toggle visibility
Search within Results:
Display Options:

Select All    Deselect All
 |   | 
Details
   print
  Records Links
Author Montiel, F.N.; Parrilla, M.; Sleegers, N.; Van Durme, F.; van Nuijs, A.L.N.; De Wael, K. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Electrochemical sensing of amphetamine-type stimulants (pre)-precursors to fight against the illicit production of synthetic drugs Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Electrochimica acta Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 436 Issue Pages 141446-11  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Toxicological Centre; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract The illicit drug precursor market for the manufacture of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), mainly amphetamine, methamphetamine and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), has emerged quickly in the last years. The evidence of a more complex and sophisticated drug market underlines the pressing need for new on-site methods to quickly detect precursors of synthetic drugs, with electrochemical analysis as a promising technique. Herein, the electrochemical fingerprints of ten common ATS precursors-3-oxo-2-phenylbutanenitrile (APAAN), 3-oxo-2-phenylbutanamide (APAA), methyl 3-oxo-2-phenylbutanoate (MAPA), benzyl methyl ketone (BMK), 1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)propan-2-one (PMK), ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, safrole, sassafras oil and piperonal- are reported for the first time. The electrochemical screening disclosed the redox inactivity of BMK, which is an essential starting material for the production of ATS. Therefore, the local derivatization of BMK at an electrode surface by reductive amination is presented as a feasible solution to enrich its electrochemical fingerprint. To prove that, the resulting mixture was analyzed using a set of chromatographic techniques to understand the reaction mechanism and to identify possible electrochemical active products. Two reaction products (i.e. methamphetamine and 1-phenylpropan-2-ol) were found and characterized using mass spectrometry and electrochemical methods. Subsequently, the optimization of the reaction parameters was carefully addressed to set the portable electrochemical sensing strategy. Ultimately, the analysis concept was validated for the qualitative identification of ATS precursors in seizures from a forensic institute. Overall, the electrochemical approach demonstrates to be a useful and affordable analytical tool for the early identification of ATS precursors to prevent trafficking and drug manufacture in clandestine laboratories.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000914833800003 Publication Date 2022-10-27  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0013-4686 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:191622 Serial 8858  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Moro, G.; Foumthuim, C.J.D.; Spinaci, M.; Martini, E.; Cimino, D.; Balliana, E.; Lieberzeit, P.; Romano, F.; Giacometti, A.; Campos, R.; De Wael, K.; Moretto, L.M. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title How perfluoroalkyl substances modify fluorinated self-assembled monolayer architectures : an electrochemical and computational study Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Analytica chimica acta Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 1204 Issue Pages 339740-12  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract There is an urgent need for sensing strategies to screen perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in aqueous matrices. These strategies must be applicable in large-scale monitoring plans to face the ubiquitous use of PFAS, their wide global spread, and their fast evolution towards short-chain, branched molecules. To this aim, the changes in fluorinated self-assembled monolayers (SAM) with different architectures (pinholes/defects-free and with randomized pinholes/defects) were studied upon exposure to both long and short-chain PFAS. The applicability of fluorinated SAM in PFAS sensing was evaluated. Changes in the SAM structures were characterised combining electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and voltam-metric techniques. The experimental data interpretation was supported by molecular dynamics simu-lations to gain a more in-depth understanding of the interaction mechanisms involved. Pinhole/defect-free fluorinated SAM were found to be applicable to long-chain PFAS screening within switch-on sensing strategy, while a switch-off sensing strategy was reported for screening of both short/long-chain PFAS. These strategies confirmed the possibility to play on fluorophilic interactions when designing PFAS screening methods.(c) 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000789493000010 Publication Date 2022-03-17  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0003-2670; 1873-4324 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited (up) Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:188658 Serial 8880  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Wagaarachchige, J.D.; Idris, Z.; Arstad, B.; Kummamuru, N.B.; Sætre, K.A.S.; Halstensen, M.; Jens, K.-J. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Low-viscosity nonaqueous sulfolane–amine–methanol solvent blend for reversible CO2 capture Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Industrial and engineering chemistry research Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 61 Issue 17 Pages 5942-5951  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract In this work, the absorption–desorption performance of CO2 in six new solvent blends of amine (diisopropylamine (DPA), 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP), methyldiethanolamine (MDEA), diethanolamine (DEA), diisopropanolamine (DIPA), and ethanolamine (MEA)), sulfolane, and methanol has been monitored using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Additionally, NMR-based species confirmation and solvent viscosity analysis were done for DPA solvent samples. The identified CO2 capture products are monomethyl carbonate (MMC), carbamate, carbonate, and bicarbonate anions in different ratios. The DPA solvent formed MMC entirely with 0.88 molCO2/molamine capture capacity, 0.48 molCO2/molamine cyclic capacity, and 3.28 mPa·s CO2-loaded solvent viscosity. MEA, DEA, DIPA, and MDEA were shown to produce a low or a negligible amount of MMC while AMP occupied an intermediate position.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date 2022-04-25  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0888-5885; 1520-5045 ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:199111 Serial 8895  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ma, X.; Pavlidis, G.; Dillon, E.; Beltran, V.; Schwartz, J.J.; Thoury, M.; Borondics, F.; Sandt, C.; Kjoller, K.; Berrie, B.H.; Centrone, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Micro to nano : multiscale IR analyses reveal zinc soap heterogeneity in a 19th-century painting by Corot Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Analytical chemistry Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 94 Issue 7 Pages 3103-3110  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract Formation and aggregation of metal carboxylates (metal soaps) can degrade the appearance and integrity of oil paints, challenging efforts to conserve painted works of art. Endeavors to understand the root cause of metal soap formation have been hampered by the limited spatial resolution of Fourier transform infrared microscopy (mu-FTIR). We overcome this limitation using optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy (O-PTIR) and photothermal-induced resonance (PTIR), two novel methods that provide IR spectra with approximate to 500 and approximate to 10 nm spatial resolutions, respectively. The distribution of chemical phases in thin sections from the top layer of a 19th-century painting is investigated at multiple scales (mu-FTIR approximate to 10(2) mu m(3), O-PTIR approximate to 10(-1) mu m(3), PTIR approximate to 10(-5) mu m(3)). The paint samples analyzed here are found to be mixtures of pigments (cobalt green, lead white), cured oil, and a rich array of intermixed, small (often << 0.1 mu m(3)) zinc soap domains. We identify Zn stearate and Zn oleate crystalline soaps with characteristic narrow IR peaks (approximate to 1530-1558 cm(-1)) and a heterogeneous, disordered, water-permeable, tetrahedral zinc soap phase, with a characteristic broad peak centered at approximate to 1596 cm(-1). We show that the high signal-to-noise ratio and spatial resolution afforded by O-PTIR are ideal for identifying phase-separated (or locally concentrated) species with low average concentration, while PTIR provides an unprecedented nanoscale view of distributions and associations of species in paint. This newly accessible nanocompositional information will advance our knowledge of chemical processes in oil paint and will stimulate new art conservation practices.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000766206700011 Publication Date 2022-02-09  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0003-2700; 5206-882x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:187380 Serial 8897  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Neven, L.; Barich, H.; Rutten, R.; De Wael, K. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Novel (photo)electrochemical analysis of aqueous industrial samples containing phenols Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Microchemical journal Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 181 Issue Pages 107778-11  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract Phenols are considered as toxic pollutants and their discharge into the environment by industries is regulated by a concentration limit. As these limits are in the low mg L−1 to µg L−1-range, sensitive methods are necessary to detect these phenols. Here, aqueous industrial phenolic samples throughout a cleaning process were analyzed by two novel electrochemical sensors. Both the photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor and the square wave voltammetric (SWV) sensor could successfully follow the decrease of the concentration of phenols along the industrial cleaning process. The discharge sample (μg L−1) could only be analyzed by the PEC sensor and not by the SWV sensor, as the phenolic concentration was close to the LOD of the latter. With HPLC-diode array detector (DAD) measurements, classical phenols such as phenol (PHOH), hydroquinone, resorcinol and o-cresol could be identified in the industrial samples, and their presence could be linked to the electrochemical responses. At last, the performance of the PEC and SWV sensors were compared with commercial colorimetric and chemical oxygen demand (COD) test kits. This comparison demonstrated the high sensitivity of the PEC sensor in the μg L−1 concentrated phenolic samples. Together with the identification of the redox peaks through HPLC-DAD analysis, the SWV sensor can be a powerful tool in the qualitative analysis of mg L−1 concentrated phenolic samples due to its speed, simplicity and absence of laborious sample pre-treatment steps.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000837838400003 Publication Date 2022-07-20  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0026-265x; 0026-265x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189428 Serial 8906  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ehirim, T.J.; Ozoemena, O.C.; Mwonga, P.V.; Haruna, A.B.; Mofokeng, T.P.; De Wael, K.; Ozoemena, K.I. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Onion-like carbons provide a favorable electrocatalytic platform for the sensitive detection of tramadol drug Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication ACS Omega Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 7 Issue 51 Pages 47892-47905  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract This work reports the first study on the possible application of nanodiamond-derived onion-like carbons (OLCs), in comparison with conductive carbon black (CB), as an electrode platform for the electrocatalytic detection of tramadol (an important drug of abuse). The physicochemical properties of OLCs and CB were determined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The OLC exhibits, among others, higher surface area, more surface defects, and higher thermal stability than CB. From the electrochemical analysis (interrogated using cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy), it is shown that an OLC-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE-OLC) allows faster electron transport and electrocatalysis toward tramadol compared to a GCE-CB. To establish the underlying science behind the high performance of the OLC, theoretical calculations (density functional theory (DFT) simulations) were conducted. DFT predicts that OLC allows for weaker surface binding of tramadol (Ead = -26.656 eV) and faster kinetic energy (K.E. = -155.815 Ha) than CB (Ead = -40.174 eV and -305.322 Ha). The GCE-OLC shows a linear calibration curve for tramadol over the range of similar to 55 to 392 mu M, with high sensitivity (0.0315 mu A/mu M) and low limit of detection (LoD) and quantification (LoQ) (3.8 and 12.7 mu M, respectively). The OLC-modified screen-printed electrode (SPE-OLC) was successfully applied for the sensitive detection of tramadol in real pharmaceutical formulations and human serum. The OLC-based electrochemical sensor promises to be useful for the sensitive and accurate detection of tramadol in clinics, quality control, and routine quantification of tramadol drugs in pharmaceutical formulations.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000903165200001 Publication Date 2022-12-15  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2470-1343 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:193391 Serial 8908  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Schram, J.; Parrilla, M.; Slosse, A.; Van Durme, F.; Åberg, J.; Björk, K.; Bijvoets, S.M.; Sap, S.; Heerschop, M.W.J.; De Wael, K. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Paraformaldehyde-coated electrochemical sensor for improved on-site detection of amphetamine in street samples Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Microchemical journal Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 179 Issue Pages 107518-107519  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract The increasing illicit production, distribution and abuse of amphetamine (AMP) poses a challenge for law enforcement worldwide. To effectively combat this issue, fast and portable tools for the on-site screening of suspicious samples are required. Electrochemical profile (EP)-based sensing of illicit drugs has proven to be a viable option for this purpose as it allows rapid voltammetric measurements via the use of disposable and low-cost graphite screen-printed electrodes (SPEs). In this work, a highly practical paraformaldehyde (PFA)-coated sensor, which unlocks the detectability of primary amines through derivatization, is developed for the on-site detection of AMP in seized drug samples. A potential interval was defined at the sole AMP peak (which is used for identification of the target analyte) to account for potential shifts due to fluctuations in concentration and temperature, which are relevant factors for on-site use. Importantly, it was found that AMP detection was not hindered by the presence of common diluents and adulterants such as caffeine, even when present in high amounts. When inter-drug differentiation is desired, a simultaneous second test with the same solution on an unmodified electrode is introduced to provide the required additional electrochemical information. Finally, the concept was validated by analyzing 30 seized AMP samples (reaching a sensitivity of 96.7 %) and comparing its performance to that of commercially available Raman and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) devices.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000809675500010 Publication Date 2022-04-26  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0026-265x; 0026-265x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:188454 Serial 8910  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Parrilla, M.; Slosse, A.; Van Echelpoel, R.; Montiel, F.N.; Langley, A.R.; Van Durme, F.; De Wael, K. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Rapid on-site detection of illicit drugs in smuggled samples with a portable electrochemical device Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Chemosensors Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 10 Issue 3 Pages 108-116  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract The smuggling of illicit drugs urges the development of new tools for rapid on-site identification in cargos. Current methods rely on presumptive color tests and portable spectroscopic techniques. However, these methods sometimes exhibit inaccurate results due to commonly used cutting agents, the colorful nature of the sample or because the drugs are smuggled in common goods. Interestingly, electrochemical sensors can deal with these specific problems. Herein, an electrochemical device is presented that uses affordable screen-printed electrodes for the electrochemical profiling of several illicit drugs by square-wave voltammetry (SWV). The identification of the illicit compound is based on the oxidation potential of the analyte. Hence, a library of electrochemical profiles is built upon the analysis of illicit drugs and common cutting agents. This library allows the design of a tailor-made script that enables the identification of each drug through a user-friendly interface (laptop or mobile phone). Importantly, the electrochemical test is compared by analyzing 48 confiscated samples with other portable devices based on Raman and FTIR spectroscopy as well as a laboratory standard method (i.e., gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). Overall, the electrochemical results, obtained through the analysis of different samples from confiscated cargos at an end-user site, present a promising alternative to current methods, offering low-cost and rapid testing in the field.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000775813500001 Publication Date 2022-03-11  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2227-9040 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:187766 Serial 8920  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author de Jong, M.; Van Echelpoel, R.; Langley, A.R.; Eliaerts, J.; van den Berg, J.; De Wilde, M.; Somers, N.; Samyn, N.; De Wael, K. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Real-time electrochemical screening of cocaine in lab and field settings with automatic result generation Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Drug testing and analysis Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 14 Issue 8 Pages 1471-1481  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Pharmacology. Therapy; Engineering sciences. Technology; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract This work presents the results of a novel application for the fast on-site screening of cocaine and its main cutting agents in suspicious and confiscated samples. The methodology behind the novel application consists of portable electrochemical detection coupled with a peak-recognition algorithm for automated result output generation, validated both in laboratory and field settings. Currently used field tests, predominantly colorimetric tests, are lacking accuracy, often giving false positive or negative results. This presses the need for alternative approaches to field testing. By combining portable electrochemical approaches with peak-recognition algorithms, an accuracy of 98.4% concerning the detection of cocaine was achieved on a set of 374 powder samples. In addition, the approach was tested on multiple 'smuggled', colored cocaine powders and cocaine mixtures in solid and liquid states, typically in matrices such as charcoal, syrup and clothing. Despite these attempts to hide cocaine, our approach succeeded in detecting cocaine during on-site screening scenarios. This feature presents an advantage over colorimetric and optical detection techniques, which can fail with colored sample matrices. This enhanced accuracy on smuggled samples will lead to increased efficiency in confiscation procedures in the field, thus significantly reducing societal economic and safety concerns and highlighting the potential for electrochemical approaches in on-the-spot identification of drugs of abuse.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000790965700001 Publication Date 2022-04-23  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1942-7603; 1942-7611 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:187767 Serial 8921  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ortiz-Aguayo, D.; Ceto, X.; De Wael, K.; del Valle, M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Resolution of opiate illicit drugs signals in the presence of some cutting agents with use of a voltammetric sensor array and machine learning strategies Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Sensors and actuators : B : chemical Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 357 Issue Pages 131345  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract In the present work, the resolution and quantification of mixtures of different opiate compounds in the presence of common cutting agents using an electronic tongue (ET) is evaluated. More specifically, ternary mixtures of heroin, morphine and codeine were resolved in the presence of caffeine and paracetamol. To this aim, an array of three carbon screen-printed electrodes were modified with different ink-like solutions of graphite, cobalt (II) phthalocyanine and palladium, and their responses towards the different drugs were characterized by means of square wave voltammetry (SWV). Developed sensors showed a good performance with good linearity at the mu M level, LODs between 1.8 and 5.3 mu M for the 3 actual drugs, and relative standard deviation (RSD) ca. 2% for over 50 consecutive measurements. Next, a quantitative model that allowed the identification and quantification of the individual substances from the overlapped voltammograms was built using partial least squares regression (PLS) as the modeling tool. With this approach, quantification of the different drugs was achieved at the mu M level, with a total normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) of 0.084 for the test subset.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000745113900003 Publication Date 2021-12-31  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0925-4005 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:185446 Serial 8922  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Neven, L.; Barich, H.; Pelmuş, M.; Gorun, S.M.; De Wael, K. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title The role of singlet oxygen, superoxide, hydroxide, and hydrogen peroxide in the photoelectrochemical response of phenols at a supported highly fluorinated zinc phthalocyanine Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication ChemElectroChem Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 9 Issue 6 Pages e202200108-10  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract Photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensing of phenolic compounds using singlet oxygen (1O2)-generating photocatalysts has emerged as a powerful detection tool. However, it is currently not known how experimental parameters, such as pH and applied potential, influence the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and their photocurrents. In this article, the PEC response was studied over the 6 to 10 pH range using a rotating (ring) disk (R(R)DE) set-up in combination with quenchers, to identify the ROS formed upon illumination of a supported photosensitizer, F64PcZn. The photocurrents magnitude depended on the applied potential and the pH of the buffer solution. The anodic responses were caused by the oxidation of O2.−, generated due to the quenching of 1O2 with −OH and the reaction of 3O2 with [F64Pc(3-)Zn]. The cathodic responses were assigned to the reduction of 1O2 and O2.−, yielding H2O2. These insights may benefit 1O2 – based PEC sensing applications.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000773947300003 Publication Date 2022-02-23  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2196-0216 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:187524 Serial 8926  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Thiruvottriyur Shanmugam, S.; Trashin, S.; De Wael, K. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Singlet oxygen-based photoelectrochemical detection of DNA Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Biosensors and bioelectronics Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 195 Issue Pages 113652  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract The current work, designed for the photoelectrochemical detection of DNA, evaluates light-responsive DNA probes carrying molecular photosensitizers generating singlet oxygen (1O2). We take advantage of their chromophore’s ability to produce 1O2 upon photoexcitation and subsequent photocurrent response. Type I, fluorescent and type II photosensitizers were studied using diode lasers at 406 nm blue, 532 nm green and 659 nm red lasers in the presensce and absence of a redox reporter, hydroquinone (HQ). Only type II photosensitizers (producing 1O2) resulted in a noticeable photocurrent in 1–4 nA range upon illumination, in particular, dissolved DNA probes labeled with chlorin e6 and erythrosine were found to give a well-detectable photocurrent response in the presence of HQ. Whereas, Type I photosensitizers and fluorescent chromophores generate negligible photocurrents (<0.15 nA). The analytical performance of the sensing system was evaluated using a magnetic beads-based DNA assay on disposable electrode platforms, with a focus to enhance the sensitivity and robustness of the technique in detecting complementary DNA targets. Amplified photocurrent responses in the range of 70–100 nA were obtained and detection limits of 17 pM and 10 pM were achieved using magnetic beads-captured chlorin e6 and erythrosine labeled DNA probes respectively. The presented novel photoelectrochemical detection can further be optimized and employed in applications for which enzymatic amplification such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is not applicable owing to their limitations and as an effective alternative to colorimetric detection when rapid detection of specific nucleic acid targets is required.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000705223300003 Publication Date 2021-09-23  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0956-5663 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:181796 Serial 8930  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Thiruvottriyur Shanmugam, S. openurl 
  Title Singlet oxygen-based photoelectrochemical detection of nucleic acids Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2022 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 217 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small oligonucleotides (18-25 bases) that play a key role in epigenetic regulation. Since the discovery of miRNAs in 1993, their role in biological processes has been extensively investigated. By now, it has been evidenced that monitoring and detection of miRNAs can improve (early) disease diagnosis. The existing diagnostic approaches have limitations such as the need for complex multistep protocols for sample preparation, analysis, data interpretation, high cost of equipment, the need for highly qualified personnel, and high laboratory standards. As opposed to this, point-of-care biosensors and chips aim to facilitate the procedure and avoid sending samples into centralized laboratories, which saves time, reduces the chance of sample degradation, and enables analysis of patient samples in remote areas, directly at home or primary and secondary care facilities (i.e. general practitioners and specialists). The latter is essential for therapy assessment and follow-up monitoring of patients with chronic diseases and cancer. Nevertheless, the development of such sensors is lagging compared to the projections of 10 – 20 years ago, mainly due to insufficient sensitivity, poor reproducibility, and the complexity of the sensors’ design reported in the research literature. This motivates the development of new detection strategies and technologies such as photoelectrochemical sensors that combine the best features of different sensing approaches. The primary concern when developing detection technologies for miRNA is the need for a highly sensitive and selective platform. This thesis explores a novel photoelectrochemical (PEC) method that is distinctive owing to its sensitive nature and simple and robust design. Firstly, we focused on the usage of recently emerging commercial gold-sputtered electrode systems for the detection of short nucleic acid with enzymatic amplification. Importantly, cleaning such electrodes is a challenge since the standard procedures known for regular disk electrodes such as polishing cannot be employed here, since it will damage the protective layer on the electrode. However, the electrodes can be washed and pretreated chemically and/or electrochemically. Thus, a procedure to effectively clean and modify the gold-sputtered electrode has been developed, resulting in high-performance gold-sputtered nucleic acid sensors. Next, the usage of molecular photosensitizers as an alternative to enzymatic amplification has been evaluated. We took advantage of the singlet oxygen production by photosensitizers upon photoexcitation, leading to a photocurrent response due to the singlet oxygen-induced (electro)chemical conversions. Following the demonstration of the detection strategy, the analytical performance of the sensing system was evaluated using magnetic beads-based nucleic acid assay on disposable electrode platforms, with a focus to enhance the sensitivity and robustness of the technique in detecting complementary nucleic acid targets. Following the fundamental evaluation of the singlet oxygen-based PEC detection of nucleic acids, we further optimized the assay and measurement parameters and employed the sensing strategy for a polymerase chain reaction-free (PCR-free) quantification of miRNAs related to prostate cancer. By successfully detecting and quantifying low-picomolar range concentrations (< 10 pM) in plasma samples from prostate cancer patients, we successfully showed the applicability of the novel sensing strategy. We have also compared and positioned the performance of our developed PEC strategy with an existing state-of-art technique, i.e. electrochemiluminescence (ECL). Our PEC strategy performed on par with ECL, both yielding low-picomolar detection limits in serum matrices, however quicker and cheaper than ECL. Owing to the versatility of this PEC technique, the final study explored its multiplexing capability. As a starting point in this branch of the research, we have investigated two possible ways for multiplexing. To perform multiple measurements at the same time, constructing calibration plots and quantifying unknown miRNA concentrations in patient samples at the same time, we have developed a high-throughput detection with 96X multi-channel electrode systems and in-house designed and constructed 96XLED illumination sources. Secondly, to detect more than one target miRNA in a single measurement, intra-vial multiplexing where the samples were analyzed for different targets in one vial was also explored. Altogether, this thesis presents the fundamentals, development and application of a novel PEC strategy for detecting short (< 25 bases) nucleic acid sequences, in particular, miRNA. With an aim to serve as a distinctive technique to function as a clinical testing platform without any need for PCR, this work adds value to the development of nucleic acid-based sensors for miRNAs and other short-stranded nucleic acid biomarkers, and benefits in the early detection of diseases like cancer.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited (up) Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:191753 Serial 8931  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Neven, L. file  openurl
  Title Singlet oxygen-based photoelectrochemical detection of phenolic contaminants Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2022 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 234 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract Phenolic compounds can be found everywhere in our daily lives but exhibit high toxicity, low (bio)degradability and hormone-disrupting effects when they are released in the environment. It is for this reason imperative to develop detection strategies for these pollutants. A promising approach involves the use of a photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor. In this sensor, a photosensitiser (PS) type II, which generates 1O2 under illumination, is used to oxidise phenolic compounds present in the sample. The oxidised phenols are reduced at the electrode surface leading to the generation of an electrocatalytic redox cycle. In this thesis, an in-depth understanding, through the identification of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the PEC sensing mechanism, is obtained. The detection strategy is optimised by choosing the PS with the highest 1O2 production and by optimising the detection parameters so that the PEC sensor can be successfully applied for the detection of phenols in industrial samples. First, it was determined that the use of highly fluorinated zinc phthalocyanine derivatives, F52PcZn and F64PcZn, as photocatalysts was optimal for the sensing of phenol due to their high 1O2 production and improved single-site isolation. However, next to 1O2, it was shown that the ROS O2•- and H2O2 were also generated in the PEC sensor. Their contribution to the photocurrent response was studied by rotating disk electrode measurements in function of the pH and applied potential. After this, the PEC detection strategy was optimised in terms of pH and applied potential for the detection of doxycycline, cefadroxil, and phenol. It was found that the use of alkaline pH-levels led to nmol L-1-level detection limits. The combination with square wave voltammetry (SWV) was, also, proposed to allow the quantification and identification of phenolic compounds in a specific sample. At last, the developed PEC and SWV sensors were applied for the measurement of phenolic compounds in industrial water samples. The PEC sensor could follow the decrease of the phenolic concentration throughout the wastewater treatment process while the SWV sensor provided the electrochemical fingerprints of these samples. The thesis concluded that the use of the PEC sensor was advantageous in the measurement of lower concentrated phenolic samples due to its high sensitivity and fast measurement time in comparison to commercial test kits.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited (up) Open Access  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:187029 Serial 8932  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Blundo, E.; Faria, P.E., Jr.; Surrente, A.; Pettinari, G.; Prosnikov, M.A.; Olkowska-Pucko, K.; Zollner, K.; Wozniak, T.; Chaves, A.; Kazimierczuk, T.; Felici, M.; Babinski, A.; Molas, M.R.; Christianen, P.C.M.; Fabian, J.; Polimeni, A. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Strain-Induced Exciton Hybridization in WS2 Monolayers Unveiled by Zeeman-Splitting Measurements Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Physical review letters Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 129 Issue 6 Pages 067402  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract Mechanical deformations and ensuing strain are routinely exploited to tune the band gap energy and to enhance the functionalities of two-dimensional crystals. In this Letter, we show that strain leads also to a strong modification of the exciton magnetic moment in WS2 monolayers. Zeeman-splitting measurements under magnetic fields up to 28.5 T were performed on single, one-layer-thick WS2 microbubbles. The strain of the bubbles causes a hybridization of k-space direct and indirect excitons resulting in a sizable decrease in the modulus of they factor of the ground-state exciton. These findings indicate that strain may have major effects on the way the valley number of excitons can be used to process binary information in two-dimensional crystals.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000842367600007 Publication Date 2022-08-04  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0031-9007; 1079-7114 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:198538 Serial 8936  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Pankratova, G.; Bollella, P.; Pankratov, D.; Gorton, L. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Supercapacitive biofuel cells Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Current opinion in biotechnology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 73 Issue Pages 179-187  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract Supercapacitive biofuel cells' (SBFCs) most recent advancements are herein disclosed. In conventional SBFCs the biocomponent is employed as the pseudocapacitive component, while in self-charging biodevices it also works as the biocatalyst. The performance of different types of SBFCs are summarized according to the categorization based on the biocatalyst employed: supercapacitive microbial fuel cells (sMFCs), supercapacitive biophotovoltaics (SBPV) and supercapacitive enzymatic fuel cells (s-EFCs). SBFCs could be considered as promising 'alternative' energy devices (low-cost, environmentally friendly, and technically undemanding electric power sources etc.) being suitable for powering a new generation of miniaturized electronic applications.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000760339100024 Publication Date 2021-09-01  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0958-1669 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:187287 Serial 8937  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Parrilla, M.; Detamornrat, U.; Domínguez-Robles, J.; Donnelly, R.F.; De Wael, K. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Wearable hollow microneedle sensing patches for the transdermal electrochemical monitoring of glucose Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Talanta : the international journal of pure and applied analytical chemistry Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 249 Issue Pages 123695-123699  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract According to the World Health Organization, about 422 million people worldwide have diabetes, with 1.5 million deaths directly attributed each year. Therefore, there is still a need to effectively monitor glucose in diabetic patients for proper management. Recently, wearable patches based on microneedle (MN) sensors provide minimally invasive analysis of glucose through the interstitial fluid (ISF) while exhibiting excellent correlation with blood glucose. Despite many advances in wearable electrochemical sensors, long-term stability and continuous monitoring remain unsolved challenges. Herein, we present a highly stable electrochemical biosensor based on a redox mediator bilayer consisting of Prussian blue and iron-nickel hexacyanoferrate to increase the long-term stability of the readout coupled with a hollow MN array as a sampling unit for ISF uptake. First, the enzymatic biosensor is developed by using affordable screen-printed electrodes (SPE) and optimized for long-term stability fitting the physiological range of glucose in ISF (i.e., 2.5–22.5 mM). In parallel, the MN array is assessed for minimally invasive piercing of the skin. Subsequently, the biosensor is integrated with the MN array leaving a microfluidic spacer that works as the electrochemical cell. Interestingly, a microfluidic channel connects the cell with an external syringe to actively and rapidly withdraw ISF toward the cell. Finally, the robust MN sensing patch is characterized during in vitro and ex vivo tests. Overall, affordable wearable MN-based patches for the continuous monitoring of glucose in ISF are providing an advent in wearable devices for rapid and life-threatening decision-making processes.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000826441800002 Publication Date 2022-06-16  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0039-9140; 1873-3573 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:188955 Serial 8955  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Parrilla, M.; Vanhooydonck, A.; Watts, R.; De Wael, K. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Wearable wristband-based electrochemical sensor for the detection of phenylalanine in biofluids Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Biosensors and bioelectronics Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 197 Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Product development; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)  
  Abstract Wearable electrochemical sensors are driven by the user-friendly capability of on-site detection of key biomarkers for health management. Despite the advances in biomolecule monitoring such as glucose, still, several unmet clinical challenges need to be addressed. For example, patients suffering from phenylketonuria (PKU) should be able to monitor their phenylalanine (PHE) level in a rapid, decentralized, and affordable manner to avoid high levels of PHE in the body which can lead to a profound and irreversible mental disability. Herein, we report a wearable wristband electrochemical sensor for the monitoring of PHE tackling the necessity of controlling PHE levels in PHE hydroxylase deficiency patients. The proposed electrochemical sensor is based on a screen-printed electrode (SPE) modified with a membrane consisting of Nafion, to avoid interferences in biofluids. The membrane also consists of sodium 1,2-naphthoquinone-4-sulphonate for the in situ derivatization of PHE into an electroactive product, allowing its electrochemical oxidation at the surface of the SPE in alkaline conditions. Importantly, the electrochemical sensor is integrated into a wristband configuration to enhance user interaction and engage the patient with PHE self-monitoring. Besides, a paper-based sampling strategy is designed to alkalinize the real sample without the need for sample pretreatment, and thus simplify the analytical process. Finally, the wearable device is tested for the determination of PHE in saliva and blood serum. The proposed wristband-based sensor is expected to impact the PKU self-monitoring, facilitating the daily lives of PKU patients toward optimal therapy and disease management.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000719366400003 Publication Date 2021-11-02  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0956-5663 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:183086 Serial 8957  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Robert, Hl.; Lobato, I.; Lyu, Fj.; Chen, Q.; Van Aert, S.; Van Dyck, D.; Müller-Caspary, K. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Dynamical diffraction of high-energy electrons investigated by focal series momentum-resolved scanning transmission electron microscopy at atomic resolution Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Ultramicroscopy Abbreviated Journal Ultramicroscopy  
  Volume 233 Issue Pages 113425  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Vision lab  
  Abstract We report a study of scattering dynamics in crystals employing momentum-resolved scanning transmission

electron microscopy under varying illumination conditions. As we perform successive changes of the probe

focus, multiple real-space signals are obtained in dependence of the shape of the incident electron wave.

With support from extensive simulations, each signal is shown to be characterised by an optimum focus for

which the contrast is maximum and which differs among different signals. For instance, a systematic focus

mismatch is found between images formed by high-angle scattering, being sensitive to thickness and chemical

composition, and the first moment in diffraction space, being sensitive to electric fields. It follows that a single

recording at one specific probe focus is usually insufficient to characterise materials comprehensively. Most

importantly, we demonstrate in experiment and simulation that the second moment (
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000734396800009 Publication Date 2021-11-13  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0304-3991 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.2 Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes We thank Dr. Florian Winkler for valuable discussions and experimental work at the early stages of this study. This work was supported by the Initiative and Network Fund of the Helmholtz Association (Germany) under contracts VH-NG-1317 and ZT-I-0025. This project furthermore received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (grant agreement No. 770887). Approved Most recent IF: 2.2  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:184833 Serial 6898  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Wanten, B.; Maerivoet, S.; Vantomme, C.; Slaets, J.; Trenchev, G.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Dry reforming of methane in an atmospheric pressure glow discharge: Confining the plasma to expand the performance Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Journal Of Co2 Utilization Abbreviated Journal J Co2 Util  
  Volume 56 Issue Pages 101869  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract We present a confined atmospheric pressure glow discharge plasma reactor, with very good performance towards dry reforming of methane, i.e., CO2 and CH4 conversion of 64 % and 94 %, respectively, at an energy cost of 3.5–4 eV/molecule (or 14–16 kJ/L). This excellent performance is among the best reported up to now for all types of plasma reactors in literature, and is due to the confinement of the plasma, which maximizes the fraction of gas passing through the active plasma region. The main product formed is syngas, with H2O and C2H2 as byproducts. We developed a quasi-1D chemical kinetics model, showing good agreement with the experimental results, which provides a thorough insight in the reaction pathways underlying the conversion of CO2 and CH4 and the formation of the different products.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000740230000002 Publication Date 2021-12-23  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2212-9820 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 7.7 Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Vlaamse regering; European Research Council, 810182 ; Herculesstichting; European Research Council; Horizon 2020 Framework Programme; Universiteit Antwerpen; This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 810182 – SCOPE ERC Synergy project), and through long-term structural funding (Methusalem). The calculations were performed using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UAntwerpen), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (depart­ment EWI) and the UAntwerpen. Finally, we thank T. Kenis, J. Van den Hoek, and T. Breugelmans from the University of Antwerp, for per­ forming the liquid analysis. Approved Most recent IF: 7.7  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:185163 Serial 6899  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Javdani, Z.; Hassani, N.; Faraji, F.; Zhou, R.; Sun, C.; Radha, B.; Neyts, E.; Peeters, F.M.; Neek-Amal, M. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Clogging and unclogging of hydrocarbon-contaminated nanochannels Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication The journal of physical chemistry letters Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem Lett  
  Volume 13 Issue 49 Pages 11454-11463  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT); Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract The recent advantages of the fabrication of artificial nanochannels enabled new research on the molecular transport, permeance, and selectivity of various gases and molecules. However, the physisorption/chemisorption of the unwanted molecules (usually hydrocarbons) inside nanochannels results in the alteration of the functionality of the nanochannels. We investigated contamination due to hydrocarbon molecules, nanochannels made of graphene, hexagonal boron nitride, BC2N, and molybdenum disulfide using molecular dynamics simulations. We found that for a certain size of nanochannel (i.e., h = 0.7 nm), as a result of the anomalous hydrophilic nature of nanochannels made of graphene, the hydrocarbons are fully adsorbed in the nanochannel, giving rise to full uptake. An increasing temperature plays an important role in unclogging, while pressure does not have a significant role. The results of our pioneering work contribute to a better understanding and highlight the important factors in alleviating the contamination and unclogging of nanochannels, which are in good agreement with the results of recent experiments.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000893147700001 Publication Date 2022-12-05  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1948-7185 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 5.7 Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5.7  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:192815 Serial 7263  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Oliveira, M.C.; Yusupov, M.; Bogaerts, A.; Cordeiro, R.M. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Distribution of lipid aldehydes in phase-separated membranes: A molecular dynamics study Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Archives Of Biochemistry And Biophysics Abbreviated Journal Arch Biochem Biophys  
  Volume 717 Issue Pages 109136  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract It is well established that lipid aldehydes (LAs) are able to increase the permeability of cell membranes and induce their rupture. However, it is not yet clear how LAs are distributed in phase-separated membranes (PSMs), which are responsible for the transport of selected molecules and intracellular signaling. Thus, we investigate here the distribution of LAs in a PSM by coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. Our results reveal that LAs derived from mono-unsaturated lipids tend to accumulate at the interface between the liquid-ordered/liquiddisordered domains, whereas those derived from poly-unsaturated lipids remain in the liquid-disordered domain. These results are important for understanding the effects caused by oxidized lipids in membrane structure, properties and organization.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000767632000001 Publication Date 2022-01-24  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0003-9861 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 3.9 Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes We thank the University of Antwerp and the Coordination of Superior Level Staff Improvement (CAPES, Brazil) for the scholarship granted. The calculations were performed using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UAntwerpen), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the UAntwerpen. Approved Most recent IF: 3.9  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:185874 Serial 6905  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Vervloessem, E.; Gorbanev, Y.; Nikiforov, A.; De Geyter, N.; Bogaerts, A. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Sustainable NOxproduction from air in pulsed plasma: elucidating the chemistry behind the low energy consumption Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Green Chemistry Abbreviated Journal Green Chem  
  Volume 24 Issue 2 Pages 916-929  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract N-Based fertilisers are paramount to support our still-growing world population. Current industrial N<sub>2</sub>fixation is heavily fossil fuel-dependent, therefore, a lot of work is put into the development of fossil-free pathways. Plasma technology offers a fossil-free and flexible method for N<sub>2</sub>fixation that is compatible with renewable energy sources. We present here a pulsed plasma jet for direct NO<sub><italic>x</italic></sub>production from air. The pulsed power allows for a record-low energy consumption (EC) of 0.42 MJ (mol N)<sup>−1</sup>. This is the lowest reported EC in plasma-based N<sub>2</sub>fixation at atmospheric pressure thus far. We compare our experimental data with plasma chemistry modelling, and obtain very good agreement. Hence, we can use our model to explain the underlying mechanisms responsible for this low EC. The pulsed power and the corresponding pulsed gas temperature are the reason for the very low EC: they provide a strong vibrational–translational non-equilibrium and promote the non-thermal Zeldovich mechanism. This insight is important for the development of the next generation of plasma sources for energy-efficient NO<sub><italic>x</italic></sub>production.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000739578400001 Publication Date 2021-12-22  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1463-9262 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 9.8 Times cited (up) Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes H2020 European Research Council, grant agreement no. 810182 – SCOPE ERC Synergy project ; Herculesstichting; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, EOS ID 30505023 FWO grant ID GoF9618n ; Universiteit Antwerpen; This research was supported by the Excellence of Science FWO-FNRS project (NITROPLASM, FWO grant ID GoF9618n, EOS ID 30505023), the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no. 810182 – SCOPE ERC Synergy project), and through long-term structural funding (Methusalem). The calculations were performed using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UAntwerpen), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (Department EWI) and the UAntwerpen. We thank E. H. Choi and coworkers from the Plasma Bioscience Research Center (Korea) for providing the Soft Jet plasma source, as well as K. van’t Veer and C. Verheyen for the fruitful discussion on the electron loss fraction calculations. The graphical abstract was designed using resources from Flaticon.com. Approved Most recent IF: 9.8  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:185450 Serial 6906  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Laroussi, M.; Bekeschus, S.; Keidar, M.; Bogaerts, A.; Fridman, A.; Lu, X.; Ostrikov, K.; Hori, M.; Stapelmann, K.; Miller, V.; Reuter, S.; Laux, C.; Mesbah, A.; Walsh, J.; Jiang, C.; Thagard, S.M.; Tanaka, H.; Liu, D.; Yan, D.; Yusupov, M. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Low-Temperature Plasma for Biology, Hygiene, and Medicine: Perspective and Roadmap Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication IEEE transactions on radiation and plasma medical sciences Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Radiat. Plasma Med. Sci.  
  Volume 6 Issue 2 Pages 127-157  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Plasma, the fourth and most pervasive state of matter in the visible universe, is a fascinating medium that is connected to the beginning of our universe itself. Man-made plasmas are at the core of many technological advances that include the fabrication of semiconductor devices, which enabled the modern computer and communication revolutions. The introduction of low temperature, atmospheric pressure plasmas to the biomedical field has ushered a new revolution in the healthcare arena that promises to introduce plasma-based therapies to combat some thorny and long-standing medical challenges. This article presents an overview of where research is at today and discusses innovative concepts and approaches to overcome present challenges and take the field to the next level. It is written by a team of experts who took an in-depth look at the various applications of plasma in hygiene, decontamination, and medicine, made critical analysis, and proposed ideas and concepts that should help the research community focus their efforts on clear and practical steps necessary to keep the field advancing for decades to come.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000750257400005 Publication Date 2021-12-14  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2469-7311 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Research Foundation—Flanders, 1200219N ; Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:185875 Serial 6907  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Borah, R.; Verbruggen, S.W. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Effect of size distribution, skewness and roughness on the optical properties of colloidal plasmonic nanoparticles Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Colloids and surfaces: A: physicochemical and engineering aspects Abbreviated Journal Colloid Surface A  
  Volume 640 Issue Pages 128521  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract It is a generally accepted idea that the particle size distribution strongly affects the optical spectra of colloidal plasmonic nanoparticles. It is often quoted as one of the main reasons while explaining the mismatch between the theoretical and experimental optical spectra of such nanoparticles. In this work, these aspects are critically analyzed by means of a bottom up statistical approach that considers variables such as mean, standard deviation and skewness of the nanoparticle size distribution independently from one another. By assuming normal and log-normal distributions of the particle size, the effect of the statistical parameters on the Mie analytical optical spectra of colloidal nanoparticles was studied. The effect of morphology was also studied numerically in order to understand to what extent it can play a role. It is our finding that the particle polydispersity, skewness and surface morphology in fact only weakly impact the optical spectra. While, the selection of suitable optical constants with regard to the crystallinity of the nanoparticles is a far more influential factor for correctly predicting both the plasmon band position and the plasmon bandwidth in theoretical simulations of the optical spectra. It is shown that the mean particle size can be correctly estimated directly from the plasmon band position, as it is the mean that determines the resonance wavelength. The standard deviation can on the other hand be estimated from the intensity distribution data obtained from dynamic light scattering experiments. The results reported herein clear the ambiguity around particle size distribution and optical response of colloidal plasmonic nanoparticles.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Elservier Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000765946900002 Publication Date 2022-02-04  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0927-7757 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 5.2 Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5.2  
  Call Number DuEL @ duel @c:irua:185704 Serial 6908  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Mallick, S.; Zhang, W.; Batuk, M.; Gibbs, A.S.; Hadermann, J.; Halasyamani, P.S.; Hayward, M.A. url  doi
openurl 
  Title The crystal and defect structures of polar KBiNb2O7 Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Journal of the Chemical Society : Dalton transactions Abbreviated Journal Dalton T  
  Volume 51 Issue 5 Pages 1866-1873  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract KBiNb2O7 was prepared from RbBiNb2O7 by a sequence of cation exchange reactions which first convert RbBiNb2O7 to LiBiNb2O7, before KBiNb2O7 is formed by a further K-for-Li cation exchange. A combination of neutron, synchrotron X-ray and electron diffraction data reveal that KBiNb2O7 adopts a polar, layered, perovskite structure (space group A11m) in which the BiNb2O7 layers are stacked in a (0, ½, z) arrangement, with the K+ cations located in half of the available 10-coordinate interlayer cation sites. The inversion symmetry of the phase is broken by a large displacement of the Bi3+ cations parallel to the y-axis. HAADF-STEM images reveal that KBiNb2O7 exhibits frequent stacking faults which convert the (0. ½, z) layer stacking to (½, 0, z) stacking and vice versa, essentially switching the x- and y-axes of the material. By fitting the complex diffraction peak shape of the SXRD data collected from KBiNb2O7 it is estimated that each layer has approximately an ~11% chance of being defective – a high level which is attributed to the lack of cooperative NbO6 tilting in the material, which limits the lattice strain associated with each fault.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000741540300001 Publication Date 2022-01-05  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1477-9226 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 4 Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Experiments at the Diamond Light Source were performed as part of the Block Allocation Group award “Oxford/Warwick Solid State Chemistry BAG to probe composition-structure-property relationships in solids” (EE18786). Experiments at the ISIS pulsed neutron facility were supported by a beam time allocation from the STFC (RB 2000148). SM thanks Somerville College for an Oxford Ryniker Lloyd scholarship. PSH and WZ thank the National Science Foundation (DMR-2002319) for support. Approved Most recent IF: 4  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:185504 Serial 6951  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ning, S.; Xu, W.; Ma, Y.; Loh, L.; Pennycook, T.J.; Zhou, W.; Zhang, F.; Bosman, M.; Pennycook, S.J.; He, Q.; Loh, N.D. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Accurate and Robust Calibration of the Uniform Affine Transformation Between Scan-Camera Coordinates for Atom-Resolved In-Focus 4D-STEM Datasets Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Microscopy and microanalysis Abbreviated Journal Microsc Microanal  
  Volume Issue Pages 1-11  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Accurate geometrical calibration between the scan coordinates and the camera coordinates is critical in four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy (4D-STEM) for both quantitative imaging and ptychographic reconstructions. For atomic-resolved, in-focus 4D-STEM datasets, we propose a hybrid method incorporating two sub-routines, namely a J-matrix method and a Fourier method, which can calibrate the uniform affine transformation between the scan-camera coordinates using raw data, without a priori knowledge about the crystal structure of the specimen. The hybrid method is found robust against scan distortions and residual probe aberrations. It is also effective even when defects are present in the specimen, or the specimen becomes relatively thick. We will demonstrate that a successful geometrical calibration with the hybrid method will lead to a more reliable recovery of both the specimen and the electron probe in a ptychographic reconstruction. We will also show that, although the elimination of local scan position errors still requires an iterative approach, the rate of convergence can be improved, and the residual errors can be further reduced if the hybrid method can be firstly applied for initial calibration. The code is made available as a simple-to-use tool to correct affine transformations of the scan-camera coordinates in 4D-STEM experiments.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000767045700001 Publication Date 2022-03-09  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1431-9276 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.8 Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes N. D. Loh kindly acknowledges support from NUS Early Career Research Award (R-154-000-B35-133), MOE’s AcRF Tier 1 grant nr. R-284-000-172-114 and NRF CRP grant number NRF-CRP16-2015-05. Q. He would also like to acknowledge the support of the National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore, under its NRF Fellowship (NRF-NRFF11-2019-0002). W. Zhou acknowledges the support from Beijing Outstanding Young Scientist Program (BJJWZYJH01201914430039). F. Zhang acknowledges the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (11775105, 12074167). T. J. Pennycook acknowledges funding under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme from the European Research Council (ERC) Grant agreement No. 802123-HDEM. Approved Most recent IF: 2.8  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:186958 Serial 6957  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Pandey, T.; Peeters, F.M.; Milošević, M.V. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Pivotal role of magnetic ordering and strain in lattice thermal conductivity of chromium-trihalide monolayers Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication 2D materials Abbreviated Journal 2D Mater  
  Volume 9 Issue 1 Pages 015034  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract Understanding the coupling between spin and phonons is critical for controlling the lattice thermal conductivity (kappa ( l )) in magnetic materials, as we demonstrate here for CrX3 (X = Br and I) monolayers. We show that these compounds exhibit large spin-phonon coupling (SPC), dominated by out-of-plane vibrations of Cr atoms, resulting in significantly different phonon dispersions in ferromagnetic (FM) and paramagnetic (PM) phases. Lattice thermal conductivity calculations provide additional evidence for strong SPC, where particularly large kappa ( l ) is found for the FM phase. Most strikingly, PM and FM phases exhibit radically different behavior with tensile strain, where kappa ( l ) increases with strain for the PM phase, and strongly decreases for the FM phase-as we explain through analysis of phonon lifetimes and scattering rates. Taken all together, we uncover the high significance of SPC on the phonon transport in CrX3 monolayers, a result extendable to other 2D magnetic materials, that will be useful in further design of thermal spin devices.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000735170300001 Publication Date 2021-12-13  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2053-1583 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 5.5 Times cited (up) Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5.5  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:184642 Serial 7010  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Chaves, A.; Covaci, L.; Peeters, F.M.; Milošević, M.V. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Topologically protected moiré exciton at a twist-boundary in a van der Waals heterostructure Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication 2D materials Abbreviated Journal 2D Mater  
  Volume 9 Issue 2 Pages 025012  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract A twin boundary in one of the layers of a twisted van der Waals heterostructure separates regions with near opposite inter-layer twist angles. In a MoS<sub>2</sub>/WSe<sub>2</sub>bilayer, the regions with<inline-formula><tex-math><?CDATA $Rh^h$?></tex-math><math overflow=“scroll”><msubsup><mi>R</mi><mi>h</mi><mi>h</mi></msubsup></math><inline-graphic href=“tdmac529dieqn1.gif” type=“simple” /></inline-formula>and<inline-formula><tex-math><?CDATA $Rh^X$?></tex-math><math overflow=“scroll”><msubsup><mi>R</mi><mi>h</mi><mi>X</mi></msubsup></math><inline-graphic href=“tdmac529dieqn2.gif” type=“simple” /></inline-formula>stacking registry that defined the sub-lattices of the moiré honeycomb pattern would be mirror-reflected across such a twist boundary. In that case, we demonstrate that topologically protected chiral moiré exciton states are confined at the twist boundary. These are one-dimensional and uni-directional excitons with opposite velocities for excitons composed by electronic states with opposite valley/spin character, enabling intrinsic, guided, and far reaching valley-polarized exciton currents.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000760518100001 Publication Date 2022-04-01  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2053-1583 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 5.5 Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek; Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, PQ ; Approved Most recent IF: 5.5  
  Call Number CMT @ cmt @c:irua:187124 Serial 7046  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Menezes, R.M.; Šabani, D.; Bacaksiz, C.; de Souza Silva, C.C.; Milošević, M.V. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Tailoring high-frequency magnonics in monolayer chromium trihalides Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication 2D materials Abbreviated Journal 2D Mater  
  Volume 9 Issue 2 Pages 025021  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)  
  Abstract Monolayer chromium-trihalides, the archetypal two-dimensional (2D) magnetic materials, are readily suggested as a promising platform for high-frequency magnonics. Here we detail the spin-wave properties of monolayer CrBr<sub>3</sub>and CrI<sub>3</sub>, using spin-dynamics simulations parametrized from the first principles. We reveal that spin-wave dispersion can be tuned in a broad range of frequencies by strain, paving the way towards flexo-magnonic applications. We further show that ever-present halide vacancies in these monolayers host sufficiently strong Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction to scatter spin-waves, which promotes design of spin-wave guides by defect engineering. Finally we discuss the spectra of spin-waves propagating across a moiré-periodic modulation of magnetic parameters in a van der Waals heterobilayer, and show that the nanoscale moiré periodicities in such samples are ideal for realization of a magnonic crystal in the terahertz frequency range. Recalling the additional tunability of magnetic 2D materials by electronic gating, our results situate these systems among the front-runners for prospective high-frequency magnonic applications.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000771735500001 Publication Date 2022-04-01  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2053-1583 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 5.5 Times cited (up) Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Fundação de Amparo à Ciência e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco; Special Research Funds of the University of Antwerp; Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek; Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior; Approved Most recent IF: 5.5  
  Call Number CMT @ cmt @c:irua:187125 Serial 7048  
Permanent link to this record
Select All    Deselect All
 |   | 
Details
   print

Save Citations:
Export Records: