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Author Vanrenterghem, B.; Papaderakis, A.; Sotiropoulos, S.; Tsiplakides, D.; Balomenou, S.; Bals, S.; Breugelmans, T. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title The reduction of benzylbromide at Ag-Ni deposits prepared by galvanic replacement Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Electrochimica acta Abbreviated Journal Electrochim Acta  
  Volume 196 Issue (up) 196 Pages 756-768  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)  
  Abstract A two-step procedure was applied to prepare bimetallic Ag-Ni glassy carbon supported catalysts (Ag-Ni/GC). First Ni layers were prepared by means of electrodeposition in an aqueous deaerated nickel chloride + nickel sulfamate + boric acid solution. Second, the partial replacement of Ni layers by Ag was achieved upon immersion of the latter in solutions containing silver nitrate. Three different pretreatment protocols were used after preparation of the Ag/Ni deposits; as prepared, cathodised in alkali and scanned in acid. After the pretreatment the surface was characterised by means of spectroscopy techniques (scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray) and electrochemically in an alkali NaOH solution through cyclic voltammetry (CV). Afterwards the modified electrodes were tested for the reduction of benzylbromide in acetonitrile solutions by using CV and were found to show improved activity compared to bulk Ag electrode. The highest activity towards benzylbromide reduction was observed for pre-cathodised Ag-Ni electrodes. A final stage of the research focuses on the development of a practical Ag/Ni foam catalyst for the reduction of benzylbromide. Due to the high electrochemical active surface area of Ag/Ni foam, a higher conversion of benzyl bromide was obtained in comparison with bulk Ag.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000372877400083 Publication Date 2016-03-02  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0013-4686 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.798 Times cited 21 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The quanta 250 FEG microscope of the Electron Microscopy for Material Science group at the University of Antwerp was funded by the Hercules foundation of the Flemish government. Sara Bals acknowledges financial support from European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant #335078-COLOURATOMS).; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 4.798  
  Call Number c:irua:132081 Serial 4065  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Casavola, M.; van Huis, M.A.; Bals, S.; Lambert, K.; Hens, Z.; Vanmaekelbergh, D. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Anisotropic cation exchange in PbSe/CdSe core/shell nanocrystals of different geometry Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2012 Publication Chemistry of materials Abbreviated Journal Chem Mater  
  Volume 24 Issue (up) 2 Pages 294-302  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract We present a study of Cd2+-for-Pb2+ exchange in PbSe nanocrystals (NCs) with cube, star, and rod shapes. Prolonged temperature-activated cation exchange results in PbSe/CdSe heterostructured nanocrystals (HNCs) that preserve their specific overall shape, whereas the PbSe core is strongly faceted with dominance of {111} facets. Hence, cation exchange proceeds while the Se anion lattice is preserved, and well-defined {111}/{111} PbSe/CdSe interfaces develop. Interestingly, by quenching the reaction at different stages of the cation exchange new structures have been isolated, such as coreshell nanorods, CdSe rods that contain one or two separated PbSe dots and fully zinc blende CdSe nanorods. The crystallographically anisotropic cation exchange has been characterized by a combined HRTEM/HAADF-STEM study of heterointerface evolution over reaction time and temperature. Strikingly, Pb and Cd are only intermixed at the PbSe/CdSe interface. We propose a plausible model for the cation exchange based on a layer-by-layer replacement of Pb2+ by Cd2+ enabled by a vacancy-assisted cation migration mechanism.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor  
  Language Wos 000299367500008 Publication Date 2011-11-17  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0897-4756;1520-5002; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 9.466 Times cited 136 Open Access  
  Notes Esteem 026019 Approved Most recent IF: 9.466; 2012 IF: 8.238  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:94211 Serial 124  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Turner, S.; Tavernier, S.M.F.; Huyberechts, G.; Bals, S.; Batenburg, K.J.; Van Tendeloo, G. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Assisted spray pyrolysis production and characterisation of ZnO nanoparticles with narrow size distribution Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2010 Publication Journal of nanoparticle research Abbreviated Journal J Nanopart Res  
  Volume 12 Issue (up) 2 Pages 615-622  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Vision lab  
  Abstract Nano-sized ZnO particles with a narrow size distribution and high crystallinity were prepared from aqueous solutions with high concentrations of Zn2+ containing salts and citric acid in a conventional spray pyrolysis setup. Structure, morphology and size of the produced material were compared to ZnO material produced by simple spray pyrolysis of zinc nitrates in the same experimental setup. Using transmission electron microscopy and electron tomography it has been shown that citric acid-assisted spray pyrolysed material is made up of micron sized secondary particles comprising a shell of lightly agglomerated, monocrystalline primary ZnO nanoparticles with sizes in the 2030 nm range, separable by a simple ultrasonic treatment step.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication S.l. Editor  
  Language Wos 000275318700025 Publication Date 2009-04-20  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1388-0764;1572-896X; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.02 Times cited 27 Open Access  
  Notes Esteem 026019 Approved Most recent IF: 2.02; 2010 IF: 3.253  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:81771 Serial 156  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Bals, S.; Tirry, W.; Geurts, R.; Yang, Z.; Schryvers, D. doi  openurl
  Title High-quality sample preparation by low kV FIB thinning for analytical TEM measurements Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2007 Publication Microscopy and microanalysis Abbreviated Journal Microsc Microanal  
  Volume 13 Issue (up) 2 Pages 80-86  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Focused ion beam specimen preparation has been used for NiTi samples and SrTiO(3)/SrRuO(3) multilayers with prevention of surface amorphization and Ga implantation by a 2-kV cleaning procedure. Transmission electron microscopy techniques show that the samples are of high quality with a controlled thickness over large scales. Furthermore, preferential thinning effects in multicompounds are avoided, which is important when analytical transmission electron microscopy measurements need to be interpreted in a quantitative manner. The results are compared to similar measurements acquired for samples obtained using conventional preparation techniques such as electropolishing for alloys and ion milling for oxides.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Cambridge, Mass. Editor  
  Language Wos 000245662200002 Publication Date 2007-03-19  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1431-9276;1435-8115; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 1.891 Times cited 82 Open Access  
  Notes Fwo; Goa Approved Most recent IF: 1.891; 2007 IF: 1.941  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:65850 Serial 1441  
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Author El-Gogary, R.I.; Rubio, N.; Wang, J.T.W.; Al-Jamal, W.T.; Bourgognon, M.; Kafa, H.; Naeem, M.; Klippstein, R.; Abbate, V.; Leroux, F.; Bals, S.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Kamel, A.O.; Awad, G.A.S.; Mortada, N.D.; Al-Jamal, K.T.; doi  openurl
  Title Polyethylene glycol conjugated polymeric nanocapsules for targeted delivery of quercetin to folate-expressing cancer cells in vitro and in vivo Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2014 Publication ACS nano Abbreviated Journal Acs Nano  
  Volume 8 Issue (up) 2 Pages 1384-1401  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract In this work we describe the formulation and characterization of chemically modified polymeric nanocapsules incorporating the anticancer drug, quercetin, for the passive and active targeting to tumors. Folic acid was conjugated to poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) polymer to facilitate active targeting to cancer cells. Two different methods for the conjugation of PLGA to folic acid were employed utilizing polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a spacer. Characterization of the conjugates was performed using FTIR and H-1 NMR studies. The PEG and folk acid content was independent of the conjugation methodology employed. PEGylation has shown to reduce the size of the nanocapsule; moreover, zeta-potential was shown to be polymer-type dependent. Comparative studies on the cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of the different formulations by He La cells, in the presence and absence of excess folic acid, were carried out using MTT assay and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy, respectively. Both results confirmed the selective uptake and cytotoxicity of the folic acid targeted nanocapsules to the folate enriched cancer cells in a folate-dependent manner. Finally, the passive tumor accumulation and the active targeting of the nanocapsules to folate-expressing cells were confirmed upon intravenous administration in He La or IGROV-1 tumor-bearing mice. The developed nanocapsules provide a system for targeted delivery of a range of hydrophobic anticancer drugs in vivo.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000332059200032 Publication Date 2014-01-07  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1936-0851;1936-086X; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 13.942 Times cited 144 Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes 290023 Raddel; 262348 Esmi; Iap-Pai Approved Most recent IF: 13.942; 2014 IF: 12.881  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:115862 Serial 2670  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Bals, S.; Verbeeck, J.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Liu, Y.-L.; Grivel, J.-C. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Quantitative electron microscopy of (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+\delta/Ag multifilament tapes during initial stages of annealing Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2005 Publication Journal of the American Ceramic Society Abbreviated Journal J Am Ceram Soc  
  Volume 88 Issue (up) 2 Pages 431-436  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The microstructural and compositional evolution during initial annealing of a superconducting (Bi,Pb)(2)Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+delta/Ag tape is studied using quantitative transmission electron microscopy. Special attention is devoted to the occurrence of Pb-rich liquids, which are crucial for the Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta to (Bi,Pb)(2)Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+delta transformation. Ca and/or Pb-rich (Bi,Pb)(2)Sr2CaCu2O8+delta grains dissolve into a liquid, which reacts with Ca-rich phases to increase the liquid's Ca-content. This leads to (Bi,Pb)(2)Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+delta formation. Apparently, a Ca/Sr ratio of around I is sufficient to keep (Bi,Pb)(2)Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+delta nucleation going. It is confirmed that Ag particles are transported from the Ag-sheath into the oxide core by the liquid and not by mechanical treatment of the tape.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Columbus, Ohio Editor  
  Language Wos 000227510200030 Publication Date 2005-02-16  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0002-7820;1551-2916; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.841 Times cited 1 Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.841; 2005 IF: 1.586  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:54876UA @ admin @ c:irua:54876 Serial 2754  
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Author Salluzzo, M.; Aruta, C.; Ausanio, G.; Bals, S.; d' Agostino, A.; Maglione, M.G. doi  openurl
  Title Role of Nd/Ba substitution on the growth mode and on the structural properties of Nd-rich Re1(NdxBa2-x)Cu3O7-\delta (Re=Nd, Y) thin films Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2002 Publication Physica: C : superconductivity Abbreviated Journal Physica C  
  Volume 372-376 Issue (up) 2 Pages 675-678  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Thin films of the superconducting Nd1+xBa2−xCu3O7−δ (NBCO) and Y1(NdxBa2−x)Cu3O7−δ (YNBCO) compounds have been deposited by dc magnetron sputtering and diode high pressure oxygen sputtering. Different techniques, including scanning tunneling microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have been used to study the film microstructures and the surface morphology. It is shown that the Nd/Ba exchange promotes a 2D heteroepitaxial growth in the case of the NBCO films deposited on (1 0 0) SrTiO3 substrates, with a suppression of the characteristic 3D spirals structures. On the contrary in YNBCO the Nd/Ba exchange does not provide a driving force for the suppression of screw-dislocations, since spirals or towers originated by screw and half loop dislocations are observed on the surface. TEM reveals that anti-phase boundaries are eliminated during the growth of NBCO films thanks to the Nd/Ba exchange while this mechanism is not operating in the case of YNBCO films.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Amsterdam Editor  
  Language Wos 000178018800024 Publication Date 2002-08-26  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0921-4534; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 1.404 Times cited 5 Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 1.404; 2002 IF: 0.912  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:87909 Serial 2917  
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Author Ke, X.; Bals, S.; Cott, D.; Hantschel, T.; Bender, H.; Van Tendeloo, G. doi  openurl
  Title Three-dimensional analysis of carbon nanotube networks in interconnects by electron tomography without missing wedge artifacts Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2010 Publication Microscopy and microanalysis Abbreviated Journal Microsc Microanal  
  Volume 16 Issue (up) 2 Pages 210-217  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The three-dimensional (3D) distribution of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) grown inside semiconductor contact holes is studied by electron tomography. The use of a specialized tomography holder results in an angular tilt range of ±90°, which means that the so-called missing wedge is absent. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) sample for this purpose consists of a micropillar that is prepared by a dedicated procedure using the focused ion beam (FIB) but keeping the CNTs intact. The 3D results are combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to study the relation between the CNTs and the catalyst particles used during their growth. The reconstruction, based on the full range of tilt angles, is compared with a reconstruction where a missing wedge is present. This clearly illustates that the missing wedge will lead to an unreliable interpretation and will limit quantitative studies  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Cambridge, Mass. Editor  
  Language Wos 000276137200011 Publication Date 2010-02-26  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1431-9276;1435-8115; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 1.891 Times cited 42 Open Access  
  Notes Esteem 026019; Fwo; Iap-Vi Approved Most recent IF: 1.891; 2010 IF: 3.259  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:82279 Serial 3642  
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Author Masenelli-Varlot, K.; Malchere, A.; Ferreira, J.; Heidari Mezerji, H.; Bals, S.; Messaoudi, C.; Garrido, S.M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Wet-STEM tomography : principles, potentialities and limitations Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2014 Publication Microscopy and microanalysis Abbreviated Journal Microsc Microanal  
  Volume 20 Issue (up) 2 Pages 366-375  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The characterization of biological and inorganic materials by determining their three-dimensional structure in conditions closer to their native state is a major challenge of technological research. Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) provides access to the observation of hydrated samples in water environments. Here, we present a specific device for ESEM in the scanning transmission electron microscopy mode, allowing the acquisition of tilt-series suitable for tomographic reconstructions. The resolution which can be obtained with this device is first determined. Then, we demonstrate the feasibility of tomography on wet materials. The example studied here is hydrophilic mesoporous silica (MCM-41). Finally, the minimum thickness of water which can be detected is calculated from Monte Carlo simulations and compared with the resolution expected in the tomograms.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Cambridge, Mass. Editor  
  Language Wos 000337304700005 Publication Date 2014-02-26  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1431-9276;1435-8115; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 1.891 Times cited 9 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes IAP-PAI; European Research Council under the 7th Framework Program (FP7); ERC grant no. 335078-COLOURATOMS.; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 1.891; 2014 IF: 1.877  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:118411 Serial 3915  
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Author Hamon, C.; Novikov, S.M.; Scarabelli, L.; Solís, D.M.; Altantzis, T.; Bals, S.; Taboada, J.M.; Obelleiro, F.; Liz-Marzán, L.M. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Collective Plasmonic Properties in Few-Layer Gold Nanorod Supercrystals Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2015 Publication ACS Photonics Abbreviated Journal Acs Photonics  
  Volume 2 Issue (up) 2 Pages 1482-1488  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Gold nanorod supercrystals have been widely employed for the detection of relevant bioanalytes with detection limits ranging from nano- to picomolar levels,

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

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

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

data in terms of analyte penetration into the topmost layer only, which indicates that diffusion to the interior of the supercrystals would be crucial if the complete field enhancement produced by the stacked nanorods is to be exploited. We propose that our conclusions will be of high relevance in the design of next generation plasmonic devices.
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000363435600013 Publication Date 2015-09-03  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2330-4022 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 6.756 Times cited 70 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The authors are thankful to Dr. Luis Yate for assistance with sample preparation. This work was supported by the European Research Council (ERC Advanced Grant #267867 Plasmaquo and ERC Starting Grant #335078 Colouratom) and the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MAT2013-46101-R). D.M.S., J.M.T., and F.O. acknowledge funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Spanish Ministerio de Economiá y Competitividad (MAT2014-58201-C2-1-R, MAT2014-58201- C2-2-R, Project TACTICA), from the ERDF and the Galician Regional Government under Projects CN2012/279 and CN2012/260 (AtlantTIC) and the Plan I2C (2011−2015), and from the ERDF and the Extremadura Regional Government (Junta de Extremadura Project IB13185).; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 6.756; 2015 IF: NA  
  Call Number c:irua:129458 Serial 3978  
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Author Venturi, F.; Calizzi, M.; Bals, S.; Perkisas, T.; Pasquini, L. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Self-assembly of gas-phase synthesized magnesium nanoparticles on room temperature substrates Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2015 Publication Materials research express Abbreviated Journal Mater Res Express  
  Volume 2 Issue (up) 2 Pages 015007  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering Management (ENM); Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Magnesium nanoparticles (NPs) with initial size in the 10-50 nmrange were synthesized by inert gas condensation under helium flow and deposited on room temperature substrates. The morphology and crystal structure of the NPs ensemble were investigated as a function of the deposition time by complementary electron microscopy techniques, including high resolution imaging and chemical mapping. With increasing amount of material, strong coarsening phenomena were observed at room temperature: small NPs disappeared while large faceted NPs developed, leading to a 5-fold increase of the average NPs size within a few minutes. The extent of coarsening and the final morphology depended also on the nature of the substrate. Furthermore, large single-crystal NPs were seen to arise from the self-organization of primary NPs units, providing a mechanism for crystal growth. The dynamics of the self-assembly process involves the basic steps of NPs sticking, diffusion on substrate, coordinated rotation and attachment/coalescence. Key features are the surface energy anisotropy, reflected by the faceted shape of the NPs, and the low melting point of the material. The observed phenomena have strong implications in relation to the synthesis and stability of nanostructures based on Mg or other elements with similar features.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher IOP Publishing Place of Publication Bristol Editor  
  Language Wos 000369978500007 Publication Date 2014-12-31  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2053-1591 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 1.068 Times cited 14 Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes ; Financial support by COST Action MP1103 'Nanostructured Materials for Solid-State Hydrogen Storage' is gratefully acknowledged. ; Approved Most recent IF: 1.068; 2015 IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:132275 Serial 4240  
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Author Asapu, R.; Claes, N.; Ciocarlan, R.-G.; Minjauw, M.; Detavernier, C.; Cool, P.; Bals, S.; Verbruggen, S.W. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Electron Transfer and Near-Field Mechanisms in Plasmonic Gold-Nanoparticle-Modified TiO2Photocatalytic Systems Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2019 Publication ACS applied nano materials Abbreviated Journal ACS Appl. Nano Mater.  
  Volume 2 Issue (up) 2 Pages 4067-4074  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract The major mechanism responsible for plasmonic enhancement of titanium dioxide photocatalysis using gold nanoparticles is still under contention. This work introduces an experimental strategy to disentangle the significance of the charge transfer and near-field mechanisms in plasmonic photocatalysis. By controlling the thickness and conductive nature of a nanoparticle shell that acts as a spacer layer separating the plasmonic metal core from the TiO2 surface, field enhancement or charge transfer effects can be selectively repressed or evoked. Layer-by-layer and in situ polymerization methods are used to synthesize gold core–polymer shell nanoparticles with shell thickness control up to the sub-nanometer level. Detailed optical and electrical characterization supported by near-field simulation models corroborate the trends in photocatalytic activity of the different systems. This approach mainly points at an important contribution of the enhanced near field.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000477917700006 Publication Date 2019-05-31  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2574-0970 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited 32 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This work was supported by Research Foundation Flanders (FWO). P.C. and R-G.C. acknowledge financial support from FWO (Project No. G038215N). N.C. and S.B. acknowledge financial support from the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant No. 335078-COLOURATOM). Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @UA @ admin @ c:irua:160579 Serial 5184  
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Author Crippa, F.; Rodriguez-Lorenzo, L.; Hua, X.; Goris, B.; Bals, S.; Garitaonandia, J.S.; Balog, S.; Burnand, D.; Hirt, A.M.; Haeni, L.; Lattuada, M.; Rothen-Rutishauser, B.; Petri-Fink, A. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Phase transformation of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles via thermal annealing : implications for hyperthermia applications Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2019 Publication ACS applied nano materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 2 Issue (up) 2 Pages 4462-4470  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Magnetic hyperthermia has the potential to play an important role in cancer therapy and its efficacy relies on the nanomaterials selected. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are excellent candidates due to the ability of producing enough heat to kill tumor cells by thermal ablation. However, their heating properties depend strongly on crystalline structure and size, which may not be controlled and tuned during the synthetic process; therefore, a postprocessing is needed. We show how thermal annealing can be simultaneously coupled with ligand exchange to stabilize the SPIONs in polar solvents and to modify their crystal structure, which improves hyperthermia behavior. Using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Mossbauer spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, and lock-in thermography, we systematically investigate the impact of size and ligand exchange procedure on crystallinity, their magnetism, and heating ability. We describe a valid and simple approach to optimize SPIONs for hyperthermia by carefully controlling the size, colloidal stability, and crystallinity.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000477917700048 Publication Date 2019-06-27  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited 18 Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes ; This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation through the National Center of Competence in Research Bio-Inspired Materials, the Adolphe Merkle Foundation, the University of Fribourg, and the European Society for Molecular Imaging (Grant E141200643). ; Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:161927 Serial 5393  
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Author Kertik, A.; Wee, L.H.; Şentosun, K.; Navarro, J.A.R.; Bals, S.; Martens, J.A.; Vankelecom, I.F.J. url  doi
openurl 
  Title High-performance CO2-selective hybrid membranes by exploiting MOF-breathing effects Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2020 Publication Acs Applied Materials & Interfaces Abbreviated Journal Acs Appl Mater Inter  
  Volume 12 Issue (up) 2 Pages 2952-2961  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Conventional CO2 separation in the petrochemical industry via cryogenic distillation or amine-based absorber-stripper units is energy-intensive and environmentally unfriendly. Membrane-based gas separation technology, in contrast, has contributed significantly to the development of energy-efficient systems for processes such as natural gas purification. The implementation of commercial polymeric membranes in gas separation processes is restricted by their permeability-selectivity trade-off and by their insufficient thermal and chemical stability. Herein, we present the fabrication of a Matrimid-based membrane loaded with a breathing metal-organic framework (MOF) (NH2-MIL-53(Al)) which is capable of separating binary CO2/CH4 gas mixtures with high selectivities without sacrificing much of its CO2 permeabilities. NH2-MIL-53(Al) crystals were embedded in a polyimide (PI) matrix, and the mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) were treated at elevated temperatures (up to 350 degrees C) in air to trigger PI cross-linking and to create PI-MOF bonds at the interface to effectively seal the grain boundary. Most importantly, the MOF transitions from its narrow-pore form to its large-pore form during this treatment, which allows the PI chains to partly penetrate the pores and cross-link with the amino functions at the pore mouth of the NH2-MIL-53(Al) and stabilizes the open-pore form of NH2-MIL-53(Al). This cross-linked MMM, with MOF pore entrances was made more selective by the anchored PI-chains and achieves outstanding CO2/CH4 selectivities. This approach provides significant advancement toward the design of selective MMMs with enhanced thermal and chemical stabilities which could also be applicable for other potential applications, such as separation of hydrocarbons (olefin/paraffin or isomers), pervaporation, and solvent-resistant nanofiltration.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000508464500108 Publication Date 2019-12-20  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1944-8244 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 9.5 Times cited 26 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes ; A.K. is grateful to the Erasmus Mundus Doctorate in Membrane Engineering (EUDIME) programme. L.H.W. thanks the FWO-Vlaanderen for a postdoctoral research fellowships under contract number 12M1418N. We thank Methusalem and IAP-PAI for research funding. S.B. acknowledges financial support from European Research Council (ERC) (ERC Starting Grant No. 335078-COLOURATOM). We are also grateful to Frank Mathijs (KU Leuven) for the mechanical tests, Bart Goderis and Olivier Verkinderen for the DSC measurements, and Huntsman (Switzerland) for providing the Matrimid polymer. ; Approved Most recent IF: 9.5; 2020 IF: 7.504  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:166576 Serial 6534  
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Author Pacquets, L.; Irtem, E.; Neukermans, S.; Daems, N.; Bals, S.; Breugelmans, T. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Size-controlled electrodeposition of Cu nanoparticles on gas diffusion electrodes in methanesulfonic acid solution Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2020 Publication Journal Of Applied Electrochemistry Abbreviated Journal J Appl Electrochem  
  Volume 51 Issue (up) 2 Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)  
  Abstract In this paper electrodeposition is used to obtain Cu nanoparticles, as it allows good control over particle size and distribution. These Cu particles were deposited onto a gas diffusion electrode which increased the resulting surface area. Prior to deposition, the surface was pre-treated with NaOH, HNO3, MQ and TX100 to investigate the influence on the electrodeposition of Cu on the gas diffusion electrode (GDE). When using HNO3, the smallest particles with the most homogeneous distribution and high particle roughness were obtained. Once the optimal substrate was determined, we further demonstrated that by altering the electrodeposition parameters, the particle size and density could be tuned. On the one hand, increasing the nucleation potential led to a higher particle density resulting in smaller particles because of an increased competition between particles. Finally, the Cu particle size increased when applying a greater growth charge and growth potential. This fundamental study thus opens up a path towards the synthesis of supported Cu materials with increased surface areas, which is interesting from a catalytic point of view. Larger surface areas are generally correlated with a better catalyst performance and thus higher product yields. This research can contributed in obtaining new insides into the deposition of metallic nanoparticles on rough surfaces. [GRAPHICS] .  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000568651000001 Publication Date 2020-09-12  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0021-891x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.9 Times cited 3 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes ; L. Pacquets was supported through a PhD fellowship strategic basic research (1S56918N) of the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO). N. Daems was supported through a postdoctoral fellowship (12Y3919N-ND) of the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO). S. Neukermans was supported through an FWO project grant (G093317N). This research was financed by the research counsel of the university of Antwerp (BOF-GOA 33928). The authors recognize the contribution of Thomas Kenis for analytical validation and methodology. ; Approved Most recent IF: 2.9; 2020 IF: 2.235  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:171588 Serial 6603  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Windels, S.; Diefenhardt, T.; Jain, N.; Marquez, C.; Bals, S.; Schlummer, M.; De Vos, D.E. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Catalytic upcycling of PVC waste-derived phthalate esters into safe, hydrogenated plasticizers Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Green chemistry : cutting-edge research for a greener sustainable future Abbreviated Journal Green Chem  
  Volume 24 Issue (up) 2 Pages 754-766  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Recycling of end-of-life polyvinyl chloride (PVC) calls for solutions to deal with the vast amounts of harmful phthalate plasticizers that have historically been incorporated in PVC. Here, we report on the upcycling of such waste-extracted phthalate esters into analogues of the much safer diisononyl 1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylate plasticizer (DINCH), via a catalytic one-pot (trans)esterification-hydrogenation process. For most of the virgin phthalates, Ru/Al2O3 is a highly effective hydrogenation catalyst, yielding >99% ring-hydrogenated products under mild reaction conditions (0.1 mol% Ru, 80 degrees C, 50 bar H-2). However, applying this reaction to PVC-extracted phthalates proved problematic, (1) as benzyl phthalates are hydrogenolyzed to benzoic acids that inhibit the Ru-catalyst, and (2) because impurities in the plasticizer extract (PVC, sulfur) further retard the hydrogenation. These complications were solved by coupling the hydrogenation to an in situ (trans)esterification with a higher alcohol, and by pretreating the extract with an activated carbon adsorbent. In this way, a real phthalate extract obtained from post-consumer PVC waste was eventually completely (>99%) hydrogenated to phthalate-free, cycloaliphatic plasticizers.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000726865200001 Publication Date 2021-11-30  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1463-9262; 1463-9270 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 9.8 Times cited 8 Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement no. 821366 (programma acronym: Circular Flooring). D. E. D. V. thanks FWO for project funding (SBO project S001819N Triple Cycle); N. J. and S. B. acknowledge the financial support from FWO and FNRS (EOS 30489208). Finally, the authors also thank S. Smolders for assistance with the TGA-MS experiments and D. Paredaens for his experimental contribution Approved Most recent IF: 9.8  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:184746 Serial 6958  
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Author Mulder, J.T.; Meijer, M.S.; van Blaaderen, J.J.; du Fosse, I.; Jenkinson, K.; Bals, S.; Manna, L.; Houtepen, A.J. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Understanding and preventing photoluminescence quenching to achieve unity photoluminescence quantum yield in Yb:YLF nanocrystals Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication ACS applied materials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 15 Issue (up) 2 Pages 3274-3286  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Ytterbium-doped LiYF4 (Yb:YLF) is a commonly used material for laser applications, as a photon upconversion medium, and for optical refrigeration. As nanocrystals (NCs), the material is also of interest for biological and physical applications. Unfortunately, as with most phosphors, with the reduction in size comes a large reduction of the photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY), which is typically associated with an increase in surface-related PL quenching. Here, we report the synthesis of bipyramidal Yb:YLF NCs with a short axis of similar to 60 nm. We systematically study and remove all sources of PL quenching in these NCs. By chemically removing all traces of water from the reaction mixture, we obtain NCs that exhibit a near-unity PLQY for an Yb3+ concentration below 20%. At higher Yb3+ concentrations, efficient concentration quenching occurs. The surface PL quenching is mitigated by growing an undoped YLF shell around the NC core, resulting in near-unity PLQY values even for fully Yb3+-based LiYbF4 cores. This unambiguously shows that the only remaining quenching sites in core-only Yb:YLF NCs reside on the surface and that concentration quenching is due to energy transfer to the surface. Monte Carlo simulations can reproduce the concentration dependence of the PLQY. Surprisingly, Fo''rster resonance energy transfer does not give satisfactory agreement with the experimental data, whereas nearest-neighbor energy transfer does. This work demonstrates that Yb3+-based nanophosphors can be synthesized with a quality close to that of bulk single crystals. The high Yb3+ concentration in the LiYbF4/LiYF4 core/shell nanocrystals increases the weak Yb3+ absorption, making these materials highly promising for fundamental studies and increasing their effectiveness in bioapplications and optical refrigeration.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000912997300001 Publication Date 2023-01-06  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1944-8244 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 9.5 Times cited 3 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No. 766900 (Testing the Large-Scale Limit of Quantum Mechanics). A.J.H. and I.d.F. further acknowledge the European Research Council Horizon 2020 ERC Grant Agreement No. 678004 (Doping on Demand) for financial support. The authors thank Freddy Rabouw and Andries Meijerink (Utrecht University) for very fruitful discussions and extremely useful advice. The author s thank Jos Thieme for his help with the laser setups used . The authors furthermore thank Niranjan Saikumar for proofreading the manuscript. Approved Most recent IF: 9.5; 2023 IF: 7.504  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:194317 Serial 7348  
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Author Chen, Q.; Skorikov, A.; van der Hoeven, J.E.S.; van Blaaderen, A.; Albrecht, W.; Perez-Garza, H.H.; Bals, S. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Estimation of temperature homogeneity in MEMS-based heating nanochips via quantitative HAADF-STEM tomography Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Particle and particle systems characterization Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 41 Issue (up) 2 Pages 1-8  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Sample holders for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) based on micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) have recently become popular for investigating the behavior of nanomaterials under in situ or environmental conditions. The accuracy and reproducibility of these in situ holders are essential to ensure the reliability of experimental results. In addition, the uniformity of an applied temperature trigger across the MEMS chip is a crucial parameter. In this work, it is measured the temperature homogeneity of MEMS-based heating sample supports by locally analyzing the dynamics of heat-induced alloying of Au@Ag nanoparticles located in different regions of the support through quantitative fast high-angle annular dark-field scanning TEM tomography. These results demonstrate the superior temperature homogeneity of a microheater design based on a heating element shaped as a circular spiral with a width decreasing outwards compared to a double spiral-shaped designed microheater. The proposed approach to measure the local temperature homogeneity based on the thermal properties of bimetallic nanoparticles will support the future development of MEMS-based heating supports with improved thermal properties and in situ studies where high precision in the temperature at a certain position is required. This schematic delineates an approach to quantifying potential localized temperature deviation within a nanochip. Employing two comparable nanoparticles as thermal probes in discrete nanochip regions, the alloying kinetics of these nanoparticles are monitorable using in situ quantitative high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) tomography, thus enabling the precise estimation of local temperature deviations.image  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001060394600001 Publication Date 2023-09-08  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0934-0866 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 2.7 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes This project was funded from the European Commission and The Marie Sklodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network MUMMERING (Grant Agreement no. 765604) Approved Most recent IF: 2.7; 2023 IF: 4.474  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:199219 Serial 8863  
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Author Bals, S.; Goris, B.; Altantzis, T.; Heidari, H.; Van Aert, S.; Van Tendeloo, G. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Seeing and measuring in 3D with electrons Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2014 Publication Comptes rendus : physique Abbreviated Journal Cr Phys  
  Volume 15 Issue (up) 2-3 Pages 140-150  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Modern TEM enables the investigation of nanostructures at the atomic scale. However, TEM images are only two-dimensional (2D) projections of a three-dimensional (3D) object. Electron tomography can overcome this limitation. The technique is increasingly focused towards quantitative measurements and reaching atomic resolution in 3D has been the ultimate goal for many years. Therefore, one needs to optimize the acquisition of the data, the 3D reconstruction techniques as well as the quantification methods. Here, we will review a broad range of methodologies and examples. Finally, we will provide an outlook and will describe future challenges in the field of electron tomography.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Paris Editor  
  Language Wos 000334013600005 Publication Date 2014-01-20  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1631-0705; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.048 Times cited 15 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes (FWO;Belgium); European Research Council under the 7th Framework Program (FP7); ERC grant No.246791 – COUNTATOMS; ERC grant No.335078 – COLOURATOMS; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 2.048; 2014 IF: 2.035  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:113855 Serial 2960  
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Author Boschker, H.; Huijben, M.; Vailinois, A.; Verbeeck, J.; Van Aert, S.; Luysberg, M.; Bals, S.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Houwman, E.P.; Koster, G.; Blank, D.H.A.; Rijnders, G. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Optimized fabrication of high-quality La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 thin films considering all essential characteristics Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2011 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys  
  Volume 44 Issue (up) 20 Pages 205001-205001,9  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract In this paper, an overview of the fabrication and properties of high-quality La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO) thin films is given. A high-quality LSMO film combines a smooth surface morphology with a large magnetization and a small residual resistivity, while avoiding precipitates and surface segregation. In the literature, typically only a few of these issues are adressed. We therefore present a thorough characterization of our films, which were grown by pulsed laser deposition. The films were characterized with reflection high energy electron diffraction, atomic force microscopy, x-ray diffraction, magnetization and transport measurements, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The films have a saturation magnetization of 4.0 µB/Mn, a Curie temperature of 350 K and a residual resistivity of 60 µΩ cm. These results indicate that high-quality films, combining both large magnetization and small residual resistivity, were realized. A comparison between different samples presented in the literature shows that focussing on a single property is insufficient for the optimization of the deposition process. For high-quality films, all properties have to be adressed. For LSMO devices, the thin-film quality is crucial for the device performance. Therefore, this research is important for the application of LSMO in devices.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication London Editor  
  Language Wos 000290150900001 Publication Date 2011-04-29  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0022-3727;1361-6463; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 99 Open Access  
  Notes This research was financially supported by the Dutch Science Foundation, by NanoNed, a nanotechnology program of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, and by the NanOxide program of the European Science Foundation. This work is supported in part by the Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering, under contract DE-AC02-76SF00515. Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2011 IF: 2.544  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:89557UA @ admin @ c:irua:89557 Serial 2491  
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Author Serrano-Sevillano, J.; Reynaud, M.; Saracibar, A.; Altantzis, T.; Bals, S.; van Tendeloo, G.; Casas-Cabanas, M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Enhanced electrochemical performance of Li-rich cathode materials through microstructural control Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2018 Publication Physical chemistry, chemical physics Abbreviated Journal Phys Chem Chem Phys  
  Volume 20 Issue (up) 20 Pages 23112-23122  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The microstructural complexity of Li-rich cathode materials has so far hampered understanding the critical link between size, morphology and structural defects with both capacity and voltage fadings that this family of materials exhibits. Li2MnO3 is used here as a model material to extract reliable structure–property

relationships that can be further exploited for the development of high-performing and long-lasting Li-rich oxides. A series of samples with microstructural variability have been prepared and thoroughly characterized using the FAULTS software, which allows quantification of planar defects and extraction of

average crystallite sizes. Together with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and density functional theory (DFT) results, the successful application of FAULTS analysis to Li2MnO3 has allowed rationalizing the synthesis conditions and identifying the individual impact of concurrent microstructural features on

both voltage and capacity fadings, a necessary step for the development of high-capacity Li-ion cathode materials with enhanced cycle life.
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000445220500071 Publication Date 2018-08-24  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1463-9076 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.123 Times cited 36 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This work was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de la Economı´a y de la Competitividad through the project IONSTORE (MINECO ref. ENE2016-81020-R). The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme under Grant Agreement 312483 – ESTEEM2 (Integrated Infrastructure Initiative-I3). JSS and AS are grateful for computing time provided by the Spanish i2Basque Centers. MR acknowledges the Spanish State for its financial support through her post-doctoral grant Juan de la Cierva – Formacio´n (MINECO ref. FJCI-2014-19990) and her international mobility grant Jose´ Castillejos (MECD ref. CAS15/00354). S. B. acknowledges funding from the European Research Council (ERC starting grant #335078 Colouratom) and T. A. a postdoctoral grant from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO). (ROMEO:yellow; preprint:; postprint:restricted ; pdfversion:cannot); ecas_sara Approved Most recent IF: 4.123  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:154782UA @ admin @ c:irua:154782 Serial 5062  
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Author Kavak, S.; Kadu, A.A.; Claes, N.; Sánchez-Iglesias, A.; Liz-Marzán, L.M.; Batenburg, K.J.; Bals, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Quantitative 3D Investigation of Nanoparticle Assemblies by Volumetric Segmentation of Electron Tomography Data Sets Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 127 Issue (up) 20 Pages 9725-9734  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Morphological characterization of nanoparticle assemblies and hybrid nanomaterials is critical in determining their structure-property relationships as well as in the development of structures with desired properties. Electron tomography has become a widely utilized technique for the three-dimensional characterization of nanoparticle assemblies. However, the extraction of quantitative morphological parameters from the reconstructed volume can be a complex and labor-intensive task. In this study, we aim to overcome this challenge by automating the volumetric segmentation process applied to three-dimensional reconstructions of nanoparticle assemblies. The key to enabling automated characterization is to assess the performance of different volumetric segmentation methods in accurately extracting predefined quantitative descriptors for morphological characterization. In our methodology, we compare the quantitative descriptors obtained through manual segmentation with those obtained through automated segmentation methods, to evaluate their accuracy and effectiveness. To show generality, our study focuses on the characterization of assemblies of CdSe/CdS quantum dots, gold nanospheres and CdSe/CdS encapsulated in polymeric micelles, and silica-coated gold nanorods decorated with both CdSe/CdS or PbS quantum dots. We use two unsupervised segmentation algorithms: the watershed transform and the spherical Hough transform. Our results demonstrate that the choice of automated segmentation method is crucial for accurately extracting the predefined quantitative descriptors. Specifically, the spherical Hough transform exhibits superior performance in accurately extracting quantitative descriptors, such as particle size and interparticle distance, thereby allowing for an objective, efficient, and reliable volumetric segmentation of complex nanoparticle assemblies.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000991752700001 Publication Date 2023-05-25  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 3.7 Times cited 2 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 1181122N ; Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, 861950 ; H2020 European Research Council, 815128 ; Approved Most recent IF: 3.7; 2023 IF: 4.536  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:196971 Serial 8793  
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Author Asapu, R.; Claes, N.; Bals, S.; Denys, S.; Detavernier, C.; Lenaerts, S.; Verbruggen, S.W. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Silver-polymer core-shell nanoparticles for ultrastable plasmon-enhanced photocatalysis Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication Applied catalysis : B : environmental Abbreviated Journal Appl Catal B-Environ  
  Volume 200 Issue (up) 200 Pages 31-38  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Affordable silver-polymer core-shell nanoparticles are prepared using the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique. The metallic silver core is encapsulated with an ultra-thin protective shell that prevents oxidation and clustering without compromising the plasmonic properties. The core-shell nanoparticles retain their plasmonic near field enhancement effect, as studied from finite element numerical simulations. Control over the shell thickness up to the sub-nanometer level is there for key. The particles are used to prepare a plasmonic Ag-TiO2 photocatalyst of which the gas phase photocatalytic activity is monitored over a period of four months. The described system outperforms pristine TiO2 and retains its plasmonic enhancement in contrast to TiO2 modified with bare silver nanoparticles. With this an important step is made toward the development of long-term stable plasmonic (photocatalytic) applications.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000384775600004 Publication Date 2016-06-28  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0926-3373 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 9.446 Times cited 45 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes CD, SL and SWV acknowledge the Research Foundation − Flanders (FWO) for financial support. CD further acknowledges BOF-UGent (GOA 01G01513) and the Hercules Foundation (AUGE/09/014). SB acknowledges the European Research Council for the ERC Starting Grant #335078-COLOURATOM.; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 9.446  
  Call Number c:irua:134384 c:irua:134384UA @ admin @ c:irua:134384 Serial 4104  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Loreto, S.; Vanrompay, H.; Mertens, M.; Bals, S.; Meynen, V. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title The influence of acids on tuning the pore size of mesoporous TiO2 templated by non-ionic block copolymers Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2018 Publication European journal of inorganic chemistry Abbreviated Journal Eur J Inorg Chem  
  Volume 2018 Issue (up) 2018 Pages 62-65  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA)  
  Abstract <script type='text/javascript'>document.write(unpmarked('We show the possibility to tune the pore size of mesoporous TiO2 templated by non-ionic block copolymers by adding different inorganic acids at well-chosen concentration. The effect of the inorganic anions on both the TiO2 cluster formation and the non-ionic block copolymers micelles is investigated to explain the experimental results.'));  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Weinheim Editor  
  Language Wos 000419706000008 Publication Date 2017-12-19  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1434-1948 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.444 Times cited 6 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes ; This work was supported by the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO) (grant G.0687.13) and the University of Antwerp (BOF project). Hans Vanrompay gratefully acknowledges financial support by the Flemish Fund for Scientific Research (FWO grant 1S32617N). Sara Bals acknowledges financial support from European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant #335078-COLOURATOMS). ; ecas_Sara Approved Most recent IF: 2.444  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:147897UA @ admin @ c:irua:147897 Serial 4881  
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Author Lin, F.; Meng, X.; Kukueva, E.; Kus, M.; Mertens, M.; Bals, S.; Van Doorslaer, S.; Cool, P. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Novel method to synthesize highly ordered ethane-bridged PMOs under mild acidic conditions : taking advantages of phosphoric acid Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2015 Publication Microporous and mesoporous materials: zeolites, clays, carbons and related materials Abbreviated Journal Micropor Mesopor Mat  
  Volume 207 Issue (up) 207 Pages 61-70  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA)  
  Abstract Highly ordered SBA-15-type ethane-bridged PMOs have been obtained by employing H3PO4 as acid to tune the pH in the presence of copolymer surfactant P123. The effects of the acidity and the addition of inorganic salt on the formation of the mesostructure are investigated. It is found that, compared with HCl, the polyprotic weak acid H3PO4 is preferable for the synthesis of highly ordered SBA-15-type ethane-bridged PMOs with larger pore size and surface areas under mild acidic conditions. Moreover, taking the advantages of the mild acidic condition, vanadium-containing SBA-15-type ethane-bridged PMOs were successfully prepared through a direct synthesis approach. The XRD, N2-sorption, UVVis and CW-EPR studies of the V-PMO show that part of the vanadium species are present in polymeric (VOV)n clusters, while part of the vanadium centers are well-dispersed and immobilized on the inner surface of the mesopores.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Amsterdam Editor  
  Language Wos 000350518600009 Publication Date 2015-01-14  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1387-1811; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 3.615 Times cited 5 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes ; The Erasmus Mundus CONNEC program is acknowledged for PhD funding of F.Lin. Furthermore, the authors acknowledge support by the GOA-BOF project 'Optimization of the structure-activity relation in nanoporous materials', funded by the University of Antwerp. ; Approved Most recent IF: 3.615; 2015 IF: 3.453  
  Call Number c:irua:123910 Serial 2379  
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Author Prabhakara, V.; Nuytten, T.; Bender, H.; Vandervorst, W.; Bals, S.; Verbeeck, J. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Linearized radially polarized light for improved precision in strain measurements using micro-Raman spectroscopy Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2021 Publication Optics Express Abbreviated Journal Opt Express  
  Volume 29 Issue (up) 21 Pages 34531  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Strain engineering in semiconductor transistor devices has become vital in the semiconductor industry due to the ever-increasing need for performance enhancement at the nanoscale. Raman spectroscopy is a non-invasive measurement technique with high sensitivity to mechanical stress that does not require any special sample preparation procedures in comparison to characterization involving transmission electron microscopy (TEM), making it suitable for inline strain measurement in the semiconductor industry. Indeed, at present, strain measurements using Raman spectroscopy are already routinely carried out in semiconductor devices as it is cost effective, fast and non-destructive. In this paper we explore the usage of linearized radially polarized light as an excitation source, which does provide significantly enhanced accuracy and precision as compared to linearly polarized light for this application. Numerical simulations are done to quantitatively evaluate the electric field intensities that contribute to this enhanced sensitivity. We benchmark the experimental results against TEM diffraction-based techniques like nano-beam diffraction and Bessel diffraction. Differences between both approaches are assigned to strain relaxation due to sample thinning required in TEM setups, demonstrating the benefit of Raman for nondestructive inline testing.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000708940500144 Publication Date 2021-10-11  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1094-4087 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 3.307 Times cited 2 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, 823717 – ESTEEM3 ; GOA project, “Solarpaint” ; Herculesstichting;; esteem3jra; esteem3reported; Approved Most recent IF: 3.307  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:182472 Serial 6816  
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Author Egoavil, R.; Tan, H.; Verbeeck, J.; Bals, S.; Smith, B.; Kuiper, B.; Rijnders, G.; Koster, G.; Van Tendeloo, G. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Atomic scale investigation of a PbTiO3/SrRuO3/DyScO3 heterostructure Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2013 Publication Applied physics letters Abbreviated Journal Appl Phys Lett  
  Volume 102 Issue (up) 22 Pages 223106-5  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract An epitaxial PbTiO3 thin film grown on self-organized crystalline SrRuO3 nanowires deposited on a DyScO3 substrate with ordered DyO and ScO2 chemical terminations is investigated by transmission electron microscopy. In this PbTiO3/SrRuO3/DyScO3 heterostructure, the SrRuO3 nanowires are assumed to grow on only one type of substrate termination. Here, we report on the structure, morphology, and chemical composition analysis of this heterostructure. Electron energy loss spectroscopy reveals the exact termination sequence in this complex structure. The energy loss near-edge structure of the Ti-L-2,L-3, Sc-L-2,L-3, and O K edges shows intrinsic interfacial electronic reconstruction. Furthermore, PbTiO3 domain walls are observed to start at the end of the nanowires resulting in atomic steps on the film surface. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher American Institute of Physics Place of Publication New York, N.Y. Editor  
  Language Wos 000320621600070 Publication Date 2013-06-05  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0003-6951; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 3.411 Times cited 12 Open Access  
  Notes Ifox; Esteem2; Countatoms; Vortex; esteem2jra3 ECASJO; Approved Most recent IF: 3.411; 2013 IF: 3.515  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:109606UA @ admin @ c:irua:109606 Serial 185  
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Author Bals, S.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Salluzzo, M.; Maggio-Aprile, I. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Why are sputter deposited Nd1+xBa2-xCu3O7-\delta thin films flatter than NdBa2Cu3O7-\delta films? Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2001 Publication Applied physics letters Abbreviated Journal Appl Phys Lett  
  Volume 79 Issue (up) 22 Pages 3660-3662  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract High-resolution electron microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy have been used to compare the microstructure of NdBa2Cu3O7-delta and Nd1+xBa2-xCu3O7-delta thin films. Both films contain comparable amounts of Nd2CuO4 inclusions. Antiphase boundaries are induced by unit cell high steps at the substrate or by a different interface stacking. In Nd1+xBa2-xCu3O7-delta the antiphase boundaries tend to annihilate by the insertion of extra Nd layers. Stacking faults, which can be characterized as local Nd2Ba2Cu4O9 inclusions, also absorb the excess Nd. A correlation is made between the excess Nd and the absence of growth spirals at the surface of the Nd-rich films. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher American Institute of Physics Place of Publication New York, N.Y. Editor  
  Language Wos 000172204400034 Publication Date 2002-07-26  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0003-6951; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 3.411 Times cited 13 Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.411; 2001 IF: 3.849  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:54801 Serial 3916  
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Author Toso, S.; Akkerman, Q.A.; Martin-Garcia, B.; Prato, M.; Zito, J.; Infante, I.; Dang, Z.; Moliterni, A.; Giannini, C.; Bladt, E.; Lobato, I.; Ramade, J.; Bals, S.; Buha, J.; Spirito, D.; Mugnaioli, E.; Gemmi, M.; Manna, L. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Nanocrystals of lead chalcohalides : a series of kinetically trapped metastable nanostructures Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2020 Publication Journal Of The American Chemical Society Abbreviated Journal J Am Chem Soc  
  Volume 142 Issue (up) 22 Pages 10198-10211  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract We report the colloidal synthesis of a series of surfactant-stabilized lead chalcohalide nanocrystals. Our work is mainly focused on Pb4S3Br2, a chalcohalide phase unknown to date that does not belong to the ambient-pressure PbS-PbBr2 phase diagram. The Pb4S3Br2 nanocrystals herein feature a remarkably narrow size distribution (with a size dispersion as low as 5%), a good size tunability (from 7 to similar to 30 nm), an indirect bandgap, photoconductivity (responsivity = 4 +/- 1 mA/W), and stability for months in air. A crystal structure is proposed for this new material by combining the information from 3D electron diffraction and electron tomography of a single nanocrystal, X-ray powder diffraction, and density functional theory calculations. Such a structure is closely related to that of the recently discovered high-pressure chalcohalide Pb4S3I2 phase, and indeed we were able to extend our synthesis scheme to Pb4S3I2 colloidal nanocrystals, whose structure matches the one that has been published for the bulk. Finally, we could also prepare nanocrystals of Pb3S2Cl2, which proved to be a structural analogue of the recently reported bulk Pb3Se2Br2 phase. It is remarkable that one high-pressure structure (for Pb4S3I2) and two metastable structures that had not yet been reported (for Pb4S3Br2 and Pb3S2Cl2) can be prepared on the nanoscale by wet-chemical approaches. This highlights the important role of colloidal chemistry in the discovery of new materials and motivates further exploration into metal chalcohalide nanocrystals.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000538526500035 Publication Date 2020-05-06  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0002-7863 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 15 Times cited 32 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes ; We would like to thank Dr. A. Toma for the access to the IIT clean room facilities' SEM/FIB and evaporators, the Smart Materials group (IIT) for the access to the ATR-FTIR equipment, S. Marras for the support during XRPD measurements, G. Pugliese for help with the TGA measurements, M. Campolucci for help with the experiments on NC growth kinetics, S. Lauciello for help with the SEM-EDX analyses, and D. Baranov and R. Brescia for the helpful discussions. We also acknowledge funding from the Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020 (2014-2020) under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Grant Agreement COMPASS No. 691185. I.I. acknowledges the Dutch NWO for financial support under the Vidi scheme (Grant No. 723.013.002). S.B. acknowledges support by means of the ERC Consolidator Grant No. 815128 REALNANO. E. M. and M.G acknowledge the Regione Toscana for funding the purchase of the Timepix detector through the FELIX project (Por CREO FESR 2014-2020 action). ; sygma Approved Most recent IF: 15; 2020 IF: 13.858  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:170218 Serial 6566  
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Author Manzaneda-Gonzalez, V.; Jenkinson, K.; Pena-Rodriguez, O.; Borrell-Grueiro, O.; Trivino-Sanchez, S.; Banares, L.; Junquera, E.; Espinosa, A.; Gonzalez-Rubio, G.; Bals, S.; Guerrero-Martinez, A. url  doi
openurl 
  Title From multi- to single-hollow trimetallic nanocrystals by ultrafast heating Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Chemistry of materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 35 Issue (up) 22 Pages 9603-9612  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Metal nanocrystals (NCs) display unique physicochemical features that are highly dependent on nanoparticle dimensions, anisotropy, structure, and composition. The development of synthesis methodologies that allow us to tune such parameters finely emerges as crucial for the application of metal NCs in catalysis, optical materials, or biomedicine. Here, we describe a synthetic methodology to fabricate hollow multimetallic heterostructures using a combination of seed-mediated growth routes and femtosecond-pulsed laser irradiation. The envisaged methodology relies on the coreduction of Ag and Pd ions on gold nanorods (Au NRs) to form Au@PdAg core-shell nanostructures containing small cavities at the Au-PdAg interface. The excitation of Au@PdAg NRs with low fluence femtosecond pulses was employed to induce the coalescence and growth of large cavities, forming multihollow anisotropic Au@PdAg nanostructures. Moreover, single-hollow alloy AuPdAg could be achieved in high yield by increasing the irradiation energy. Advanced electron microscopy techniques, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) tomography, X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy, and finite differences in the time domain (FDTD) simulations allowed us to characterize the morphology, structure, and elemental distribution of the irradiated NCs in detail. The ability of the reported synthesis route to fabricate multimetallic NCs with unprecedented hollow nanostructures offers attractive prospects for the fabrication of tailored high-entropy alloy nanoparticles.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001110623500001 Publication Date 2023-11-06  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0897-4756; 1520-5002 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 8.6 Times cited 2 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 8.6; 2023 IF: 9.466  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:202144 Serial 9040  
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