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Author De Bie, C.; van Dijk, J.; Bogaerts, A.
Title The Dominant Pathways for the Conversion of Methane into Oxygenates and Syngas in an Atmospheric Pressure Dielectric Barrier Discharge Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 119 Issue 119 Pages 22331-22350
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract A one-dimensional fluid model for a dielectric barrier discharge in CH4/O2 and CH4/CO2 gas mixtures is developed. The model describes the gas-phase chemistry for partial oxidation and for dry reforming of methane. The spatially averaged densities of the various plasma species are presented as a function of time and initial gas mixing ratio. Besides, the conversion of the inlet gases and the selectivities of the reaction products are calculated. Syngas, higher hydrocarbons, and higher oxygenates are typically found to be important reaction products. Furthermore, the main underlying reaction pathways for the formation of syngas, methanol, formaldehyde, and other higher oxygenates are determined.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000362385700010 Publication Date 2015-09-10
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447;1932-7455; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 46 Open Access
Notes This work was carried out using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI), and the Universiteit Antwerpen. The authors also acknowledge financial support from the IAP/7 (Interuniversity Attraction Pole) program “PSI-Physical Chemistry of Plasma- Surface Interactions” by the Belgian Federal Office for Science Policy (BELSPO) and from the Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO). Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2015 IF: 4.772
Call Number c:irua:128774 Serial 3960
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Author Heijkers, S.; Snoeckx, R.; Kozák, T.; Silva, T.; Godfroid, T.; Britun, N.; Snyders, R.; Bogaerts, A.
Title CO2 conversion in a microwave plasma reactor in the presence of N2 : elucidating the role of vibrational levels Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 119 Issue 119 Pages 12815-12828
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
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.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor
Language Wos 000356317500005 Publication Date 2015-05-13
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447;1932-7455; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 56 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2015 IF: 4.772
Call Number c:irua:126325 Serial 3523
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Author Kato, T.; Neyts, E.C.; Abiko, Y.; Akama, T.; Hatakeyama, R.; Kaneko, T.
Title Kinetics of energy selective Cs encapsulation in single-walled carbon nanotubes for damage-free and position-selective doping Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 119 Issue 119 Pages 11903-11908
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract A method has been developed for damage-free cesium (Cs) encapsulation within single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with fine position selectivity. Precise energy tuning of Cs-ion irradiation revealed that there is a clear energy window (2060 eV) for the efficient encapsulation of Cs through the hexagonal network of SWNT sidewalls without causing significant damage. This minimum energy threshold of Cs-ion encapsulation (∼20 eV) matches well with the value obtained by ab initio simulation (∼22 eV). Furthermore, position-selective Cs encapsulation was carried out, resulting in the successful formation of pn-junction SWNT thin films with excellent environmental stability.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor
Language Wos 000355495600072 Publication Date 2015-05-06
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447;1932-7455; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 3 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2015 IF: 4.772
Call Number c:irua:125928 Serial 1760
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Author Tchakoua, T.; Powell, A.D.; Gerrits, N.; Somers, M.F.; Doblhoff-Dier, K.; Busnengo, H.F.; Kroes, G.-J.
Title Simulating highly activated sticking of H₂ on Al(110) : quantum versus quasi-classical dynamics Type A1 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal
Volume 127 Issue 11 Pages 5395-5407
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract We evaluate the importance of quantum effects on the sticking of H2 on Al(110) for conditions that are close to those of molecular beam experiments that have been done on this system. Calculations with the quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) method and with quantum dynamics (QD) are performed using a model in which only motion in the six molecular degrees of freedom is allowed. The potential energy surface used has a minimum barrier height close to the value recently obtained with the quantum Monte Carlo method. Monte Carlo averaging over the initial rovibrational states allowed the QD calculations to be done with an order of magnitude smaller computational expense. The sticking probability curve computed with QD is shifted to lower energies relative to the QCT curve by 0.21 to 0.05 kcal/mol, with the highest shift obtained for the lowest incidence energy. Quantum effects are therefore expected to play a small role in calculations that would evaluate the accuracy of electronic structure methods for determining the minimum barrier height to dissociative chemisorption for H2 + Al(110) on the basis of the standard procedure for comparing results of theory with molecular beam experiments.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000971346700001 Publication Date 2023-03-14
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447; 1932-7455 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.7 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.7; 2023 IF: 4.536
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:196071 Serial 8525
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Author Nematollahi, P.; Neyts, E.C.
Title Identification of a unique pyridinic FeN4Cx electrocatalyst for N₂ reduction : tailoring the coordination and carbon topologies Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication Journal Of Physical Chemistry C Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 126 Issue 34 Pages 14460-14469
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Although the heterogeneity of pyrolyzed Fe???N???C materials is known and has been reported previously, the atomic structure of the active sites and their detailed reaction mechanisms are still unknown. Here, we identified two pyridinic Fe???N4-like centers with different local C coordinates, i.e., FeN4C8 and FeN4C10, and studied their electrocatalytic activity for the nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations. We also discovered the influence of the adsorption of NH2 as a functional ligand on catalyst performance on the NRR. We confirmed that the NRR selectivity of the studied catalysts is essentially governed either by the local C coordination or by the dynamic structure associated with the FeII/FeIII. Our investigations indicate that the proposed traditional pyridinic FeN4C10 has higher catalytic activity and selectivity for the NRR than the robust FeN4C8 catalyst, while it may have outstanding activity for promoting other (electro)catalytic reactions. <comment>Superscript/Subscript Available</comment
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000859545200001 Publication Date 2022-08-17
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447; 1932-7455 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor 3.7 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.7
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:191469 Serial 7268
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Author Nematollahi, P.; Ma, H.; Schneider, W.F.; Neyts, E.C.
Title DFT and microkinetic comparison of ru-doped porphyrin-like graphene and nanotubes toward catalytic formic acid decomposition and formation Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Journal Of Physical Chemistry C Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 125 Issue 34 Pages 18673-18683
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
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.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000693413400013 Publication Date 2021-08-22
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447; 1932-7455 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.536
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:181538 Serial 7805
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Author Van de Sompel, P.; Khalilov, U.; Neyts, E.C.
Title Contrasting H-etching to OH-etching in plasma-assisted nucleation of carbon nanotubes Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Journal Of Physical Chemistry C Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 125 Issue 14 Pages 7849-7855
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract To gain full control over the growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), a thorough understanding of the underlying plasma-catalyst mechanisms is required. Oxygen-containing species are often used as or added to the growth precursor gas, but these species also yield various radicals and ions, which may simultaneously etch the CNT during the growth. At present, the effect of these reactive species on the growth onset has not yet been thoroughly investigated. We here report on the etching mechanism of incipient CNT structures from OH and O radicals as derived from combined (reactive) molecular dynamics (MD) and force-bias Monte Carlo (tfMC) simulations. Our results indicate that the oxygen-containing radicals initiate a dissociation process. In particular, we show how the oxygen species weaken the interaction between the CNT and the nanocluster. As a result of this weakened interaction, the CNT closes off and dissociates from the cluster in the form of a fullerene. Beyond the specific systems studied in this work, these results are generically important in the context of PECVD-based growth of CNTs using oxygen-containing precursors.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000641307100032 Publication Date 2021-04-06
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447; 1932-7455 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.536
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:178393 Serial 7729
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Author Loenders, B.; Engelmann, Y.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Plasma-Catalytic Partial Oxidation of Methane on Pt(111): A Microkinetic Study on the Role of Different Plasma Species Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Journal Of Physical Chemistry C Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 125 Issue 5 Pages 2966-2983
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT); Movement Antwerp (MOVANT)
Abstract We use microkinetic modeling to examine the potential of plasma-catalytic partial oxidation (POX) of CH4 as a promising new approach to produce oxygenates. We study how different plasma species affect POX of CH4 on the Pt(111) surface, and we discuss the associated kinetic and mechanistic changes. We discuss the effect of vibrationally excited CH4 and O2, as well as plasma-generated radicals and stable intermediates. Our results show that vibrational excitation enhances the turnover frequency (TOF) of catalytic CH4 dissociation and has good potential for improving the selectivities toward CH3OH, HCOOH, and C2 hydrocarbons. Nevertheless, when also considering plasma-generated radicals, we find that these species mainly govern the surface chemistry. Additionally, we find that plasma-generated radicals and stable intermediates enhance the TOFs of COx and oxygenates, increase the selectivity toward oxygenates, and make the formation of HCOOH more significant on Pt(111). We also briefly illustrate the potential impact of Eley−Rideal reactions that involve plasma-generated radicals. Finally, we reveal how various radicals affect the catalyst surface chemistry and we link this to the formation of different products. This allows us to make suggestions on how the plasma composition should be altered to improve the formation of desired products.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000619760700017 Publication Date 2021-02-11
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Universiteit Antwerpen; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, S001619N ; H2020 European Research Council, 810182 ; We thank Tom Butterworth for the interesting discussions regarding the calculation of the vibrational populations of methane and for taking the time to share his thoughts and experiences on the matter. This research is supported by the FWO-SBO project PLASMACATDesign (grant number S001619N). We also acknowledge financial support from the TOP-BOF project of the University of Antwerp and from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program (grant agreement no. 810182SCOPE ERC Synergy project). The calculations were carried out using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (Department EWI), and the University of Antwerp. Approved Most recent IF: 4.536
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:175873 Serial 6672
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Author van ‘t Veer, K.; Engelmann, Y.; Reniers, F.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Plasma-Catalytic Ammonia Synthesis in a DBD Plasma: Role of Microdischarges and Their Afterglows Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Journal Of Physical Chemistry C Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 124 Issue 42 Pages 22871-22883
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT); Movement Antwerp (MOVANT)
Abstract Plasma-catalytic ammonia synthesis is receiving ever increasing attention, especially in packed bed dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactors. The latter typically operate in the filamentary regime when used for gas conversion applications. While DBDs are in principle well understood and already applied in the industry, the incorporation of packing materials and catalytic surfaces considerably adds to the complexity of the plasma physics and chemistry governing the ammonia formation. We employ a plasma kinetics model to gain insights into the ammonia formation mechanisms, paying special attention to the role of filamentary microdischarges and their afterglows. During the microdischarges, the synthesized ammonia is actually decomposed, but the radicals created upon electron impact dissociation of N2 and H2 and the subsequent catalytic reactions cause a net ammonia gain in the afterglows of the microdischarges. Under our plasma conditions, electron impact dissociation of N2 in the gas phase followed by the adsorption of N atoms is identified as a rate-limiting step, instead of dissociative adsorption of N2 on the catalyst surface. Both elementary Eley−Rideal and Langmuir−Hinshelwood reaction steps can be found important in plasma-catalytic NH3 synthesis.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000585970300002 Publication Date 2020-10-22
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.7 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 30505023 GoF9618n ; Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique – FNRS, 30505023 GoF9618n ; H2020 European Research Council, 810182 ;This research was supported by the Excellence of Science FWOFNRS project (FWO grant ID GoF9618n, EOS ID 30505023) and by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no 810182-SCOPE ERC Synergy project). 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. The authors would also like to thank Järi Van den Hoek and Dr. Yury Gorbanev for providing the experimentally measured electrical characteristics and Dr. Fatme Jardali for creating the TOC graphics. Approved Most recent IF: 3.7; 2020 IF: 4.536
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:173587 Serial 6428
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Author Vermeiren, V.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Plasma-Based CO2Conversion: To Quench or Not to Quench? Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Journal Of Physical Chemistry C Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 124 Issue 34 Pages 18401-18415
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Plasma technology is gaining increasing interest for CO2 conversion. The gas temperature in (and after) the plasma reactor largely affects the performance. Therefore, we examine the effect of cooling/quenching, during and after the plasma, on the CO2 conversion and energy efficiency, for typical “warm” plasmas, by means of chemical kinetics modeling. For plasmas at low specific energy input (SEI ∼ 0.5 eV/molecule), it is best to quench at the plasma end, while for high-SEI plasmas (SEI ∼ 4 eV/molecule), quenching at maximum conversion is better. For low-SEI plasmas, quenching can even increase the conversion beyond the dissociation in the plasma, known as superideal quenching. To better understand the effects of quenching at different plasma conditions, we study the dissociation and recombination rates, as well as the vibrational distribution functions (VDFs) of CO2, CO, and O2. When a high vibrational−translational (VT) nonequilibrium exists at the moment of quenching, the dissociation and recombination reaction rates both increase. Depending on the conversion degree at the moment of quenching, this can lead to a net increase or decrease of CO2 conversion. In general, however, and certainly for equilibrium plasmas at high temperature, quenching after the plasma helps prevent recombination reactions and clearly enhances the final CO2 conversion. We also investigate the effect of different quenching cooling rates on the CO2 conversion and energy efficiency. Finally, we compare plasma-based conversion to purely thermal conversion. For warm plasmas with typical temperatures of 3000−4000 K, the conversion is roughly thermal.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000566481000003 Publication Date 2020-08-27
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.7 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, G.0383.16N ; H2020 European Research Council, 810182 ; This research was supported by the FWO project (grant no. G.0383.16N) and the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (grant agreement no. 810182SCOPE ERC Synergy project). 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: 3.7; 2020 IF: 4.536
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:172052 Serial 6407
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Author Jafarzadeh, A.; Bal, K.M.; Bogaerts, A.; Neyts, E.C.
Title Activation of CO2on Copper Surfaces: The Synergy between Electric Field, Surface Morphology, and Excess Electrons Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Journal Of Physical Chemistry C Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 124 Issue 12 Pages 6747-6755
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract In this work, we use density functional theory calculations to study the combined effect of external electric fields, surface morphology, and surface charge on CO2 activation over Cu(111), Cu(211), Cu(110), and Cu(001) surfaces. We observe that the binding energy of the CO2 molecule on Cu surfaces increases significantly upon increasing the applied electric field strength. In addition, rougher surfaces respond more effectively to the presence of the external electric field toward facilitating the formation of a carbonate-like CO2 structure and the transformation of the most stable adsorption mode from physisorption to chemisorption. The presence of surface charges further strengthens the electric field effect and consequently causes an improved bending of the CO2 molecule and C−O bond length elongation. On the other hand, a net charge in the absence of an externally applied electric field shows only a marginal effect on CO2 binding. The chemisorbed CO2 is more stable and further activated when the effects of an external electric field, rough surface, and surface charge are combined. These results can help to elucidate the underlying factors that control CO2 activation in heterogeneous and plasma catalysis, as well as in electrochemical processes.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000526396900030 Publication Date 2020-03-26
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.7 Times cited Open Access
Notes Bijzonder Onderzoeksfonds, 32249 ; The financial support from the TOP research project of the Research Fund of the University of Antwerp (grant ID: 32249) is highly acknowledged by the authors. The computational resources used in this study were provided by the VSC (Flemish Supercomputer Center), funded by the FWO and the Flemish Governmentdepartment EWI. Approved Most recent IF: 3.7; 2020 IF: 4.536
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:168606 Serial 6361
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Author Heijkers, S.; Aghaei, M.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Plasma-Based CH4Conversion into Higher Hydrocarbons and H2: Modeling to Reveal the Reaction Mechanisms of Different Plasma Sources Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Journal Of Physical Chemistry C Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 124 Issue 13 Pages 7016-7030
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Plasma is gaining interest for CH4 conversion into higher hydrocarbons and H2. However, the performance in terms of conversion and selectivity toward different hydrocarbons is different for different plasma types, and the underlying mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Therefore, we study here these mechanisms in different plasma sources, by means of a chemical kinetics model. The model is first validated by comparing the calculated conversions and hydrocarbon/H2 selectivities with experimental results in these different plasma types and over a wide range of specific energy input (SEI) values. Our model predicts that vibrational−translational nonequilibrium is negligible in all CH4 plasmas investigated, and instead, thermal conversion is important. Higher gas temperatures also lead to a more selective production of unsaturated hydrocarbons (mainly C2H2) due to neutral dissociation of CH4 and subsequent dehydrogenation processes, while three-body recombination reactions into saturated hydrocarbons (mainly C2H6, but also higher hydrocarbons) are dominant in low temperature plasmas.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000526328500007 Publication Date 2020-04-02
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.7 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Universiteit Antwerpen; Vlaamse regering; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, G.0383.16N ; H2020 European Research Council, 810182 ; We acknowledge financial support from the Fund for Scientific Research, Flanders (FWO; Grant No. G.0383.16N), the Methusalem Grant, and the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant Agreement No. 810182 − SCOPE ERC Synergy project). This work was carried out in part using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the University of Antwerp. Approved Most recent IF: 3.7; 2020 IF: 4.536
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:168096 Serial 6358
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Author Cordeiro, R.M.; Yusupov, M.; Razzokov, J.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Parametrization and Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Nitrogen Oxyanions and Oxyacids for Applications in Atmospheric and Biomolecular Sciences Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Journal Of Physical Chemistry B Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem B
Volume 124 Issue 6 Pages 1082-1089
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Nitrogen oxyanions and oxyacids are important agents in atmospheric chemistry and medical biology. Although their chemical behavior in solution is relatively well understood, they may behave very differently at the water/air interface of atmospheric aerosols or at the membrane/water interface of cells. Here, we developed a fully classical model for molecular dynamics simulations of NO3−, NO2−, HNO3, and HNO2 in the framework of the GROMOS 53A6 and 54A7 force field versions. The model successfully accounted for the poorly structured solvation shell and ion pairing tendency of NO3−. Accurate pure-liquid properties and hydration free energies were obtained for the oxyacids. Simulations at the water/air interface showed a local enrichment of HNO3 and depletion of NO3−. The effect was discussed in light of earlier spectroscopic data and ab initio calculations, suggesting that HNO3 behaves as a weaker acid at the surface of water. Our model will hopefully allow for efficient and accurate simulations of nitrogen oxyanions and oxyacids in solution and at microheterogeneous interface environments.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000512222500015 Publication Date 2020-02-13
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1520-6106 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.3 Times cited Open Access
Notes We thank Universidade Federal do ABC for providing the computational resources needed for completion of this work. This study was financed in part by the Coordenaçaõ de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nı ́vel Superior – Brasil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001. Approved Most recent IF: 3.3; 2020 IF: 3.177
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:166488 Serial 6340
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Author Nematollahi, P.; Neyts, E.C.
Title Distribution pattern of metal atoms in bimetal-doped pyridinic-N₄ pores determines their potential for electrocatalytic N₂ reduction Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication Journal Of Physical Chemistry A Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem A
Volume 126 Issue 20 Pages 3080-3089
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
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.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000804119800003 Publication Date 2022-05-12
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1089-5639; 1520-5215 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor 2.9 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.9
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189023 Serial 7146
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Author Bal, K.M.; Neyts, E.C.
Title Merging Metadynamics into Hyperdynamics: Accelerated Molecular Simulations Reaching Time Scales from Microseconds to Seconds Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Journal of chemical theory and computation Abbreviated Journal J Chem Theory Comput
Volume 11 Issue 11 Pages 4545-4554
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract The hyperdynamics method is a powerful tool to simulate slow processes at the atomic level. However, the construction of an optimal hyperdynamics potential is a task that is far from trivial. Here, we propose a generally applicable implementation of the hyperdynamics algorithm, borrowing two concepts from metadynamics. First, the use of a collective variable (CV) to represent the accelerated dynamics gives the method a very large flexibility and simplicity. Second, a metadynamics procedure can be used to construct a suitable history-dependent bias potential on-the-fly, effectively turning the algorithm into a self-learning accelerated molecular dynamics method. This collective variable-driven hyperdynamics (CVHD) method has a modular design: both the local system properties on which the bias is based, as well as the characteristics of the biasing method itself, can be chosen to match the needs of the considered system. As a result, system-specific details are abstracted from the biasing algorithm itself, making it extremely versatile and transparent. The method is tested on three model systems: diffusion on the Cu(001) surface and nickel-catalyzed methane decomposition, as examples of reactive processes with a bond-length-based CV, and the folding of a long polymer-like chain, using a set of dihedral angles as a CV. Boost factors up to 109, corresponding to a time scale of seconds, could be obtained while still accurately reproducing correct dynamics.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000362921700004 Publication Date 2015-09-02
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1549-9618 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 5.245 Times cited 41 Open Access
Notes K.M.B. is funded as Ph.D. fellow (aspirant) of the FWOFlanders (Fund for Scientific Research-Flanders), Grant No. 11 V8915N. The computational resources and services used in this work were provided by the VSC (Flemish Supercomputer Center) and the HPC infrastructure of the University of Antwerp (CalcUA), funded by the Hercules Foundation and the Flemish Government−Department EWI. Approved Most recent IF: 5.245; 2015 IF: 5.498
Call Number c:irua:128183 Serial 3991
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Author Tchakoua, T.; Gerrits, N.; Smeets, E.W.F.; Kroes, G.-J.
Title SBH17 : benchmark database of barrier heights for dissociative chemisorption on transition metal surfaces Type A1 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication Journal of chemical theory and computation Abbreviated Journal
Volume 19 Issue 1 Pages 245-270
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Accurate barriers for rate controlling elementary reactions on metal surfaces are key to understanding, controlling, and predicting the rate of heterogeneously catalyzed processes. While barrier heights for gas phase reactions have been extensively benchmarked, dissociative chemisorption barriers for the reactions of molecules on metal surfaces have received much less attention. The first database called SBH10 and containing 10 entries was recently constructed based on the specific reaction parameter approach to density functional theory (SRP-DFT) and experimental results. We have now constructed a new and improved database (SBH17) containing 17 entries based on SRP-DFT and experiments. For this new SBH17 benchmark study, we have tested three algorithms (high, medium, and light) for calculating barrier heights for dissociative chemisorption on metals, which we have named for the amount of computational effort involved in their use. We test the performance of 14 density functionals at the GGA, GGA+vdW-DF, and meta-GGA rungs. Our results show that, in contrast with the previous SBH10 study where the BEEF-vdW-DF2 functional seemed to be most accurate, the workhorse functional PBE and the MS2 density functional are the most accurate of the GGA and meta-GGA functionals tested. Of the GGA+vdW functionals tested, the SRP32-vdW-DF1 functional is the most accurate. Additionally, we found that the medium algorithm is accurate enough for assessing the performance of the density functionals tested, while it avoids geometry optimizations of minimum barrier geometries for each density functional tested. The medium algorithm does require metal lattice constants and interlayer distances that are optimized separately for each functional. While these are avoided in the light algorithm, this algorithm is found not to give a reliable description of functional performance. The combination of relative ease of use and demonstrated reliability of the medium algorithm will likely pave the way for incorporation of the SBH17 database in larger databases used for testing new density functionals and electronic structure methods.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000903286100001 Publication Date 2022-12-19
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1549-9618 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 5.5 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5.5; 2023 IF: 5.245
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:193426 Serial 7274
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Author Bal, K.M.
Title Reweighted Jarzynski sampling : acceleration of rare events and free energy calculation with a bias potential learned from nonequilibrium work Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Journal Of Chemical Theory And Computation Abbreviated Journal J Chem Theory Comput
Volume 17 Issue 11 Pages 6766-6774
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract We introduce a simple enhanced sampling approach for the calculation of free energy differences and barriers along a one-dimensional reaction coordinate. First, a small number of short nonequilibrium simulations are carried out along the reaction coordinate, and the Jarzynski equality is used to learn an approximate free energy surface from the nonequilibrium work distribution. This free energy estimate is represented in a compact form as an artificial neural network and used as an external bias potential to accelerate rare events in a subsequent molecular dynamics simulation. The final free energy estimate is then obtained by reweighting the equilibrium probability distribution of the reaction coordinate sampled under the influence of the external bias. We apply our reweighted Jarzynski sampling recipe to four processes of varying scales and complexities.spanning chemical reaction in the gas phase, pair association in solution, and droplet nucleation in supersaturated vapor. In all cases, we find reweighted Jarzynski sampling to be a very efficient strategy, resulting in rapid convergence of the free energy to high precision.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000718183600008 Publication Date 2021-10-29
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1549-9618 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 5.245 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5.245
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:184676 Serial 8479
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Author Oliveira, M.C.; Yusupov, M.; Bogaerts, A.; Cordeiro, R.M.
Title Lipid Oxidation: Role of Membrane Phase-Separated Domains Type A1 Journal Article
Year 2021 Publication Journal Of Chemical Information And Modeling Abbreviated Journal J Chem Inf Model
Volume 61 Issue 6 Pages 2857-2868
Keywords A1 Journal Article; Plasma, laser ablation and surface modeling Antwerp (PLASMANT) ;
Abstract Lipid oxidation is associated with several inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, but many questions to unravel its effects on biomembranes are still open due to the complexity of the topic. For instance, recent studies indicated that phase-separated domains can have a significant effect on membrane function. It is reported that domain interfaces are “hot spots” for pore formation, but the underlying mechanisms and the effect of oxidation-induced phase separation on membranes remain elusive. Thus, to evaluate the permeability of the membrane coexisting of liquid-ordered (Lo) and liquid-disordered (Ld) domains, we performed atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. Specifically, we studied the membrane permeability of nonoxidized or oxidized homogeneous membranes (single-phase) and at the Lo/Ld domain interfaces of heterogeneous membranes, where the Ld domain is composed of either oxidized or nonoxidized lipids. Our simulation results reveal that the addition of only 1.5% of lipid aldehyde molecules at the Lo/Ld domain interfaces of heterogeneous membranes increases the membrane permeability, whereas their addition at homogeneous membranes does not have any effect. This study is of interest for a better understanding of cancer treatment methods based on oxidative stress (causing among others lipid oxidation), such as plasma medicine and photodynamic therapy.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000669541400034 Publication Date 2021-06-28
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1549-9596 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.76 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 1200219N ; Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior; We thank Universidade Federal do ABC for providing the computational resources needed for completion of this work and CAPES for the scholarship granted. M.Y. acknowledges the Flanders Research Foundation (grant 1200219N) for financial support. Approved Most recent IF: 3.76
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:179766 Serial 6806
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Author Neyts, E.C.; Ostrikov, K.K.; Sunkara, M.K.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Plasma Catalysis: Synergistic Effects at the Nanoscale Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Chemical reviews Abbreviated Journal Chem Rev
Volume 115 Issue 115 Pages 13408-13446
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Thermal-catalytic gas processing is integral to many current industrial processes. Ever-increasing demands on conversion and energy efficiencies are a strong driving force for the development of alternative approaches. Similarly, synthesis of several functional materials (such as nanowires and nanotubes) demands special processing conditions. Plasma catalysis provides such an alternative, where the catalytic process is complemented by the use of plasmas that activate the source gas. This combination is often observed to result in a synergy between plasma and catalyst. This Review introduces the current state-of-the-art in plasma catalysis, including numerous examples where plasma catalysis has demonstrated its benefits or shows future potential, including CO2 conversion, hydrocarbon reforming, synthesis of nanomaterials, ammonia production, and abatement of toxic waste gases. The underlying mechanisms governing these applications, as resulting from the interaction between the plasma and the catalyst, render the process highly complex, and little is known about the factors leading to the often-observed synergy. This Review critically examines the catalytic mechanisms relevant to each specific application.
Address Department of Chemistry, Research Group PLASMANT, Universiteit Antwerpen , Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk-Antwerp, Belgium
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Wos 000367563000006 Publication Date 2015-11-30
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0009-2665 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 47.928 Times cited 204 Open Access
Notes ECN and AB gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Fund of Scientific Research Flanders (FWO), Belgium, Grant Number G.0217.14N. KO acknowledges partial support by the Australian Research Council and CSIRO’s OCE Science Leaders Program. MKS acknowledges partial support from US National Science Foundation through grants DMS 1125909 and EPSCoR 1355448 and also PhD students Babajide Ajayi, Apolo Nambo and Maria Carreon for their help. Approved Most recent IF: 47.928; 2015 IF: 46.568
Call Number c:irua:130001 Serial 3993
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Author Gorbanev, Y.; Privat-Maldonado, A.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Analysis of Short-Lived Reactive Species in Plasma–Air–Water Systems: The Dos and the Do Nots Type A1 Journal Article
Year 2018 Publication Analytical Chemistry Abbreviated Journal Anal Chem
Volume 90 Issue 22 Pages 13151-13158
Keywords A1 Journal Article; Plasma, laser ablation and surface modeling Antwerp (PLASMANT) ;
Abstract This Feature addresses the analysis of the reactive species generated by nonthermal atmospheric

pressure plasmas, which are widely employed in industrial and biomedical research, as well as first

clinical applications. We summarize the progress in detection of plasma-generated short-lived

reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in aqueous solutions, discuss the potential and limitations of

various analytical methods in plasma−liquid systems, and provide an outlook on the possible future

research goals in development of short-lived reactive species analysis methods for a general

nonspecialist audience.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000451246100002 Publication Date 2018-11-20
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0003-2700 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 6.32 Times cited 17 Open Access Not_Open_Access
Notes European Commission, 743151 ; This work was supported by the European Marie Sklodowska- Curie Individual Fellowship within Horizon2020 (“LTPAM”, Grant No. 743151). Approved Most recent IF: 6.32
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:156301 Serial 5152
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Author Fuchs, J.; Aghaei, M.; Schachel, T.D.; Sperling, M.; Bogaerts, A.; Karst, U.
Title Impact of the Particle Diameter on Ion Cloud Formation from Gold Nanoparticles in ICPMS Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication Analytical chemistry Abbreviated Journal Anal Chem
Volume 90 Issue 17 Pages 10271-10278
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract The unique capabilities of microsecond dwell time (DT) single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (spICPMS) were utilized to characterize the cloud of ions generated from the introduction of suspensions of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) into the plasma. A set of narrowly distributed particles with diameters ranging from 15.4 to 100.1 nm was synthesized and characterized according to established protocols. Statistically significant numbers of the short transient spICPMS events were evaluated by using 50 μs DT for their summed intensity, maximum intensity, and duration, of which all three were found to depend on the particle diameter. The summed intensity increases from 10 to 1661 counts and the maximum intensity from 6 to 309 counts for AuNPs with diameters from 15.4 to 83.2 nm. The event duration rises from 322 to 1007 μs upon increasing AuNP diameter. These numbers represent a comprehensive set of key data points of the ion clouds generated in ICPMS from AuNPs. The extension of event duration is of high interest to appoint the maximum possible particle number concentration at which separation of consecutive events in spICPMS can still be achieved. Moreover, the combined evaluation of all above-mentioned ion cloud characteristics can explain the regularly observed prolonged single-particle events. The transport and ionization behavior of AuNPs in the ICP was also computationally modeled to gain insight into the size-dependent signal generation. The simulated data reveals that the plasma temperature, and therefore the point of ionization of the particles, is the same for all diameters. However, the maximum number density of Au+, as well as the extent of the ion cloud, depends on the particle diameter, in agreement with the experimental data, and it provides an adequate explanation for the observed ion cloud characteristics.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000444060600028 Publication Date 2018-09-04
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0003-2700 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 6.32 Times cited 5 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes We thank Dr. Harald Rösner from the Institute of Materials Physics of the University of Münster for the TEM imaging. Approved Most recent IF: 6.32
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:153651 Serial 5057
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Author Aghaei, M.; Lindner, H.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Ion Clouds in the Inductively Coupled Plasma Torch: A Closer Look through Computations Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Analytical chemistry Abbreviated Journal Anal Chem
Volume 88 Issue 88 Pages 8005-8018
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract We have computationally investigated the introduction of copper elemental particles in an inductively coupled plasma torch connected to a sampling cone, including for the first time the ionization of the sample. The sample is inserted as liquid particles, which are followed inside the entire torch, i.e., from the injector inlet up to the ionization and reaching the sampler. The spatial position of the ion clouds inside the torch as well as detailed information on the copper species fluxes at the position of the sampler orifice and the exhausts of the torch are provided. The effect of on- and off-axis injection is studied. We clearly show that the ion clouds of on-axis injected material are located closer to the sampler with less radial diffusion. This guarantees a higher transport efficiency through the sampler cone. Moreover, our model reveals the optimum ranges of applied power and flow rates, which ensure the proper position of ion clouds inside the torch, i.e., close enough to the sampler to increase the fraction that can enter the mass spectrometer and with minimum loss of material toward the exhausts as well as a sufficiently high plasma temperature for efficient ionization.
Address Research Group PLASMANT, Chemistry Department, University of Antwerp , Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Wos 000381654800020 Publication Date 2016-07-26
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0003-2700 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 6.32 Times cited 9 Open Access
Notes The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (FWO), Grant Number 6713. The computational work was carried out using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UA), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI), and the UA. Approved Most recent IF: 6.32
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ c:irua:135644 Serial 4293
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Author Girard-Sahun, F.; Lefrancois, P.; Badets, V.; Arbault, S.; Clement, F.
Title Direct sensing of superoxide and its relatives reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in phosphate buffers during cold atmospheric plasmas exposures Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication Analytical Chemistry Abbreviated Journal Anal Chem
Volume 94 Issue 14 Pages 5555-5565
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract This study aims at sensing in situ reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) and specifically superoxide anion (O-2(center dot-)) in aqueous buffer solutions exposed to cold atmospheric plasmas (CAPs). CAPs were generated by ionizing He gas shielded with variable N-2/O-2 mixtures. Thanks to ultramicroelectrodes protected against the high electric fields transported by the ionization waves of CAPs, the production of superoxide and several RONS was electrochemically directly detected in liquids during their plasma exposure. Complementarily, optical emissive spectroscopy (OES) was used to study the plasma phase composition and its correlation with the chemistry in the exposed liquid. The specific production of O-2(center dot-), a biologically reactive redox species, was analyzed by cyclic voltammetry (CV), in both alkaline (pH 11), where the species is fairly stable, and physiological (pH 7.4) conditions, where it is unstable. To understand its generation with respect to the plasma chemistry, we varied the shielding gas composition of CAPs to directly impact on the RONS composition at the plasma-liquid interface. We observed that the production and accumulation of RONS in liquids, including O(2)(center dot-)depends on the plasma composition, with N-2-based shieldings providing the highest superoxide concentrations (few 10s of micromolar at most) and of its derivatives (hundreds of micromolar). In situ spectroscopic and electrochemical analyses provide a high resolution kinetic and quantitative understanding of the interactions between CAPs and physiological solutions for biomedical applications.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000805334400013 Publication Date 2022-03-28
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
Impact Factor 7.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 7.4
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189093 Serial 7143
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Author Aghaei, M.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Flowing Atmospheric Pressure Afterglow for Ambient Ionization: Reaction Pathways Revealed by Modeling Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Analytical Chemistry Abbreviated Journal Anal Chem
Volume 93 Issue 17 Pages 6620-6628
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract We describe the plasma chemistry in a helium flowing atmospheric pressure afterglow (FAPA) used for analytical spectrometry, by means of a quasione-dimensional (1D) plasma chemical kinetics model. We study the effect of typical impurities present in the feed gas, as well as the afterglow in ambient humid air. The model provides the species density profiles in the discharge and afterglow regions and the chemical pathways. We demonstrate that H, N, and O atoms are formed in the discharge region, while the dominant reactive neutral species in the afterglow are O3 and NO. He* and He2* are responsible for Penning ionization of O2, N2, H2O, H2, and N, and especially O and H atoms. Besides, He2+ also contributes to ionization of N2, O2, H2O, and O through charge transfer reactions. From the pool of ions created in the discharge, NO+ and (H2O)3H+ are the dominant ions in the afterglow. Moreover, negatively charged clusters, such as NO3H2O− and NO2H2O−, are formed and their pathway is discussed as well. Our model predictions are in line with earlier observations in the literature about the important reagent ions and provide a comprehensive overview of the underlying pathways. The model explains in detail why helium provides a high analytical sensitivity because of high reagent ion formation by both Penning ionization and charge transfer. Such insights are very valuable for improving the analytical performance of this (and other) ambient desorption/ionization source(s).
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000648505900008 Publication Date 2021-05-04
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0003-2700 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 6.32 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 6713 ; The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (FWO) grant number 6713. The computational work was carried out using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen (UA), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (Department EWI), and the UA. The authors also thank J. T. Shelley for providing experimental data for the gas velocity behind the anode disk and before the mass spectrometer interface, to validate our model. Approved Most recent IF: 6.32
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:178126 Serial 6762
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Author Khalilov, U.; Bogaerts, A.; Neyts, E.C.
Title Toward the Understanding of Selective Si Nano-Oxidation by Atomic Scale Simulations Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Accounts of chemical research Abbreviated Journal Accounts Chem Res
Volume 50 Issue 50 Pages 796-804
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract The continuous miniaturization of nanodevices, such as transistors, solar cells, and optical fibers, requires the controlled synthesis of (ultra)thin gate oxides (<10 nm), including Si gate-oxide (SiO2) with high quality at the atomic scale. Traditional thermal growth of SiO2 on planar Si surfaces, however, does not allow one to obtain such ultrathin oxide due to either the high oxygen diffusivity at high temperature or the very low sticking ability of incident oxygen at low temperature. Two recent techniques, both operative at low (room) temperature, have been put forward to overcome these obstacles: (i) hyperthermal oxidation of planar Si surfaces and (ii) thermal or plasma-assisted oxidation of nonplanar Si surfaces, including Si nanowires (SiNWs). These nanooxidation processes are, however, often difficult to study experimentally, due to the key intermediate processes taking place on the nanosecond time scale.

In this Account, these Si nano-oxidation techniques are discussed from a computational point of view and compared to both hyperthermal and thermal oxidation experiments, as well as to well-known models of thermal oxidation, including the Deal−Grove, Cabrera−Mott, and Kao models and several alternative mechanisms. In our studies, we use reactive molecular dynamics (MD) and hybrid MD/Monte Carlo simulation techniques, applying the Reax force field. The incident energy of oxygen species is chosen in the range of 1−5 eV in hyperthermal oxidation of planar Si surfaces in order to prevent energy-induced damage. It turns out that hyperthermal growth allows for two growth modes, where the ultrathin oxide thickness depends on either (1) only the kinetic energy of the incident oxygen species at a growth temperature below Ttrans = 600 K, or (2) both the incident energy and the growth temperature at a growth temperature above Ttrans. These modes are specific to such ultrathin oxides, and are not observed in traditional thermal oxidation, nor theoretically considered by already existing models. In the case of thermal or plasma-assisted oxidation of small Si nanowires, on the other hand, the thickness of the ultrathin oxide is a function of the growth temperature and the nanowire diameter. Below Ttrans, which varies with the nanowire diameter, partially oxidized SiNW are formed, whereas complete oxidation to a SiO2 nanowire occurs only above Ttrans. In both nano-oxidation processes at lower temperature (T < Ttrans), final sandwich c-Si|SiOx|a-SiO2 structures are obtained due to a competition between overcoming the energy barrier to penetrate into Si subsurface layers and the compressive stress (∼2−3 GPa) at the Si crystal/oxide interface. The overall atomic-simulation results strongly indicate that the thickness of the intermediate SiOx (x < 2) region is very limited (∼0.5 nm) and constant irrespective of oxidation parameters. Thus, control over the ultrathin SiO2 thickness with good quality is indeed possible by accurately tuning the oxidant energy, oxidation temperature and surface curvature.

In general, we discuss and put in perspective these two oxidation mechanisms for obtaining controllable ultrathin gate-oxide films, offering a new route toward the fabrication of nanodevices via selective nano-oxidation.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000399859800016 Publication Date 2017-04-18
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0001-4842 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 20.268 Times cited 5 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 12M1315N ; Approved Most recent IF: 20.268
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ c:irua:142638 Serial 4561
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Author Hoffman, B.M.; Lukoyanov, D.; Yang, Z.-Y.; Dean, D.R.; Seefeldt, L.C.
Title Mechanism of Nitrogen Fixation by Nitrogenase: The Next Stage Type A1 Journal Article
Year 2014 Publication Chemical Reviews Abbreviated Journal Chem. Rev.
Volume 114 Issue 8 Pages 4041-4062
Keywords A1 Journal Article; Plasma, laser ablation and surface modeling Antwerp (PLASMANT) ;
Abstract Ammonia is a crucial nutrient used for plant growth and as a building block in pharmaceutical and chemical industry, produced via nitrogen fixation of the ubiquitous atmospheric N2. Current industrial ammonia production relies heavily on fossil resources, but a lot of work is put into developing non-fossil based pathways. Among these is the use of nonequilibrium plasma. In this work, we investigated water vapor as H source for nitrogen fixation into NH3 by non-equilibrium plasma. The highest selectivity towards NH3 was observed with low amounts of added H2O vapor, but the highest production rate was reached at high H2O vapor.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos Publication Date 2014-04-23
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0009-2665 ISBN Additional Links
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes We would like to thank Sylvia Dewilde (Department of Biomedical Sciences) for providing analytical equipment. Approved no
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @ Serial 6337
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Author Shah, J.; Wang, W.; Bogaerts, A.; Carreon, M.L.
Title Ammonia Synthesis by Radio Frequency Plasma Catalysis: Revealing the Underlying Mechanisms Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication ACS applied energy materials Abbreviated Journal ACS Appl. Energy Mater.
Volume 1 Issue 9 Pages 4824-4839
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Nonthermal plasma is a promising alternative for ammonia synthesis at gentle conditions. Metal meshes of Fe, Cu, Pd, Ag, and Au were employed as catalysts in radio frequency plasma for ammonia synthesis. The energy yield for all these transition metal catalysts ranged between 0.12 and 0.19 g-NH3/kWh at 300 W and, thus, needs further improvement. In addition, a semimetal, pure gallium, was used for the first time as catalyst for ammonia synthesis, with energy yield of 0.22 g-NH3/kWh and with a maximum yield of ∼10% at 150 W. The emission spectra, as well as computer simulations, revealed hydrogen recombination as a primary governing parameter, which depends on the concentration or flux of H atoms in the plasma and on the catalyst surface. The simulations helped to elucidate the underlying mechanism, implicating the dominance of surface reactions and surface adsorbed species. The rate limiting step appears to be NH2 formation on the surface of the reactor wall and on the catalyst surface, which is different from classical catalysis.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000458706500048 Publication Date 2018-09-24
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2574-0962 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access
Notes M.L.C. acknowledges financial support from The University of Tulsa Faculty Startup Funds and The University of Tulsa Faculty Development Summer Fellowship Grant (FDSF). A.B. acknowledges financial support from the Excellence of Science program of the Fund for Scientific Research (FWO-FNRS; Grant no. G0F91618N; EOS ID 30505023). 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: NA
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:153804 Serial 5051
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Author Michiels, R.; Engelmann, Y.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Plasma Catalysis for CO2Hydrogenation: Unlocking New Pathways toward CH3OH Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Journal Of Physical Chemistry C Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 124 Issue 47 Pages 25859-25872
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT); Movement Antwerp (MOVANT)
Abstract We developed a microkinetic model to reveal the effects of plasma-generated radicals, intermediates, and vibrationally excited species on the catalytic hydrogenation of CO2 to CH3OH on a Cu(111) surface. As a benchmark, we first present the mechanisms of thermal catalytic CH3OH formation. Our model predicts that the reverse water-gas shift reaction followed by CO hydrogenation, together with the formate path, mainly contribute to CH3OH formation in thermal catalysis. Adding plasma-generated radicals and intermediates results in a higher CH3OH turnover frequency (TOF) by six to seven orders of magnitude, showing the potential of plasma-catalytic CO2 hydrogenation into CH3OH, in accordance with the literature. In addition, CO2 vibrational excitation further increases the CH3OH TOF, but the effect is limited due to relatively low vibrational temperatures under typical plasma catalysis conditions. The predicted increase in CH3OH formation by plasma catalysis is mainly attributed to the increased importance of the formate path. In addition, the conversion of plasma-generated CO to HCO* and subsequent HCOO* or H2CO* formation contribute to CH3OH formation. Both pathways bypass the HCOO* formation from CO2, which is the main bottleneck in the process. Hence, our model points toward the important role of CO, but also O, OH, and H radicals, as they influence the reactions that consume CO2 and CO. In addition, our model reveals that the H pressure should not be smaller than ca. half of the O pressure in the plasma as this would cause O* poisoning, which would result in very small product TOFs. Thus, plasma conditions should be targeted with a high CO and H content as this is favorable for CH3OH formation, while the O content should be minimized.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000595545800023 Publication Date 2020-11-25
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.7 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access: Available from 15.07.2021
Notes Universiteit Antwerpen; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 1114921N ; H2020 European Research Council, 810182 ; We acknowledge the financial support from the Fund for Scientific Research (FWO-Vlaanderen; grant ID 1114921N) and 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) as well as from the DOC-PRO3 and the TOPBOF projects of the University of Antwerp. Approved Most recent IF: 3.7; 2020 IF: 4.536
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:173864 Serial 6443
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Author Ghasemitarei, M.; Privat-Maldonado, A.; Yusupov, M.; Rahnama, S.; Bogaerts, A.; Ejtehadi, M.R.
Title Effect of Cysteine Oxidation in SARS-CoV-2 Receptor-Binding Domain on Its Interaction with Two Cell Receptors: Insights from Atomistic Simulations Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication Journal Of Chemical Information And Modeling Abbreviated Journal J Chem Inf Model
Volume 62 Issue 1 Pages 129-141
Keywords A1 Journal article; Pharmacology. Therapy; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Binding of the SARS-CoV-2 S-glycoprotein to cell receptors is vital for the entry of the virus into cells and subsequent infection. ACE2 is the main cell receptor for SARS-CoV-2, which can attach to the C-terminal receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 S-glycoprotein. The GRP78 receptor plays an anchoring role, which attaches to the RBD and increases the chance of other RBDs binding to ACE2. Although high levels of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) are produced during viral infections, it is not clear how they affect the RBD structure and its binding to ACE2 and GRP78. In this research, we apply molecular dynamics simulations to study the effect of oxidation of the highly reactive cysteine (Cys) amino acids of the RBD on its binding to ACE2 and GRP78. The interaction energy of both ACE2 and GRP78 with the whole RBD, as well as with the RBD main regions, is compared in both the native and oxidized RBDs. Our results show that the interaction energy between the oxidized RBD and ACE2 is strengthened by 155 kJ/mol, increasing the binding of the RBD to ACE2 after oxidation. In addition, the interaction energy between the RBD and GRP78 is slightly increased by 8 kJ/mol after oxidation, but this difference is not significant. Overall, these findings highlight the role of RONS in the binding of the SARS-CoV-2 S-glycoprotein to host cell receptors and suggest an alternative mechanism by which RONS could modulate the entrance of viral particles into the cells.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000740019000001 Publication Date 2022-01-10
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1549-9596 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 5.6 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access
Notes Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 1200219N ; Binding of the SARS-CoV-2 S-glycoprotein to cell receptors is vital for the entry of the virus into cells and subsequent infection. ACE2 is the main cell receptor for SARS-CoV-2, which can attach to the C-terminal receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 S-glycoprotein. The GRP78 receptor plays an anchoring role, which attaches to the RBD and increases the chance of other RBDs binding to ACE2. Although high levels of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) are produced during viral infections, it is not clear how they affect the RBD structure and its binding to ACE2 and GRP78. In this research, we apply molecular dynamics simulations to study the effect of oxidation of the highly reactive cysteine (Cys) amino acids of the RBD on its binding to ACE2 and GRP78. The interaction energy of both ACE2 and GRP78 with the whole RBD, as well as with the RBD main regions, is compared in both the native and oxidized RBDs. Our results show that the interaction energy between the oxidized RBD and ACE2 is strengthened by 155 kJ/mol, increasing the binding of the RBD to ACE2 after oxidation. In addition, the interaction energy between the RBD and GRP78 is slightly increased by 8 kJ/mol after oxidation, but this difference is not significant. Overall, these findings highlight the role of RONS in the binding of the SARS-CoV-2 S-glycoprotein to host cell receptors and suggest an alternative mechanism by which RONS could modulate the entrance of viral particles into the cells. Approved Most recent IF: 5.6
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:185485 Serial 7050
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Author Nematollahi, P.; Esrafili, M.D.; Neyts, E.C.
Title The role of healed N-vacancy defective BC2N sheet and nanotube by NO molecule in oxidation of NO and CO gas molecules Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication Surface science : a journal devoted to the physics and chemistry of interfaces Abbreviated Journal Surf Sci
Volume 672-673 Issue 672-673 Pages 39-46
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract In this study, the healing of N-vacancy boron carbonitride nanosheet (NV-BC2NNS) and nanotube (NV-BC2NNT) by NO molecule is studied by means of density functional theory calculations. Two different N-vacancies are considered in each of these structures in which the vacancy site is surrounded by either three B-atoms (NB) or by two B- and one C-atom (NBC). By means of the healed BC2NNS and BC2NNT as a support, the removal of two toxic gas molecules (NO and CO) are applicable. It should be noted that the obtained energy barriers of both healing and oxidizing processes are significantly lower than those of graphene, carbon nanotubes or boron nitride nanostructures. Also, at the end of the oxidation process, the pure BC2NNS or BC2NNT is obtained without any additional defects. Therefore, by using this method, we can considerably purify the defective BC2NNS/BC2NNT. Moreover, according to the thermochemistry calculations we can further confirm that the healing process of the NV-BC2NNS and NV-BC2NNT by NO are feasible at room temperature. So, we can claim that this study could be very helpful in both purifying the defective BC2NNS/BC2NNT while in the same effort removing toxic NO and CO gases.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Amsterdam Editor
Language Wos 000432614700007 Publication Date 2018-03-08
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0039-6028 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.062 Times cited 1 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.062
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:151478 Serial 5044
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