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“CO2 activation on TiO2-supported Cu5 and Ni5 nanoclusters : effect of plasma-induced surface charging”. Jafarzadeh A, Bal KM, Bogaerts A, Neyts EC, The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces 123, 6516 (2019). http://doi.org/10.1021/ACS.JPCC.8B11816
Abstract: Surface charging is an often overlooked factor in many plasma-surface interactions and in particular in plasma catalysis. In this study, we investigate the effect of excess electrons induced by a plasma on the adsorption properties of CO2 on titania-supported Cu-5 and Ni-5 clusters using spin-polarized and dispersion-corrected density functional theory calculations. The effect of excess electrons on the adsorption of Ni and Cu pentamers as well as on CO2 adsorption on a pristine anatase TiO2(101) slab is studied. Our results indicate that adding plasma-induced excess electrons to the system leads to further stabilization of the bent CO2 structure. Also, dissociation of CO2 on charged clusters is energetically more favorable than on neutral clusters. We hypothesize that surface charge is a plausible cause for the synergistic effects sometimes observed in plasma catalysis.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Impact Factor: 4.536
Times cited: 4
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.JPCC.8B11816
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“CO2 conversion in a microwave plasma reactor in the presence of N2 : elucidating the role of vibrational levels”. Heijkers S, Snoeckx R, Kozák T, Silva T, Godfroid T, Britun N, Snyders R, Bogaerts A, The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces 119, 12815 (2015). http://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.5b01466
Abstract: A chemical kinetics model is developed for a CO2/N2 microwave plasma, focusing especially on the vibrational levels of both CO2 and N2. The model is used to calculate the CO2 and N2 conversion as well as the energy efficiency of CO2 conversion for different power densities and for N2 fractions in the CO2/N2 gas mixture ranging from 0 to 90%. The calculation results are compared with measurements, and agreements within 23% and 33% are generally found for the CO2 conversion and N2 conversion, respectively. To explain the observed trends, the destruction and formation processes of both CO2 and N2 are analyzed, as well as the vibrational distribution functions of both CO2 and N2. The results indicate that N2 contributes in populating the lower asymmetric levels of CO2, leading to a higher absolute CO2 conversion upon increasing N2 fraction. However, the effective CO2 conversion drops because there is less CO2 initially present in the gas mixture; thus, the energy efficiency also drops with rising N2 fraction.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Impact Factor: 4.536
Times cited: 56
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.5b01466
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“CO2Conversion in a Gliding Arc Plasmatron: Elucidating the Chemistry through Kinetic Modeling”. Heijkers S, Bogaerts A, The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces 121, 22644 (2017). http://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b06524
Abstract: By means of chemical kinetics modeling, it is possible to elucidate the main dissociation mechanisms of CO2 in a gliding arc plasmatron (GAP). We obtain good agreement between the calculated and experimental conversions and energy efficiencies, indicating that the model can indeed be used to study the underlying mechanisms. The calculations predict that vibration-induced dissociation is the main dissociation mechanism of CO2, but it occurs mainly from the lowest vibrational levels because of fast thermalization of the vibrational distribution. Based on these findings, we propose ideas for improving the performance of the GAP, but testing of these ideas in the simulations reveals that they do not always lead to significant enhancement, because of other side effects, thus illustrating the complexity of the process. Nevertheless, the model allows more insight into the underlying mechanisms to be obtained and limitations to be identified.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Impact Factor: 4.536
Times cited: 6
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b06524
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“CO2Conversion in a Gliding Arc Plasmatron: Multidimensional Modeling for Improved Efficiency”. Trenchev G, Kolev S, Wang W, Ramakers M, Bogaerts A, The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces 121, 24470 (2017). http://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b08511
Abstract: The gliding arc plasmatron (GAP) is a highly efficient atmospheric plasma source, which is very promising for CO2 conversion applications. To understand its operation principles and to improve its application, we present here comprehensive modeling results, obtained by means of computational fluid dynamics simulations and plasma modeling. Because of the complexity of the CO2 plasma, a full 3D plasma model would be computationally impractical. Therefore, we combine a 3D turbulent gas flow model with a 2D plasma and gas heating model in order to calculate the plasma parameters and CO2 conversion characteristics. In addition, a complete 3D gas flow and plasma model with simplified argon chemistry is used to evaluate the gliding arc evolution in space and time. The calculated values are compared with experimental data from literature as much as possible in order to validate the model. The insights obtained in this study are very helpful for improving the application of CO2 conversion, as they allow us to identify the limiting factors in the performance, based on which solutions can be provided on how to further improve the capabilities of CO2 conversion in the GAP.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Impact Factor: 4.536
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b08511
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“CO2Hydrogenation in a Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Revealed”. De Bie C, van Dijk J, Bogaerts A, The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces 120, 25210 (2016). http://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b07639
Abstract: The hydrogenation of carbon dioxide in a dielectric barrier discharge plasma is studied with a one-dimensional fluid model. The spatially averaged densities of the most important end products formed in the CO2/H2 mixture are determined as a function of the initial gas mixing ratio. CO and H2O are found to be present at the highest densities and to a lower content also CH4, C2H6, CH2O, CH3OH, O2, and some other higher hydrocarbons and oxygenates. The main underlying reaction
pathways for the conversion of the inlet gases and the formation of CO, CH4, CH2O, and CH3OH are pointed out for various gas mixing ratios. The CO2 conversion and the production of value added products is found to be quite low, also in comparison to a CO2/CH4 mixture, and this can be explained by the model.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Impact Factor: 4.536
Times cited: 16
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b07639
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“Cuboidal supraparticles self-assembled from cubic CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals”. van der Burgt JS, Geuchies JJ, van der Meer B, Vanrompay H, Zanaga D, Zhang Y, Albrecht W, Petukhov AV, Filion L, Bals S, Swart I, Vanmaekelbergh D, The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces 122, 15706 (2018). http://doi.org/10.1021/ACS.JPCC.8B02699
Abstract: Colloidal CsPbBr3 nanocrystals (NCs) have emerged as promising candidates for various opto-electronic applications, such as light-emitting diodes, photodetectors, and solar cells. Here, we report on the self-assembly of cubic NCs from an organic suspension into ordered cuboidal supraparticles (SPs) and their structural and optical properties. Upon increasing the NC concentration or by addition of a nonsolvent, the formation of the SPs occurs homogeneously in the suspension, as monitored by in situ X-ray scattering measurements. The three-dimensional structure of the SPs was resolved through high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron tomography. The NCs are atomically aligned but not connected. We characterize NC vacancies on superlattice positions both in the bulk and on the surface of the SPs. The occurrence of localized atomic-type NC vacancies-instead of delocalized ones-indicates that NC-NC attractions are important in the assembly, as we verify with Monte Carlo simulations. Even when assembled in SPs, the NCs show bright emission, with a red shift of about 30 meV compared to NCs in suspension.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Impact Factor: 4.536
Times cited: 60
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.JPCC.8B02699
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“Density functional theory study of interface interactions in hydroxyapatite/rutile composites for biomedical applications”. Grubova IY, Surmeneva MA, Huygh S, Surmenev RA, Neyts EC, The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces 121, 15687 (2017). http://doi.org/10.1021/ACS.JPCC.7B02926
Abstract: To gain insight into the nature of the adhesion mechanism between hydroxyapatite (HA) and rutile (rTiO(2)), the mutual affinity between their surfaces was systematically studied using density functional theory (DFT). We calculated both bulk and surface properties of HA and rTiO(2), and explored the interfacial bonding mechanism of amorphous HA (aHA) surface onto amorphous as well as stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric crystalline rTiO(2). Formation energies of bridging and subbridging oxygen vacancies considered in the rTiO(2)(110) surface were evaluated and compared with other theoretical and experimental results. The interfacial interaction was evaluated through the work of adhesion. For the aHA/rTiO(2)(110) interfaces, the work of adhesion is found to depend strongly on the chemical environment of the rTiO(2)(110) surface. Electronic analysis indicates that the charge transfer is very small in the case of interface formation between aHA and crystalline rTiO(2)(110). In contrast, significant charge transfer occurs between aHA and amorphous rTiO(2) (aTiO(2)) slabs during the formation of the interface. Charge density difference (CDD) analysis indicates that the dominant interactions in the interface have significant covalent character, and in particular the Ti-O and Ca-O bonds. Thus, the obtained results reveal that the aHA/aTiO(2) interface shows a more preferable interaction and is thermodynamically more stable than other interfaces. These results are particularly important for improving the long-term stability of HA-based implants.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Impact Factor: 4.536
Times cited: 5
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.JPCC.7B02926
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“Determination of Dynamically Stable Electrenes toward Ultrafast Charging Battery Applications”. Kocabas T, Ozden A, Demiroglu I, Cakir D, Sevik C, The journal of physical chemistry letters 9, 4267 (2018). http://doi.org/10.1021/ACS.JPCLETT.8B01468
Abstract: Electrenes, an atomically thin form of layered electrides, are very recent members of the 2D materials family. In this work, we employed first principle calculations to determine stable, exfoliatable, and application-promising 2D electrene materials among possible M2X compounds, where M is a group II-A metal and X is a nonmetal element (C, N, P, As, and Sb). The promise of stable electrene compounds for battery applications is assessed via their exfoliation energy, adsorption properties, and migration energy barriers toward relevant Li, Na, K, and Ca atoms. Our calculations revealed five new stable electrene candidates in addition to previously known Ca2N and Sr2N. Among these seven dynamically stable electrenes, Ba2As, Ba2P, Ba2Sb, Ca2N, Sr2N, and Sr2P are found to be very promising for either K or Na ion batteries due to their extremely low migration energy barriers (5-16 meV), which roughly demonstrates 105 times higher mobility than graphene and two to four times higher mobility than other promising 2D materials such as MXene (Mo2C).
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.JPCLETT.8B01468
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“Determining the molecular orientation on the metal nanoparticle surface through surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and density functional theory simulations”. Akbali B, Yagmurcukardes M, Peeters FM, Lin H-Y, Lin T-Y, Chen W-H, Maher S, Chen T-Y, Huang C-H, Journal Of Physical Chemistry C 125, 16289 (2021). http://doi.org/10.1021/ACS.JPCC.1C03931
Abstract: We report here the efficacy of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) measurements as a probe for molecular orientation. 4-Aminobenzoic acid (PABA) on a surface consisting of silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) is investigated. We find that the orientation of the PABA molecule on the SERS substrate is estimated based on the relative change in the magnitude of the C-H stretching bands on the SERS substrate, and it is found that the molecule assumes a horizontal orientation on the Ag-NP surface. The strong molecule-metal interaction is determined by an abnormal enhanced SERS band appearing at 980 cm(-1), and the peak is assigned to an out-of-plane amine vibrational mode, which is supported by our ab initio calculations. DFT-based Raman activity calculations corroborate the SERS results, revealing that (i) the PABA molecule attaches to the surface of Ag-NPs with its alpha dimers rather than single-molecule binding and (ii) the molecule preserves its alpha dimers in an aqueous environment. Our results demonstrate that SERS can be used to gain deeper insights into the molecular orientation on metal nanoparticle surfaces.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Impact Factor: 4.536
Times cited: 9
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.JPCC.1C03931
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“DFT and microkinetic comparison of ru-doped porphyrin-like graphene and nanotubes toward catalytic formic acid decomposition and formation”. Nematollahi P, Ma H, Schneider WF, Neyts EC, Journal Of Physical Chemistry C 125, 18673 (2021). http://doi.org/10.1021/ACS.JPCC.1C03914
Abstract: Immobilization of single metal atoms on a solid host opens numerous possibilities for catalyst designs. If that host is a two-dimensional sheet, sheet curvature becomes a design parameter potentially complementary to host and metal composition. Here, we use a combination of density functional theory calculations and microkinetic modeling to compare the mechanisms and kinetics of formic acid decomposition and formation, chosen for their relevance as a potential hydrogen storage medium, over single Ru atoms anchored to pyridinic nitrogen in a planar graphene flake (RuN4-G) and curved carbon nanotube (RuN4-CNT). Activation barriers are lowered and the predicted turnover frequencies are increased over RuN4-CNT relative to RuN4-CNT. The results highlight the potential of curvature control as a means to achieve high performance and robust catalysts.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Impact Factor: 4.536
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.JPCC.1C03914
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“Distribution pattern of metal atoms in bimetal-doped pyridinic-N₄, pores determines their potential for electrocatalytic N₂, reduction”. Nematollahi P, Neyts EC, Journal Of Physical Chemistry A 126, 3080 (2022). http://doi.org/10.1021/ACS.JPCA.2C00486
Abstract: Doping two single transition-metal (TM) atoms on a substrate host opens numerous possibilities for catalyst design. However, what if the substrate contains more than one vacancy site? Then, the combination of two TMs along with their distribution patterns becomes a design parameter potentially complementary to the substrate itself and the bimetal composition. In this study, we investigate ammonia synthesis under mild electrocatalytic conditions on a transition-metal-doped porous C24N24 catalyst using density functional theory (DFT). The TMs studied include Ti, Mn, and Cu in a 2:4 dopant ratio (Ti2Mn4@C24N24 and Ti2Cu4@N-24(24)). Our computations show that a single Ti atom in both catalysts exhibits the highest selectivity for N-2 fixation at ambient conditions. This work is a good theoretical model to establish the structure-activity relationship, and the knowledge earned from the metal-N-4 moieties may help studies of related nanomaterials, especially those with curved structures.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Impact Factor: 2.9
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.JPCA.2C00486
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“Do Binary Supracrystals Enhance the Crystal Stability?”.Yang Z, Altantzis T, Bals S, Tendeloo GV, Pileni M-P, The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces 122, 13515 (2018). http://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b12373
Abstract: We study the oxygen thermal stability of two binary
systems. The larger particles are magnetic amorphous Co (7.2 nm) or
Fe3O4 (7.5 nm) nanocrystals, whereas the smaller ones (3.7 nm) are
Au nanocrystals. The nanocrystal ordering as well as the choice of the
magnetic nanoparticles very much influence the stability of the binary
system. A perfect crystalline structure is obtained with the Fe3O4/Au
binary supracrystals. For the Co/Au binary system, oxidation of Co
results in the chemical transformation from Co to CoO, where the size
of the amorphous Co nanoparticles increases from 7.2 to 9.8 nm in
diameter. During the volume expansion of the Co nanoparticles, Au
nanoparticles within the binary assemblies coalesce and are at the
origin of the instability of the binary nanoparticle supracrystals. On the
other hand, for the Fe3O4/Au binary system, the oxidation of Fe3O4 to
γ-Fe2O3 does not lead to a size change of the nanoparticles, which
maintains the stability of the binary nanoparticle supracrystals. A similar behavior is observed for an AlB2-type Co−Ag binary
system: The crystalline structure is maintained, whereas in disordered assemblies, coalescence of Ag nanocrystals is observed.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Impact Factor: 4.536
Times cited: 5
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b12373
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“Effect of binder content in Cu-In-Se precursor ink on the physical and electrical properties of printed CuInSe2 solar cells”. Buffière M, Zaghi AE, Lenaers N, Batuk M, Khelifi S, Drijkoningen J, Hamon J, Stesmans A, Kepa J, Afanas’ev VV, Hadermann J, D’Haen J, Manca J, Vleugels J, Meuris M, Poortmans J;, The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces 118, 27201 (2014). http://doi.org/10.1021/jp507209h
Abstract: Printed chalcopyrite thin films have attracted considerable attention in recent years due to their potential in the high-throughput production of photovoltaic devices. To improve the homogeneity of printed CuInSe2 (CISe) layers, chemical additives such as binder can be added to the precursor ink. In this contribution, we investigate the influence of the dicyandiamide (DCDA) content, used as a binder in the precursor ink, on the physical and electrical properties of printed CISe solar cells. It is shown that the use of the binder leads to a dense absorber, composed of large CISe grains close to the surface, while the bulk of the layer consists of CISe crystallites embedded in a CuxS particle based matrix, resulting from the limited sintering of the precursor in this region. The expected additional carbon contamination of the CISe layer due to the addition of the binder appears to be limited, and the optical properties of the CISe layer are similar to the reference sample without additive. The electrical characterization of the corresponding CISe/CdS solar cells shows a degradation of the efficiency of the devices, due to a modification in the predominant recombination mechanisms and a limitation of the space charge region width when using the binder; both effects could be explained by the inhomogeneity of the bulk of the CISe absorber and high defect density at the CISe/CuxS-based matrix interface.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Impact Factor: 4.536
Times cited: 4
DOI: 10.1021/jp507209h
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“Efficient Ab initio modeling of dielectric screening in 2D van der Waals materials : including phonons, substrates, and doping”. Gjerding MN, Cavalcante LSR, Chaves A, Thygesen KS, Journal Of Physical Chemistry C 124, 11609 (2020). http://doi.org/10.1021/ACS.JPCC.0C01635
Abstract: The quantum electrostatic heterostructure (QEH) model allows for efficient computation of the dielectric screening properties of layered van der Waals (vdW)-bonded heterostructures in terms of the dielectric functions of the individual two-dimensional (2D) layers. Here, we extend the QEH model by including (1) contributions to the dielectric function from infrared active phonons in the 2D layers, (2) screening from homogeneous bulk substrates, and (3) intraband screening from free carriers in doped 2D semiconductor layers. We demonstrate the potential of the extended QEH model by calculating the dispersion of coupled phonons in multilayer stacks of hexagonal boron-nitride (hBN), the strong hybridization of plasmons and optical phonons in graphene/hBN heterostructures, the effect of substrate screening on the exciton series of monolayer MoS2, and the properties of hyperbolic plasmons in a doped phosphorene sheet. The new QEH code is distributed as a Python package with a simple command line interface and a comprehensive library of dielectric building blocks for the most common 2D materials, providing an efficient open platform for dielectric modeling of realistic vdW heterostructures.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Impact Factor: 3.7
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.JPCC.0C01635
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“Electric field activated hydrogen dissociative adsorption to nitrogen-doped graphene”. Ao ZM, Peeters FM, The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces 114, 14503 (2010). http://doi.org/10.1021/jp103835k
Abstract: Graphane, hydrogenated graphene, was very recently synthesized and predicted to have great potential applications. In this work, we propose a new promising approach for hydrogenation of graphene based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations through the application of a perpendicular electric field after substitutionally doping by nitrogen atoms. These DFT calculations show that the doping by nitrogen atoms into the graphene layer and applying an electrical field normal to the graphene surface induce dissociative adsorption of hydrogen. The dissociative adsorption energy barrier of an H2 molecule on a pristine graphene layer changes from 2.7 to 2.5 eV on N-doped graphene, and to 0.88 eV on N-doped graphene under an electric field of 0.005 au. When increasing the electric field above 0.01 au, the reaction barrier disappears. Therefore, N doping and applying an electric field have catalytic effects on the hydrogenation of graphene, which can be used for hydrogen storage purposes and nanoelectronic applications.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Impact Factor: 4.536
Times cited: 110
DOI: 10.1021/jp103835k
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“Electronic properties of oxidized graphene : effects of strain and an electric field on flat bands and the energy gap”. Alihosseini M, Ghasemi S, Ahmadkhani S, Alidoosti M, Esfahani DN, Peeters FM, Neek-Amal M, The journal of physical chemistry letters (2021). http://doi.org/10.1021/ACS.JPCLETT.1C03286
Abstract: A multiscale modeling and simulation approach, including first-principles calculations, ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, and a tight binding approach, is employed to study band flattening of the electronic band structure of oxidized monolayer graphene. The width offlat bands can be tuned by strain, the external electric field, and the density of functional groups and their distribution. A transition to a conducting state is found for monolayer graphene with impurities when it is subjected to an electric field of similar to 1.0 V/angstrom. Several parallel impurity-induced flat bands appear in the low-energy spectrum of monolayer graphene when the number of epoxy groups is changed. The width of the flat band decreases with an increase in tensile strain but is independent of the electric field strength. Here an alternative and easy route for obtaining band flattening in thermodynamically stable functionalized monolayer graphene is introduced. Our work discloses a new avenue for research on band flattening in monolayer graphene.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Impact Factor: 9.353
Times cited: 7
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.JPCLETT.1C03286
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“Enhanced stability of single-layer w-Gallenene through hydrogenation”. Badalov SV, Yagmurcukardes M, Peeters FM, Sahin H, The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces 122, 28302 (2018). http://doi.org/10.1021/ACS.JPCC.8B07353
Abstract: Using density functional theory based first-principles calculations, the effect of surface hydrogenation on the structural, dynamical, electronic, and mechanical properties of monolayer washboard-gallenene (w-gallenene) is investigated. It is found that the dynamically stabilized strained monolayer of w-gallenene has a metallic nonmagnetic ground state. Both one-sided and two-sided hydrogenations of w-gallenene suppress its dynamical instability even when unstrained. Unlike one-sided hydrogenated monolayer w-gallenene (os-w-gallenene), two-sided hydrogenated monolayer w-gallenene (ts-w-gallenene) possesses the same crystal structure as w-gallenene. Electronic band structure calculations reveal that monolayers of hydrogenated derivatives of w-gallenene exhibit also metallic nonmagnetic ground state. Moreover, the linear-elastic constants, in-plane stiffness and Poisson ratio, are enhanced by hydrogenation, which is opposite to the behavior of other hydrogenated monolayer crystals. Furthermore, monolayer w-gallenene and ts-w-gallenene remain dynamically stable up to relatively higher biaxial strains as compared to borophene. With its enhanced dynamical stability, robust metallic character, and enhanced linear-elastic properties, hydrogenated monolayer w-gallenene is a potential candidate for nanodevice applications as a two-dimensional flexible metal.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Impact Factor: 4.536
Times cited: 20
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.JPCC.8B07353
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“Enhancing total conductivity of La2NiO4+\delta epitaxial thin films by reducing thickness”. Burriel M, Santiso J, Rossell MD, Van Tendeloo G, Figueras A, Garcia G, The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces 112, 10982 (2008). http://doi.org/10.1021/jp7101622
Abstract: High quality epitaxial c axis oriented La2NiO4+ä thin films have been prepared by the pulsed injection metal organic chemical vapor deposition technique on different substrates. High-resolution electron microscopy/transmission electron microscopy has been used to confirm the high crystalline quality of the deposited films. The c-parameter evolution has been studied by XRD as a function of time and gas atmosphere. The high temperature transport properties along the basal a−b plane of epitaxial La2NiO4+ä films have been measured, and the total conductivity of the layers has been found to increase as the thickness is reduced. Layers of 50 nm and thinner have shown a maximum conductivity larger than that measured for single-crystals, in particular, the 33 nm thick films with a conductivity of 475 S/cm in oxygen correspond to the highest value measured to date for this material.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Impact Factor: 4.536
Times cited: 35
DOI: 10.1021/jp7101622
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“Ensemble-Based Molecular Simulation of Chemical Reactions under Vibrational Nonequilibrium”. Bal KM, Bogaerts A, Neyts EC, Journal Of Physical Chemistry Letters 11, 401 (2020). http://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b03356
Abstract: We present an approach to incorporate the effect of vibrational nonequilibrium in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. A perturbed canonical ensemble, in which selected modes are excited to higher temperature while all others remain equilibrated at low temperature, is simulated by applying a specifically tailored bias potential. Our method can be readily applied to any (classical or quantum mechanical) MD setup at virtually no additional computational cost and allows the study of reactions of vibrationally excited molecules in nonequilibrium environments such as plasmas. In combination with enhanced sampling methods, the vibrational efficacy and mode selectivity of vibrationally stimulated reactions can then be quantified in terms of chemically relevant observables, such as reaction rates and apparent free energy barriers. We first validate our method for the prototypical hydrogen exchange reaction and then show how it can capture the effect of vibrational excitation on a symmetric SN2 reaction and radical addition on CO2.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Impact Factor: 5.7
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b03356
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“Fast Electron Tomography for Nanomaterials”. Albrecht W, Bals S, Journal Of Physical Chemistry C , acs.jpcc.0c08939 (2020). http://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.0c08939
Abstract: Electron tomography (ET) has become a well-established technique to visualize nanomaterials in three dimensions. A vast richness in information can be gained by ET, but the conventional acquisition of a tomography series is an inherently slow process on the order of 1 h. The slow acquisition limits the applicability of ET for monitoring dynamic processes or visualizing nanoparticles, which are sensitive to the electron beam. In this Perspective, we summarize recent work on the development of emerging experimental and computational schemes to enhance the data acquisition process. We particularly focus on the application of these fast ET techniques for beam-sensitive materials and highlight insight into dynamic transformations of nanoparticles under external stimuli, which could be gained by fast in situ ET. Moreover, we discuss challenges and possible solutions for simultaneously increasing the speed and quality of fast ET.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Impact Factor: 3.7
Times cited: 26
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.0c08939
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“First-principles investigation of bilayer fluorographene”. Sivek J, Leenaerts O, Partoens B, Peeters FM, The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces 116, 19240 (2012). http://doi.org/10.1021/jp3027012
Abstract: Ab initio calculations within the density functional theory formalism are performed to investigate the stability and electronic properties of fluorinated bilayer graphene (bilayer fluorographene). A comparison is made to previously investigated graphane, bilayer graphane, and fluorographene. Bilayer fluorographene is found to be a much more stable material than bilayer graphane. Its electronic band structure is similar to that of monolayer fluorographene, but its electronic band gap is significantly larger (about 1 eV). We also calculate the effective masses around the Gamma-point for fluorographene and bilayer fluorographene and find that they are isotropic, in contrast to earlier reports. Furthermore, it is found that bilayer fluorographene is almost as strong as graphene, as its 2D Young's modulus is approximately 300 N m(-1).
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Impact Factor: 4.536
Times cited: 39
DOI: 10.1021/jp3027012
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“Fluorinesilicon surface reactions during cryogenic and near room temperature etching”. Tinck S, Neyts EC, Bogaerts A, The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces 118, 30315 (2014). http://doi.org/10.1021/jp5108872
Abstract: Cyrogenic etching of silicon is envisaged to enable better control over plasma processing in the microelectronics industry, albeit little is known about the fundamental differences compared to the room temperature process. We here present molecular dynamics simulations carried out to obtain sticking probabilities, thermal desorption rates, surface diffusion speeds, and sputter yields of F, F2, Si, SiF, SiF2, SiF3, SiF4, and the corresponding ions on Si(100) and on SiF13 surfaces, both at cryogenic and near room temperature. The different surface behavior during conventional etching and cryoetching is discussed. F2 is found to be relatively reactive compared to other species like SiF03. Thermal desorption occurs at a significantly lower rate under cryogenic conditions, which results in an accumulation of physisorbed species. Moreover, ion incorporation is often observed for ions with energies of 30400 eV, which results in a relatively low net sputter yield. The obtained results suggest that the actual etching of Si, under both cryogenic and near room temperature conditions, is based on the complete conversion of the Si surface to physisorbed SiF4, followed by subsequent sputtering of these molecules, instead of direct sputtering of the SiF03 surface.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Impact Factor: 4.536
Times cited: 11
DOI: 10.1021/jp5108872
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“Formation of Hollow Gold Nanocrystals by Nanosecond Laser Irradiation”. González-Rubio G, Milagres de Oliveira T, Albrecht W, Díaz-Núñez P, Castro-Palacio JC, Prada A, González RI, Scarabelli L, Bañares L, Rivera A, Liz-Marzán LM, Peña-Rodríguez O, Bals S, Guerrero-Martínez A, Journal Of Physical Chemistry Letters 11, 670 (2020). http://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b03574
Abstract: The irradiation of spherical gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with nanosecond laser pulses induces shape transformations yielding nanocrystals with an inner cavity. The concentration of the stabilizing surfactant, the use of moderate pulse fluences, and the size of the irradiated AuNPs determine the efficiency of the process and the nature of the void. Hollow nanocrystals are obtained when molecules from the surrounding medium (e.g., water and organic matter derived from the surfactant) are trapped during laser pulse irradiation. These experimental observations suggest the existence of a subtle balance between the heating and cooling processes experienced by the nanocrystals, which induce their expansion and subsequent recrystallization keeping exogenous matter inside. The described approach provides valuable insight into the mechanism of interaction of pulsed nanosecond laser with AuNPs, along with interesting prospects for the development of hollow plasmonic nanoparticles with potential applications related to gas and liquid storage at the nanoscale.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Impact Factor: 5.7
Times cited: 15
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b03574
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“Gold Nanostar-Coated Polystyrene Beads as Multifunctional Nanoprobes for SERS Bioimaging”. Serrano-Montes AB, Langer J, Henriksen-Lacey M, Jimenez de Aberasturi D, Solís DM, Taboada JM, Obelleiro F, Sentosun K, Bals S, Bekdemir A, Stellacci F, Liz-Marzán LM, The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces 120, 20860 (2016). http://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b02282
Abstract: Hybrid colloidal nanocomposites comprising polystyrene beads and plasmonic gold nanostars are reported as multifunctional optical nanoprobes. Such self-assembled structures are excellent Raman enhancers for bio-applications as they feature plasmon modes in the near infrared “first biological transparency window”. In this proof of concept study, we used 4- mercaptobenzoic acid as a Raman-active molecule to optimize the density of gold nanostars on polystyrene beads, improving SERS performance and thereby allowing in vitro cell culture imaging. Interestingly, intermediate gold nanostar loadings were found to yield higher SERS response, which was confirmed by electromagnetic modeling. These engineered hybrid nanostructures notably improve the possibilities of using gold nanostars as SERS tags. Additionally, when fluorescently labeled polystyrene bead are used as colloidal carriers, the composite particles can be applied as promising tools for multimodal bioimaging.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Impact Factor: 4.536
Times cited: 64
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b02282
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“Grain-boundary-induced strain and distortion in epitaxial bilayer MoS₂, lattice”. Mehta AN, Mo J, Pourtois G, Dabral A, Groven B, Bender H, Favia P, Caymax M, Vandervorst W, Journal Of Physical Chemistry C 124, 6472 (2020). http://doi.org/10.1021/ACS.JPCC.0C01468
Abstract: Grain boundaries between 60 degrees rotated and twinned crystals constitute the dominant type of extended line defects in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D MX2) when grown on a single crystalline template through van der Waals epitaxy. The two most common 60 degrees grain boundaries in MX2 layers, i.e., beta- and gamma-boundaries, introduce distinct distortion and strain into the 2D lattice. They impart a localized tensile or compressive strain on the subsequent layer, respectively, due to van der Waals coupling in bilayer MX2 as determined by combining atomic resolution electron microscopy, geometric phase analysis, and density functional theory. Based on these observations, an alternate route to strain engineering through controlling intrinsic van der Waals forces in homobilayer MX2 is proposed. In contrast to the commonly used external means, this approach enables the localized application of strain to tune the electronic properties of the 2D semiconducting channel in ultra-scaled nanoelectronic applications.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Impact Factor: 3.7
Times cited: 2
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.JPCC.0C01468
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“Graphane- and fluorographene-based quantum dots”. Amini MN, Leenaerts O, Partoens B, Lamoen D, The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces 117, 16242 (2013). http://doi.org/10.1021/jp405079r
Abstract: With the help of first-principles calculations, we investigate graphane/fluorographene heterostructures with special attention for graphane and fluorographene-based quantum dots. Graphane and fluorographene have large electronic band gaps, and we show that their band structures exhibit a strong type-II alignment. In this way, it is possible to obtain confined electron states in fluorographene nanostructures by embedding them in a graphane crystal. Bound hole states can be created in graphane domains embedded in a fluorographene environment. For circular graphane/fluorographene quantum dots, localized states can be observed in the band gap if the size of the radii is larger than approximately 4 to 5 Å.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Impact Factor: 4.536
Times cited: 14
DOI: 10.1021/jp405079r
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“High Coke Resistance of a TiO2Anatase (001) Catalyst Surface during Dry Reforming of Methane”. Huygh S, Bogaerts A, Bal KM, Neyts EC, Journal Of Physical Chemistry C 122, 9389 (2018). http://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b10963
Abstract: The resistance of a TiO2 anatase (001) surface to coke formation was studied in the context of dry reforming of methane using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. As carbon atoms act as precursors for coke formation, the resistance to coke formation can be measured by the carbon coverage of the surface. This is related to the stability of different CHx (x = 0−3) species and their rate of hydrogenation and dehydrogenation on the TiO2 surface. Therefore, we studied the reaction mechanisms and their corresponding rates as a function of the temperature for the dehydrogenation of the species on the surface. We found that the stabilities of C and CH are significantly lower than those of CH3 and CH2. The hydrogenation rates of the different species are significantly higher than the dehydrogenation rates in a temperature range of 300−1000 K. Furthermore, we found that dehydrogenation of CH3, CH2, and CH will only occur at appreciable rates starting from 600, 900, and 900 K, respectively. On the basis of these results, it is clear that the anatase (001) surface has a high coke resistance, and it is thus not likely that the surface will become poisoned by coke during dry reforming of methane. As the rate limiting step in dry reforming is the dissociative adsorption of CH4, we studied an alternative approach to thermal catalysis. We found that the temperature threshold for dry reforming is at least 700 K. This threshold temperature may be lowered by the use of plasma-catalysis, where the appreciable rates of adsorption of plasma-generated CHx radicals result in bypassing the rate limiting step of the reaction.
Keywords: A1 Journal Article; Plasma, laser ablation and surface modeling Antwerp (PLASMANT) ;
Impact Factor: 4.536
Times cited: 1
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b10963
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“Hole-induced spontaneous mutual annihilation of dislocation pairs”. Wu Y, Chen G, Yu J, Wang D, Ma C, Li C, Pennycook SJ, Yan Y, Wei S-H, The journal of physical chemistry letters 10, 7421 (2019). http://doi.org/10.1021/ACS.JPCLETT.9B02918
Abstract: Dislocations are always observed during crystal growth, and it is usually desirable to reduce the dislocation density in high-quality crystals. Here, the annihilation process of the 30 degrees Shockley partial dislocation pairs in CdTe is studied by first-principles calculations. We found that the dislocations can glide relatively easily due to the weak local bonding. Our systematic study of the slipping mechanism of the dislocations suggests that the energy barrier for the annihilation process is low. Band structure calculations reveal that the band bending caused by the charge transfer between the two dislocation cores depends on the core-core distance. A simple linear model is proposed to describe the mechanism of formation of the dislocation pair. More importantly, we demonstrate that hole injection can affect the core structure, increase the mobility, and eventually trigger a spontaneous mutual annihilation, which could be employed as a possible facile way to reduce the dislocation density.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Impact Factor: 9.353
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.JPCLETT.9B02918
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“How Oxygen Vacancies Activate CO2 Dissociation on TiO2 Anatase (001)”. Huygh S, Bogaerts A, Neyts EC, The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces 120, 21659 (2016). http://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b07459
Abstract: The adsorption, dissociation, and diffusion of CO2 on the anatase (001) surface was studied using DFT by means of the generalized gradient approximation using the Perdew−Burcke−Ernzerhof (PBE)-functional and applying corrections for long-range dispersion interactions. Different stable adsorption configurations were identified for the fully oxidized surface. The most stable adsorption configuration is the monodentated carbonate-like structure. Small energy barriers were identified for the conversion of a physisorbed to a chemisorbed configuration.
CO2 dissociation is found to be unfeasible on the stoichiometric surface. The introduction of oxygen vacancy defects gives rise to new highly stable adsorption configurations with a stronger activation of the C−O bonds. This leads to the possibility of exothermic dissociation of CO2 with barriers up to 22.2 kcal/mol,
corresponding to chemical lifetimes of less than 4 s at 300 K. These reactions cause a CO molecule to be formed, which will easily desorb, and the reduced surface to become oxidized. It is clear that oxygen vacancy defects play a key role in the catalytic activity of an anatase (001) surface. Oxygen vacancies play an important role in the dissociation of CO2 on the anatase (001) surface, and will play a significant role in complex problems, such as the catalytic conversion of CO2 to value-added chemicals.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Impact Factor: 4.536
Times cited: 49
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b07459
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“Hybrid magnetic-plasmonic nanoparticle probes for multimodal bioimaging”. dela Encarnacion C, Lenzi E, Henriksen-Lacey M, Molina B, Jenkinson K, Herrero A, Colas L, Ramos-Cabrer P, Toro-Mendoza J, Orue I, Langer J, Bals S, Jimenez de Aberasturi D, Liz-Marzan LM, The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces 126, 19519 (2022). http://doi.org/10.1021/ACS.JPCC.2C06299
Abstract: Multimodal contrast agents, which take advantage of different imaging modalities, have emerged as an interesting approach to overcome the technical limitations of individual techniques. We developed hybrid nanoparticles comprising an iron oxide core and an outer gold spiky layer, stabilized by a biocompatible polymeric shell. The combined magnetic and optical properties of the different components provide the required functionalities for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), and fluorescence imaging. The fabrication of such hybrid nanoprobes comprised the adsorption of small gold nanoparticles onto premade iron oxide cores, followed by controlled growth of spiky gold shells. The gold layer thickness and branching degree (tip sharpness) can be controlled by modifying both the density of Au nanoparticle seeds on the iron oxide cores and the subsequent nanostar growth conditions. We additionally demonstrated the performance of these hybrid multifunctional nanoparticles as multimodal contrast agents for correlative imaging of in vitro cell models and ex vivo tissues.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Impact Factor: 3.7
Times cited: 10
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.JPCC.2C06299
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