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Author Seuntjens, D.; Bundervoet, B.L.M.; Mollen, H.; De Mulder, C.; Wypkema, E.; Verliefde, A.; Nopens, I.; Colsen, J.G.M.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
Title Energy efficient treatment of A-stage effluent : pilot-scale experiences with short-cut nitrogen removal Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Water science and technology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 73 Issue 9 Pages 2150-2158
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000376285300013 Publication Date 2016-02-09
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0273-1223; 1996-9732 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:130442 Serial 7908
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Lin, S.; Zhang, L.; Reddy, G.V.P.; Hui, C.; Gielis, J.; Ding, Y.; Shi, P.
Title A geometrical model for testing bilateral symmetry of bamboo leaf with a simplified Gielis equation Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Ecology and evolution Abbreviated Journal
Volume 6 Issue 19 Pages 6798-6806
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract The size and shape of plant leaves change with growth, and an accurate description of leaf shape is crucial for describing plant morphogenesis and development. Bilateral symmetry, which has been widely observed but poorly examined, occurs in both dicot and monocot leaves, including all nominated bamboo species (approximately 1,300 species), of which at least 500 are found in China. Although there are apparent differences in leaf size among bamboo species due to genetic and environmental profiles, bamboo leaves have bilateral symmetry with parallel venation and appear similar across species. Here, we investigate whether the shape of bamboo leaves can be accurately described by a simplified Gielis equation, which consists of only two parameters (leaf length and shape) and produces a perfect bilateral shape. To test the applicability of this equation and the occurrence of bilateral symmetry, we first measured the leaf length of 42 bamboo species, examining >500 leaves per species. We then scanned 30 leaves per species that had approximately the same length as the median leaf length for that species. The leaf-shape data from scanned profiles were fitted to the simplified Gielis equation. Results confirmed that the equation fits the leaf-shape data extremely well, with the coefficients of determination being 0.995 on average. We further demonstrated the bilateral symmetry of bamboo leaves, with a clearly defined leaf-shape parameter of all 42 bamboo species investigated ranging from 0.02 to 0.1. This results in a simple and reliable tool for precise determination of bamboo species, with applications in forestry, ecology, and taxonomy.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000385626100003 Publication Date 2016-09-02
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2045-7758 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:144547 Serial 7998
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Author Grunert, O.; Reheul, D.; Van Labeke, M.-C.; Perneel, M.; Hernandez-Sanabria, E.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Boon, N.
Title Growing media constituents determine the microbial nitrogen conversions in organic growing media for horticulture Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Microbial Biotechnology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 9 Issue 3 Pages 389-399
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Vegetables and fruits are an important part of a healthy food diet, however, the eco-sustainability of the production of these can still be significantly improved. European farmers and consumers spend an estimated Euro15.5 billion per year on inorganic fertilizers and the production of N-fertilizers results in a high carbon footprint. We investigated if fertilizer type and medium constituents determine microbial nitrogen conversions in organic growing media and can be used as a next step towards a more sustainable horticulture. We demonstrated that growing media constituents showed differences in urea hydrolysis, ammonia and nitrite oxidation and in carbon dioxide respiration rate. Interestingly, mixing of the growing media constituents resulted in a stimulation of the function of the microorganisms. The use of organic fertilizer resulted in an increase in amoA gene copy number by factor 100 compared to inorganic fertilizers. Our results support our hypothesis that the activity of the functional microbial community with respect to nitrogen turnover in an organic growing medium can be improved by selecting and mixing the appropriate growing media components with each other. These findings contribute to the understanding of the functional microbial community in growing media and its potential role towards a more responsible horticulture.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000374662600009 Publication Date 2016-03-23
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1751-7907 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:133617 Serial 8013
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Author Meerburg, F.A.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Roume, H.; Seuntjens, D.; Pieper, D.H.; Jauregui, R.; Vilchez-Vargas, R.; Boon, N.
Title High-rate activated sludge communities have a distinctly different structure compared to low-rate sludge communities, and are less sensitive towards environmental and operational variables Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Water research Abbreviated Journal
Volume 100 Issue Pages 137-145
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract High-rate activated sludge processes allow for the recovery of organics and energy from wastewaters. These systems are operated at a short sludge retention time and high sludge-specific loading rates, which results in a higher sludge yield and better digestibility than conventional, low-rate activated sludge. Little is known about the microbial ecology of high-rate systems. In this work, we address the need for a fundamental understanding of how high-rate microbial communities differ from low-rate communities. We investigated the high-rate and low-rate communities in a sewage treatment plant in relation to environmental and operational variables over a period of ten months. We demonstrated that (1) high-rate and low-rate communities are distinctly different in terms of richness, evenness and composition, (2) high-rate community dynamics are more variable and less shaped by deterministic factors compared to low-rate communities, (3) sub-communities of continuously core and transitional members are more shaped by deterministic factors than the continuously rare members, both in high-rate and low-rate communities, and (4) high-rate community members showed a co-occurrence pattern similar to that of low-rate community members, but were less likely to be correlated to environmental and operational variables. These findings provide a basis for further optimization of high-rate systems, in order to facilitate resource recovery from wastewater.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000378448800014 Publication Date 2016-05-08
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0043-1354; 1879-2448 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:139914 Serial 8035
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Smets, W.; Wuyts, K.; Oerlemans, E.; Wuyts, S.; Denys, S.; Samson, R.; Lebeer, S.
Title Impact of urban land use on the bacterial phyllosphere of ivy (Hedera sp.) Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Atmospheric environment : an international journal Abbreviated Journal
Volume 147 Issue Pages 376-383
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract The surface of the aerial parts of the plant, also termed the phyllosphere, is a selective habitat for microbes. The bacterial composition of the phyllosphere depends on host plant species, leaf characteristics, season, climate, and geographic location of the host plant. In this study, we investigated the effect of an urban environment on the bacterial composition of phyllosphere communities. We performed a passive biomonitoring experiment in which leaves were sampled from ivy (Hedera sp.), a common evergreen climber species, in urban and non-urban locations. Exposure to traffic-generated particulate matter was estimated using leaf biomagnetic analyses. The bacterial community composition was determined using 16S rRNA gene sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq. The phyllosphere microbial communities of ivy differed greatly between urban and non-urban locations, as we observed a shift in several of the dominant taxa: Beijerinckia and Methylocystaceae were most abundant in the non-urban phyllosphere, whereas Hymenobacter and Sphingomonadaceae were dominating the urban ivy phyllosphere. The richness, diversity and composition of the communities showed greater variability in the urban than in the non-urban locations, where traffic-generated PM was lower. Interestingly, the relative abundances of eight of the ten most dominant taxa correlated well with leaf magnetism, be it positive or negative. The results of this study indicate that an urban environment can greatly affect the local phyllosphere community composition. Although other urban-related factors cannot be ruled out, the relative abundance of most of the dominant taxa was significantly correlated with exposure to traffic-generated PM.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000388543600033 Publication Date 2016-10-15
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1352-2310 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:136110 Serial 8066
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Li, T.; Piltz, B.; Podola, B.; Dron, A.; de Beer, D.; Melkonian, M.
Title Microscale profiling of photosynthesis-related variables in a highly productive biofilm photobioreactor Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Biotechnology and bioengineering Abbreviated Journal
Volume 113 Issue 5 Pages 1046-1055
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract In the present study depth profiles of light, oxygen, pH and photosynthetic performance in an artificial biofilm of the green alga Halochlorella rubescens in a porous substrate photobioreactor (PSBR) were recorded with microsensors. Biofilms were exposed to different light intensities (50-1,000mol photons m(-2) s(-1)) and CO2 levels (0.04-5% v/v in air). The distribution of photosynthetically active radiation showed almost identical trends for different surface irradiances, namely: a relatively fast drop to a depth of about 250 mu m, (to 5% of the incident), followed by a slower decrease. Light penetrated into the biofilm deeper than the Lambert-Beer Law predicted, which may be attributed to forward scattering of light, thus improving the overall light availability. Oxygen concentration profiles showed maxima at a depth between 50 and 150m, depending on the incident light intensity. A very fast gas exchange was observed at the biofilm surface. The highest oxygen concentration of 3.2mM was measured with 1,000mol photons m(-2) s(-1) and 5% supplementary CO2. Photosynthetic productivity increased with light intensity and/or CO2 concentration and was always highest at the biofilm surface; the stimulating effect of elevated CO2 concentration in the gas phase on photosynthesis was enhanced by higher light intensities. The dissolved inorganic carbon concentration profiles suggest that the availability of the dissolved free CO2 has the strongest impact on photosynthetic productivity. The results suggest that dark respiration could explain previously observed decrease in growth rate over cultivation time in this type of PSBR. Our results represent a basis for understanding the complex dynamics of environmental variables and metabolic processes in artificial phototrophic biofilms exposed to a gas phase and can be used to improve the design and operational parameters of PSBRs. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2016;113: 1046-1055. (c) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000373476700013 Publication Date 2015-10-24
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0006-3592 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:133255 Serial 8248
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Coppens, J.; Lindeboom, R.; Muys, M.; Coessens, W.; Alloul, A.; Meerbergen, K.; Lievens, B.; Clauwaert, P.; Boon, N.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
Title Nitrification and microalgae cultivation for two-stage biological nutrient valorization from source separated urine Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Bioresource technology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 211 Issue Pages 41-50
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Urine contains the majority of nutrients in urban wastewaters and is an ideal nutrient recovery target. In this study, stabilization of real undiluted urine through nitrification and subsequent microalgae cultivation were explored as strategy for biological nutrient recovery. A nitrifying inoculum screening revealed a commercial aquaculture inoculum to have the highest halotolerance. This inoculum was compared with municipal activated sludge for the start-up of two nitrification membrane bioreactors. Complete nitrification of undiluted urine was achieved in both systems at a conductivity of 75 mS cm−1 and loading rate above 450 mg N L−1 d−1. The halotolerant inoculum shortened the start-up time with 54%. Nitrite oxidizers showed faster salt adaptation and Nitrobacter spp. became the dominant nitrite oxidizers. Nitrified urine as growth medium for Arthrospira platensis demonstrated superior growth compared to untreated urine and resulted in a high protein content of 62%. This two-stage strategy is therefore a promising approach for biological nutrient recovery.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000375186700006 Publication Date 2016-03-06
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0960-8524 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:139913 Serial 8307
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Cagnetta, C.; Coma, M.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Rabaey, K.
Title Production of carboxylates from high rate activated sludge through fermentation Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Bioresource technology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 217 Issue Pages 165-172
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract The aim of this work was to study the key parameters affecting fermentation of high rate activated A-sludge to carboxylates, including pH, temperature, inoculum, sludge composition and iron content. The maximum volatile fatty acids production was 141 mg C g−1 VSSfed, at pH 7. Subsequently the potential for carboxylate and methane production for A-sludge from four different plants at pH 7 and 35 °C were compared. Initial BOD of the sludge appeared to be key determining carboxylate yield from A-sludge. Whereas methanogenesis could be correlated linearly to the quantity of ferric used for coagulation, fermentation did not show a dependency on iron presence. This difference may enable a strategy whereby A-stage sludge is separated to achieve fermentation, and iron dosing for phosphate removal is only implemented at the B-stage.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000380226300023 Publication Date 2016-03-22
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0960-8524 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:139912 Serial 8421
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author De Vrieze, J.; Smet, D.; Klok, J.; Colsen, J.; Angenent, L.T.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
Title Thermophilic sludge digestion improves energy balance and nutrient recovery potential in full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plants Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Bioresource technology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 218 Issue Pages 1237-1245
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract The conventional treatment of municipal wastewater by means of activated sludge is typically energy demanding. Here, the potential benefits of: (1) the optimization of mesophilic digestion; and (2) transitioning to thermophilic sludge digestion in three wastewater treatment plants (Tilburg-Noord, Land van Cuijk and Bath) in the Netherlands is evaluated, including a full-scale trial validation in Bath. In Tilburg-Noord, thermophilic sludge digestion covered the energy requirements of the plant (102%), whereas 111% of sludge operational treatment costs could be covered in Bath. Thermophilic sludge digestion also resulted in a strong increase in nutrient release. The potential for nutrient recovery was evaluated via: (1) stripping/absorption of ammonium; (2) autotrophic removal of ammonium via partial nitritation/anammox; and (3) struvite precipitation. This research shows that optimization of sludge digestion may lead to a strong increase in energy recovery, sludge treatment costs reduction, and the potential for advanced nutrient management in full-scale sewage treatment plants. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000384710500155 Publication Date 2016-07-02
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0960-8524 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:137236 Serial 8666
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Han, M.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Al-Omari, A.; Wett, B.; Bott, C.; Murthy, S.; De Clippeleir, H.
Title Uncoupling the solids retention times of flocs and granules in mainstream deammonification : a screen as effective out-selection tool for nitrite oxidizing bacteria Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Bioresource technology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 221 Issue Pages 195-204
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract This study focused on a physical separator in the form of a screen to out-select nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) for mainstream sewage treatment. This separation relied on the principle that the NOB prefer to grow in flocs, while anammox bacteria (AnAOB) reside in granules. Two types of screens (vacuum and vibrating) were tested for separating these fractions. The vibrating screen was preferred due to more moderate normal forces and additional tangential forces, better balancing retention efficiency of AnAOB granules (41% of the AnAOB activity) and washout of NOB (92% activity washout). This operation resulted in increased NOB out-selection (AerAOB/NOB ratio of 2.3) and a total nitrogen removal efficiency of 70% at influent COD/N ratio of 1.4. An effluent total nitrogen concentration <10 mg N/L was achieved using this novel approach combining biological selection with physical separation, opening up the path towards energy positive sewage treatment. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000386241000025 Publication Date 2016-09-08
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0960-8524 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:138157 Serial 8705
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Verstraete, W.; Clauwaert, P.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
Title Used water and nutrients : recovery perspectives in a 'panta rhei' context Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Bioresource technology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 215 Issue Pages 199-208
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract There is an urgent need to secure global supplies in safe water and proteinaceous food in an eco-sustainable manner, as manifested from tensions in the nexus Nutrients-Energy-Water-Environment-Land. This paper is concept based and provides solutions based on resource recovery from municipal and industrial wastewater and from manure. A set of decisive factors is reviewed facilitating an attractive business case. Our key message is that a robust barrier must clear the recovered product from its original status. Besides refined inorganic fertilizers, a central role for five types of microbial protein is proposed. A resource cycling solution for the extremely confined environment of space habitation should serve as an incentive to assimilate a new user mindset. To achieve the ambitious goal of sustainable food security, the solutions suggested here need a broad implementation, hand in hand with minimizing losses along the entire fertilizer-feed-food-fork chain. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000377935100022 Publication Date 2016-04-29
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0960-8524 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:134591 Serial 8726
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Snoeckx, R.; Heijkers, S.; Van Wesenbeeck, K.; Lenaerts, S.; Bogaerts, A.
Title CO2conversion in a dielectric barrier discharge plasma: N2in the mix as a helping hand or problematic impurity? Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Energy & environmental science Abbreviated Journal Energ Environ Sci
Volume 9 Issue 9 Pages 999-1011
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Carbon dioxide conversion and utilization has gained significant interest over the years. A novel gas conversion technique with great potential in this area is plasma technology. A lot of research has already been performed, but mostly on pure gases. In reality, N2 will always be an important impurity in effluent

gases. Therefore, we performed an extensive combined experimental and computational study on the effect of N2 in the range of 1–98% on CO2 splitting in dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma. The presence of up to 50% N2 in the mixture barely influences the effective (or overall) CO2 conversion and energy efficiency, because the N2 metastable molecules enhance the absolute CO2 conversion, and this compensates for the lower CO2 fraction in the mixture. Higher N2 fractions, however, cause a drop in the CO2 conversion and energy efficiency. Moreover, in the entire CO2/N2 mixing ratio, several harmful compounds, i.e., N2O and NOx compounds, are produced in the range of several 100 ppm. The reaction pathways for the formation of these compounds are explained based on a kinetic analysis, which allows proposing solutions on how to prevent the formation of these harmful compounds.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000372243600030 Publication Date 2015-12-15
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1754-5692 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 29.518 Times cited 68 Open Access
Notes The authors acknowledge financial support from the IAP/7 (Inter-university Attraction Pole) program ‘PSI-Physical Chemistry of Plasma-Surface Interactions’, financially supported by the Belgian Federal Office for Science Policy (BELSPO), as well as the Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO). This work was carried out in part using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the University of Antwerp. Approved Most recent IF: 29.518
Call Number c:irua:133169 Serial 4020
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Khalilov, U.; Yusupov, M.; Bogaerts, A.; Neyts, E.C.
Title Selective Plasma Oxidation of Ultrasmall Si Nanowires Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 120 Issue 120 Pages 472-477
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Device performance of Si|SiOx core-shell based nanowires critically depends on the exact control over the oxide thickness. Low-temperature plasma oxidation is a highly promising alternative to thermal oxidation allowing for improved control over the oxidation process, in particular for ultrasmall Si nanowires. We here elucidate the room temperature plasma oxidation mechanisms of ultrasmall Si nanowires using hybrid molecular dynamics / force-bias Monte Carlo simulations. We demonstrate how the oxidation and concurrent water formation mechanisms are a function of the oxidizing plasma species and we demonstrate how the resulting core-shell oxide thickness can be controlled through these species. A new mechanism of water formation is discussed in detail. The results provide a detailed atomic level explanation of the oxidation process of highly curved Si surfaces. These results point out a route toward plasma-based formation of ultrathin core-shell Si|SiOx nanowires at room temperature.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000368562200057 Publication Date 2015-12-21
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 3 Open Access
Notes U.K. and M.Y. gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO), Grants 12M1315N and 1200216N. This work was carried out in part using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UA), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the UA. We thank Prof. A. C. T. van Duin for sharing the ReaxFF code. Approved Most recent IF: 4.536
Call Number c:irua:130677 Serial 4002
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Khosravian, N.; Kamaraj, B.; Neyts, E.C.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Structural modification of P-glycoprotein induced by OH radicals: Insights from atomistic simulations Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Scientific reports Abbreviated Journal Sci Rep-Uk
Volume 6 Issue 6 Pages 19466
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract This study reports on the possible effects of OH radical impact on the transmembrane domain 6 of P-glycoprotein, TM6, which plays a crucial role in drug binding in human cells. For the first time, we employ molecular dynamics (MD) simulations based on the self-consistent charge density functional tight binding (SCC-DFTB) method to elucidate the potential sites of fragmentation and mutation in this domain upon impact of OH radicals, and to obtain fundamental information about the underlying reaction mechanisms. Furthermore, we apply non-reactive MD simulations to investigate the long-term effect of this mutation, with possible implications for drug binding. Our simulations indicate that the interaction of OH radicals with TM6 might lead to the breaking of C-C and C-N peptide bonds, which eventually cause fragmentation of TM6. Moreover, according to our simulations, the OH radicals can yield mutation in the aromatic ring of phenylalanine in TM6, which in turn affects its structure. As TM6 plays an important role in the binding of a range of cytotoxic drugs with P-glycoprotein, any changes in its structure are likely to affect the response of the tumor cell in chemotherapy. This is crucial for cancer therapies based on reactive oxygen species, such as plasma treatment.
Address Research Group PLASMANT, Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Antwerp, Belgium
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Wos 000369573900001 Publication Date 2016-02-09
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2045-2322 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.259 Times cited 7 Open Access
Notes The authors acknowledge financial support from the Fund for Scientific Research (FWO) Flanders, grant number G012413N. The calculations were performed in part using the Turing HPC infrastructure of the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the Universiteit Antwerpen.” Approved Most recent IF: 4.259
Call Number c:irua:131610 Serial 4031
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Attri, P.; Yusupov, M.; Park, J.H.; Lingamdinne, L.P.; Koduru, J.R.; Shiratani, M.; Choi, E.H.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Mechanism and comparison of needle-type non-thermal direct and indirect atmospheric pressure plasma jets on the degradation of dyes Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Scientific reports Abbreviated Journal Sci Rep-Uk
Volume 6 Issue 6 Pages 34419
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Purified water supply for human use, agriculture and industry is the major global priority nowadays. The advanced oxidation process based on atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma (NTP) has been used for purification of wastewater, although the underlying mechanisms of degradation of organic pollutants are still unknown. In this study we employ two needle-type atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma jets, i.e., indirect (ID-APPJ) and direct (D-APPJ) jets operating at Ar feed gas, for the treatment of methylene blue, methyl orange and congo red dyes, for two different times (i.e., 20 min and 30 min). Specifically, we study the decolorization/degradation of all three dyes using the above mentioned plasma sources, by means of UV-Vis spectroscopy, HPLC and a density meter. We also employ mass spectroscopy to verify whether only decolorization or also degradation takes place after treatment of the dyes by the NTP jets. Additionally, we analyze the interaction of OH radicals with all three dyes using reactive molecular dynamics simulations, based on the density functional-tight binding method. This investigation represents the first report on the degradation of these three different dyes by two types of NTP setups, analyzed by various methods, and based on both experimental and computational studies.
Address Research Group PLASMANT, Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Antwerp, Belgium
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Wos 000385172300001 Publication Date 2016-10-06
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2045-2322 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.259 Times cited 23 Open Access
Notes We gratefully acknowledge the grant received from the SRC program of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), funded by the Korean Government (MEST) (No. 20100029418). PA is thankful to FY 2015 Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) invitation fellowship. This work was partly supported by MEXT KAKENHI Grant Number 24108009 and JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP16H03895. M. Y. gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO), grant number 1200216N. The computational work was carried out using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UA), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the UA. Approved Most recent IF: 4.259
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ c:irua:135847 Serial 4283
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Huygh, S.; Bogaerts, A.; Neyts, E.C.
Title How Oxygen Vacancies Activate CO2 Dissociation on TiO2 Anatase (001) Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 120 Issue 120 Pages 21659-21669
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract The adsorption, dissociation, and diffusion of CO2 on the anatase (001) surface was studied using DFT by means of the generalized gradient approximation using the Perdew−Burcke−Ernzerhof (PBE)-functional and applying corrections for long-range dispersion interactions. Different stable adsorption configurations were identified for the fully oxidized surface. The most stable adsorption configuration is the monodentated carbonate-like structure. Small energy barriers were identified for the conversion of a physisorbed to a chemisorbed configuration.

CO2 dissociation is found to be unfeasible on the stoichiometric surface. The introduction of oxygen vacancy defects gives rise to new highly stable adsorption configurations with a stronger activation of the C−O bonds. This leads to the possibility of exothermic dissociation of CO2 with barriers up to 22.2 kcal/mol,

corresponding to chemical lifetimes of less than 4 s at 300 K. These reactions cause a CO molecule to be formed, which will easily desorb, and the reduced surface to become oxidized. It is clear that oxygen vacancy defects play a key role in the catalytic activity of an anatase (001) surface. Oxygen vacancies play an important role in the dissociation of CO2 on the anatase (001) surface, and will play a significant role in complex problems, such as the catalytic conversion of CO2 to value-added chemicals.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000384626800055 Publication Date 2016-09-02
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 49 Open Access
Notes Stijn Huygh is funded as an aspirant of the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, project number 11C0115N). This work was carried out using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UAntwerpen), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI), and the UAntwerpen. Approved Most recent IF: 4.536
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ c:irua:136164 Serial 4291
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Author De Bie, C.; van Dijk, J.; Bogaerts, A.
Title CO2Hydrogenation in a Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Revealed Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 120 Issue 120 Pages 25210-25224
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract The hydrogenation of carbon dioxide in a dielectric barrier discharge plasma is studied with a one-dimensional fluid model. The spatially averaged densities of the most important end products formed in the CO2/H2 mixture are determined as a function of the initial gas mixing ratio. CO and H2O are found to be present at the highest densities and to a lower content also CH4, C2H6, CH2O, CH3OH, O2, and some other higher hydrocarbons and oxygenates. The main underlying reaction

pathways for the conversion of the inlet gases and the formation of CO, CH4, CH2O, and CH3OH are pointed out for various gas mixing ratios. The CO2 conversion and the production of value added products is found to be quite low, also in comparison to a CO2/CH4 mixture, and this can be explained by the model.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000387737900007 Publication Date 2016-11-10
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 16 Open Access
Notes Federaal Wetenschapsbeleid; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek; Approved Most recent IF: 4.536
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ c:irua:140082 c:irua:139167 Serial 4414
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Author van den Broek, B.; Houssa, M.; Lu, A.; Pourtois, G.; Afanas'ev, V.; Stesmans, A.
Title Silicene nanoribbons on transition metal dichalcogenide substrates : effects on electronic structure and ballistic transport Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Nano Research Abbreviated Journal Nano Res
Volume 9 Issue 9 Pages 3394-3406
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract The idea of stacking multiple monolayers of different two-dimensional materials has become a global pursuit. In this work, a silicene armchair nanoribbon of width W and van der Waals-bonded to different transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) bilayer substrates MoX2 and WX2, where X = S, Se, Te is considered. The orbital resolved electronic structure and ballistic transport properties of these systems are simulated by employing van der Waals-corrected density functional theory and nonequilibrium Green's functions. We find that the lattice mismatch with the underlying substrate determines the electronic structure, correlated with the silicene buckling distortion and ultimately with the contact resistance of the two-terminal system. The smallest lattice mismatch, obtained with the MoTe2 substrate, results in the silicene ribbon properties coming close to those of a freestanding one. With the TMD bilayer acting as a dielectric layer, the electronic structure is tunable from a direct to an indirect semiconducting layer, and subsequently to a metallic electronic dispersion layer, with a moderate applied perpendicular electric field.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000386770300018 Publication Date 2016-08-20
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1998-0124 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 7.354 Times cited 2 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 7.354
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:138210 Serial 4469
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Author Afsharzade, N.; Papzan, A.; Ashjaee, M.; Delangizan, S.; Van Passel, S.; Azadi, H.
Title Renewable energy development in rural areas of Iran Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews Abbreviated Journal Renew Sust Energ Rev
Volume 65 Issue Pages 743-755
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM)
Abstract Iran's energy system is extremely dependent on fossil fuels which, in turn, have led to problems such as fossil fuels depletion, social, economic and environmental damage and territorial imbalance. The country should therefore design a sustainable energy system based on clean energy as well as renewable energy. Accordingly, and given that Iran's rural areas suffer from the unsustainable energy system, it is necessary to integrate renewable energy into comprehensive development programs in general, and into rural development programs, specifically. This review paper answers the following questions: Why is renewable energy important for Iran at national and rural levels? How is renewable energy related to sustainable rural development? and What are the challenges in the promotion of renewable energy technologies in Iran? The paper concludes that although renewable energy has potential for development in Iran's rural areas due to environmental, social and economic advantages, it could face some infrastructural, managerial, socio-cultural and economic challenges. Accordingly, aggressive and innovative policy making is required to meet these challenges. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000383293800053 Publication Date 2016-07-23
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; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 8.05 Times cited 41 Open Access
Notes ; ; Approved Most recent IF: 8.05
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:137105 Serial 6243
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Author Lizin, S.; Van Passel, S.; Vranken, L.
Title Heterogeneity in the solar-powered consumer electronics market : a discrete choice experiments study Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Solar Energy Materials And Solar Cells Abbreviated Journal Sol Energ Mat Sol C
Volume 156 Issue Pages 140-146
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM)
Abstract Solar-powered consumer electronics are a likely starting point for organic photovoltaic (OPV) market development. Therefore, a generic discrete choice experiments study can determine how Flemish consumers value solar-cell characteristics for solar-poweied consumer electronics. Such characteristics include efficiency, lifetime, aesthetics, integratability, and price. We contribute to the literature by investigating preference heterogeneity in a solar-power niche market with an experimental design with a fixed reference alternative. The error components random parameter logit (ECRPL) with interactions provides a better fit than the latent class (LC) model for our choice data. The main effects had the expected signs. Consequently, aesthetics and integratability are OPV's assets. Nevertheless, heterogeneity puts the results that are valid for the average consumer into perspective. Based on our findings, OPV commercialization efforts should target the experienced, impatient user who highly values design and functionality. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000383304100015 Publication Date 2016-06-27
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0927-0248 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.784 Times cited 2 Open Access
Notes ; Sebastien Lizin thanks the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) for funding his postdoctoral mandate with Grant number 12G5415N, without which it would have been impossible to revise this work. ; Approved Most recent IF: 4.784
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:137107 Serial 6207
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Author Zanaga, D.; Bleichrodt, F.; Altantzis, T.; Winckelmans, N.; Palenstijn, W.J.; Sijbers, J.; de Nijs, B.; van Huis, M.A.; Sanchez-Iglesias, A.; Liz-Marzan, L.M.; van Blaaderen, A.; Joost Batenburg, K.; Bals, S.; Van Tendeloo, G.
Title Quantitative 3D analysis of huge nanoparticle assemblies Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Nanoscale Abbreviated Journal Nanoscale
Volume 8 Issue 8 Pages 292-299
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Vision lab
Abstract Nanoparticle assemblies can be investigated in 3 dimensions using electron tomography. However, it is not straightforward to obtain quantitative information such as the number of particles or their relative position. This becomes particularly difficult when the number of particles increases. We propose a novel approach in which prior information on the shape of the individual particles is exploited. It improves the quality of the reconstruction of these complex assemblies significantly. Moreover, this quantitative Sparse Sphere Reconstruction approach yields directly the number of particles and their position as an output of the reconstruction technique, enabling a detailed 3D analysis of assemblies with as many as 10 000 particles. The approach can also be used to reconstruct objects based on a very limited number of projections, which opens up possibilities to investigate beam sensitive assemblies where previous reconstructions with the available electron tomography techniques failed.
Address EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium. sara.bals@uantwerpen.be
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Wos 000366911700028 Publication Date 2015-11-19
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2040-3364 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 7.367 Times cited 34 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes The authors acknowledge financial support from European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant # 335078-COLOURATOMS, ERC Advanced Grant # 291667 HierarSACol and ERC Advanced Grant 267867 – PLASMAQUO), the European Union under the FP7 (Integrated Infrastructure Initiative N. 262348 European Soft Matter Infrastructure, ESMI and N. 312483 ESTEEM2), and from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), project number 639.072.005 and NWO CW 700.57.026. Networking support was provided by COST Action MP1207.; esteem2jra4; ECASSara; (ROMEO:yellow; preprint:; postprint:restricted ; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 7.367
Call Number c:irua:131062 c:irua:131062 Serial 3979
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Author Van Eynde, E.; Hu, Z.-Y.; Tytgat, T.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Watte, J.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Van Driessche, I.; Blust, R.; Lenaerts, S.
Title Diatom silica-titania photocatalysts for air purification by bio-accumulation of different titanium sources Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Environmental science : nano Abbreviated Journal Environ Sci-Nano
Volume 3 Issue 5 Pages 1052-1061
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract We present a green, biological production route for silica-titania photocatalysts using diatom microalgae. Diatoms are single-celled, eukaryotic microalgae (2-2000 mu m) that self-assemble soluble silicon (Si(OH)(4)) into intricate silica cell walls, called frustules. These diatom frustules are formed under ambient conditions and consist of hydrated silica with specific 3D morphologies and micro-meso or macroporosity. A remarkable characteristic of diatoms is their ability to bioaccumulate soluble titanium from cell culture medium and incorporate them into their nanostructured silica cell wall. Controlled cultivation of the diatom Pinnularia sp. on soluble titanium in a batch process resulted in the biological immobilisation of titanium dioxide in the porous 3D architecture of the frustules. Six different titanium sources are tested. The silica-titania frustules were isolated by treating the harvested Pinnularia cells with nitric acid (65%) or by high temperature treatment. Thermal annealing converted the amorphous titania into crystalline titania. The produced silica-titania material is evaluated towards photocatalytic activity for acetaldehyde (C2H4O) abatement. Frustules cultivated with TiBaldH showed the highest photocatalytic performance. Comparison of the photocatalytic activity with P25 reveals that P25 has a 4 fold higher photocatalytic activity, but when photocatalytic activity is normalized for titania content, the frustules show double activity. Further material characterization (morphology, crystallinity, surface area and elemental distribution) of the TiBaldH silica-titania frustules provides additional insight into their structure-activity relationship. These natural biosilicatitania materials have excellent properties for photocatalytic purposes, including high surface area (108 m(2) g(-1)) and good porosity, and show reliable immobilization of TiO2 in the ordered structure of the diatom frustule.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Royal Society of Chemistry Place of Publication Cambridge Editor
Language Wos 000385257900011 Publication Date 2016-07-21
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2051-8153; 2051-8161 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 6.047 Times cited 7 Open Access
Notes ; ; Approved Most recent IF: 6.047
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:144751 Serial 4644
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Author Sarmadian, N.; Saniz, R.; Partoens, B.; Lamoen, D.
Title Easily doped p-type, low hole effective mass, transparent oxides Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Scientific reports Abbreviated Journal Sci Rep-Uk
Volume 6 Issue 6 Pages 20446
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Abstract Fulfillment of the promise of transparent electronics has been hindered until now largely by the lack of semiconductors that can be doped p-type in a stable way, and that at the same time present high hole mobility and are highly transparent in the visible spectrum. Here, a high-throughput study based on first-principles methods reveals four oxides, namely X2SeO2, with X = La, Pr, Nd, and Gd, which are unique in that they exhibit excellent characteristics for transparent electronic device applications – i.e., a direct band gap larger than 3.1 eV, an average hole effective mass below the electron rest mass, and good p-type dopability. Furthermore, for La2SeO2 it is explicitly shown that Na impurities substituting La are shallow acceptors in moderate to strong anion-rich growth conditions, with low formation energy, and that they will not be compensated by anion vacancies VO or VSe.
Address EMAT, Departement Fysica, Universiteit Antwerpen, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Wos 000369568900001 Publication Date 2016-02-08
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2045-2322 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.259 Times cited 55 Open Access
Notes We acknowledge the financial support of FWO-Vlaanderen through project G.0150.13 and of a GOA fund from the University of Antwerp. The computational resources and services used in this work were provided by the VSC (Flemish Supercomputer Center) and the HPC infrastructure of the University of Antwerp (CalcUA), both funded by the Hercules Foundation and the Flemish Government–department EWI. Approved Most recent IF: 4.259
Call Number c:irua:131611 Serial 4036
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Author Vanrenterghem, B.; Geboes, B.; Bals, S.; Ustarroz, J.; Hubin, A.; Breugelmans, T.
Title Influence of the support material and the resulting particle distribution on the deposition of Ag nanoparticles for the electrocatalytic activity of benzyl bromide reduction Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Applied catalysis : B : environmental Abbreviated Journal Appl Catal B-Environ
Volume 181 Issue 181 Pages 542-549
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)
Abstract tSilver nanoparticles (NPs) were deposited on nickel, titanium and gold substrates using a potentiostaticdouble-pulse method. The influence of the support material on both the morphology and the electro-catalytic activity of Ag NPs for the reduction reaction of benzyl bromide was investigated and comparedwith previous research regarding silver NPs on glassy carbon. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) dataindicated that spherical monodispersed NPs were obtained on Ni, Au and GC substrate with an averageparticle size of respectively 216 nm, 413 nm and 116 nm. On a Ti substrate dendritic NPs were obtainedwith a larger average particle density of 480 nm. The influence of the support material on the electrocat-alytic activity was tested by means of cyclic voltammetry (CV) for the reduction reaction of benzylbromide(1 mM) in acetonitrile + 0.1 M tetrabutylammonium perchlorate (Bu4NClO4). When the nucleation poten-tial (En) was applied at high cathodic overpotential, a positive shift of the reduction potential was obtained.The nucleation (tn) and growth time (tg) mostly had an influence on the current density whereas longerdeposition times lead to larger current densities. For these three parameters an optimum was present.The best electrocatalytic activity was obtained with Ag NPs deposited on Ni were a shift of the reduc-tion peak potential of 145 mV for the reaction of benzyl bromide was measured in comparance to bulksilver. The deposition on Au substrate yielded a positive shift of 114 mV. There was no indication of analtered reaction mechanism as the reaction was characterized as diffusion controlled and the transfercoefficients were in accordance with bulk silver. There was a beneficial catalitic activity measured due tothe interplay between support and NPs. This resulted in a shift of the reduction peak potential of 34 mV(Ag NPs on Au) and 65 mV (Ag NPs on Ni) compared to Ag NPs on a GC substrate.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000364256000052 Publication Date 2015-08-18
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 16 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes The Quanta 250 FEG microscope of the Electron Microscopy forMaterial Science group at the University of Antwerp was fundedby the Hercules foundation of the Flemish Government. Sara Balsacknowledges financial support from European Research Council(ERC Starting Grant #335078-COLOURATOMS).; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 9.446
Call Number c:irua:128345 Serial 4064
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Author Vanrenterghem, B.; Papaderakis, A.; Sotiropoulos, S.; Tsiplakides, D.; Balomenou, S.; Bals, S.; Breugelmans, T.
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 196 Pages 756-768
Keywords (down) 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
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Author Gong, X.; Marmy, P.; Volodin, A.; Amin-Ahmadi, B.; Qin, L.; Schryvers, D.; Gavrilov, S.; Stergar, E.; Verlinden, B.; Wevers, M.; Seefeldt, M.
Title Multiscale investigation of quasi-brittle fracture characteristics in a 9Cr–1Mo ferritic–martensitic steel embrittled by liquid lead–bismuth under low cycle fatigue Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Corrosion science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 102 Issue 102 Pages 137-152
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Liquid metal embrittlement (LME) induced quasi-brittle fracture characteristics of a 9Cr–1Mo ferritic–martensitic steel (T91) after fatigue cracking in lead–bismuth eutectic (LBE) have been investigated at various length scales. The results show that the LME fracture morphology is primarily characterized by quasi-brittle translath flat regions partially covered by nanodimples, shallow secondary cracks propagating along the martensitic lath boundaries as well as tear ridges covered by micro dimples. These diverse LME fracture features likely indicate a LME mechanism involving multiple physical processes, such as weakening induced interatomic decohesion at the crack tip and plastic shearing induced nano/micro voiding in the plastic zone.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000367275700014 Publication Date 2015-10-22
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0010938X ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 16 Open Access
Notes The work is financially supported by the MYRRHA project,SCK•CEN, Belgium and partly funded by the European AtomicEnergy Community’s (Euratom) Seventh Framework ProgrammeFP7/2007-2013 under grant agreement No. 604862 (MatISSEproject) and in the framework of the EERA (European EnergyResearch Alliance) Joint Programme on Nuclear Materials. Dr. TomVan der Donck (KU Leuven) is acknowledged for the EBSD mea-surements. The authors are grateful to Dr. Van Renterghem Wouter(SCK•CEN) for fruitful discussion of the TEM results. Xing Gongsincerely acknowledges valuable suggestions from Dr. S.P. Lynch(Defence Science and Technology Organisation and Monash Uni-versity, Melbourne, Australia). Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number c:irua:129997 Serial 4013
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Author Ji, G.; Tan, Z.; Lu, Y.; Schryvers, D.; Li, Z.; Zhang, D.
Title Heterogeneous interfacial chemical nature and bonds in a W-coated diamond/Al composite Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Materials characterization Abbreviated Journal Mater Charact
Volume 112 Issue 112 Pages 129-133
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Heterogeneous Al/Al4C3/Al2O3/diamond{111}, Al/nanolayered Al4C3/diamond{111} and Al12W particle/Al4C3/Al2O3/diamond{111} multi-interfaces have been developed at the nanoscale in a W-coated diamond/Al composite produced by vacuum hot pressing. The formation of nanoscale Al4C3 crystals is strongly associated with local O enrichment and can be further promoted by Al12W interfacial particles. The latter effectively contributes to enhance interfacial chemical bonding reducing interfacial thermal resistance and, in turn, enhancing thermal conductivity.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000370109200015 Publication Date 2015-12-18
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 2.714 Times cited 7 Open Access
Notes This work is financially supported by the FWO project of Belgium (No. U2 FA 070100/3506), the travel funding BQR (No. R8DIV AUE) provided by Université Lille 1, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51401123) and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2014 M561469) for Dr. Z.Q. Tan. Dr. W.G. Grünewald (LeicaMicrosystems, Germany) is also thanked for the assistance of surface preparation. Approved Most recent IF: 2.714
Call Number c:irua:129976 Serial 3987
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Author Poelma, R.H.; Fan, X.; Hu, Z.-Y.; Van Tendeloo, G.; van Zeijl, H.W.; Zhang, G.Q.
Title Effects of Nanostructure and Coating on the Mechanics of Carbon Nanotube Arrays Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Advanced functional materials Abbreviated Journal Adv Funct Mater
Volume 26 Issue 26 Pages 1233-1242
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Nanoscale materials are one of the few engineering materials that can be grown from the bottom up in a controlled manner. Here, the effects of nanostructure and nanoscale conformal coating on the mechanical behavior of vertically aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays through experiments and simulation are systematically investigated. A modeling approach is developed and used to quantify the compressive strength and modulus of the CNT array under large deformation. The model accounts for the porous

nanostructure, which contains multiple CNTs with random waviness, van der Waals interactions, fracture strain, contacts, and frictional forces. CNT array micropillars are grown and their porous nanostructure is controlled by the infi ltration and deposition of thin conformal coatings using chemical vapor deposition. Flat-punch nanoindentation experiments reveal signifi cant changes in material properties as a function of coating thickness. The simulations explain the experimental results and show the novel failure transition regime that changes from collective CNT buckling toward structural collapse due to fracture. The compressive strength and the elastic

modulus increase exponentially as a function of the coating thickness and demonstrate a unique dependency on the CNT waviness. More interestingly, a design rule is identifi ed that predicts the optimum coating thickness for porous materials.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000371078100010 Publication Date 2016-01-04
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1616-301X ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 12.124 Times cited 17 Open Access
Notes The research leading to the TEM/HAADF-STEM results received funding from the EC Framework 7 Program ESTEEM2 (Reference 312483). We wish to acknowledge the support of the Else Kooi Laboratory for their assistance during the clean room processing.; esteem2_ta Approved Most recent IF: 12.124
Call Number c:irua:130060 c:irua:130060 Serial 3996
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Author Bertoni, G.; Fabbri, F.; Villani, M.; Lazzarini, L.; Turner, S.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Calestani, D.; Gradečak, S.; Zappettini, A.; Salviati, G.
Title Nanoscale mapping of plasmon and exciton in ZnO tetrapods coupled with Au nanoparticles Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Scientific reports Abbreviated Journal Sci Rep-Uk
Volume 6 Issue 6 Pages 19168
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Metallic nanoparticles can be used to enhance optical absorption or emission in semiconductors, thanks to a strong interaction of collective excitations of free charges (plasmons) with electromagnetic fields. Herein we present the direct imaging at the nanoscale of plasmon-exciton coupling in Au/ZnO nanostructures by combining scanning transmission electron energy loss and cathodoluminescence spectroscopy and mapping. The Au nanoparticles (~30 nm in diameter) are grown in-situ on ZnO nanotetrapods by means of a photochemical process without the need of binding agents or capping molecules. This results in clean interfaces, enabling to prove the occurrence of the plasmon-exciton coupling and the straightforward mapping of its spatial localization. Interestingly, the Au plasmon resonance is localized at the Au/vacuum interface, rather than presenting an isotropic distribution around the nanoparticle. On the contrary, a strong localization of the ZnO excitons, has been observed inside the Au nanoparticle, revealing the existence of the plasmon-exciton coupling, as also confirmed by numerical simulations.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000368111900001 Publication Date 2016-01-12
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2045-2322 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.259 Times cited 15 Open Access
Notes The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union FP7 Grant Agreement n. 265073 ITN-Nanowiring, and FP7 Grant Agreement n. 312483 ESTEEM2 for Integrated Infrastructure Initiative – I3. S.T. gratefully acknowledges the FWO Vlaanderen. G.V.T. acknowledges the European Research Council (ERC grant N°246791 – COUNTATOMS). The authors thank Alessandra Catellani and Arrigo Calzolari for helpful discussions.; Esteem2_jra3 Approved Most recent IF: 4.259
Call Number c:irua:130406 c:irua:130406 Serial 3999
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Author Wang, C.; Ke, X.; Wang, J.; Liang, R.; Luo, Z.; Tian, Y.; Yi, D.; Zhang, Q.; Wang, J.; Han, X.-F.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Chen, L.-Q.; Nan, C.-W.; Ramesh, R.; Zhang, J.
Title Ferroelastic switching in a layered-perovskite thin film Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Nature communications Abbreviated Journal Nat Commun
Volume 7 Issue 7 Pages 10636
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract A controllable ferroelastic switching in ferroelectric/multiferroic oxides is highly desirable due to the non-volatile strain and possible coupling between lattice and other order parameter in heterostructures. However, a substrate clamping usually inhibits their elastic deformation in thin films without micro/nano-patterned structure so that the integration of the non-volatile strain with thin film devices is challenging. Here, we report that reversible in-plane elastic switching with a non-volatile strain of approximately 0.4% can be achieved in layered-perovskite Bi2WO6 thin films, where the ferroelectric polarization rotates by 90 degrees within four in-plane preferred orientations. Phase-field simulation indicates that the energy barrier of ferroelastic switching in orthorhombic Bi2WO6 film is ten times lower than the one in PbTiO3 films, revealing the origin of the switching with negligible substrate constraint. The reversible control of the in-plane strain in this layered-perovskite thin film demonstrates a new pathway to integrate mechanical deformation with nanoscale electronic and/or magnetoelectronic applications.
Address Department of Physics, Beijing Normal University, 100875 Beijing, China
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Wos 000371020600002 Publication Date 2016-02-03
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2041-1723 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 12.124 Times cited 40 Open Access
Notes The work in Beijing Normal University is supported by the NSFC under contract numbers 51322207, 51332001 and 11274045. J.Z. also acknowledges the support from National Basic Research Program of China, under contract No. 2014CB920902. G.V.T. acknowledges the funding from the European Research Council under the Seventh Framework Program (FP7), ERC Advanced Grant No. 246791-COUNTATOMS. X.K. acknowledges the funding from NSFC (Grant No.11404016) and Beijing University of Technology (2015-RD-QB-19). J.W. acknowledges the funding from NSFC (Grant number 51472140). L.-Q.C. acknowledges the supporting by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering under Award FG02-07ER46417. R.L. acknowledges Tsinghua National Laboratory for Information Science and Technology (TNList) Cross-discipline Foundation. Z.L. acknowledges the support from the NSFC (No.11374010 and No.11434009). Q.Z. and X.-F.H. acknowledge the funding support from NSFC (Grant No. 11434014). R.R. acknowledges support from the National Science Foundation (Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Translational Applications of Nanoscale Multiferroic Systems) under grant number EEC-1160504. Approved Most recent IF: 12.124
Call Number c:irua:130978 Serial 4007
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