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Author Meire, M.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Lenaerts, S.; Lommens, P.; Van Der Voort, P.; Van Driessche, I.
  Title Microwave-assisted synthesis of mesoporous titania with increased crystallinity, specific surface area, and photocatalytic activity Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication Journal of materials science Abbreviated Journal J Mater Sci
  Volume 51 Issue 21 Pages 9822-9829
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract Mesoporous titanium dioxide is a material finding its use in a wide range of applications. For many of these, it is important to achieve a high degree of crystallinity in the material. It is generally accepted that the use of the soft templating approach to synthesize mesoporous titania, results in a compromise between crystallinity and specific surface area due to thermal instability of the used templates. In this paper, we explore how the use of microwave irradiation can influence the crystallinity, specific surface area, and the electronic properties of mesoporous titania. Therefore, we combined microwave radiation with an evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) synthesis. We show that additional microwave treatment at carefully chosen synthesis steps can enhance the crystallinity with 20 % without causing significant loss of surface area (>360 m2/g). Surface photovoltage measurements were used to investigate the electronic properties. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was evaluated in aqueous media by following the degradation of an industrial dye, methylene blue, and the herbicide isoproturon under UV irradiation and in gaseous media looking at the degradation of acetaldehyde, a common indoor pollutant under UVA irradiation. In all cases, the microwave treatment results in more active materials.
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  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000381182200023 Publication Date 2016-07-18
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 0022-2461 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 2.599 Times cited 8 Open Access
  Notes ; M. Meire and S. W. Verbruggen acknowledge the FWO-Flanders (Fund for Scientific Research-Flanders) for financial support. We want to thank T. Planckaert for the N<INF>2</INF> sorption measurements, J. Watte for the XRD measurements, and professor K. De Buysser for the quantitative Rietveld refinements. ; Approved Most recent IF: 2.599
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:140098 Serial 5970
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Author Jammaer, J.; Aprile, C.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Lenaerts, S.; Pescarmona, P.P.; Martens, J.A.
  Title A non-aqueous synthesis of TiO2SiO2 composites in supercritical CO2 for the photodegradation of pollutants Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2011 Publication Chemsuschem Abbreviated Journal Chemsuschem
  Volume 4 Issue 10 Pages 1457-1463
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract Titania/silica composites with different Ti/Si ratios are synthesized via a nonconventional synthesis route. The synthesis involves non-aqueous reaction of metal alkoxides and formic acid at 75 °C in supercritical carbon dioxide. The as-prepared composite materials contain nanometer-sized anatase crystallites and amorphous silica. Large specific surface areas are obtained. The composites are evaluated in the photocatalytic degradation of phenol in aqueous medium, and in the elimination of acetaldehyde from air. The highest photocatalytic activity in both processes is achieved with a composite containing 40 wt % TiO2.
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  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000296497400010 Publication Date 2011-05-20
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 1864-5631 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 7.226 Times cited 15 Open Access
  Notes ; The authors acknowledge sponsorship from CECAT and Methusalem (long-term financing of the Flemish government). We thank Dr. E. Gobechiya for assistance with XRD measurements and A. Lemaire for assistance with mercury porosimetry measurements. ; Approved Most recent IF: 7.226; 2011 IF: 6.827
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:93363 Serial 5973
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Author Verbruggen, S.W.; Keulemans, M.; Martens, J.A.; Lenaerts, S.
  Title Predicting the surface plasmon resonance wavelength of gold-silver alloy nanoparticles Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2013 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
  Volume 117 Issue 37 Pages 19142-19145
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract Gold-silver alloy nanoparticles display surface plasmon resonance (SPR) over a broad range of the UV-vis spectrum. We propose a model to predict the SPR wavelength of gold-silver alloy colloids based on the combined effect of alloy composition and particle size. The SPR wavelength is derived from extinction spectra simulated using available experimental dielectric constant data and accounts for particle size by applying Mie theory. Comparison of calculated values with experimental data evidences the accuracy of the model. The new SPR wavelength estimation tool will be of particular interest for developing dedicated bimetallic plasmonic nanostructures.
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  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000330162600042 Publication Date 2013-08-27
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 1932-7447; 1932-7455 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 51 Open Access
  Notes ; S.W.V. acknowledges the Research Foundation of Flanders (FWO) for financial support. JAM. acknowledges the Flemish government for long-term structural funding (Methusalem). ; Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2013 IF: 4.835
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:114837 Serial 5985
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Author Verbruggen, S.W.; Dirckx, J.J.J.; Martens, J.A.; Lenaerts, S.
  Title Surface photovoltage measurements : a quick assessment of the photocatalytic activity? Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2013 Publication Catalysis today Abbreviated Journal Catal Today
  Volume 209 Issue Pages 215-220
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract Surface photovoltage (SPV) measurements can contribute to a better understanding of electronic properties of photocatalysts under illumination. Direct linking of SPV data to the actual photocatalytic activity remains troublesome. This work aims to discuss SPV measurements from a photocatalytic point of view. By means of several application-based scenarios we illustrate that the trend between SPV and photocatalysis strongly depends on parameters such as the crystal structure, surface modifications, morphology and humidity. This makes the interpretation far from straightforward.
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  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000319498800035 Publication Date 2013-01-16
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 0920-5861 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 4.636 Times cited 8 Open Access
  Notes ; ; Approved Most recent IF: 4.636; 2013 IF: 3.309
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:106520 Serial 5995
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Author Blommaerts, N.; Dingenen, F.; Middelkoop, V.; Savelkouls, J.; Goemans, M.; Tytgat, T.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Lenaerts, S.
  Title Ultrafast screening of commercial sorbent materials for VOC adsorption using real-time FTIR spectroscopy Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2018 Publication Separation and purification technology Abbreviated Journal Sep Purif Technol
  Volume 207 Issue 207 Pages 284-290
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract Recovery of valuable volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from waste streams is of great industrial importance. Adsorption on zeolites offers an economically and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional activated carbon. When evaluating the suitability of a given zeolite for a particular adsorption application, its adsorption capacity has to be determined. This is traditionally achieved using gas chromatography as an analysis tool, yielding only a few discrete sampling points that constitute the adsorption profile. Meanwhile, only low flow rates and low concentrations of volatile organics can be used, rendering the procedure troublesome and time consuming. Herein, we propose a tool for the fast screening of a large amount of zeolites using on-line and quasi real-time Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The technique was used to determine the adsorption capacity of three different commercial zeolites and two silica gels, for five industrially relevant VOCs: acetone; methanol; isohexane; isopentane; and toluene. A series of rapid measurements of the individual adsorption capacities were carried out to obtain a detailed overview of the versatility of the proposed method for the characterization of multi-component and multi-sorption bed systems.
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  Language Wos 000445987500032 Publication Date 2018-06-27
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 1383-5866 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 3.359 Times cited 5 Open Access
  Notes ; We would like to thank Vlaams Agenschap Innoveren & Ondernemen (VLAIO) for financial support. The authors would also like to thank Kureha GmbH, Germany for kindly supplying us with their BAC (R) (bead-shaped activated carbon) samples. ; Approved Most recent IF: 3.359
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:154694 Serial 6000
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Author Verbruggen, S.W.; Tytgat, T.; Van Passel, S.; Martens, J.A.; Lenaerts, S.
  Title Cost-effectiveness analysis to assess commercial TiO2 photocatalysts for acetaldehyde degradation in air Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2014 Publication Chemicke zvesti Abbreviated Journal Chem Pap
  Volume 68 Issue 9 Pages 1273-1278
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract In the commercialisation of photocatalytic air purifiers, the performance as well as the cost of the catalytic material plays an important role. Where most comparative studies only regard the photocatalytic activity as a decisive parameter, in this study both activity and cost are taken into account. Using a cost-effectiveness analysis, six different commercially available TiO2-based catalysts are evaluated in terms of their activities in photocatalytic degradation of acetaldehyde as a model reaction for indoor air purification.
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  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000336443400015 Publication Date 2014-02-20
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 0366-6352 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 1.258 Times cited 10 Open Access
  Notes ; S. W. V. wishes to thank the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) for the financial support received. The authors are grateful to the University of Antwerp for supporting and funding this research. Evonik is sincerely thanked for providing catalyst samples for our experiments free of charge. All companies are thanked for providing specific pricing data. ; Approved Most recent IF: 1.258; 2014 IF: 1.468
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:117297 Serial 6174
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Author Borah, R.; Verbruggen, S.W.
  Title Silver–Gold Bimetallic Alloy versus Core–Shell Nanoparticles: Implications for Plasmonic Enhancement and Photothermal Applications Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2020 Publication Journal Of Physical Chemistry C Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
  Volume Issue Pages acs.jpcc.0c02630
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract Bimetallic plasmonic nanoparticles enable tuning of the optical response and chemical stability by variation of the composition. The present numerical simulation study compares Ag–Au alloy, Ag@Au core–shell, and Au@Ag core–shell bimetallic plasmonic nanoparticles of both spherical and anisotropic (nanotriangle and nanorods) shapes. By studying both spherical and anisotropic (with LSPR in the near-infrared region) shapes, cases with and without interband transitions of Au can be decoupled. Explicit comparisons are facilitated by numerical models supported by careful validation and examination of optical constants of Au–Ag alloys reported in the literature. Although both Au–Ag core–shell and alloy nanoparticles exhibit an intermediary optical response between that of pure Ag and Au nanoparticles, there are noticeable differences in the spectral characteristics. Also, the effect of the bimetallic constitution in anisotropic nanoparticles is starkly different from that in spherical nanoparticles due to the absence of Au interband transitions in the former case. In general, the improved chemical stability of Ag nanoparticles by incorporation of Au comes with a cost of reduction in plasmonic enhancement, also applicable to anisotropic nanoparticles with a weaker effect. A photothermal heat transfer study confirms that increased absorption by the incorporation of Au in spherical Ag nanoparticles also results in an increased steady-state temperature. On the other hand, anisotropic nanoparticles are inherently better absorbers and hence better photothermal sources, and their photothermal properties are apparently not strongly affected by the incorporation of one metal in the other. This study of the optical/spectral and photothermal characteristics of bimetallic Au–Ag alloy versus core–shell nanoparticles provides detailed physical insight for development of new taylor-made plasmonic nanostructures.
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  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000538758700039 Publication Date 2020-05-19
  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 Open Access
  Notes Universiteit Antwerpen, DOCPRO4 Rituraj Borah ; Approved Most recent IF: 3.7; 2020 IF: 4.536
  Call Number DuEL @ duel @c:irua:169223 Serial 6367
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Author Borah, R.; Verbruggen, S.W.
  Title Silver–Gold Bimetallic Alloy versus Core–Shell Nanoparticles: Implications for Plasmonic Enhancement and Photothermal Applications Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2020 Publication Journal Of Physical Chemistry C Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
  Volume Issue Pages acs.jpcc.0c02630
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract Bimetallic plasmonic nanoparticles enable tuning of the optical response and chemical stability by variation of the composition. The present numerical simulation study compares Ag–Au alloy, Ag@Au core–shell, and Au@Ag core–shell bimetallic plasmonic nanoparticles of both spherical and anisotropic (nanotriangle and nanorods) shapes. By studying both spherical and anisotropic (with LSPR in the near-infrared region) shapes, cases with and without interband transitions of Au can be decoupled. Explicit comparisons are facilitated by numerical models supported by careful validation and examination of optical constants of Au–Ag alloys reported in the literature. Although both Au–Ag core–shell and alloy nanoparticles exhibit an intermediary optical response between that of pure Ag and Au nanoparticles, there are noticeable differences in the spectral characteristics. Also, the effect of the bimetallic constitution in anisotropic nanoparticles is starkly different from that in spherical nanoparticles due to the absence of Au interband transitions in the former case. In general, the improved chemical stability of Ag nanoparticles by incorporation of Au comes with a cost of reduction in plasmonic enhancement, also applicable to anisotropic nanoparticles with a weaker effect. A photothermal heat transfer study confirms that increased absorption by the incorporation of Au in spherical Ag nanoparticles also results in an increased steady-state temperature. On the other hand, anisotropic nanoparticles are inherently better absorbers and hence better photothermal sources, and their photothermal properties are apparently not strongly affected by the incorporation of one metal in the other. This study of the optical/spectral and photothermal characteristics of bimetallic Au–Ag alloy versus core–shell nanoparticles provides detailed physical insight for development of new taylor-made plasmonic nanostructures.
  Address
  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000538758700039 Publication Date 2020-05-19
  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 Open Access
  Notes Universiteit Antwerpen, DOCPRO4 Rituraj Borah ; Approved Most recent IF: 3.7; 2020 IF: 4.536
  Call Number DuEL @ duel @c:irua:169223 Serial 6368
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Author Dingenen, F.; Blommaerts, N.; Van Hal, M.; Borah, R.; Arenas-Esteban, D.; Lenaerts, S.; Bals, S.; Verbruggen, S.W.
  Title Layer-by-Layer-Stabilized Plasmonic Gold-Silver Nanoparticles on TiO2: Towards Stable Solar Active Photocatalysts Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2021 Publication Nanomaterials Abbreviated Journal Nanomaterials-Basel
  Volume 11 Issue 10 Pages 2624
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract To broaden the activity window of TiO2, a broadband plasmonic photocatalyst has been designed and optimized. This plasmonic ‘rainbow’ photocatalyst consists of TiO2 modified with gold–silver composite nanoparticles of various sizes and compositions, thus inducing a broadband interaction with polychromatic solar light. However, these nanoparticles are inherently unstable, especially due to the use of silver. Hence, in this study the application of the layer-by-layer technique is introduced to create a protective polymer shell around the metal cores with a very high degree of control. Various TiO2 species (pure anatase, PC500, and P25) were loaded with different plasmonic metal loadings (0–2 wt %) in order to identify the most solar active composite materials. The prepared plasmonic photocatalysts were tested towards stearic acid degradation under simulated sunlight. From all materials tested, P25 + 2 wt % of plasmonic ‘rainbow’ nanoparticles proved to be the most promising (56% more efficient compared to pristine P25) and was also identified as the most cost-effective. Further, 2 wt % of layer-by-layer-stabilized ‘rainbow’ nanoparticles were loaded on P25. These layer-by-layer-stabilized metals showed superior stability under a heated oxidative atmosphere, as well as in a salt solution. Finally, the activity of the composite was almost completely retained after 1 month of aging, while the nonstabilized equivalent lost 34% of its initial activity. This work shows for the first time the synergetic application of a plasmonic ‘rainbow’ concept and the layer-by-layer stabilization technique, resulting in a promising solar active, and long-term stable photocatalyst.
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  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000712759800001 Publication Date 2021-10-06
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 2079-4991 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 3.553 Times cited 7 Open Access OpenAccess
  Notes Research was funded by Research Foundation—Flanders (FWO), FN 700300001— Aspirant F. Dingenen. Approved Most recent IF: 3.553
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:183281 Serial 6812
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Author Borah, R.; Verbruggen, S.W.
  Title Effect of size distribution, skewness and roughness on the optical properties of colloidal plasmonic nanoparticles Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Colloids and surfaces: A: physicochemical and engineering aspects Abbreviated Journal Colloid Surface A
  Volume 640 Issue Pages 128521
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract It is a generally accepted idea that the particle size distribution strongly affects the optical spectra of colloidal plasmonic nanoparticles. It is often quoted as one of the main reasons while explaining the mismatch between the theoretical and experimental optical spectra of such nanoparticles. In this work, these aspects are critically analyzed by means of a bottom up statistical approach that considers variables such as mean, standard deviation and skewness of the nanoparticle size distribution independently from one another. By assuming normal and log-normal distributions of the particle size, the effect of the statistical parameters on the Mie analytical optical spectra of colloidal nanoparticles was studied. The effect of morphology was also studied numerically in order to understand to what extent it can play a role. It is our finding that the particle polydispersity, skewness and surface morphology in fact only weakly impact the optical spectra. While, the selection of suitable optical constants with regard to the crystallinity of the nanoparticles is a far more influential factor for correctly predicting both the plasmon band position and the plasmon bandwidth in theoretical simulations of the optical spectra. It is shown that the mean particle size can be correctly estimated directly from the plasmon band position, as it is the mean that determines the resonance wavelength. The standard deviation can on the other hand be estimated from the intensity distribution data obtained from dynamic light scattering experiments. The results reported herein clear the ambiguity around particle size distribution and optical response of colloidal plasmonic nanoparticles.
  Address
  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Elservier Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000765946900002 Publication Date 2022-02-04
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 0927-7757 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 5.2 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5.2
  Call Number DuEL @ duel @c:irua:185704 Serial 6908
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Author Omranian, S.R.; Geluykens, M.; Van Hal, M.; Hasheminejad, N.; Rocha Segundo, I.; Pipintakos, G.; Denys, S.; Tytgat, T.; Fraga Freitas, E.; Carneiro, J.; Verbruggen, S.; Vuye, C.
  Title Assessing the potential of application of titanium dioxide for photocatalytic degradation of deposited soot on asphalt pavement surfaces Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Construction and building materials Abbreviated Journal Constr Build Mater
  Volume 350 Issue Pages 128859-13
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract It is known that pollutants and their irreparable influence can considerably jeopardize the environment and human health. Such disastrous, growing, hazardous particles urged researchers to find effective ways and diminish their destructive impacts and preserve our planet. This study evaluates the potential of incorporating Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) semiconductor nanoparticles on asphalt pavements to degrade pollutants without compromising bitumen performance. Accordingly, the Response Surface Method (RSM) was employed to develop an experimental matrix based on the central composite design. Image Analysis (IA) was used to determine the rate of soot degradation (as pollutant representative) using MATLAB and ImageJ software. Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) were finally carried out to estimate the effects of adding different percentages of TiO2 on the micro -structural features and dispersion of the TiO2, chemical fingerprinting, and rheological performance of the bituminous binder. The results showed a promising potential of TiO2 to degrade soot (over 50%) during the conducted experiments. In addition, the RSM outcomes showed that applying a higher amount of TiO2 is more efficient for pollutant degradation. Finally, no negative impact was observed, neither on the rheological behavior nor on the aging susceptibility of the bitumen, even though the homogenous dispersion of the TiO2 was clearly captured via CLSM.
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  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000848227000001 Publication Date 2022-08-20
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 0950-0618 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 7.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 7.4
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189820 Serial 7128
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Author Kummamuru, N.B.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Lenaerts, S.; Perreault, P.
  Title Experimental investigation of methane hydrate formation in the presence of metallic packing Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Fuel Abbreviated Journal Fuel
  Volume 323 Issue Pages 124269-10
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract Clathrate hydrates gained significant attention as a viable option for large-scale storage of natural gas, primarily methane (CH4). Unlike employing the nanoconfinement for enhancing the nucleation sites and hydrate growth as in the porous materials, whose synthesis is often associated with high costs and poor batch reproducibility, a new approach for promoting CH4 hydrates using pure water (H2O) in an unstirred reactor packed with stainless steel beads (SSB) was proposed in this fundamental work, where the interstitial space between the beads was exploited for enhanced hydrate growth. SSB of two diameters, 5 mm and 2 mm, were used as. a packed bed to investigate their effects on CH4 hydrate formation at 273.65 K, 275.65 K, and 277.65 K with an initial pressure of 6 MPa. The thermal conductivity of SSB packing potentially aided hydrate growth by expelling the hydration heat, while, the results also revealed that driving force has a substantial impact on the rate of CH4 hydrate formation and gas uptake. The experiments conducted in both 5 mm and 2 mm SSB packed bed reactors showed a maximum gas uptake of 0.147 mol CH4/mol H2O at 273.65 K with water to hydrate conversion of 84.42% with no significant variation. The results established the promotion effect on the kinetics of CH4 hydrate formation in the unstirred reactor packed with 2 mm SSB due to the availability of more interstitial space offering multiple nucleation sites for CH4 hydrate by providing a larger specific surface area for H2O-CH4 reaction. Experiments with varying H2O content were also performed and the results showed that the water to hydrate conversion and rate of hydrate formation could be enhanced at a lower H2O content in a packed bed reactor. This study demonstrates that the use of costly or intricate porous materials can be made redundant, by exploiting the interstitial voids in packing of cheap and widely available SSB as a promising alternative material for enhancing the kinetics of artificial CH4 hydrate synthesis.
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  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000799165400007 Publication Date 2022-04-27
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 0016-2361 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 7.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 7.4
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:187830 Serial 7159
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Author Yildiz, A.; Chouki, T.; Atli, A.; Harb, M.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Ninakanti, R.; Emin, S.
  Title Efficient iron phosphide catalyst as a counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2021 Publication ACS applied energy materials Abbreviated Journal
  Volume 4 Issue 10 Pages 10618-10626
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract Developing an efficient material as a counter electrode (CE) with excellent catalytic activity, intrinsic stability, and low cost is essential for the commercial application of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Transition metal phosphides have been demonstrated as outstanding multifunctional catalysts in a broad range of energy conversion technologies. Here, we exploited different phases of iron phosphide as CEs in DSSCs with an I–/I3–-based electrolyte. Solvothermal synthesis using a triphenylphosphine precursor as a phosphorus source allows to grow a Fe2P phase at 300 °C and a FeP phase at 350 °C. The obtained iron phosphide catalysts were coated on fluorine-doped tin oxide substrates and heat-treated at 450 °C under an inert gas atmosphere. The solar-to-current conversion efficiency of the solar cells assembled with the Fe2P material reached 3.96 ± 0.06%, which is comparable to the device assembled with a platinum (Pt) CE. DFT calculations support the experimental observations and explain the fundamental origin behind the improved performance of Fe2P compared to FeP. These results indicate that the Fe2P catalyst exhibits excellent performance along with desired stability to be deployed as an efficient Pt-free alternative in DSSCs.
  Address
  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000711236300022 Publication Date 2021-10-08
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 2574-0962 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:181953 Serial 7853
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Dingenen, F.; Verbruggen, S.W.
  Title Tapping hydrogen fuel from the ocean : a review on photocatalytic, photoelectrochemical and electrolytic splitting of seawater Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2021 Publication Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews Abbreviated Journal Renew Sust Energ Rev
  Volume 142 Issue Pages 110866
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract Direct splitting of earth-abundant seawater provides an eco-friendly route for the production of clean H2, but is hampered by selectivity and stability issues. Direct seawater electrolysis is the most established technology, attaining high current densities in the order of 1–2 A cm−2. Alternatively, light-driven processes such as photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical seawater splitting are particularly promising as well, as they rely on renewable solar power. Solar-to-Hydrogen efficiencies have increased over the past decade from negligible values to about 2%. Especially the absence of large local pH changes (in the order of several tenths of a pH unit compared to up to 9 pH units for electrolysis) is a strong asset for pure photocatalysis. This may lead to less adverse side-reactions such as Cl2 and ClO− formation, (acid or base induced) corrosion and scaling. Besides, additional requirements for electrolytic cells, e.g. membranes and electricity input, are not needed in pure photocatalysis systems. In this review, the state-of-the-art technologies in light-driven seawater splitting are compared to electrochemical approaches with a focus on sustainability and stability. Promising advances are identified at the level of the catalyst as well as the process, and insight is provided in solutions crossing different fields.
  Address
  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000632316600003 Publication Date 2021-03-03
  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 Open Access OpenAccess
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 8.05
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:175701 Serial 8642
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Author Hauchecorne, B.; Tytgat, T.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Hauchecorne, D.; Terrens, D.; Smits, M.; Vinken, K.; Lenaerts, S.
  Title Photocatalytic degradation of ethylene : an FTIR in situ study under atmospheric conditions Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2011 Publication Applied catalysis : B : environmental Abbreviated Journal Appl Catal B-Environ
  Volume 105 Issue 1/2 Pages 111-116
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Molecular Spectroscopy (MolSpec); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract In this paper, the reaction mechanism of the photocatalytic oxidation of ethylene is elucidated by means of an in-house developed FTIR in situ reactor. This reactor allowed us to look at the catalytic surface at the moment the reactions actually occur. This new approach gave some exciting new insights in how ethylene is photocatalytically oxidised. It was found that there is a change in dipole moment of the ethylene molecule when it is brought in the neighbourhood of the catalyst. From this finding, a hypothesis was formulated on how the CC-bond from ethylene will break. It was found that the aforementioned interaction between the catalyst and the molecule, allows the excited electrons from the UV irradiated catalyst to occupy the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the ethylene molecule through a process known as backdonation. Following this hypothesis, it was found that the degradation occurs through the formation of two intermediates: formaldehyde and formic acid, for which formaldehyde is bound in two different ways (coordinatively and as bidentate). Finally CO2 and H2O are found as end products, resulting in the complete mineralisation of the pollutant.
  Address
  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000291907400013 Publication Date 2011-04-18
  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 29 Open Access
  Notes ; The authors wish to thank the University of Antwerp for the funding of this research; Evonik, who delivered the photocatalyst and the 3rd grade bachelor students of the bio-science engineering department, who accompanied us in this work: Britt Berghmans, Margot Goossens, Ozlem Kocak and Laurent Van Linden. ; Approved Most recent IF: 9.446; 2011 IF: 5.625
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:89256 Serial 5978
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Author Verbruggen, S.W.; Ribbens, S.; Tytgat, T.; Hauchecorne, B.; Smits, M.; Meynen, V.; Cool, P.; Martens, J.A.; Lenaerts, S.
  Title The benefit of glass bead supports for efficient gas phase photocatalysis : case study of a commercial and a synthesised photocatalyst Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2011 Publication Chemical engineering journal Abbreviated Journal Chem Eng J
  Volume 174 Issue 1 Pages 318-325
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract In the field of photocatalytic air purification, the immobilisation of catalyst particles on support surfaces without loss of photon efficiency is an important challenge. Therefore, an immobilisation method involving a one-step suspension coating of pre-synthesised photocatalysts on glass beads was applied. The various benefits are exemplified in the gas phase photodegradation of ethylene. Coating of glass beads is easy, fast, cheap and offers a more efficient alternative to bulk catalyst pellets. Furthermore, this coating procedure allows to use porous, pre-synthesised catalysts to their full potential, as the surface area and morphology of the initial powder is barely altered after coating, in strong contrast to pelletising. With this technique it became possible to study the gas phase photocatalytic activity of commercial titanium dioxide, trititanate nanotubes and mixed phase anatase/trititanate nanotubes in a packed bed reactor towards the degradation of ethylene without changing the catalyst properties. Coating of glass beads with the photocatalyst revealed the superior activity of the as-prepared nanotubes, compared to TiO2 Aerolyst® 7710 in gaseous phase.
  Address
  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000296950300041 Publication Date 2011-09-17
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 1385-8947; 1873-3212 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 6.216 Times cited 39 Open Access
  Notes ; The author wishes to acknowledge the Research Foundation of Flanders (FWO) for the financial support. Evonik is greatly thanked for supplying the TiO<INF>2</ INF> Aerolyst (R) 7710 pellets. ; Approved Most recent IF: 6.216; 2011 IF: 3.461
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:93364 Serial 5929
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Author Volders, J.; Elen, K.; Raes, A.; Ninakanti, R.; Kelchtermans, A.-S.; Sastre, F.; Hardy, A.; Cool, P.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Buskens, P.; Van Bael, M.K.
  Title Sunlight-powered reverse water gas shift reaction catalysed by plasmonic Au/TiO₂ nanocatalysts : effects of Au particle size on the activity and selectivity Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Nanomaterials Abbreviated Journal Nanomaterials-Basel
  Volume 12 Issue 23 Pages 4153-13
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract This study reports the low temperature and low pressure conversion (up to 160 °C, p = 3.5 bar) of CO2 and H2 to CO using plasmonic Au/TiO2 nanocatalysts and mildly concentrated artificial sunlight as the sole energy source (up to 13.9 kW·m-2 = 13.9 suns). To distinguish between photothermal and non-thermal contributors, we investigated the impact of the Au nanoparticle size and light intensity on the activity and selectivity of the catalyst. A comparative study between P25 TiO2-supported Au nanocatalysts of a size of 6 nm and 16 nm displayed a 15 times higher activity for the smaller particles, which can only partially be attributed to the higher Au surface area. Other factors that may play a role are e.g., the electronic contact between Au and TiO2 and the ratio between plasmonic absorption and scattering. Both catalysts displayed ≥84% selectivity for CO (side product is CH4). Furthermore, we demonstrated that the catalytic activity of Au/TiO2 increases exponentially with increasing light intensity, which indicated the presence of a photothermal contributor. In dark, however, both Au/TiO2 catalysts solely produced CH4 at the same catalyst bed temperature (160 °C). We propose that the difference in selectivity is caused by the promotion of CO desorption through charge transfer of plasmon generated charges (as a non-thermal contributor).
  Address
  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000896093900001 Publication Date 2022-11-24
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 2079-4991 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 5.3 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5.3
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:191843 Serial 7341
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Author Ciocarlan, R.-G.; Blommaerts, N.; Lenaerts, S.; Cool, P.; Verbruggen, S.W.
  Title Recent trends in plasmon‐assisted photocatalytic CO₂ reduction Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Chemsuschem Abbreviated Journal
  Volume 16 Issue 5 Pages e202201647-25
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA)
  Abstract Direct photocatalytic reduction of CO2 has become an highly active field of research. It is thus of utmost importance to maintain an overview of the various materials used to sustain this process, find common trends, and, in this way, eventually improve the current conversions and selectivities. In particular, CO2 photoreduction using plasmonic photocatalysts under solar light has gained tremendous attention, and a wide variety of materials has been developed to reduce CO2 towards more practical gases or liquid fuels (CH4, CO, CH3OH/CH3CH2OH) in this manner. This Review therefore aims at providing insights in current developments of photocatalysts consisting of only plasmonic nanoparticles and semiconductor materials. By classifying recent studies based on product selectivity, this Review aims to unravel common trends that can provide effective information on ways to improve the photoreduction yield or possible means to shift the selectivity towards desired products, thus generating new ideas for the way forward.
  Address
  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000926901300001 Publication Date 2023-01-10
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 1864-5631 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 8.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 8.4; 2023 IF: 7.226
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:193633 Serial 7335
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Author Kummamuru, N.B.; Watson, G.; Ciocarlan, R.-G.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Cool, P.; Van Der Voort, P.; Perreault, P.
  Title Accelerated methane storage in clathrate hydrates using mesoporous (Organo-) silica materials Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Fuel Abbreviated Journal
  Volume 354 Issue Pages 129403-129418
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA)
  Abstract Methane (CH4) clathrate hydrates have gained much attention in the ever-growing search for novel energy storage methods; however, they are currently limited due to their poor water-to-hydrate conversions and slow formation kinetics. To surmount these bottlenecks, significant research has been centered on the design of novel methods (porous media). In this vein, the present work explores two hydrophobic mesoporous solids, an alkyl-grafted mesoporous silica (SBA-15 C8) and a periodic mesoporous organosilica (Ring-PMO), in their ability to promote CH4 clathrates. Both materials have shown to facilitate CH4 clathrate formation at mild operating conditions (6 MPa and 269–276 K). The study revealed that the maximal CH4 storage capacities are strongly linked to the critical/optimal quantity of water in the system which was determined to be at 130% and 200% of the pore volume for SBA-15 C8 and Ring-PMO, respectively. Up to 90% and 95% of the maximum water-to-hydrate conversions were achieved in 90 min at the lowest experimental temperature and critical water content for SBA-15 C8 and Ring-PMO, respectively. At these conditions, SBA-15 C8 and Ring-PMO showed a maximum gas uptake of 98.2 and 101.2 mmol CH4/mol H2O, respectively. Both the materials exhibited no chemical or morphological changes post-clathrate formations (characterized using FT-IR, N2 sorption, XRD, and TEM), inferring their viability as clathrate promoters for multiple cycles. An integrated multistep model was considered adequate for representing the hydrate crystallization kinetics and fits well with the experimental kinetic data with a low average absolute deviation in water-to-hydrate conversions among the three distinct kinetic models analyzed. Overall, the results from this study demonstrate hydrophobic porous materials as effective promoters of CH4 clathrates, which could make clathrate-based CH4 storage and transport technology industrially viable.
  Address
  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 001059413200001 Publication Date 2023-08-07
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 0016-2361 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 7.4 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access: Available from 07.02.2024
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 7.4; 2023 IF: 4.601
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:197987 Serial 8829
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Author Zhang, K.; Wang, J.; Ninakanti, R.; Verbruggen, S.W.
  Title Solvothermal synthesis of mesoporous TiO2 with tunable surface area, crystal size and surface hydroxylation for efficient photocatalytic acetaldehyde degradation Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Chemical engineering journal Abbreviated Journal
  Volume 474 Issue Pages 145188-14
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA)
  Abstract Photocatalytic acetaldehyde degradation exhibits satisfactory performance only at relatively low acetaldehyde flow rates, predominately below 10 × 10-3 mL/min, leaving ample room for improvement. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare more efficient photocatalysts for acetaldehyde degradation. Moreover, the impact of the interaction strength between the titania surface and surface water on the photocatalytic acetaldehyde efficiency is poorly understood. To address these issues, in this work a series of (0 0 1)-faceted anatase titania samples with various surface properties and structures were synthesized via a solvothermal method and tested at high acetaldehyde flow rates under UV light irradiation. With increasing solvothermal time, the pore volume, surface area, and the abundance of surface OH groups all increased, while the crystallite size decreased. These were all identified to be beneficial to promote the degradation performance. When the solvothermal temperature was 180 ℃ and the reaction time was 5 h, the prepared sample displayed the most efficient performance at 19.25× 10-3 mL/min of acetaldehyde (conversion of (74 ± 1)% versus (29 ± 1)% for P25), and achieved a 100 % conversion at 16 × 10-3 mL/min. A weaker interaction strength between surface water and the titania surface was found to improve the acetaldehyde adsorption capacity, thereby promoting the acetaldehyde degradation efficiency. The stability of the best performing sample was tested over 48 h, demonstrating a highly stable performance with no signs of deactivation. Even at a relative humidity of 30 %, the acetaldehyde conversion retains 82% of its efficiency in a dry atmosphere, highlighting its potential in practical applications.
  Address
  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 001144928800001 Publication Date 2023-08-05
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 1385-8947; 1873-3212 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 15.1 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access: Available from 06.02.2024
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 15.1; 2023 IF: 6.216
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:198652 Serial 8933
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Author Kummamuru, N.B.; Ciocarlan, R.-G.; Houlleberghs, M.; Martens, J.; Breynaert, E.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Cool, P.; Perreault, P.
  Title Surface modification of mesostructured cellular foam to enhance hydrogen storage in binary THF/H₂ clathrate hydrate Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication Sustainable energy & fuels Abbreviated Journal
  Volume Issue Pages 1-15
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA)
  Abstract This study introduces solid-state tuning of a mesostructured cellular foam (MCF) to enhance hydrogen (H-2) storage in clathrate hydrates. Grafting of promoter-like molecules (e.g., tetrahydrofuran) at the internal surface of the MCF resulted in a substantial improvement in the kinetics of formation of binary H-2-THF clathrate hydrate. Identification of the confined hydrate as sII clathrate hydrate and enclathration of H-2 in its small cages was performed using XRD and high-pressure H-1 NMR spectroscopy respectively. Experimental findings show that modified MCF materials exhibit a similar to 1.3 times higher H-2 storage capacity as compared to non-modified MCF under the same conditions (7 MPa, 265 K, 100% pore volume saturation with a 5.56 mol% THF solution). The enhancement in H-2 storage is attributed to the hydrophobicity originating from grafting organic molecules onto pristine MCF, thereby influencing water interactions and fostering an environment conducive to H-2 enclathration. Gas uptake curves indicate an optimal tuning point for higher H-2 storage, favoring a lower density of carbon per nm(2). Furthermore, a direct correlation emerges between higher driving forces and increased H-2 storage capacity, culminating at 0.52 wt% (46.77 mmoles of H-2 per mole of H2O and 39.78% water-to-hydrate conversions) at 262 K for the modified MCF material with fewer carbons per nm(2). Notably, the substantial H-2 storage capacity achieved without energy-intensive processes underscores solid-state tuning's potential for H-2 storage in the synthesized hydrates. This study evaluated two distinct kinetic models to describe hydrate growth in MCF. The multistage kinetic model showed better predictive capabilities for experimental data and maintained a low average absolute deviation. This research provides valuable insights into augmenting H-2 storage capabilities and holds promising implications for future advancements.
  Address
  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 001208396000001 Publication Date 2024-04-15
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:205764 Serial 9232
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Author Deng, S.; Verbruggen, S.W.; He, Z.; Cott, D.J.; Vereecken, P.M.; Martens, J.A.; Bals, S.; Lenaerts, S.; Detavernier, C.
  Title Atomic layer deposition-based synthesis of photoactive TiO2 nanoparticle chains by using carbon nanotubes as sacrificial templates Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2014 Publication RSC advances Abbreviated Journal Rsc Adv
  Volume 4 Issue 23 Pages 11648-11653
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract Highly ordered and self supported anatase TiO2 nanoparticle chains were fabricated by calcining conformally TiO2 coated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). During annealing, the thin tubular TiO2 coating that was deposited onto the MWCNTs by atomic layer deposition (ALD) was transformed into chains of TiO2 nanoparticles ([similar]12 nm diameter) with an ultrahigh surface area (137 cm2 per cm2 of substrate), while at the same time the carbon from the MWCNTs was removed. Photocatalytic tests on the degradation of acetaldehyde proved that these forests of TiO2 nanoparticle chains are highly photoactive under UV light because of their well crystallized anatase phase.
  Address
  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000332470000017 Publication Date 2014-02-14
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 2046-2069; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 3.108 Times cited 45 Open Access Not_Open_Access
  Notes ; The authors wish to thank the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) and UGENT-GOA-01G01513 for financial support. The authors acknowledge the European Research Council for funding under the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013)/ERC grant agreement no. 239865-COCOON and no. 246791-COUNTATOMS. JAM acknowledges the Flemish government for long-term structural funding (Methusalem). ; Approved Most recent IF: 3.108; 2014 IF: 3.840
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:117298 Serial 168
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Author Verbruggen, S.W.; Keulemans, M.; Filippousi, M.; Flahaut, D.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Lacombe, S.; Martens, J.A.; Lenaerts, S.
  Title Plasmonic goldsilver alloy on TiO2 photocatalysts with tunable visible light activity Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2014 Publication Applied catalysis : B : environmental Abbreviated Journal Appl Catal B-Environ
  Volume 156 Issue Pages 116-121
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract Adaptation of the photoresponse of anatase TiO2 to match the solar spectrum is an important scientific challenge. Modification of TiO2 with noble metal nanoparticles displaying surface plasmon resonance effects is one of the promising approaches. Surface plasmon resonance typically depends on chemical composition, size, shape and spatial organization of the metal nanoparticles in contact with TiO2. AuxAg(1 − x) alloy nanoparticles display strong composition-dependent surface plasmon resonance in the visible light region of the spectrum. In this work, a general strategy is presented to prepare plasmonic TiO2-based photocatalysts with a visible light response that can be accurately tuned over a broad range of the spectrum. The application as self-cleaning material toward the degradation of stearic acid is demonstrated for a plasmonic TiO2 photocatalyst displaying visible light photoactivity at the intensity maximum of solar light around 490 nm.
  Address
  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Amsterdam Editor
  Language Wos 000336013200014 Publication Date 2014-03-22
  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 84 Open Access
  Notes Flanders(FWO); Methusalem Approved Most recent IF: 9.446; 2014 IF: 7.435
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:115552 Serial 2646
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Author Kurttepeli, M.; Deng, S.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Guzzinati, G.; Cott, D.J.; Lenaerts, S.; Verbeeck, J.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Detavernier, C.; Bals, S.
  Title Synthesis and characterization of photoreactive TiO2carbon nanosheet composites Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2014 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
  Volume 118 Issue 36 Pages 21031-21037
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract We report the atomic layer deposition of titanium dioxide on carbon nanosheet templates and investigate the effects of postdeposition annealing in a helium environment using different characterization techniques. The crystallization of the titanium dioxide coating upon annealing is observed using in situ X-ray diffraction. The (micro)structural characterization of the films is carried out by scanning electron microscopy and advanced transmission electron microscopy techniques. Our study shows that the annealing of the atomic layer deposition processed and carbon nanosheets templated titanium dioxide layers in helium environment resulting in the formation of a porous, nanocrystalline and photocatalytically active titanium dioxide-carbon nanosheet composite film. Such composites are suitable for photocatalysis and dye-sensitized solar cells applications.
  Address
  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor
  Language Wos 000341619500034 Publication Date 2014-08-23
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 1932-7447;1932-7455; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 9 Open Access OpenAccess
  Notes This research was funded by the Flemish research foundation FWO-Vlaanderen, by the European Research Council (Starting Grant No. 239865) and by the Special Research Fund BOF of Ghent University (GOA-01G01513). G.G, M.K., J.V., S.B., and G.V.T. acknowledge funding from the European Research Council under the seventh Framework Program (FP7), ERC Starting Grant No. 278510 VORTEX and No. 335078 COLOURATOMS. ECASJO;; ECASSara; (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2014 IF: 4.772
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:119085 Serial 3416
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Author Blommaerts, N.; Asapu, R.; Claes, N.; Bals, S.; Lenaerts, S.; Verbruggen, S.W.
  Title Gas phase photocatalytic spiral reactor for fast and efficient pollutant degradation Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication Chemical engineering journal Abbreviated Journal Chem Eng J
  Volume 316 Issue 316 Pages 850-856
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract Photocatalytic reactors for the degradation of gaseous organic pollutants often suffer from major limitations such as small reaction area, sub-optimal irradiation conditions and thus limited reaction rate. In this work, an alternative solution is presented that involves a glass tube coated on the inside with (silvermodified) TiO2 and spiraled around a UVA lamp. First, the spiral reactor is coated from the inside with TiO2 using an experimentally verified procedure that is optimized toward UV light transmission. This procedure is kept as simple as possible and involves a single casting step of a 1 wt% suspension of TiO2 in ethanol through the spiral. This results in a coated tube that absorbs nearly all incident UV light under the experimental conditions used. The optimized coated spiral reactor is then benchmarked to a conventional annular photoreactor of the same outer dimensions and total catalyst loading over a broad range of experimental conditions. Although residence time distribution experiments indicate slightly longer dwelling of molecules in the spiral reactor, no significant difference in by-passing of gas between the spiral reactor and the annular reactor can be claimed. Acetaldehyde degradation efficiency of 100% is obtained with the spiral reactor for a residence time as low as 60 s, whereas the annular reactor could not achieve full degradation even at 1000 s residence time. In a final case study, addition of long-term stable silver nanoparticles, protected by an ultra-thin polymer shell applied via the layer-by-layer (LbL) method, to the spiral reactor coating is shown to double the degradation efficiency and provides an interesting strategy to cope with higher pollutant concentrations without changing the overall dimensions.
  Address
  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000398985200089 Publication Date 2017-02-08
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 1385-8947 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 6.216 Times cited 30 Open Access OpenAccess
  Notes N.B. wishes to thank the University of Antwerp – Belgium for financial support. N.C. and S.B. acknowledge financial support from European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant #335078- COLOURATOM). S.W.V. acknowledges the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) for a postdoctoral fellowship. (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:cannot); ecas_sara Approved Most recent IF: 6.216
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:140925UA @ admin @ c:irua:140925 Serial 4481
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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 Liao, T.-W.; Verbruggen, S.; Claes, N.; Yadav, A.; Grandjean, D.; Bals, S.; Lievens, P.
  Title TiO2 Films Modified with Au Nanoclusters as Self-Cleaning Surfaces under Visible Light Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2018 Publication Nanomaterials Abbreviated Journal Nanomaterials-Basel
  Volume 8 Issue 8 Pages 30
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract In this study, we applied cluster beam deposition (CBD) as a new approach for fabricating efficient plasmon-based photocatalytic materials. Au nanoclusters (AuNCs) produced in the gas phase were deposited on TiO2 P25-coated silicon wafers with coverage ranging from 2 to 8 atomic monolayer (ML) equivalents. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images of the AuNCs modified TiO2 P25 films show that the surface is uniformly covered by the AuNCs that remain isolated at low coverage (2 ML, 4 ML) and aggregate at higher coverage (8 ML). A clear relationship between AuNCs coverage and photocatalytic activity towards stearic acid photo-oxidation was measured, both under ultraviolet and green light illumination. TiO2 P25 covered with 4 ML AuNCs showed the best stearic acid photo-oxidation performance under green light illumination (Formal Quantum Efficiency 1.6 x 10-6 over a period of 93 h). These results demonstrate the large potential of gas-phase AuNCs beam deposition technology for the fabrication of visible light active plasmonic photocatalysts.
  Address
  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000424131600030 Publication Date 2018-01-08
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 2079-4991 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 3.553 Times cited 29 Open Access OpenAccess
  Notes The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n 607417 (Catsense). We also thank the Research Foundation—Flanders (FWO, Belgium), the Flemish Concerted Action (BOF KU Leuven, Project No. GOA/14/007) research program, and the microscope was partly funded by the Hercules Fund from the Flemish Government for the support. N.C. and S.B. acknowledge financial support from European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant #335078-COLOURATOM). ECAS_Sara (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:can); Approved Most recent IF: 3.553
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:147898UA @ admin @ c:irua:147898 Serial 4805
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Author Claes, N.; Asapu, R.; Blommaerts, N.; Verbruggen, S.W.; Lenaerts, S.; Bals, S.
  Title Characterization of silver-polymer core–shell nanoparticles using electron microscopy Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2018 Publication Nanoscale Abbreviated Journal Nanoscale
  Volume 10 Issue 10 Pages 9186-9191
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract Silver-polymer core–shell nanoparticles show interesting optical properties, making them widely applicable in the field of plasmonics. The uniformity, thickness and homogeneity of the polymer shell will affect the properties of the system which makes a thorough structural characterization of these core–shell silver-polymer nanoparticles of great importance. However, visualizing the shell and the particle simultaneously is far from straightforward due to the sensitivity of the polymer shell towards the electron beam. In this study, we use different 2D and 3D electron microscopy techniques to investigate different structural aspects of the polymer coating.
  Address
  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000437007700028 Publication Date 2018-04-16
  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 11 Open Access OpenAccess
  Notes N. C. and S. B. acknowledge financial support from European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant #335078-COLOURATOMS) and from the FWO through project funding (G038116N). R. A. and S. L. acknowledge the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) for financial support. (ROMEO:yellow; preprint:; postprint:restricted ; pdfversion:cannot); ECAS_Sara Approved Most recent IF: 7.367
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:151290UA @ admin @ c:irua:151290 Serial 4959
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Author Blommaerts, N.; Vanrompay, H.; Nuti, S.; Lenaerts, S.; Bals, S.; Verbruggen, S.W.
  Title Unraveling Structural Information of Turkevich Synthesized Plasmonic Gold-Silver Bimetallic Nanoparticles Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2019 Publication Small Abbreviated Journal Small
  Volume 15 Issue 15 Pages 1902791
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract For the synthesis of gold-silver bimetallic nanoparticles, the Turkevich method has been the state-of-the-art method for several decades. It has been presumed that this procedure results in a homogeneous alloy, although this has been debatable for many years. In this work, it is shown that neither a full alloy, nor a perfect core-shell particle is formed but rather a core-shell-like particle with altering metal composition along the radial direction. In-depth wet-chemical experiments are performed in combination with advanced transmission electron microscopy, including EDX tomography, and Finite Element Method modeling to support the observations. From the electron tomography results, the core-shell structure could be clearly visualized and the spatial distribution of gold and silver atoms could be quantified. Theoretical simulations are performed to demonstrate that even though UV-Vis spectra show only one plasmon band, this still originates from core-shell type structures. The simulations also indicate that the core-shell morphology does not so much affect the location of the plasmon band, but mainly results in significant band broadening. Wet-chemistry experiments provide the evidence that the synthesis pathway starts with gold enriched alloy cores, and later on in the synthesis mainly silver is incorporated to end up with a silver enriched alloy shell.
  Address
  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000482637100001 Publication Date 2019-08-25
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition
  ISSN 1613-6810 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
  Impact Factor 8.643 Times cited 26 Open Access OpenAccess
  Notes Universiteit Antwerpen; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 1S32617N G.0369.15N G.0381.16N ; Approved Most recent IF: 8.643
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:161636 Serial 5290
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Author Borah, R.; Smets, J.; Ninakanti, R.; Tietze, M.L.; Ameloot, R.; Chigrin, D.N.; Bals, S.; Lenaerts, S.; Verbruggen, S.W.
  Title Self-assembled ligand-capped plasmonic Au nanoparticle films in the Kretschmann configuration for sensing of volatile organic compounds Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication ACS applied nano materials Abbreviated Journal
  Volume 5 Issue 8 Pages acsanm.2c02524-12
  Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
  Abstract Films of close-packed Au nanoparticles are coupled electrodynamically through their collective plasmon resonances. This collective optical response results in enhanced light–matter interactions, which can be exploited in various applications. Here, we demonstrate their application in sensing volatile organic compounds, using methanol as a test case. Ordered films over several cm2 were obtained by interfacial self-assembly of colloidal Au nanoparticles (∼10 nm diameter) through controlled evaporation of the solvent. Even though isolated nanoparticles of this size are inherently nonscattering, when arranged in a close-packed film the plasmonic coupling results in a strong reflectance and absorbance. The in situ tracking of vapor phase methanol concentration through UV–vis transmission measurements of the nanoparticle film is first demonstrated. Next, in situ ellipsometry of the self-assembled films in the Kretschmann (also known as ATR) configuration is shown to yield enhanced sensitivity, especially with phase difference measurements, Δ. Our study shows the excellent agreement between theoretical models of the spectral response of self-assembled films with experimental in situ sensing experiments. At the same time, the theoretical framework provides the basis for the interpretation of the various observed experimental trends. Combining periodic nanoparticle films with ellipsometry in the Kretschmann configuration is a promising strategy toward highly sensitive and selective plasmonic thin-film devices based on colloidal fabrication methods for volatile organic compound (VOC) sensing applications.
  Address
  Corporate Author Thesis
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor
  Language Wos 000834348300001 Publication Date 2022-07-27
  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 5.9 Times cited 11 Open Access OpenAccess
  Notes R.B. acknowledges financial support from the University of Antwerp Special Research Fund (BOF) for a DOCPRO4 doctoral scholarship. J.S. acknowledges financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) by a Ph.D. fellowship (11H8121N) . M.L.T. acknowledges financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) by a senior postdoctoral fellowship (12ZK720N) . Approved Most recent IF: 5.9
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189295 Serial 7095
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