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Author Conings, B.; Bretschneider, S.A.; Babayigit, A.; Gauquelin, N.; Cardinaletti, I.; Manca, J.V.; Verbeeck, J.; Snaith, H.J.; Boyen, H.-G. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Structure-property relations of methylamine vapor treated hybrid perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 films and solar cells Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication (up) ACS applied materials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal Acs Appl Mater Inter  
  Volume 9 Issue 9 Pages 8092-8099  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The power conversion efficiency of halide perovskite solar cells is heavily dependent on the perovskite layer being sufficiently smooth and pinhole-free. It has been shown that these features can be obtained even when starting out from rough and discontinuous perovskite film, by briefly exposing it to methylamine (MA) vapor. The exact underlying physical mechanisms of this phenomenon are, however, still unclear. By investigating smooth, MA treated films, based on very rough and discontinuous reference films of methylammonium triiode (MAPbI3), considering their morphology, crystalline features, local conductive properties, and charge carrier lifetime, we unravel the relation between their characteristic physical qualities and their performance in corresponding solar cells. We discover that the extensive improvement in photovoltaic performance upon MA treatment is a consequence of the induced morphological enhancement of the perovskite layer, together with improved electron injection into TiO2, which in fact compensates for an otherwise compromised bulk electronic quality, simultaneously caused by the MA treatment.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000396186000025 Publication Date 2017-02-10  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1944-8244 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 7.504 Times cited 43 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This work was financially supported by BOF (Hasselt University) and the Research Fund Flanders (FWO). B.C. is a postdoctoral research fellow of the FWO. A.B. is financially supported by FWO and Imec. J.V. and N.G. acknowledge funding from GOA project “Solarpaint” of the University of Antwerp and FWO project G.0044.13N “Charge ordering”. The Qu-Ant-EM microscope used for this study was partly funded by the Hercules fund from the Flemish Government. The authors thank Tim Vangerven for Urbach energy determination, and Johnny Baccus and Jan Mertens for technical support. Approved Most recent IF: 7.504  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:140849 Serial 4422  
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Author Ustarroz, J.; Geboes, B.; Vanrompay, H.; Sentosun, K.; Bals, S.; Breugelmans, T.; Hubin, A. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Electrodeposition of Highly Porous Pt Nanoparticles Studied by Quantitative 3D Electron Tomography: Influence of Growth Mechanisms and Potential Cycling on the Active Surface Area Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication (up) ACS applied materials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal Acs Appl Mater Inter  
  Volume 9 Issue 9 Pages 16168-16177  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)  
  Abstract Nanoporous Pt nanoparticles (NPs) are promising fuel cell catalysts due to their large surface area and increased electrocatalytic activity towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Herein, we report on the infuence of the growth mechanisms on the surface properties of electrodeposited Pt dendritic NPs with large surface areas. The electrochemically active surface was studied by hydrogen underpotential deposition (HUPD) and compared for the rst time to high angle annular dark eld scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) quantitative 3D electron tomography of individual nanoparticles. Large nucleation overpotential leads to a large surface coverage of Pt roughened spheroids, which provide large roughness factor (Rf ) but low mass-speci c electrochemically active surface area (EASA). Lowering the nucleation overpotential leads to highly porous Pt NPs with pores protruding to the center of the structure. At the expense of smaller Rf , the obtained EASA values of these structures are in the range of these of large surface area supported fuel cell catalysts. The active surface area of the Pt dendritic NPs was measured by electron tomography and it was found that the potential cycling in the H adsorption/desorption and Pt oxidation/reduction region, which is generally performed to determine the EASA, leads to a signi cant reduction of that surface area due to a partial collapse of their dendritic and porous morphology. Interestingly, the extrapolation of the microscopic tomography results to macroscopic electrochemical parameters indicated that the surface properties measured by H UPD are comparable to the values measured on individual NPs by electron tomography after the degradation caused by the H UPD measurement. These results highlight that the combination of electrochemical and quantitative 3D surface analysis techniques is essential to provide insights into the surface properties, the electrochemical stability and, hence, the applicability of these materials. Moreover, it indicates that care must be taken with widely used electrochemical methods of surface area determination, especially in the case of large surface area and possibly unstable nanostructures, since the measured surface can be strongly a ected by the measurement itself.  
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  Language Wos 000401782500028 Publication Date 2017-04-18  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1944-8244 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 7.504 Times cited 24 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Jon Ustarroz acknowledges funding from the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek in Flanders (FWO, postdoctoral grant 12I7816N). S. Bals acknowledges funding from the European Research Council (Starting Grant No. COLOURATOMS 335078). S.B. and T.B. acknowledge the University of Antwerp for nancial support in the frame of a GOA project. H.V. gratefully acknowledges nancial support by the Flemish Fund for Scienti c Research (FWO Vlaanderen). All the authors acknowledge Laurens Stevaert for his contribution to the work presented in this manuscript. (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); ECAS_Sara Approved Most recent IF: 7.504  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:142345UA @ admin @ c:irua:142345 Serial 4552  
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Author Kurttepeli, M.; Deng, S.; Mattelaer, F.; Cott, D.J.; Vereecken, P.; Dendooven, J.; Detavernier, C.; Bals, S. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Heterogeneous TiO2/V2O5/Carbon Nanotube Electrodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication (up) ACS applied materials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal Acs Appl Mater Inter  
  Volume 9 Issue 9 Pages 8055-8064  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) is proposed and investigated as a cathode material for lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. However, the dissolution of V2O5 during the charge/discharge remains as an issue at the V2O5–electrolyte interface. In this work, we present a heterogeneous nanostructure with carbon nanotubes supported V2O5/titanium dioxide (TiO2) multilayers as electrodes for thin-film Li-ion batteries. Atomic layer deposition of V2O5 on carbon nanotubes provides enhanced Li storage capacity and high rate performance. An additional TiO2 layer leads to increased morphological stability and in return higher electrochemical cycling performance of V2O5/carbon nanotubes. The physical and chemical properties of TiO2/V2O5/carbon nanotubes are characterized by cyclic voltammetry and charge/discharge measurements as well as electron microscopy. The detailed mechanism of the protective TiO2 layer to improve the electrochemical cycling stability of the V2O5 is unveiled.  
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  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000396186000021 Publication Date 2017-03-08  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1944-8244 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 7.504 Times cited 28 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes European Research Council, 239865 335078 ; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek; Agentschap voor Innovatie door Wetenschap en Technologie, 18142 ; Bijzonder Onderzoeksfonds, GOA – 01G01513 ; This research was funded by the Flemish research foundation FWO-Vlaanderen, by the European Research Council (Starting Grant No. 239865 and No. 335078), by IWT-Flanders (SBO project IWT 18142 “SoS-Lion”) and by the Special Research Fund BOF of Ghent University (GOA – 01G01513); colouratoms (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); ECAS_Sara Approved Most recent IF: 7.504  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:142446UA @ admin @ c:irua:142446 Serial 4572  
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Author Pullini, D.; Sgroi, M.; Mahmoud, A.; Gauquelin, N.; Maschio, L.; Lorenzo-Ferrari, A.M.; Groenen, R.; Damen, C.; Rijnders, G.; van den Bos, K.H.W.; Van Aert, S.; Verbeeck, J. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title One step toward a new generation of C-MOS compatible oxide p-n junctions: Structure of the LSMO/ZnO interface elucidated by an experimental and theoretical synergic work Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication (up) ACS applied materials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal Acs Appl Mater Inter  
  Volume 9 Issue 9 Pages 20974-20980  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Heterostructures formed by La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/ZnO (LSMO/ZnO) interfaces exhibit extremely interesting electronic properties making them promising candidates for novel oxide p–n junctions, with multifunctional features. In this work, the structure of the interface is studied through a combined experimental/theoretical approach. Heterostructures were grown epitaxially and homogeneously on 4″ silicon wafers, characterized by advanced electron microscopy imaging and spectroscopy and simulated by ab initio density functional theory calculations. The simulation results suggest that the most stable interface configuration is composed of the (001) face of LSMO, with the LaO planes exposed, in contact with the (112̅0) face of ZnO. The ab initio predictions agree well with experimental high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy images and confirm the validity of the suggested structural model. Electron energy loss spectroscopy confirms the atomic sharpness of the interface. From statistical parameter estimation theory, it has been found that the distances between the interfacial planes are displaced from the respective ones of the bulk material. This can be ascribed to the strain induced by the mismatch between the lattices of the two materials employed  
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  Language Wos 000404090000079 Publication Date 2017-05-25  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1944-8244 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 7.504 Times cited 4 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Financial support is acknowledged from the European Commission – DG research and innovation to the collaborative research project named Interfacing oxides (IFOX, Contract No. NMP3-LA-2010-246102). N.G. and J.V. acknowledge the European Union (EU) Council under the 7th Framework Program (FP7) ERC Starting Grant 278510 VORTEX for support. S.V.A. and K.H.W.B. acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders through project fundings (G.0374.13N , G.0368.15N, and G.0369.15N) and a Ph.D. research grant to K.H.W.B. The microscope was partly funded by the Hercules Fund from the Flemish Government. The microscope used in this work was partly funded by the Hercules Fund from the Flemish Government. CINECA is acknowledged for computational facilities (Iscra project HP10CMO1UP). Approved Most recent IF: 7.504  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:144431UA @ admin @ c:irua:144431 Serial 4621  
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Author Ren, X.-N.; Hu, Z.-Y.; Jin, J.; Wu, L.; Wang, C.; Liu, J.; Liu, F.; Wu, M.; Li, Y.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Su, B.-L. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Cocatalyzing Pt/PtO phase-junction nanodots on hierarchically porous TiO2 for highly enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2017 Publication (up) ACS applied materials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal Acs Appl Mater Inter  
  Volume 9 Issue 35 Pages 29687-29698  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Phase-junctions. between a cocatalyst and its semiconductor host are quite effective to enhance the photo catalytic activity and are widely studied, while reports on the phase-juncted cocatalyst are still rare. In this work, we report the deposition of the Pt/PtO phase-juncted nanodots as cocatalyst via NaOH modification of an interconnected meso-macroporous TiO2 network with high surface area and inner-particle mesopores to enhance the performance of photocatalytic H-2 production. Our results show that NaOH modification can largely influence Pt/PtO phase-juncted nanodot formation and dispersity. Compared to the TiO2 nano particles, the hierarchically meso-macroporous TiO2 network containing 0.18 wt % Pt/PtO phase-juneted cocatalyst demonstrates a highest photocatalytic H-2 rate of 13 mmol g(-1) h(-1) under simulated solar light, and possesses a stable cycling activity without obvious decrease after five cycles. Such high H-2 production performance can be attributed to both the phase-juncted Pt/PtO providing more active sites while PtO suppresses the undesirable hydrogen back reaction, and the special hierarchically porous TiO2 network with inner-particle mesopores presenting short diffusion path lengths for photogenerated electrons and enhanced light harvesting efficiency. This work suggests that Pt/PtO phase-juncted cocatalyst on hierarchically porous TiO2 nanostructures is a promising strategy for advanced photocatalytic H-2 production.  
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  Language Wos 000410597500032 Publication Date 2017-08-16  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1944-8244 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 7.504 Times cited 18 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes ; B.L.S. acknowledges the Chinese Central Government for an “Expert of the State” position in the Program of the “Thousand Talents”. Y.L. acknowledges the Hubei Provincial Department of Education for the “Chutian Scholar” program. This work is supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFA0202602), Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (IRT_15R52), International Science & Technology Cooperation Program of China (2015DFE52870), National Natural Science Foundation of China (51502225), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (WUT: 2016III029). Z.Y.H. and G.V.T. acknowledge support from the EC Framework 7 program ESTEEM2 (Reference 312483). ; Approved Most recent IF: 7.504  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:146765 Serial 4779  
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Author Wu, J.; Zhang, L.; Xin, X.; Zhang, Y.; Wang, H.; Sun, A.; Cheng, Y.; Chen, X.; Xu, G. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Electrorheological fluids with high shear stress based on wrinkly tin titanyl oxalate Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2018 Publication (up) ACS applied materials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal Acs Appl Mater Inter  
  Volume 10 Issue 7 Pages 6785-6792  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Electrorheological (ER) fluids are considered as a type of smart fluids because their rheological characteristics can be altered through an electric field. The discovery of giant ER effect revived the researchers' interest in the ER technological area. However, the poor stability including the insufficient dynamic shear stress, the large leakage current density, and the sedimentation tendency still hinders their practical applications. Herein, we report a facile and scalable coprecipitation method for synthesizing surfactant-free tin titanyl oxalate (TTO) particles with tremella-like wrinkly microstructure (W-TTO). The W-TTO-based ER fluids exhibit enhanced ER activity compared to that of the pristine TTO because of the improved wettability between W-TTO and the silicone oil. In addition, the static yield stress and leakage current of W-TTO ER fluids also show a fine time stability during the 30 day tests. More importantly, the dynamic shear stress of W-TTO ER fluids can remain stable throughout the shear rate range, which is valuable for their use in engineering applications. The results in this work provided a promising strategy to solving the long-standing problem of ER fluid stability. Moreover, this convenient route of synthesis may be considered a green approach for the mass production of giant ER materials.  
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  Language Wos 000426143900081 Publication Date 2018-02-01  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1944-8244 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 7.504 Times cited 7 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes ; The work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant 21573267, 11674335), the Youth Innovation Promotion Association CAS (2013196), and the Program for Ningbo Municipal Science and Technology Innovative Research Team (2015B11002, 2016B10005). ; Approved Most recent IF: 7.504  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:149911 Serial 4931  
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Author Ben Dkhil, S.; Pfannmöller, M.; Schroeder, R.R.; Alkarsifi, R.; Gaceur, M.; Koentges, W.; Heidari, H.; Bals, S.; Margeat, O.; Ackermann, J.; Videlot-Ackermann, C. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Interplay of interfacial layers and blend composition to reduce thermal degradation of polymer solar cells at high temperature Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2018 Publication (up) ACS applied materials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal Acs Appl Mater Inter  
  Volume 10 Issue 10 Pages 3874-3884  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The thermal stability of printed polymer solar cells at elevated temperatures needs to be improved to achieve high-throughput fabrication including annealing steps as well as long-term stability. During device processing, thermal annealing impacts both the organic photoactive layer, and the two interfacial layers make detailed studies of degradation mechanism delicate. A recently identified thermally stable poly[[4,8-bis[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b'-dithiopherie-2,6-diyl] [3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexyl) carbonyl] thieno [3,4-b]thiophenediyl]] : [6,6]-phenyl- C-71-butyric acid methyl ester (PTB7:PC70BM) blend as photoactive layer in combination with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate as hole extraction layer is used here to focus on the impact of electron extraction layer (EEL) on the thermal stability of solar cells. Solar cells processed with densely packed ZnO nanoparticle layers still show 92% of the initial efficiency after constant annealing during 1 day at 140 degrees C, whereas partially covering ZnO layers as well as an evaporated calcium layer leads to performance losses of up to 30%. This demonstrates that the nature and morphology of EELs highly influence the thermal stability of the device. We extend our study to thermally unstable PTB7:[6,6]-phenyl-C-61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC60BM) blends to highlight the impact of ZnO on the device degradation during annealing. Importantly, only 12% loss in photocurrent density is observed after annealing at 140 degrees C during 1 day when using closely packed ZnO. This is in stark contrast to literature and addressed here to the use of a stable double-sided confinement during thermal annealing. The underlying mechanism of the inhibition of photocurrent losses is revealed by electron microscopy imaging and spatially resolved spectroscopy. We found that the double-sided confinement suppresses extensive fullerene diffusion during the annealing step, but with still an increase in size and distance of the enriched donor and acceptor domains inside the photoactive layer by an average factor of 5. The later result in combination with comparably small photocurrent density losses indicates the existence of an efficient transport of minority charge carriers inside the donor and acceptor enriched phases in PTB7:PC60BM blends.  
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  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000424728800082 Publication Date 2018-01-12  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1944-8244 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 7.504 Times cited 9 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes ; We acknowledge the financial support by the French Fond Unique Interministeriel (FUI) under the project “SFUMATO” (grant number: F1110019V/201308815) as well as by the European Commission under the Project “SUNFLOWER” (FP7-ICT-2011-7-contract number: 287594). M.P. and R.R.S. acknowledge support by the HeiKA (Heidelberg Karlsruhe Research Partnership) FunTech-3D materials science program. ; Approved Most recent IF: 7.504  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:149309UA @ admin @ c:irua:149309 Serial 4939  
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Author Retuerto, M.; Calle-Vallejo, F.; Pascual, L.; Lumbeeck, G.; Fernandez-Diaz, M.T.; Croft, M.; Gopalakrishnan, J.; Pena, M.A.; Hadermann, J.; Greenblatt, M.; Rojas, S. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title La1.5Sr0.5NiMn0.5Ru0.5O6 double perovskite with enhanced ORR/OER bifunctional catalytic activity Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2019 Publication (up) ACS applied materials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal Acs Appl Mater Inter  
  Volume 11 Issue 24 Pages 21454-21464  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Perovskites (ABO(3)) with transition metals in active B sites are considered alternative catalysts for the water oxidation to oxygen through the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and for the oxygen reduction through the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) back to water. We have synthesized a double perovskite (A(2)BB'O-6) with different cations in A, B, and B' sites, namely, ((La15Sr0.5)-Sr-.)(A)(Ni0.5Mn0.5)(B)(Ni0.5Ru0.5)(B)O-6 (LSNMR), which displays an outstanding OER/ORR bifunctional performance. The composition and structure of the oxide has been determined by powder X-ray diffraction, powder neutron diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy to be monoclinic with the space group P2(1)/n and with cationic ordering between the ions in the B and B' sites. X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy suggests that LSNMR presents a configuration of similar to Ni2+, similar to Mn4+, and similar to Ru5+. This bifunctional catalyst is endowed with high ORR and OER activities in alkaline media, with a remarkable bifunctional index value of similar to 0.83 V (the difference between the potentials measured at -1 mA cm(-2) for the ORR and +10 mA cm(-2) for the OER). The ORR onset potential (E-onset) of 0.94 V is among the best reported to date in alkaline media for ORR-active perovskites. The ORR mass activity of LSNMR is 1.1 A g(-1) at 0.9 V and 7.3 A g(-1) at 0.8 V. Furthermore, LSNMR is stable in a wide potential window down to 0.05 V. The OER potential to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm(-2) is 1.66 V. Density functional theory calculations demonstrate that the high ORR/OER activity of LSNMR is related to the presence of active Mn sites for the ORR- and Ru-active sites for the OER by virtue of the high symmetry of the respective reaction steps on those sites. In addition, the material is stable to ORR cycling and also considerably stable to OER cycling.  
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  Language Wos 000472683300019 Publication Date 2019-05-30  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
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  ISSN 1944-8244 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 7.504 Times cited 12 Open Access  
  Notes ; This work was supported by the ENE2016-77055-C3-3-R project from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) and PIE 201480E122 from CSIC. M.R. thanks MINECO's Juan de la Cierva program for a grant (FPDI-2013-17582). F.C.-V. thanks the Spanish MEC for a Ramon y Cajal research contract (RYC-2015-18996). M.G. acknowledges the support from NSF-DMR-1507252 grant, NJ, USA. ; Approved Most recent IF: 7.504  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:161320 Serial 5400  
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Author Cunha, D.M.; Gauquelin, N.; Xia, R.; Verbeeck, J.; Huijben, M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Self-assembled epitaxial cathode-electrolyte nanocomposites for 3D microbatteries Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication (up) ACS applied materials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal Acs Appl Mater Inter  
  Volume 14 Issue 37 Pages 42208-42214  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The downscaling of electronic devices requires rechargeable microbatteries with enhanced energy and power densities. Here, we evaluate self-assembled vertically aligned nano-composite (VAN) thin films as a platform to create high-performance three-dimensional (3D) microelectrodes. This study focuses on controlling the VAN formation to enable interface engineering between the LiMn2O4 cathode and the (Li,La)TiO3 solid electrolyte. Electrochemical analysis in a half cell against lithium metal showed the absence of sharp redox peaks due to the confinement in the electrode pillars at the nanoscale. The (100)-oriented VAN thin films showed better rate capability and stability during extensive cycling due to the better alignment to the Li-diffusion channels. However, an enhanced pseudocapacitive contribution was observed for the increased total surface area within the (110)-oriented VAN thin films. These results demonstrate for the first time the electrochemical behavior of cathode-electrolyte VANs for lithium-ion 3D microbatteries while pointing out the importance of control over the vertical interfaces.  
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  Language Wos 000852647100001 Publication Date 2022-09-06  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1944-8244 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 9.5 Times cited 4 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This research was carried out with the support from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) under VIDI grant no. 13456. Approved Most recent IF: 9.5  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:190619 Serial 7206  
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Author Bhatia, H.; Martin, C.; Keshavarz, M.; Dovgaliuk, I.; Schrenker, N.J.; Ottesen, M.; Qiu, W.; Fron, E.; Bremholm, M.; Van de Vondel, J.; Bals, S.; Roeffaers, M.B.J.; Hofkens, J.; Debroye, E. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Deciphering the role of water in promoting the optoelectronic performance of surface-engineered lead halide perovskite nanocrystals Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication (up) ACS applied materials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 15 Issue 5 Pages 7294-7307  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Lead halide perovskites are promising candidates for applicability is limited by their structural instability toward moisture. Although a deliberate addition of water to the precursor solution has recently been shown to improve the crystallinity and optical properties of perovskites, the corresponding thin films still do not exhibit a near-unity quantum yield. Herein, we report that the direct addition of a minute amount of water to post-treated substantially enhances the stability while achieving a 95% photoluminescence quantum yield in a NC thin film. We unveil the mechanism of how moisture assists in the formation of an additional NH4Br component. Alongside, we demonstrate the crucial role of moisture in assisting localized etching of the perovskite crystal, facilitating the partial incorporation of NH4+, which is key for improved performance under ambient conditions. Finally, as a proof-of-concept, the application of post-treated and watertreated perovskites is tested in LEDs, with the latter exhibiting a superior performance, offering opportunities toward commercial application in moisture-stable optoelectronics.  
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  Language Wos 000931729400001 Publication Date 2023-01-27  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1944-8244 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 9.5 Times cited 3 Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes H.B. would like to express her sincere gratitude to Dr. Peter Erk (formerly BASF SE, Germany) for very insightful discussions. The authors acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO grant numbers S002019N, 1514220N, G.0B39.15, G.0B49.15, G098319N, and ZW15_09-GOH6316) , the KU Leuven Research Fund (C14/19/079, iBOF-21-085 PERSIST, and STG/21/010) , the Flemish government through long-term structural funding Methusalem (CASAS2, Meth/15/04) , the Hercules Founda-tion (HER/11/14) , and the ERC through the Marie Curie ITN iSwitch Ph.D. fellowship to H.B. (grant number 642196) . C.M. acknowledges the financial support from grants PID2021-128761OA-C22 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 by the ?European Union? and SBPLY/21/180501/000127 funded by JCCM and by the EU through Fondo Europeo de Desarollo Regional? (FEDER) . Martin Bremholm and Martin Ottesen acknowledge funding from the Danish Council for Independent Research, Natural Sciences, under the Sapere Aude program (grant no. 7027-00077B) and VILLUM FONDEN through the Centre of Excellence for Dirac Materials (grant no. 11744) . Affiliation with the Center for Integrated Materials Research (iMAT) at Aarhus University is gratefully acknowledged.-N.J.S. acknowledges financial support from the research foundation Flanders (FWO) through a postdoctoral fellowship (FWO grant no. 1238622N) . S.B. acknowledges financial support from the European Commission by the ERC Consolidator grant REALNANO (no. 815128) . Approved Most recent IF: 9.5; 2023 IF: 7.504  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:195375 Serial 7293  
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Author Mulder, J.T.; Meijer, M.S.; van Blaaderen, J.J.; du Fosse, I.; Jenkinson, K.; Bals, S.; Manna, L.; Houtepen, A.J. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Understanding and preventing photoluminescence quenching to achieve unity photoluminescence quantum yield in Yb:YLF nanocrystals Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication (up) ACS applied materials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 15 Issue 2 Pages 3274-3286  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Ytterbium-doped LiYF4 (Yb:YLF) is a commonly used material for laser applications, as a photon upconversion medium, and for optical refrigeration. As nanocrystals (NCs), the material is also of interest for biological and physical applications. Unfortunately, as with most phosphors, with the reduction in size comes a large reduction of the photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY), which is typically associated with an increase in surface-related PL quenching. Here, we report the synthesis of bipyramidal Yb:YLF NCs with a short axis of similar to 60 nm. We systematically study and remove all sources of PL quenching in these NCs. By chemically removing all traces of water from the reaction mixture, we obtain NCs that exhibit a near-unity PLQY for an Yb3+ concentration below 20%. At higher Yb3+ concentrations, efficient concentration quenching occurs. The surface PL quenching is mitigated by growing an undoped YLF shell around the NC core, resulting in near-unity PLQY values even for fully Yb3+-based LiYbF4 cores. This unambiguously shows that the only remaining quenching sites in core-only Yb:YLF NCs reside on the surface and that concentration quenching is due to energy transfer to the surface. Monte Carlo simulations can reproduce the concentration dependence of the PLQY. Surprisingly, Fo''rster resonance energy transfer does not give satisfactory agreement with the experimental data, whereas nearest-neighbor energy transfer does. This work demonstrates that Yb3+-based nanophosphors can be synthesized with a quality close to that of bulk single crystals. The high Yb3+ concentration in the LiYbF4/LiYF4 core/shell nanocrystals increases the weak Yb3+ absorption, making these materials highly promising for fundamental studies and increasing their effectiveness in bioapplications and optical refrigeration.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000912997300001 Publication Date 2023-01-06  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1944-8244 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 9.5 Times cited 3 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No. 766900 (Testing the Large-Scale Limit of Quantum Mechanics). A.J.H. and I.d.F. further acknowledge the European Research Council Horizon 2020 ERC Grant Agreement No. 678004 (Doping on Demand) for financial support. The authors thank Freddy Rabouw and Andries Meijerink (Utrecht University) for very fruitful discussions and extremely useful advice. The author s thank Jos Thieme for his help with the laser setups used . The authors furthermore thank Niranjan Saikumar for proofreading the manuscript. Approved Most recent IF: 9.5; 2023 IF: 7.504  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:194317 Serial 7348  
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Author Van den Hoek, J.; Daems, N.; Arnouts, S.; Hoekx, S.; Bals, S.; Breugelmans, T. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Improving stability of CO₂ electroreduction by incorporating Ag NPs in N-doped ordered mesoporous carbon structures Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication (up) ACS applied materials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 16 Issue 6 Pages 6931-6947  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)  
  Abstract The electroreduction of carbon dioxide (eCO2RR) to CO using Ag nanoparticles as an electrocatalyst is promising as an industrial carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technique to mitigate CO2 emissions. Nevertheless, the long-term stability of these Ag nanoparticles has been insufficient despite initial high Faradaic efficiencies and/or partial current densities. To improve the stability, we evaluated an up-scalable and easily tunable synthesis route to deposit low-weight percentages of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on and into the framework of a nitrogen-doped ordered mesoporous carbon (NOMC) structure. By exploiting this so-called nanoparticle confinement strategy, the nanoparticle mobility under operation is strongly reduced. As a result, particle detachment and agglomeration, two of the most pronounced electrocatalytic degradation mechanisms, are (partially) blocked and catalyst durability is improved. Several synthesis parameters, such as the anchoring agent, the weight percentage of Ag NPs, and the type of carbonaceous support material, were modified in a controlled manner to evaluate their respective impact on the overall electrochemical performance, with a strong emphasis on operational stability. The resulting powders were evaluated through electrochemical and physicochemical characterization methods, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2-physisorption, Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), SEM-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM), STEM-EDS, electron tomography, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The optimized Ag/soft-NOMC catalysts showed both a promising selectivity (∼80%) and stability compared with commercial Ag NPs while decreasing the loading of the transition metal by more than 50%. The stability of both the 5 and 10 wt % Ag/soft-NOMC catalysts showed considerable improvements by anchoring the Ag NPs on and into a NOMC framework, resulting in a 267% improvement in CO selectivity after 72 h (despite initial losses) compared to commercial Ag NPs. These results demonstrate the promising strategy of anchoring Ag NPs to improve the CO selectivity during prolonged experiments due to the reduced mobility of the Ag NPs and thus enhanced stability.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001158812100001 Publication Date 2023-12-21  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1944-8244 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 9.5 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access: Available from 21.06.2024  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 9.5; 2024 IF: 7.504  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:202309 Serial 9045  
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Author Ni, S.; Houwman, E.; Gauquelin, N.; Chezganov, D.; Van Aert, S.; Verbeeck, J.; Rijnders, G.; Koster, G. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Stabilizing perovskite Pb(Mg0.33Nb0.67)O3-PbTiO3 thin films by fast deposition and tensile mismatched growth template Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication (up) ACS applied materials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 16 Issue 10 Pages 12744-12753  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Because of its low hysteresis, high dielectric constant, and strong piezoelectric response, Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3-PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) thin films have attracted considerable attention for the application in PiezoMEMS, field-effect transistors, and energy harvesting and storage devices. However, it remains a great challenge to fabricate phase-pure, pyrochlore-free PMN-PT thin films. In this study, we demonstrate that a high deposition rate, combined with a tensile mismatched template layer can stabilize the perovskite phase of PMN-PT films and prevent the nucleation of passive pyrochlore phases. We observed that an accelerated deposition rate promoted mixing of the B-site cation and facilitated relaxation of the compressively strained PMN-PT on the SrTiO3 (STO) substrate in the initial growth layer, which apparently suppressed the initial formation of pyrochlore phases. By employing La-doped-BaSnO3 (LBSO) as the tensile mismatched buffer layer, 750 nm thick phase-pure perovskite PMN-PT films were synthesized. The resulting PMN-PT films exhibited excellent crystalline quality close to that of the STO substrate.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001176343700001 Publication Date 2024-02-29  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1944-8244 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 9.5 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes We would like to acknowledge the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) for the financial support of this work. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 823717-ESTEEM3. Approved Most recent IF: 9.5; 2024 IF: 7.504  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:204754 Serial 9174  
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Author Asapu, R.; Claes, N.; Ciocarlan, R.-G.; Minjauw, M.; Detavernier, C.; Cool, P.; Bals, S.; Verbruggen, S.W. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Electron Transfer and Near-Field Mechanisms in Plasmonic Gold-Nanoparticle-Modified TiO2Photocatalytic Systems Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2019 Publication (up) ACS applied nano materials Abbreviated Journal ACS Appl. Nano Mater.  
  Volume 2 Issue 2 Pages 4067-4074  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract The major mechanism responsible for plasmonic enhancement of titanium dioxide photocatalysis using gold nanoparticles is still under contention. This work introduces an experimental strategy to disentangle the significance of the charge transfer and near-field mechanisms in plasmonic photocatalysis. By controlling the thickness and conductive nature of a nanoparticle shell that acts as a spacer layer separating the plasmonic metal core from the TiO2 surface, field enhancement or charge transfer effects can be selectively repressed or evoked. Layer-by-layer and in situ polymerization methods are used to synthesize gold core–polymer shell nanoparticles with shell thickness control up to the sub-nanometer level. Detailed optical and electrical characterization supported by near-field simulation models corroborate the trends in photocatalytic activity of the different systems. This approach mainly points at an important contribution of the enhanced near field.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000477917700006 Publication Date 2019-05-31  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2574-0970 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited 32 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This work was supported by Research Foundation Flanders (FWO). P.C. and R-G.C. acknowledge financial support from FWO (Project No. G038215N). N.C. and S.B. acknowledge financial support from the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant No. 335078-COLOURATOM). Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @UA @ admin @ c:irua:160579 Serial 5184  
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Author Crippa, F.; Rodriguez-Lorenzo, L.; Hua, X.; Goris, B.; Bals, S.; Garitaonandia, J.S.; Balog, S.; Burnand, D.; Hirt, A.M.; Haeni, L.; Lattuada, M.; Rothen-Rutishauser, B.; Petri-Fink, A. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Phase transformation of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles via thermal annealing : implications for hyperthermia applications Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2019 Publication (up) ACS applied nano materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 2 Issue 2 Pages 4462-4470  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Magnetic hyperthermia has the potential to play an important role in cancer therapy and its efficacy relies on the nanomaterials selected. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are excellent candidates due to the ability of producing enough heat to kill tumor cells by thermal ablation. However, their heating properties depend strongly on crystalline structure and size, which may not be controlled and tuned during the synthetic process; therefore, a postprocessing is needed. We show how thermal annealing can be simultaneously coupled with ligand exchange to stabilize the SPIONs in polar solvents and to modify their crystal structure, which improves hyperthermia behavior. Using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Mossbauer spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, and lock-in thermography, we systematically investigate the impact of size and ligand exchange procedure on crystallinity, their magnetism, and heating ability. We describe a valid and simple approach to optimize SPIONs for hyperthermia by carefully controlling the size, colloidal stability, and crystallinity.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000477917700048 Publication Date 2019-06-27  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited 18 Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes ; This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation through the National Center of Competence in Research Bio-Inspired Materials, the Adolphe Merkle Foundation, the University of Fribourg, and the European Society for Molecular Imaging (Grant E141200643). ; Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:161927 Serial 5393  
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Author Mulder, J.T.; Kirkwood, N.; De Trizio, L.; Li, C.; Bals, S.; Manna, L.; Houtepen, A.J. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Developing lattice matched ZnMgSe shells on InZnP quantum dots for phosphor applications Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2020 Publication (up) ACS applied nano materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 3 Issue 4 Pages 3859-3867  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Indium phosphide quantum dots (QDs) have drawn attention as alternatives to cadmium- and lead-based QDs that are currently used as phosphors in lamps and displays. The main drawbacks of InP QDs are, in general, a lower photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY), a decreased color purity, and poor chemical stability. In this research, we attempted to increase the PLQY and stability of indium phosphide QDs by developing lattice matched InP/MgSe core-shell nanoheterostructures. The choice of MgSe comes from the fact that, in theory, it has a near-perfect lattice match with InP, provided MgSe is grown in the zinc blende crystal structure, which can be achieved by alloying with zinc. To retain lattice matching, we used Zn in both the core and shell and we fabricated InZnP/ZnxMg1-xSe core/shell QDs. To identify the most suitable conditions for the shell growth, we first developed a synthesis route to ZnxMg1-xSe nanocrystals (NCs) wherein Mg is effectively incorporated. Our optimized procedure was employed for the successful growth of ZnxMg1-xSe shells around In(Zn)P QDs. The corresponding core/ shell systems exhibit PLQYs higher than those of the starting In(Zn)P QDs and, more importantly, a higher color purity upon increasing the Mg content. The results are discussed in the context of a reduced density of interface states upon using better lattice matched ZnxMg1-xSe shells.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000529206200076 Publication Date 2020-03-16  
  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 22 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes ; This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 766900 (testing the large-scale limit of quantum mechanics). A.J.H. acknowledges support from the European Research Council Horizon 2020 ERC Grant Agreement No. 678004 (Doping on Demand). This research is supported by the Dutch Technology Foundation TTW, which is part of The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) and which is partly funded by Ministry of Economic Affairs. The authors thank Wiel Evers for performing the TEM imaging and the EDX analysis. The authors also thank Lea Pasquale and Mirko Prato for their help with performing and analyzing the XPS measurements and Filippo Drago for the ICP measurements. ; Approved Most recent IF: 5.9; 2020 IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:169563 Serial 6482  
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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. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  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 (up) ACS applied nano materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 5 Issue 8 Pages acsanm.2c02524-12  
  Keywords 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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Author Pacquets, L.; Van den Hoek, J.; Arenas Esteban, D.; Ciocarlan, R.-G.; Cool, P.; Baert, K.; Hauffman, T.; Daems, N.; Bals, S.; Breugelmans, T. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Use of nanoscale carbon layers on Ag-based gas diffusion electrodes to promote CO production Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication (up) ACS applied nano materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 5 Issue 6 Pages 7723-7732  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)  
  Abstract A promising strategy for the inhibition of the hydrogen evolution reaction along with the stabilization of the electrocatalyst in electrochemical CO2 reduction cells involves the application of a nanoscale amorphous carbon layer on top of the active catalyst layer in a gas diffusion electrode. Without modifying the chemical nature of the electrocatalyst itself, these amorphous carbon layers lead to the stabilization of the electrocatalyst, and a significant improvement with respect to the inhibition of the hydrogen evolution reaction was also obtained. The faradaic efficiencies of hydrogen could be reduced from 31.4 to 2.1% after 1 h of electrolysis with a 5 nm thick carbon layer. Furthermore, the impact of the carbon layer thickness (5–30 nm) on this inhibiting effect was investigated. We determined an optimal thickness of 15 nm where the hydrogen evolution reaction was inhibited and a decent stability was obtained. Next, a thickness of 15 nm was selected for durability measurements. Interestingly, these durability measurements revealed the beneficial impact of the carbon layer already after 6 h by suppressing the hydrogen evolution such that an increase of only 37.9% exists compared to 56.9% without the use of an additional carbon layer, which is an improvement of 150%. Since carbon is only applied afterward, it reveals its great potential in terms of electrocatalysis in general.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000818507900001 Publication Date 2022-05-19  
  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 3 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes L.P. was supported through a Ph.D. fellowship strategic basic research (1S56920N) of the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO). S.B. acknowledges financial support from ERC Consolidator Grant Number 815128 REALNANO. This research was financed by the Research Council of the University of Antwerp (BOF-GOA 33928). P.C. and R.-G.C. acknowledge financial support by FWO Flanders (project no. G038215N). The authors recognize the contribution of S. Pourbabak and T. Derez for the assistance with the Ag and carbon coating, Indah Prihatiningtyas and Bart Van der Bruggen for the assistance with the contact angle measurements, Daniel Choukroun for the use of the in-house-made hybrid flow cell, and Stijn Van den Broeck for his assistance with the FIB measurements. Approved Most recent IF: 5.9  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:188887 Serial 7099  
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Author Joy, R.M.; Pobedinskas, P.; Bourgeois, E.; Chakraborty, T.; Goerlitz, J.; Herrmann, D.; Noel, C.; Heupel, J.; Jannis, D.; Gauquelin, N.; D'Haen, J.; Verbeeck, J.; Popov, C.; Houssiau, L.; Becher, C.; Nesladek, M.; Haenen, K. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Photoluminescence of germanium-vacancy centers in nanocrystalline diamond films : implications for quantum sensing applications Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2024 Publication (up) ACS applied nano materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 7 Issue 4 Pages 3873-3884  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Point defects in diamond, promising candidates for nanoscale pressure- and temperature-sensing applications, are potentially scalable in polycrystalline diamond fabricated using the microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MW PE CVD) technique. However, this approach introduces residual stress in the diamond films, leading to variations in the characteristic zero phonon line (ZPL) of the point defect in diamond. Here, we report the effect of residual stress on germanium-vacancy (GeV) centers in MW PE CVD nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films fabricated using single crystal Ge as the substrate and solid dopant source. GeV ensemble formation indicated by the zero phonon line (ZPL) at similar to 602 nm is confirmed by room temperature (RT) photoluminescence (PL) measurements. PL mapping results show spatial nonuniformity in GeV formation along with other defects, including silicon-vacancy centers in the diamond films. The residual stress in NCD results in shifts in the PL peak positions. By estimating a stress shift coefficient of (2.9 +/- 0.9) nm/GPa, the GeV PL peak position in the NCD film is determined to be between 598.7 and 603.2 nm. A larger ground state splitting due to the strain on a GeV-incorporated NCD pillar at a low temperature (10 K) is also reported. We also report the observation of intense ZPLs at RT that in some cases could be related to low Ge concentration and the surrounding crystalline environment. In addition, we also observe thicker microcrystalline diamond (MCD) films delaminate from the Ge substrate due to film residual stress and graphitic phase at the diamond/Ge substrate interface (confirmed by electron energy loss spectroscopy). Using this approach, a free-standing color center incorporated MCD film with dimensions up to 1 x 1 cm(2) is fabricated. Qualitative analysis using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy reveals the presence of impurities, including Ge and silicon, in the MCD film. Our experimental results will provide insights into the scalability of GeV fabrication using the MW PE CVD technique and effectively implement NCD-based nanoscale-sensing applications.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001164609600001 Publication Date 2024-02-15  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2574-0970 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 5.9 Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5.9; 2024 IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:204826 Serial 9164  
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Author Bhatia, H.; Keshavarz, M.; Martin, C.; Van Gaal, L.; Zhang, Y.; de Coen, B.; Schrenker, N.J.; Valli, D.; Ottesen, M.; Bremholm, M.; Van de Vondel, J.; Bals, S.; Hofkens, J.; Debroye, E. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Achieving High Moisture Tolerance in Pseudohalide Perovskite Nanocrystals for Light-Emitting Diode Application Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication (up) ACS Applied Optical Materials Abbreviated Journal ACS Appl. Opt. Mater.  
  Volume 1 Issue 6 Pages 1184-1191  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT) ;  
  Abstract The addition of potassium thiocyanate (KSCN) to the FAPbBr3 structure and subsequent post-treatment of nanocrystals (NCs) lead to high quantum confinement, resulting in a photoluminescent quantum yield (PLQY) approaching unity and microsecond decay times. This synergistic approach demonstrated exceptional stability under humid conditions, retaining 70% of the PLQY for over a month, while the untreated NCs degrade within 24 h. Additionally, the devices incorporating the post-treated NCs displayed 1.5% external quantum efficiency (EQE), a 5-fold improvement over untreated devices. These results provide promising opportunities for the use of perovskites in moisture-stable optoelectronics.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2023-06-23  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2771-9855 ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Hercules Foundation, HER/11/14 ; European Commission; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovaci?n, PID2021-128761OA-C22 ; European Regional Development Fund; Vlaamse regering, CASAS2 Meth/15/04 ; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 1238622N 1514220N 1S45223N G.0B39.15 G.0B49.15 G098319N S002019N ZW15_09-GOH6316 ; Onderzoeksraad, KU Leuven, C14/19/079 db/21/006/bm iBOF-21-085 STG/21/010 ; Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, SBPLY/21/180501/000127 ; H2020 European Research Council, 642196 815128 ; Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:201011 Serial 8975  
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Author Ennaert, T.; Geboers, J.; Gobechiya, E.; Courtin, C.M.; Kurttepeli, M.; Houthoofd, K.; Kirschhock, C.E.A.; Magusin, P.C.M.M.; Bals, S.; Jacobs, P.A.; Sels, B.F. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Conceptual frame rationalizing the self-stabilization of H-USY zeolites in hot liquid water Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2015 Publication (up) ACS catalysis Abbreviated Journal Acs Catal  
  Volume 5 Issue 5 Pages 754-768  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The wide range of liquid-phase reactions required for the catalytic conversion of biomass compounds into new bioplatform molecules defines a new set of challenges for the development of active, selective, and stable catalysts. The potential of bifunctional Ru/H-USY catalysts for conversions in hot liquid water (HLW) is assessed in terms of physicochemical stability and long-term catalytic performance of acid sites and noble metal functionality, as probed by hydrolytic hydrogenation of cellulose. It is shown that zeolite desilication is the main zeolite degradation mechanism in HLW. USY zeolite stability depends on two main parameters, viz., framework and extra-framework aluminum content. The former protects the zeolite lattice by counteracting hydrolysis of framework bonds, and the latter, when located at the external crystal surface, prevents solubilization of the zeolite framework which is the result of its low water-solubility. Hence, the hot liquid water stability of commercial H-USY zeolites, in contrast to their steam stability, increased with decreasing Si/AI ratio. As a result, mildly steamed USY zeolites containing a high amount of both Al species exhibit the highest resistance to HLW. During an initial period of transformations, Al-rich zeolites form additional protective extra-framework Al species at the outer surface, self-stabilizing the framework. A critical bulk Si/AI ratio of 3 was determined whereby USY zeolites with a lower Si/AI ratio will self-stabilize over time. Besides, due to the initial transformation period, the accessibility of the catalytic active sites is extensively enhanced resulting in a material that is more stable and drastically more accessible to large substrates than the original zeolite. When these findings are applied in the hydrolytic hydrogenation of cellulose, unprecedented nearly quantitative hexitol yields were obtained with a stable catalytic system.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000349275300031 Publication Date 2014-12-09  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2155-5435;2155-5435; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 10.614 Times cited 65 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes 335078 Colouratom; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 10.614; 2015 IF: 9.312  
  Call Number c:irua:125288 Serial 474  
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Author Mei, B.; Wiktor, C.; Turner, S.; Pougin, A.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Fischer, R.A.; Muhler, M.; Strunk, J. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Evidence for metalsupport interactions in Au modified TiOx/SBA-15 materials prepared by photodeposition Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2013 Publication (up) ACS catalysis Abbreviated Journal Acs Catal  
  Volume 3 Issue 12 Pages 3041-3049  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Gold nanoparticles have been efficiently photodeposited onto titanate-loaded SBA-15 (Ti(x)/SBA-15) with different titania coordination. Transmission electron microscopy shows that relatively large Au nanoparticles are photodeposited on the outer surface of the Ti(x)/SBA-15 materials and that TiOx tends to form agglomerates in close proximity to the Au nanoparticles, often forming coreshell Au/TiOx structures. This behavior resembles typical processes observed due to strong-metal support interactions. In the presence of gold, the formation of hydrogen on Ti(x)/SBA-15 during the photodeposition process and the performance in the hydroxylation of terephthalic acid is greatly enhanced. The activity of the Au/Ti(x)/SBA-15 materials is found to depend on the TiOx loading, increasing with a larger amount of initially isolated TiO4 tetrahedra. Samples with initially clustered TiOx species show lower photocatalytic activities. When isolated zinc oxide (ZnOx) species are present on Ti(x)/SBA-15, gold nanoparticles are smaller and well dispersed within the pores. Agglomeration of TiOx species and the formation of Au/TiOx structures is negligible. The dispersion of gold and the formation of Au/TiOx in the SBA-15 matrix seem to depend on the mobility of the TiOx species. The mobility is determined by the initial degree of agglomeration of TiOx. Effective hydrogen evolution requires Au/TiOx coreshell composites as in Au/Ti(x)/SBA-15, whereas hydroxylation of terephthalic acid can also be performed with Au/ZnOx/TiOx/SBA-15 materials. However, isolated TiOx species have to be grafted onto the support prior to the zinc oxide species, providing strong evidence for the necessity of TiOSi bridges for high photocatalytic activity in terephthalic acid hydroxylation.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000328231400044 Publication Date 2013-11-05  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2155-5435;2155-5435; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 10.614 Times cited 22 Open Access  
  Notes 262348 ESMI; FWO; 246791 COUNTATOMS; IAP-PAI; Hercules Approved Most recent IF: 10.614; 2013 IF: 7.572  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:112502 Serial 1094  
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Author Geboes, B.; Ustarroz, J.; Sentosun, K.; Vanrompay, H.; Hubin, A.; Bals, S.; Breugelmans, T. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Electrochemical behavior of electrodeposited nanoporous Pt catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication (up) ACS catalysis Abbreviated Journal Acs Catal  
  Volume 6 Issue 6 Pages 5856-5864  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)  
  Abstract Nanoporous Pt based nanoparticles (NP's) are promising fuel cell catalysts due to their high surface area and increased electrocatalytic activity toward the ORR In this work a direct double-pulse electrodeposition procedure at room temperature is applied to obtain dendritic Pt structures (89 nm diameter) with a high level of porosity (ca. 25%) and nanopores of 2 nm protruding until the center of the NP's. The particle morphology is characterized using aberration corrected high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) and electron tomography (ET) combined with field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and macroscopic electrochemical measurements to assess their activity and stability toward the ORR. Macroscopic determination of the active surface area through hydrogen UPD measurements in combination with FESEM and ET showed that a considerable amount of the active sites inside the pores of the low overpotential NP's were accessible to oxygen species. As a result of this accessibility, up to a 9-fold enhancement of the Pt mass corrected ORR activity at 0.85 V vs RHE was observed at the highly porous structures. After successive potential cycling upward to 1.5 V vs RHE in a deaerated HClO4 solution a negative shift of 71 mV in half-wave potential occurred. This decrease in ORR activity could be correlated to the partial collapse of the nanopores, visible in both the EASA values and 3D ET reconstructions.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000382714000025 Publication Date 2016-07-18  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2155-5435 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 10.614 Times cited 48 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. The authors acknowledge financial support from the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek in Flanders (FWOAL708). S.B. acknowledges financial support from the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant # 335078-COLOURATOMS). J.U. acknowledges funding from the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek in Flanders (FWO, postdoctoral grant 12I7816N). ; ecas_Sara Approved Most recent IF: 10.614  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:135703 Serial 4302  
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Author Verduyckt, J.; Van Hoof, M.; De Schouwer, F.; Wolberg, M.; Kurttepeli, M.; Eloy, P.; Gaigneaux, E.M.; Bals, S.; Kirschhock, C.E.A.; De Vos, D.E. url  doi
openurl 
  Title PdPb-catalyzed decarboxylation of proline to pyrrolidine : highly selective formation of a biobased amine in water Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2016 Publication (up) ACS catalysis Abbreviated Journal Acs Catal  
  Volume 6 Issue 6 Pages 7303-7310  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Amino acids have huge potential as platform chemicals in the biobased industry. Pd-catalyzed decarboxylation is a very promising route for the valorization of these natural compounds derived from protein waste or fermentation. We report that the highly abundant and nonessential amino acid L-proline is very reactive in the Pd-catalyzed decarboxylation. Full conversions are obtained with Pd/C and different Pd/MeOx catalysts; this allowed the identification of the different side reactions and the mapping of the reaction network. Due to the high reactivity of pyrrolidine, the selectivity for pyrrolidine was initially low. By carefully modifying Pd/ZrO2 with Pb in a controlled manner-via two incipient wetness impregnation steps-the selectivity increased remarkably. Finally, a thorough investigation of the reaction parameters resulted in an increased activity of this modified catalyst and an even further enhanced selectivity under a low H-2 pressure of 4 bar at 235 degrees C in water. This results in a very selective and sustainable production route for the highly interesting pyrrolidine.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000387306100005 Publication Date 2016-09-16  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2155-5435 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 10.614 Times cited 27 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes ; J.V. and F.D.S. thank Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (FWO) and Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (IWT) for doctoral fellowships. D.D.V. acknowledges IWT and FWO for research project funding. D.D.V. and C.E.A.K. acknowledge the Flemish government for long-term structural funding through Methusalem. D.D.V. and S.B. acknowledge Belspo (IAP-PAI 7/05) for financial support. S.B. is grateful for funding by the European Research Council (ERC starting grant no. 335078-COLOURATOMS). The authors also thank the Department of Chemistry, University of Cologne, Germany for use of their XRD equipment. Finally, the assistance of Karel Duerinckx, Werner Wouters, Walter Vermandel, Ivo Stassen, Dries Jonckheere, Sabina Accardo and Bart Bueken with 11-1 NMR, pressure reactors, CO chemisorption, N<INF>2</INF> physisorption, SEM, gas phase FTIR and high-throughput XRD, respectively, is very much appreciated. ; ecas_Sara Approved Most recent IF: 10.614  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:139171 Serial 4445  
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Author Theofanidis, S.A.; Galvita, V.V.; Poelman, H.; Dharanipragada, N.V.R.A.; Longo, A.; Meledina, M.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Detavernier, C.; Marin, G.B. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Fe-containing magnesium aluminate support for stability and carbon control during methane reforming Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2018 Publication (up) ACS catalysis Abbreviated Journal Acs Catal  
  Volume 8 Issue 7 Pages 5983-5995  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract We report a MgFexAl2-xO4 synthetic spinel, where x varies from 0 to 0.26, as support for Ni-based catalysts, offering stability and carbon control under various conditions of methane reforming. By incorporation of Fe into a magnesium aluminate spine!, a support is created with redox functionality and high thermal stability, as concluded from temporal analysis of products (TAP) experiments and redox cycling, respectively. A diffusion coefficient of 3 x 10(-17) m(2) s(-1) was estimated for lattice oxygen at 993 K from TAP experiments. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) modeling identified that the incorporation of iron occurs as Fe3+ in the octahedral sites of the spinel lattice, replacing aluminum. Simulation of the X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectrum of the reduced support showed that 60 +/- 10% of iron was reduced from 3+ to 2+ at 1073 K, while there was no formation of metallic iron. A series of Ni/MgFexAl2-xO4 catalysts, where x varies from 0 to 0.26, was synthesized and reduced, yielding a supported Ni-Fe alloy. The evolution of the catalyst structure during H-2 temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) and CO2 temperature-programmed oxidation (TPO) was examined using time-resolved in situ XRD and XANES. During reforming, iron in both the support and alloy keeps control of carbon accumulation, as confirmed by O-2-TPO on the spent catalysts. By fine tuning the amount of Fe in MgFexAl2-xO4, a supported alloy was obtained with a Ni/Fe molar ratio of similar to 10, which was active for reforming and stable. By comparison of the performance of Ni-based catalysts with Fe either incorporated into or deposited onto the support, the location of Fe within the support proved crucial for the stability and carbon mitigation under reforming conditions.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000438475100034 Publication Date 2018-05-22  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2155-5435 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 10.614 Times cited 18 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes ; This work was supported by the FAST industrialization by Catalyst Research and Development (FASTCARD) project, which is a Large Scale Collaborative Project supported by the European Commission in the 7th Framework Programme (GA no 604277), the “Long Term Structural Methusalem Funding by the Flemish Government”, the Interuniversity Attraction Poles Programme, IAP7/5, Belgian State – Belgian Science Policy, and the Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO-Vlaanderen) in supplying financing of travel costs and beam time at the DUBBLE beamline of the ESRF. The authors acknowledge the assistance from the DUBBLE (ESRF, XAS campaign 26-01-1048) and ROCK staff (SOLEIL, proposal 201502561). The authors equally acknowledge support from a public grant overseen by the French National Research Agency (ANR) as part of the “Investissements d'Avenir” program (reference: ANR-10-EQPX-45) for the ROCK beamline and from Lukas Buelens and Rakesh Batchu (Laboratory for Chemical Technology, Ghent University) for the STEM measurements and TAP experiments, respectively. ; Approved Most recent IF: 10.614  
  Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:153178 Serial 5102  
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Author Tang, Z.; Liu, P.; Cao, H.; Bals, S.; Heeres, H.J.; Pescarmona, P.P. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Pr/ZrO2 prepared by atomic trapping : an efficient catalyst for the conversion of glycerol to lactic acid with concomitant transfer hydrogenation of cyclohexene Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2019 Publication (up) ACS catalysis Abbreviated Journal Acs Catal  
  Volume 9 Issue 9 Pages 9953-9963  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract A series of heterogeneous catalysts consisting of highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles supported on nanosized ZrO2 (20 to 60 nm) was synthesized and investigated for the one-pot transfer hydrogenation between glycerol and cyclohexene to produce lactic acid and cyclohexane, without any additional H-2. Different preparation methods were screened, by varying the calcination and reduction procedures with the purpose of optimizing the dispersion of Pt species (i.e., as single-atom sites or extra-fine Pt nanoparticles) on the ZrO2 support. The Pt/ZrO2 catalysts were characterized by means of transmission electron microscopy techniques (HAADF-STEM, TEM), elemental analysis (ICP-OES, EDX mapping), N-2-physisorption, H-2 temperature-programmed-reduction (H-2-TPR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Based on this combination of techniques it was possible to correlate the temperature of the calcination and reduction treatments with the nature of the Pt species. The best catalyst consisted of subnanometer Pt clusters (<1 nm) and atomically dispersed Pt (as Pt2+ and Pt4+) on the ZrO2 support, which were converted into extra-fine Pt nanoparticles (average size = 1.4 nm) upon reduction. These nanoparticles acted as catalytic species for the transfer hydrogenation of glycerol with cyclohexene, which gave an unsurpassed 95% yield of lactic acid salt at 96% glycerol conversion (aqueous glycerol solution, NaOH as promoter, 160 degrees C, 4.5 h, at 20 bar N-2). This is the highest yield and selectivity of lactic acid (salt) reported in the literature so far. Reusability experiments showed a partial and gradual loss of activity of the Pt/ZrO2 catalyst, which was attributed to the experimentally observed aggregation of Pt nanoparticles.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000494549700025 Publication Date 2019-09-16  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2155-5435 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 10.614 Times cited 46 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Zhenchen Tang acknowledges the financial support from the China Scholarship Council for his Ph.D. grant. All the authors are grateful for the technical support from Erwin Wilbers, Anne Appeldoorn, and Marcel de Vries, the TEM support from Dr. Marc Stuart, and the ICP-OES support from Johannes van der Velde. Pei Liu and Sara Bals acknowledge financial support from the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 Programme by means of grant agreement No. 731019 EUSMI. Approved Most recent IF: 10.614  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:164643 Serial 6326  
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Author Saveleva, V.A.; Wang, L.; Kasian, O.; Batuk, M.; Hadermann, J.; Gallet, J.-j.; Bournel, F.; Alonso-Vante, N.; Ozouf, G.; Beauger, C.; Mayrhofer, K.J.J.; Cherevko, S.; Gago, A.S.; Friedrich, K.A.; Zafeiratos, S.; Savinova, E.R. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Insight into the Mechanisms of High Activity and Stability of Iridium Supported on Antimony-Doped Tin Oxide Aerogel for Anodes of Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2020 Publication (up) Acs Catalysis Abbreviated Journal Acs Catal  
  Volume 10 Issue 4 Pages 2508-2516  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract The use of high amounts of iridium in industrial proton exchange membrane water electrolysers (PEMWE) could hinder their widespread use for the decarbonisation of society with hydrogen. Non-thermally oxidised Ir nanoparticles supported on antimony-doped tin oxide (SnO2:Sb, ATO) aerogel allow decreasing the use of the precious metal by more than 70 %, while enhancing the electro-catalytic activity and stability. To date the origin of these benefits remains unknown. Here we present clear evidence on the mechanisms that lead to the enhancement of the electrochemical properties of the catalyst. Operando near ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy on membrane electrode assemblies reveals a low degree of Ir oxidation, attributed to the oxygen spill-over from Ir to SnO2:Sb. Furthermore, the formation of highly unstable Ir(III) species is mitigated, while the decrease of Ir dissolution in Ir/SnO2:Sb is confirmed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The mechanisms that lead to the high activity and stability of Ir catalyst supported on SnO2:Sb aerogel for PEMWE are thus unveiled.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000516887400011 Publication Date 2020-02-21  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2155-5435 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 12.9 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Program (FP7/2007-2013) for Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Technology (FCH JU) Initiative under Grant No. 621237 (INSIDE). In addition, A.S.G. and C.B. thank the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme for funding the project PRETZEL under grant agreement No 779478 and it is supported by FCH JU. Solvay is acknowledged for providing Aquivion membrane and ionomer. Approved Most recent IF: 12.9; 2020 IF: 10.614  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:167147 Serial 6341  
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Author Irtem, E.; Arenas Esteban, D.; Duarte, M.; Choukroun, D.; Lee, S.; Ibáñez, M.; Bals, S.; Breugelmans, T. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Ligand-Mode Directed Selectivity in Cu–Ag Core–Shell Based Gas Diffusion Electrodes for CO2Electroreduction Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2020 Publication (up) Acs Catalysis Abbreviated Journal Acs Catal  
  Volume Issue Pages 13468-13478  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)  
  Abstract Bimetallic nanoparticles with tailored size and specific composition have shown promise as stable and selective catalysts for electrochemical reduction of CO2 (CO2R) in batch systems. Yet, limited effort was devoted to understand the effect of ligand coverage and postsynthesis treatments on CO2 reduction, especially under industrially applicable conditions, such as at high currents (>100 mA/cm2) using gas diffusion electrodes (GDE) and flow reactors. In this work, Cu–Ag core–shell nanoparticles (11 ± 2 nm) were prepared with three different surface modes: (i) capped with oleylamine, (ii) capped with monoisopropylamine, and (iii) surfactant free with a reducing borohydride agent; Cu–Ag (OAm), Cu–Ag (MIPA), and Cu–Ag (NaBH4), respectively. The ligand exchange and removal was evidenced by infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) analysis, whereas high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) showed their effect on the interparticle distance and nanoparticle rearrangement. Later on, we developed a process-on-substrate method to track these effects on CO2R. Cu–Ag (OAm) gave a lower on-set potential for hydrocarbon production, whereas Cu–Ag (MIPA) and Cu–Ag (NaBH4) promoted syngas production. The electrochemical impedance and surface area analysis on the well-controlled electrodes showed gradual increases in the electrical conductivity and active surface area after each surface treatment. We found that the increasing amount of the triple phase boundaries (the meeting point for the electron–electrolyte–CO2 reactant) affect the required electrode potential and eventually the C+2e̅/C2e̅ product ratio. This study highlights the importance of the electron transfer to those active sites affected by the capping agents—particularly on larger substrates that are crucial for their industrial application.  
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  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000592978900031 Publication Date 2020-11-04  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2155-5435 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 12.9 Times cited 23 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The authors also acknowledge financial support from the University Research Fund (BOF-GOA-PS ID No. 33928). S.L. has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie SkłodowskaCurie Grant Agreement No. 665385. Approved Most recent IF: 12.9; 2020 IF: 10.614  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:173803 Serial 6432  
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Author Van Velthoven, N.; Henrion, M.; Dallenes, J.; Krajnc, A.; Bugaev, A.L.; Liu, P.; Bals, S.; Soldatov, A.; Mali, G.; De Vos, D.E. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title S,O-functionalized metal-organic frameworks as heterogeneous single-site catalysts for the oxidative alkenylation of arenes via C- H activation Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2020 Publication (up) Acs Catalysis Abbreviated Journal Acs Catal  
  Volume 10 Issue 9 Pages 5077-5085  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Heterogeneous single-site catalysts can combine the R precise active site design of organometallic complexes with the efficient recovery of solid catalysts. Based on recent progress on homogeneous thioether ligands for Pd-catalyzed C-H activation reactions, we here develop a scalable metal-organic framework-based heterogeneous single-site catalyst containing S,O-moieties that increase the catalytic activity of Pd(II) for the oxidative alkenylation of arenes. The structure of the Pd@MOF-808-L1 catalyst was characterized in detail via solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, N-2 physisorption, and high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy, and the structure of the isolated palladium active sites could be identified by X-ray absorption spectroscopy. A turnover frequency (TOF) of 8.4 h(-1) was reached after 1 h of reaction time, which was 3 times higher than the TOF of standard Pd(OAc)(2), ranking Pd@MOF-808-L1 among the most active heterogeneous catalysts ever reported for the nondirected oxidative alkenylation of arenes. Finally, we showed that the single-site catalyst promotes the oxidative alkenylation of a broad range of electron-rich arenes, and the applicability of this heterogeneous system was demonstrated by the gram-scale synthesis of industrially relevant products.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000530090800026 Publication Date 2020-04-06  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2155-5435 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 12.9 Times cited 37 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes ; The research leading to these results has received funding from the NMBP-01-2016 Program of the European Union's Horizon 2020 Framework Program H2020/2014-2020/under grant agreement no [720996]. N.V.V. and D.E.D.V. thank the FWO for funding (1S32917N and G0F2320N). D.E.D.V. is grateful for KU Leuven's support in the frame of the CASAS Metusalem project and a C3 type project. A.K. and G.M. acknowledge the financial support from the Slovenian Research Agency (research core funding no. P1-0021 and project no. N1-0079). A.L.B and A.V.S. acknowledge Russian Science Foundation grant no. 20-43-01015 for financial support. We thank Alexander Trigub and Alexey Veligzhanin for their support during the beamtime at Kurchatov Institute. We are indebted to Elizaveta Kamyshova and Anna Pnevskaya for their valuable help during EXAFS measurements. P.L. and S.B. thank European Research Council for the ERC Consolidator Grant 815128, REALNANO. Kassem Amro and Guillaume Gracy from Sikemia are gratefully acknowledged for providing ; sygma Approved Most recent IF: 12.9; 2020 IF: 10.614  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:169530 Serial 6598  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Coeck, R.; Meeprasert, J.; Li, G.; Altantzis, T.; Bals, S.; Pidko, E.A.; De Vos, D.E. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Gold and silver-catalyzed reductive amination of aromatic carboxylic acids to benzylic amines Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2021 Publication (up) Acs Catalysis Abbreviated Journal Acs Catal  
  Volume 11 Issue 13 Pages 7672-7684  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)  
  Abstract The reductive amination of benzoic acid and its derivatives would be an effective addition to current synthesis methods for benzylamine. However, with current technology it is very difficult to keep the aromaticity intact when starting from benzoic acid, and salt wastes are often generated in the process. Here, we report a heterogeneous catalytic system for such a reductive amination, requiring solely H-2 and NH3 as the reactants. The Ag/TiO2 or Au/TiO2 catalysts can be used multiple times, and very little noble metal is required, only 0.025 mol % Au. The catalysts are bifunctional: the support catalyzes the dehydration of both the ammonium carboxylate to the amide and of the amide to the nitrile, while the sites at the metal-support interface promote the hydrogenation of the in situ generated nitrile. Yields of up to 92% benzylamine were obtained.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000670659900005 Publication Date 2021-06-10  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2155-5435 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 10.614 Times cited 16 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes R.C. thanks the FWO for his SB PhD fellowship. D.E.D.V. acknowledges FWO for research project funding, as well as KU Leuven for funding in the Metusalem program Casas. S.B. acknowledges support from the European Research Council (ERC Consolidator grant #815128 REALNANO). T.A. acknowledges funding from the University of Antwerp Research fund (BOF). E.A.P. acknowledges the support from the European Research Council (ERC Consolidator grant #725686 DeliCAT). J.M. acknowledges financial support through the Royal Thai Government Scholarship. DFT calculations on SURFsara supercomputer facilities were performed with support from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO).; sygmaSB Approved Most recent IF: 10.614  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:179851 Serial 6840  
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