results in limited overall data on the LAI of VGS under different spatial and temporal conditions and problems in quantifying the benefits of VGS in practice. To fill these gaps, this paper specifically focuses on the LAI of VGS and its monitoring techniques. An overview of existing LAI monitoring techniques in the field of VGS is presented. To arrive at dedicated techniques, this is complemented by a thorough analysis of LAI monitoring techniques used in other research fields, e.g. agriculture and forestry. It is established that two indirect techniques for LAI monitoring are currently available in the VGS sector, but a proper standardized sampling methodology currently lacks. Monitoring techniques used in other sectors offer opportunities for developing dedicated monitoring methods for VGS, but require further research due to the specific features of VGS systems. Furthermore, guidelines are proposed for a more standardized LAI determination of reporting of LAI values in VGS.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000950866100001	Publication Date	2022-12-19
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0360-1323	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	7.4	Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 7.4; 2023 IF: 4.053
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:194575			Serial	9085
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	Author	Xiao, H.; Zhang, Z.; Xu, W.; Wang, Q.; Xiao, Y.; Ding, L.; Huang, J.; Li, H.; He, B.; Peeters, F.M.
	Title	Terahertz optoelectronic properties of synthetic single crystal diamond			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Diamond and related materials	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	139	Issue		Pages	110266-110268
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
	Abstract	A systematic investigation is undertaken for studying the optoelectronic properties of single crystal diamond (SCD) grown by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD). It is indicated that, without intentional doping and surface treatment during the sample growth, the terahertz (THz) optical conduction in SCD is mainly affected by surface H-terminations, -OH-, O- and N-based functional groups. By using THz time-domain spectroscopy (TDS), we measure the transmittance, the complex dielectric constant and optical conductivity σ(ω) of SCD. We find that SCD does not show typical semiconductor characteristics in THz regime, where σ(ω) cannot be described rightly by the conventional Drude formula. Via fitting the real and imaginary parts of σ(ω) to the Drude-Smith formula, the ratio of the average carrier density to the effective electron mass γ = ne/m*, the electronic relaxation time τ and the electronic backscattering or localization factor can be determined optically. The temperature dependence of these parameters is examined. From the temperature dependence of γ, a metallic to semiconductor transition is observed at about T = 10 K. The temperature dependence of τ is mainly induced by electron coupling with acoustic-phonons and there is a significant effect of photon-induced electron backscattering or localization in SCD. This work demonstrates that THz TDS is a powerful technique in studying SCD which contains H-, N- and O-based bonds and has low electron density and high dc resistivity. The results obtained from this study can benefit us to gain an in-depth understanding of SCD and may provide new guidance for the application of SCD as electronic, optical and optoelectronic materials.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date	2023-08-02
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0925-9635	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor	4.1	Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 4.1; 2023 IF: 2.561
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:200920			Serial	9103
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	Author	Alvarado-Alvarado, A.A.; De Bock, A.; Ysebaert, T.; Belmans, B.; Denys, S.
	Title	Modeling the hygrothermal behavior of green walls in Comsol Multiphysics® : validation against measurements in a climate chamber			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Building and environment	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	238	Issue		Pages	110377-12
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Energy and Materials in Infrastructure and Buildings
	Abstract	Green walls (GW) can diminish building's surface temperature through shading, insulation, and evapotranspiration mechanisms. These can be analyzed by computer models that account for heat and mass transfer phenomena. However, most previous models were one-dimensional thermal simulations in which boundary conditions (BC), like convective moisture transport, were not or only partly considered. The present work proposes a more comprehensive way to predict GW's hygrothermal behavior by integrating a 3D multiphysics model that couples heat and moisture transport in Comsol Multiphysics®. The air cavity that usually separates the GW from the building was also considered. Heat sink terms were added to represent plants' transpiration and substrates' evaporation, considering the leaf area density (LAD) and substrate's water saturation (Sr). The model was validated against experiments where four green wall-test panels (GW-TPs) were evaluated in a climate chamber under steady-state conditions. This provides a much sounder approach for validation than what currently exists (r = 0.97; RMSE = 0.33 °C). The four GW-TPs decreased the masonry's surface temperature in the range of 0.89–1.14 °C (0.97 ± 0.11 SD °C). The average contribution of the evapotranspiration effect was 30%, whereas the contribution of the air cavity was 60.7 ± 0.09%. The temperature at the substrate's rear was reduced on average by 0.57 ± 0.15 SD °C. When solar radiation was considered as a BC, the GW-TPs decreased the building's surface temperature by 10 °C. Lastly, high values of LAD and Sr translated into increased temperature reduction values.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001001412600001	Publication Date	2023-05-02
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0360-1323	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	7.4	Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 7.4; 2023 IF: 4.053
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:196467			Serial	8899
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	Author	Gheysen, J.; Kashiwar, A.; Idrissi, H.; Villanova, J.; Simar, A.
	Title	Suppressing hydrogen blistering in a magnesium-rich healable laser powder bed fusion aluminum alloy analyzed by in-situ high resolution techniques			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Materials & design	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	231	Issue		Pages	112024-11
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
	Abstract	Hydrogen blistering, i.e. precipitation of supersaturated hydrogen at elevated temperatures, increases porosity during heat treatments in 4xxx series Al alloys manufactured by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), as demonstrated by 3D X-ray nano-imaging in AlSi12. This paper proposes the design of a healable Al alloy to suppress hydrogen blistering and improve the damage management. The strategy consists of solute atoms diffusing towards nano-voids and precipitating on their surface, thereby filling the damage sites. A new healable Al alloy was thus developed and successfully manufactured by LPBF. 3D X-ray nano-imaging evidenced that the addition of Mg in 4xxx series Al alloys suppresses the hydrogen blistering. This is expectedly due to Mg in solid solution which increases the hydrogen solubility in the Al matrix and due to the healing of these hydrogen pores. Moreover, a significant healing of voids smaller than 500 nm diameter is observed. In-situ heating inside transmission electron microscopy pointed out that Al matrix diffuses inside the fractured Mg2Si particles, thereby demonstrating the healing ability of the new alloy. This has opened the doors to development of new healable Al alloys manufactured by LPBF as well as to new post-treatments to tailor mechanical properties and microstructure without hydrogen blistering.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001055174900001	Publication Date	2023-05-20
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0264-1275; 1873-4197	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	8.4	Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 8.4; 2023 IF: 4.364
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:196536			Serial	8939
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	Author	Yang, T.; Kong, Y.; Li, K.; Lu, Q.; Wang, Y.; Du, Y.; Schryvers, D.
	Title	Quasicrystalline clusters transformed from C14-MgZn₂ nanoprecipitates in Al alloys			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Materials characterization	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	199	Issue		Pages	112772-112777
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
	Abstract	Ultrafine faulty C14-MgZn2 Laves phase precipitates containing quasicrystalline clusters and demonstrating the formation of binary quasicrystalline precipitates with Penrose-like random-tiling were observed in the over-aged FCC matrix of a commercial 7N01 Al-Zn-Mg alloy, using high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy. The evolution from C14-Laves phase to quasicrystalline clusters is illustrated, and five-fold symmetry can be found in both real and reciprocal spaces. Our findings reveal the possibility of quasicrystalline formation from Laves phase in a highly plastic metal matrix like Al and demonstrate the structural relationship between Laves phase and quasicrystals.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000954788800001	Publication Date	2023-03-02
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1044-5803	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	4.7	Times cited		Open Access	Not_Open_Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 4.7; 2023 IF: 2.714
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:196106			Serial	8446
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	Author	Krishnamurthy, S.C.; Arseenko, M.; Kashiwar, A.; Dufour, P.; Marchal, Y.; Delahaye, J.; Idrissi, H.; Pardoen, T.; Mertens, A.; Simar, A.
	Title	Controlled precipitation in a new Al-Mg-Sc alloy for enhanced corrosion behavior while maintaining the mechanical performance			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Materials characterization	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	200	Issue		Pages	112886-11
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
	Abstract	The hot working of 5xxx series alloys with Mg ≥3.5 wt% is a concern due to the precipitation of β (Al3Mg2) phase at grain boundaries favoring Inter Granular Corrosion (IGC). The mechanical and corrosion properties of a new 5028-H116 Al-Mg-Sc alloy under various β precipitates distribution is analyzed by imposing different cooling rates from the hot forming temperature (i.e. 325 °C). The mechanical properties are maintained regardless of the heat treatment. However, the different nucleation sites and volume fractions of β precipitates for different cooling rates critically affect IGC. Controlled furnace cooling after the 325 °C heat treatment is ideal in 5028-H116 alloy to reduce susceptibility to IGC after sensitization.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000977059100001	Publication Date	2023-04-03
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1044-5803	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	4.7	Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 4.7; 2023 IF: 2.714
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:195598			Serial	7291
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	Author	Zhang, Z.; Lobato, I.; De Backer, A.; Van Aert, S.; Nellist, P.
	Title	Fast generation of calculated ADF-EDX scattering cross-sections under channelling conditions			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Ultramicroscopy	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	246	Issue		Pages	113671
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
	Abstract	Advanced materials often consist of multiple elements which are arranged in a complicated structure. Quantitative scanning transmission electron microscopy is useful to determine the composition and thickness of nanostructures at the atomic scale. However, significant difficulties remain to quantify mixed columns by comparing the resulting atomic resolution images and spectroscopy data with multislice simulations where dynamic scattering needs to be taken into account. The combination of the computationally intensive nature of these simulations and the enormous amount of possible mixed column configurations for a given composition indeed severely hamper the quantification process. To overcome these challenges, we here report the development of an incoherent non-linear method for the fast prediction of ADF-EDX scattering cross-sections of mixed columns under channelling conditions. We first explain the origin of the ADF and EDX incoherence from scattering physics suggesting a linear dependence between those two signals in the case of a high-angle ADF detector. Taking EDX as a perfect incoherent reference mode, we quantitatively examine the ADF longitudinal incoherence under different microscope conditions using multislice simulations. Based on incoherent imaging, the atomic lensing model previously developed for ADF is now expanded to EDX, which yields ADF-EDX scattering cross-section predictions in good agreement with multislice simulations for mixed columns in a core–shell nanoparticle and a high entropy alloy. The fast and accurate prediction of ADF-EDX scattering cross-sections opens up new opportunities to explore the wide range of ordering possibilities of heterogeneous materials with multiple elements.
	Address
	Corporate Author	Zezhong Zhang			Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000995063900001	Publication Date	2022-12-28
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0304-3991	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	2.2	Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes	European Research Council 770887 PICOMETRICS; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek No.G.0502.18N; Horizon 2020, 770887 ; Horizon 2020 Framework Programme; European Research Council, 823717 ESTEEM3 ; esteem3reported; esteem3JRa			Approved	Most recent IF: 2.2; 2023 IF: 2.843
	Call Number	EMAT @ emat @c:irua:195890			Serial	7251
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	Author	De Backer, A.; Bals, S.; Van Aert, S.
	Title	A decade of atom-counting in STEM: From the first results toward reliable 3D atomic models from a single projection			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Ultramicroscopy	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	113702
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
	Abstract	Quantitative structure determination is needed in order to study and understand nanomaterials at the atomic scale. Materials characterisation resulting in precise structural information is a crucial point to understand the structure–property relation of materials. Counting the number of atoms and retrieving the 3D atomic structure of nanoparticles plays an important role here. In this paper, an overview will be given of the atom-counting methodology and its applications over the past decade. The procedure to count the number of atoms will be discussed in detail and it will be shown how the performance of the method can be further improved. Furthermore, advances toward mixed element nanostructures, 3D atomic modelling based on the atom-counting results, and quantifying the nanoparticle dynamics will be highlighted.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000953765800001	Publication Date	2023-02-10
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0304-3991	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	2.2	Times cited	3	Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes	This work was supported by the European Research Council (Grant 770887 PICOMETRICS to S. Van Aert, Grant 815128 REALNANO to S. Bals, and Grant 823717 ESTEEM3). The authors acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium) through project fundings (G.0267.18N, G.0502.18N, G.0346.21N, and EOS 30489208) and a postdoctoral grant to A. De Backer. S. Van Aert acknowledges funding from the University of Antwerp Research fund (BOF) . The authors also thank the colleagues who have contributed to this work over the years, including T. Altantzis, E. Arslan Irmak, K.J. Batenburg, E. Bladt, A. De wael, R. Erni, C. Faes, B. Goris, L. Jones, L.M. Liz-Marzán, I. Lobato, G.T. Martinez, P.D. Nellist, M.D. Rosell, A. Rosenauer, K.H.W. van den Bos, A. Varambhia, and Z. Zhang.; esteem3reported; esteem3JRA			Approved	Most recent IF: 2.2; 2023 IF: 2.843
	Call Number	EMAT @ emat @c:irua:195896			Serial	7236
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	Author	Vasilakou, K.; Nimmegeers, P.; Billen, P.; Van Passel, S.
	Title	Geospatial environmental techno-economic assessment of pretreatment technologies for bioethanol production			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Renewable and sustainable energy reviews	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	187	Issue		Pages	113743-16
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Economics; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM); Intelligence in PRocesses, Advanced Catalysts and Solvents (iPRACS)
	Abstract	Second-generation biofuels, starting from lignocellulosic biomass, are considered as a renewable alternative for fossil fuels with lower environmental impact and potentially higher supply and energy security. The economic and environmental performance of second-generation bioethanol production from corn stover in the European Union (EU) is studied, starting in Belgium as base case. A comparative environmental techno-economic assessment has been conducted, with process simulations in Aspen Plus and corn stover availability data in thirteen EU countries to calculate minimum ethanol selling prices (MESP) and Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe). In this analysis, the emphasis is on the comparison of different pretreatment technologies, namely (i) dilute acid, (ii) alkaline, (iii) steam explosion and (iv) liquid hot water. Dilute acid showed the best economic and environmental performance for the base case scenario. Within the EU, Hungary and Romania presented the lowest MESP for the steam explosion model at 0.39 and 0.43 EUR/L respectively. Poland showed the lowest GHGe, at 0.46 kg CO2eq/L for the alkaline model, mainly due to the avoided product allocation on electricity and its high carbon intensity in the electricity generation sector. The second lowest GHGe were obtained in France for the dilute acid model and are attributed to its low agricultural emissions intensity. This study identifies a location-dependence of the economic and environmental performance of pretreatment technologies, which can be extrapolated from the EU to other large regions around the world and should be taken into consideration by decision-makers.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001082526000001	Publication Date	2023-09-15
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1364-0321; 1879-0690	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record
	Impact Factor	15.9	Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 15.9; 2023 IF: 8.05
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:198804			Serial	9205
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	Author	Lobato, I.; De Backer, A.; Van Aert, S.
	Title	Real-time simulations of ADF STEM probe position-integrated scattering cross-sections for single element fcc crystals in zone axis orientation using a densely connected neural network			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Ultramicroscopy	Abbreviated Journal	Ultramicroscopy
	Volume	251	Issue		Pages	113769
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
	Abstract	Quantification of annular dark field (ADF) scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) images in terms of composition or thickness often relies on probe-position integrated scattering cross sections (PPISCS). In order to compare experimental PPISCS with theoretically predicted ones, expensive simulations are needed for a given specimen, zone axis orientation, and a variety of microscope settings. The computation time of such simulations can be in the order of hours using a single GPU card. ADF STEM simulations can be efficiently parallelized using multiple GPUs, as the calculation of each pixel is independent of other pixels. However, most research groups do not have the necessary hardware, and, in the best-case scenario, the simulation time will only be reduced proportionally to the number of GPUs used. In this manuscript, we use a learning approach and present a densely connected neural network that is able to perform real-time ADF STEM PPISCS predictions as a function of atomic column thickness for most common face-centered cubic (fcc) crystals (i.e., Al, Cu, Pd, Ag, Pt, Au and Pb) along [100] and [111] zone axis orientations, root-mean-square displacements, and microscope parameters. The proposed architecture is parameter efficient and yields accurate predictions for the PPISCS values for a wide range of input parameters that are commonly used for aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopes.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001011617200001	Publication Date	2023-06-01
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0304-3991	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record
	Impact Factor	2.2	Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes	This work was supported by the European Research Council (Grant 770887 PICOMETRICS to S. Van Aert). The authors acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium) through project fundings (G034621N and G0A7723N) and a postdoctoral grant to A. De Backer. S. Van Aert acknowledges funding from the University of Antwerp Research fund (BOF), Belgium.			Approved	Most recent IF: 2.2; 2023 IF: 2.843
	Call Number	EMAT @ emat @c:irua:197275			Serial	8812
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	Author	Denisov, N.; Jannis, D.; Orekhov, A.; Müller-Caspary, K.; Verbeeck, J.
	Title	Characterization of a Timepix detector for use in SEM acceleration voltage range			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Ultramicroscopy	Abbreviated Journal	Ultramicroscopy
	Volume	253	Issue		Pages	113777
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
	Abstract	Hybrid pixel direct electron detectors are gaining popularity in electron microscopy due to their excellent properties. Some commercial cameras based on this technology are relatively affordable which makes them attractive tools for experimentation especially in combination with an SEM setup. To support this, a detector characterization (Modulation Transfer Function, Detective Quantum Efficiency) of an Advacam Minipix and Advacam Advapix detector in the 15–30 keV range was made. In the current work we present images of Point Spread Function, plots of MTF/DQE curves and values of DQE(0) for these detectors. At low beam currents, the silicon detector layer behaviour should be dominant, which could make these findings transferable to any other available detector based on either Medipix2, Timepix or Timepix3 provided the same detector layer is used.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001026912700001	Publication Date	2023-06-08
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0304-3991	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record
	Impact Factor	2.2	Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes	The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium) project SBO S000121N. The authors are grateful to Dr. Lobato for productive discussion of methods.			Approved	Most recent IF: 2.2; 2023 IF: 2.843
	Call Number	EMAT @ emat @c:irua:198258			Serial	8815
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	Author	Hofer, C.; Pennycook, T.J.
	Title	Reliable phase quantification in focused probe electron ptychography of thin materials			Type	A1 Journal Article
	Year	2023	Publication	Ultramicroscopy	Abbreviated Journal	Ultramicroscopy
	Volume	254	Issue		Pages	113829
	Keywords	A1 Journal Article; Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT) ;
	Abstract	Electron ptychography provides highly sensitive, dose efficient phase images which can be corrected for aberrations after the data has been acquired. This is crucial when very precise quantification is required, such as with sensitivity to charge transfer due to bonding. Drift can now be essentially eliminated as a major impediment to focused probe ptychography, which benefits from the availability of easily interpretable simultaneous Z-contrast imaging. However challenges have remained when quantifying the ptychographic phases of atomic sites. The phase response of a single atom has a negative halo which can cause atoms to reduce in phase when brought closer together. When unaccounted for, as in integrating methods of quantification, this effect can completely obscure the effects of charge transfer. Here we provide a new method of quantification that overcomes this challenge, at least for 2D materials, and is robust to experimental parameters such as noise, sample tilt.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001071608700001	Publication Date	2023-08-18
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0304-3991	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	2.2	Times cited		Open Access
	Notes	FWO, G013122N ; Horizon 2020 Framework Programme; Horizon 2020; European Research Council, 802123-HDEM ; European Research Council;			Approved	Most recent IF: 2.2; 2023 IF: 2.843
	Call Number	EMAT @ emat @c:irua:200272			Serial	8987
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	Author	Van den Broek, W.; Jannis, D.; Verbeeck, J.
	Title	Convexity constraints on linear background models for electron energy-loss spectra			Type	A1 Journal Article
	Year	2023	Publication	Ultramicroscopy	Abbreviated Journal	Ultramicroscopy
	Volume	254	Issue		Pages	113830
	Keywords	A1 Journal Article; Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT) ;
	Abstract	In this paper convexity constraints are derived for a background model of electron energy loss spectra (EELS) that is linear in the fitting parameters. The model outperforms a power-law both on experimental and simulated backgrounds, especially for wide energy ranges, and thus improves elemental quantification results. Owing to the model’s linearity, the constraints can be imposed through fitting by quadratic programming. This has important advantages over conventional nonlinear power-law fitting such as high speed and a guaranteed unique solution without need for initial parameters. As such, the need for user input is significantly reduced, which is essential for unsupervised treatment of large datasets. This is demonstrated on a demanding spectrum image of a semiconductor device sample with a high number of elements over a wide energy range.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date	2023-08-15
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0304-3991	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor	2.2	Times cited		Open Access	Not_Open_Access
	Notes	ECSEL, 875999 ; Horizon 2020; Horizon 2020 Framework Programme; Electronic Components and Systems for European Leadership;			Approved	Most recent IF: 2.2; 2023 IF: 2.843
	Call Number	EMAT @ emat @c:irua:200588			Serial	8961
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	Author	Ndayirinde, C.; Gorbanev, Y.; Ciocarlan, R.-G.; De Meyer, R.; Smets, A.; Vlasov, E.; Bals, S.; Cool, P.; Bogaerts, A.
	Title	Plasma-catalytic ammonia synthesis : packed catalysts act as plasma modifiers			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Catalysis today	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	419	Issue		Pages	114156-12
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA); Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
	Abstract	We studied the plasma-catalytic production of NH3 from H2 and N2 in a dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor using five different Co-based catalysts supported on Al2O3, namely Co/Al2O3, CoCe/Al2O3, CoLa/Al2O3, CoCeLa/Al2O3 and CoCeMg/Al2O3. The catalysts were characterized via several techniques, including SEM-EDX, and their performance was compared. The best performing catalyst was found to be CoLa/Al2O3, but the dif-ferences in NH3 concentration, energy consumption and production rate between the different catalysts were limited under the same conditions (i.e. feed gas, flow rate and ratio, and applied power). At the same time, the plasma properties, such as the plasma power and current profile, varied significantly depending on the catalyst. Taken together, these findings suggest that in the production of NH3 by plasma catalysis, our catalysts act as plasma modifiers, i.e., they change the discharge properties and hence the gas phase plasma chemistry. Importantly, this effect dominates over the direct catalytic effect (as e.g. in thermal catalysis) defined by the chemistry on the catalyst surface.
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	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000987221300001	Publication Date	2023-04-10
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0920-5861	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	5.3	Times cited	3	Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes	This research was supported by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 810182 – SCOPE ERC Synergy project) and the Methusalem project of the University of Antwerp. We also gratefully acknowledge the NH3-TPD analysis performed by Sander Bossier.			Approved	Most recent IF: 5.3; 2023 IF: 4.636
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:197268			Serial	8917
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	Author	Bogaerts, A.; Centi, G.; Hessel, V.; Rebrov, E.
	Title	Challenges in unconventional catalysis			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Catalysis today	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	420	Issue		Pages	114180
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
	Abstract	Catalysis science and technology increased efforts recently to progress beyond conventional “thermal” catalysis and face the challenges of net-zero emissions and electrification of production. Nevertheless, a better gaps and opportunities analysis is necessary. This review analyses four emerging areas of unconventional or less- conventional catalysis which share the common aspect of using directly renewable energy sources: (i) plasma catalysis, (ii) catalysis for flow chemistry and process intensification, (iii) application of electromagnetic (EM) fields to modulate catalytic activity and (iv) nanoscale generation at the catalyst interface of a strong local EM by plasmonic effect. Plasma catalysis has demonstrated synergistic effects, where the outcome is higher than the sum of both processes alone. Still, the underlying mechanisms are complex, and synergy is not always obtained. There is a crucial need for a better understanding to (i) design catalysts tailored to the plasma environment, (ii) design plasma reactors with optimal transport of plasma species to the catalyst surface, and (iii) tune the plasma conditions so they work in optimal synergy with the catalyst. Microfluidic reactors (flow chemistry) is another emerging sector leading to the intensification of catalytic syntheses, particularly in organic chemistry. New unconventional catalysts must be designed to exploit in full the novel possibilities. With a focus on (a) continuous-flow photocatalysis, (b) electrochemical flow catalysis, (c) microwave flow catalysis and (d) ultra sound flow activation, a series of examples are discussed, with also indications on scale-up and process indus trialisation. The third area discussed regards the effect on catalytic performances of applying oriented EM fields spanning several orders of magnitude. Under well-defined conditions, gas breakdown and, in some cases, plasma formation generates activated gas phase species. The EM field-driven chemical conversion processes depend further on structured electric/magnetic catalysts, which shape the EM field in strength and direction. Different effects influencing chemical conversion have been reported, including reduced activation energy, surface charging, hot spot generation, and selective local heating. The last topic discussed is complementary to the third, focusing on the possibility of tuning the photo- and electro-catalytic properties by creating a strong localised electrical field with a plasmonic effect. The novel possibilities of hot carriers generated by the plasmonic effect are also discussed. This review thus aims to stimulate the reader to make new, creative catalysis to address the challenges of reaching a carbon-neutral world.
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	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001004623300001	Publication Date	2023-05-09
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0920-5861	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	5.3	Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes	The EU ERC Synergy SCOPE project supported this work (project ID 810182) “ Surface-COnfined fast-modulated Plasma for process and Energy intensification in small molecules conversion”. This review thus aims to stimulate the reader to make new, creative catalysis to address the challenges of reaching a carbon-neutral world.			Approved	Most recent IF: 5.3; 2023 IF: 4.636
	Call Number	PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:196446			Serial	7380
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	Author	Cánovas, R.; Daems, E.; Langley, A.R.; De Wael, K.
	Title	Are aptamer-based biosensing approaches a good choice for female fertility monitoring? A comprehensive review			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Biosensors and bioelectronics	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	220	Issue		Pages	114881-18
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)
	Abstract	The WHO estimates that 8–10% of couples are facing fertility problems, often due to inaccuracy in predicting the female's ovulation period controlled by four key hormones. The quantification and monitoring of such key hormones are crucial for the early identification of infertility, but also in improving therapeutic management associated with hormonal imbalance. In this review, we extensively summarize and discuss: i) drawbacks of laboratory methods for fertility testing (costly, invasive, complex) and commercially available point-of-care tests (measuring only one/two of the four key hormones), ii) the understanding of different biosensors for fertility monitoring, and iii) an in-depth classification and overview of aptamer-based sensing of the hormones of interest. This review provides insights on hormone detection strategies for fertility, with a focus on the classification of the current ‘aptasensing’ strategies, aiming to assist as a basic guide for the development of accurate fertility window monitoring tools based on aptamers.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000890547600004	Publication Date	2022-11-07
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0956-5663	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	12.6	Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 12.6; 2023 IF: 7.78
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:191711			Serial	8833
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	Author	Yang, T.; Kong, Y.; Du, Y.; Li, K.; Schryvers, D.
	Title	Discovery of core-shell quasicrystalline particles			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Scripta materialia	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	222	Issue		Pages	115040-115046
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
	Abstract	Submicron-sized quasicrystalline particles were obtained in an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy produced by traditional melting. These particles consist of an Al-Fe-Ni core and a Mg-Cu-Zn shell and were found to be stable and embedded randomly in the Al matrix. The diffraction patterns of these core-shell particles reveal a decagonal core and an icosahedral shell with, respectively, ten- and five-fold axes aligned. High resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy of the Mg-Cu-Zn shell confirms the five-fold symmetry atomic arrangement and the icosahedral structure. It can therefore be concluded that Fe and Ni impurities play an important role in mediating the formation of such an unusual ternary core-shell quasicrystalline particle. These findings provide some novel insights in the formation of quasicrystals in traditional industrial Al alloys.
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	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	000864491400005	Publication Date	2022-09-11
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1359-6462	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	6	Times cited		Open Access	OpenAccess
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 6; 2023 IF: 3.747
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:191489			Serial	7144
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