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Author Meng, X.; Chen, S.; Peng, H.; Bai, H.; Zhang, S.; Su, X.; Tan, G.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Sun, Z.; Zhang, Q.; Tang, X.; Wu, J. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Ferroelectric engineering : enhanced thermoelectric performance by local structural heterogeneity Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Science China : materials Abbreviated Journal Sci China Mater  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Although traditional ferroelectric materials are usually dielectric and nonconductive, GeTe is a typical ferroelectric semiconductor, possessing both ferroelectric and semiconducting properties. GeTe is also a widely studied thermoelectric material, whose performance has been optimized by doping with various elements. However, the impact of the ferroelectric domains on the thermoelectric properties remains unclear due to the difficulty to directly observe the ferroelectric domains and their evolutions under actual working conditions where the material is exposed to high temperatures and electric currents. Herein, based on in-situ investigations of the ferroelectric domains and domain walls in both pure and Sb-doped GeTe crystals, we have been able to analyze the dynamic evolution of the ferroelectric domains and domain walls, exposed to an electric field and temperature. Local structural heterogeneities and nano-sized ferroelectric domains are generated due to the interplay of the Sb3+ dopant and the Ge-vacancies, leading to the increased number of charged domain walls and a much improved thermoelectric performance. This work reveals the fundamental mechanism of ferroelectric thermoelectrics and provides insights into the decoupling of previously interdependent properties such as thermo-power and electrical conductivity.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000749973500001 Publication Date 2022-02-02  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2095-8226; 2199-4501 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 8.1 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 8.1  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:186429 Serial 6959  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Lu, W.; Cui, W.; Zhao, W.; Lin, W.; Liu, C.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Sang, X.; Zhao, W.; Zhang, Q. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title In situ atomistic insight into magnetic metal diffusion across Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 quintuple layers Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Advanced Materials Interfaces Abbreviated Journal Adv Mater Interfaces  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages 2102161  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Diffusion and occupancy of magnetic atoms in van der Waals (VDW) layered materials have significant impact on applications such as energy storage, thermoelectrics, catalysis, and topological phenomena. However, due to the weak VDW bonding, most research focus on in-plane diffusion within the VDW gap, while out-of-plane diffusion has rarely been reported. Here, to investigate out-of-plane diffusion in VDW-layered Bi2Te3-based alloys, a Ni/Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 heterointerface is synthesized by depositing magnetic Ni metal on a mechanically exfoliated Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 (0001) substrate. Diffusion of Ni atoms across the Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 quintuple layers is directly observed at elevated temperatures using spherical-aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Density functional theory calculations demonstrate that the diffusion energy barrier of Ni atoms is only 0.31-0.45 eV when they diffuse through Te-3(Bi, Sb)(3) octahedron chains. Atomic-resolution in situ STEM reveals that the distortion of the Te-3(Bi, Sb)(3) octahedron, induced by the Ni occupancy, drives the formation of coherent NiM (M = Bi, Sb, Te) at the heterointerfaces. This work can lead to new strategies to design novel thermoelectric and topological materials by introducing magnetic dopants to VDW-layered materials.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000751742300001 Publication Date 2022-02-07  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2196-7350 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 5.4 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5.4  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:186421 Serial 6960  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Arslan Irmak, E. url  openurl
  Title Modelling three-dimensional nanoparticle transformations based on quantitative transmission electron microscopy Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2022 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages 169 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Nanomaterials are materials that have at least one dimension in the nanometer length scale, which corresponds to a billionth of a meter. When three dimensions are confined to the nanometer scale, these materials are referred to as nanoparticles. These materials are of great interest since they exhibit unique physical and chemical properties that cannot be observed for bulk systems. Due to their unique and often superior properties, nanomaterials have become central in the field of electronics, catalysis, and medicine. Moreover, they are expected to be one of the most promising systems to tackle many challenges that our society is facing, such as reducing the emission of greenhouse gases and finding effective treatments for cancer. The unique properties of nanomaterials are linked to their size, shape, structure, and composition. If one is able to measure the positions of the atoms, their chemical nature, and the bonding between them, it becomes possible to predict the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials. In this manner, the development of novel nanostructures can be triggered. However, the morphology and structure of nanomaterials are highly sensitive to the conditions for relevant applications, such as elevated temperatures or intense light illumination. Furthermore, any small change in the local structure at higher temperatures or pressures may significantly modify their performance. Hence, three-dimensional (3D) characterization of nanomaterials under application-relevant conditions is important in designing them with desired functional properties for specific applications. Among different structural characterization approaches, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is one of the most efficient and versatile tools to investigate the structure and composition of nanomaterials since it can provide atomically resolved images, which are sensitive to the local 3D structure of the investigated sample. However, TEM only provides two-dimensional (2D) images of the 3D nanoparticle, which may lead to an incomplete understanding of their structure-property relationship. The most known and powerful technique for the 3D characterization of nanomaterials is electron tomography, where the images of a nanostructured material taken from different directions are mathematically combined to retrieve its 3D structure. Although these experiments are already state-of-the-art, 3D characterization by TEM is typically performed under ultra-high vacuum conditions and at room temperature. Such conditions are unfortunately not sufficient to understand transformations during synthesis or applications of nanomaterials. This limitation can be overcome by in situ TEM where external stimuli, such as heat, gas, and liquids, can be controllably introduced inside the TEM using specialized holders. However, there are some technical limitations to successful perform 3D in situ electron tomography experiments. For example, the long acquisition time required to collect a tilt series limits this technique when one wants to observe 3D dynamic changes with atomic resolution. A solution for this problem is the estimation of the 3D structure of nanomaterials from 2D projection images acquired along a single viewing direction. For this purpose, annular dark field scanning TEM (ADF STEM) imaging mode provides a valuable tool for quantitative structural investigation of nanomaterials from single 2D images due to its thickness and mass sensitivity. For quantitative analysis, an ADF STEM image is considered as a 2D array of pixels where relative variation of pixel intensity values is proportional to the total number of atoms and the atomic number of the elements in the sample. By applying advanced statistical approaches to these images, structural information, such as the number or types of atoms, can be retrieved with high accuracy and precision. The outcome can then be used to build a 3D starting model for energy minimization by atomistic simulations, for example, molecular dynamics simulations or the Monte Carlo method. However, this methodology needs to be further evaluated for in situ experiments. This thesis is devoted to presenting robust approaches to accurately define the 3D atomic structure of nanoparticles under application-relevant conditions and understand the mechanism behind the atomic-scale dynamics in nanoparticles in response to environmental stimuli.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:188295 Serial 7063  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Zillner, J.; Boyen, H.-G.; Schulz, P.; Hanisch, J.; Gauquelin, N.; Verbeeck, J.; Kueffner, J.; Desta, D.; Eisele, L.; Ahlswede, E.; Powalla, M. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title The role of SnF₂ additive on interface formation in all lead-free FASnI₃ perovskite solar cells Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Advanced functional materials Abbreviated Journal Adv Funct Mater  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages 2109649-9  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Tin-based perovskites are promising alternative absorber materials for leadfree perovskite solar cells but need strategies to avoid fast tin (Sn) oxidation. Generally, this reaction can be slowed down by the addition of tin fluoride (SnF2) to the perovskite precursor solution, which also improves the perovskite layer morphology. Here, this work analyzes the spatial distribution of the additive within formamidinium tin triiodide (FASnI(3)) films deposited on top of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) hole transporting layers. Employing time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry and a combination of hard and soft X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, it is found that Sn F2 preferably accumulates at the PEDOT:PSS/perovskite interface, accompanied by the formation of an ultrathin SnS interlayer with an effective thickness of approximate to 1.2 nm.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000779891000001 Publication Date 0000-00-00  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1616-301x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 19 Times cited 22 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes J.Z. and H.-G.B. contributed equally to this work. This project received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 850937 (PERCISTAND). H.-G.B. and D.D. are very grateful to the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) for funding the HAXPES-lab instrument within the HERCULES program for Large Research Infrastructure of the Flemish government. P.S. thanks the French Agence Nationale de la Recherche for funding under the contract number ANR-17-MPGA-0012. This work was supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) Germany under the contract number 03EE1038A (CAPITANO) and financed by the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts of Baden-Württemberg as part of the sustainability financing of the projects of the Excellence Initiative II (KSOP). Approved Most recent IF: 19  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:187969 Serial 7067  
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Author Yu, C.-P.; Friedrich, T.; Jannis, D.; Van Aert, S.; Verbeeck, J. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Real-Time Integration Center of Mass (riCOM) Reconstruction for 4D STEM Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Microscopy and microanalysis Abbreviated Journal Microsc Microanal  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages 1-12  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract A real-time image reconstruction method for scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) is proposed. With an algorithm requiring only the center of mass of the diffraction pattern at one probe position at a time, it is able to update the resulting image each time a new probe position is visited without storing any intermediate diffraction patterns. The results show clear features at high spatial frequency, such as atomic column positions. It is also demonstrated that some common post-processing methods, such as band-pass filtering, can be directly integrated in the real-time processing flow. Compared with other reconstruction methods, the proposed method produces high-quality reconstructions with good noise robustness at extremely low memory and computational requirements. An efficient, interactive open source implementation of the concept is further presented, which is compatible with frame-based, as well as event-based camera/file types. This method provides the attractive feature of immediate feedback that microscope operators have become used to, for example, conventional high-angle annular dark field STEM imaging, allowing for rapid decision-making and fine-tuning to obtain the best possible images for beam-sensitive samples at the lowest possible dose.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000792176100001 Publication Date 2022-04-25  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1431-9276 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.8 Times cited 7 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Bijzonder Onderzoeksfonds UGent; H2020 European Research Council, 770887 ; H2020 European Research Council, 823717 ; H2020 European Research Council, ESTEEM3 / 823717 ; H2020 European Research Council, PICOMETRICS / 770887 ; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 30489208 ; Herculesstichting; esteem3reported; esteem3jra Approved Most recent IF: 2.8  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:188538 Serial 7068  
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Author Jannis, D.; Velazco, A.; Béché, A.; Verbeeck, J. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Reducing electron beam damage through alternative STEM scanning strategies, Part II: Attempt towards an empirical model describing the damage process Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Ultramicroscopy Abbreviated Journal Ultramicroscopy  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages 113568  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract In this second part of a series we attempt to construct an empirical model that can mimick all experimental observations made regarding the role of an alternative interleaved scan pattern in STEM imaging on the beam damage in a specific zeolite sample. We make use of a 2D diffusion model that describes the dissipation of the deposited beam energy in the sequence of probe positions that are visited during the scan pattern. The diffusion process allows for the concept of trying to ‘outrun’ the beam damage by carefully tuning the dwell time and distance between consecutively visited probe positions. We add a non linear function to include a threshold effect and evaluate the accumulated damage in each part of the image as a function of scan pattern details. Together, these ingredients are able to describe qualitatively all aspects of the experimental data and provide us with a model that could guide a further optimisation towards even lower beam damage without lowering the applied electron dose. We deliberately remain vague on what is diffusing here which avoids introducing too many sample specific details. This provides hope that the model can be applied also in sample classes that were not yet studied in such great detail by adjusting higher level parameters: a sample dependent diffusion constant and damage threshold.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000832788000003 Publication Date 0000-00-00  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0304-3991 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.2 Times cited 4 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes D.J., A.V, A.B. and J.V. acknowledge funding from FWO project G093417N (’Compressed sensing enabling low dose imaging in transmission electron microscopy’) and G042920N (’Coincident event detection for advanced spectroscopy in transmission electron microscopy’). This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 823717 ESTEEM3. The Qu-Ant-EM microscope was partly funded by the Hercules fund from the Flemish Government. J.V. acknowledges funding from GOA project “Solarpaint” of the University of Antwerp .; esteem3reported; esteem3jra; Approved Most recent IF: 2.2  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:188535 Serial 7071  
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Author Nematollahi, P.; Barbiellini, B.; Bansil, A.; Lamoen, D.; Qingying, J.; Mukerjee, S.; Neyts, E.C. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Identification of a Robust and Durable FeN4CxCatalyst for ORR in PEM Fuel Cells and the Role of the Fifth Ligand Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication ACS catalysis Abbreviated Journal Acs Catal  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages 7541-7549  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)  
  Abstract Although recent studies have advanced the understanding of pyrolyzed

Fe−N−C materials as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts, the atomic and

electronic structures of the active sites and their detailed reaction mechanisms still remain unknown. Here, based on first-principles density functional theory (DFT) computations, we discuss the electronic structures of three FeN4 catalytic centers with different local topologies of the surrounding C atoms with a focus on unraveling the mechanism of their ORR activity in acidic electrolytes. Our study brings back a forgotten, synthesized pyridinic Fe−N coordinate to the community’s attention, demonstrating that this catalyst can exhibit excellent activity for promoting direct four-electron ORR through the addition of a fifth ligand such as −NH2, −OH, and −SO4. We also identify sites with good stability properties through the combined use of our DFT calculations and Mössbauer spectroscopy data.
 
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000823193100001 Publication Date 2022-06-10  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2155-5435 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 12.9 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Basic Energy Sciences, DE-FG02-07ER46352 ; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 1261721N ; Opetus- ja Kulttuuriministeri?; Department of Energy, DE-EE0008416 ; Approved Most recent IF: 12.9  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:189000 Serial 7073  
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Author Pedrazo-Tardajos, A.; Arslan Irmak, E.; Kumar, V.; Sánchez-Iglesias, A.; Chen, Q.; Wirix, M.; Freitag, B.; Albrecht, W.; Van Aert, S.; Liz-Marzán, L.M.; Bals, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Thermal Activation of Gold Atom Diffusion in Au@Pt Nanorods Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication ACS nano Abbreviated Journal Acs Nano  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Understanding the thermal stability of bimetallic nanoparticles is of vital importance to preserve their functionalities during their use in a variety of applications. In contrast to well-studied bimetallic systems such as Au@Ag, heat-induced morphological and compositional changes in Au@Pt nanoparticles are insufficiently understood, even though Au@Pt is an important material for catalysis. To investigate the thermal instability of Au@Pt nanorods at temperatures below their bulk melting point, we combined in situ heating with two- and three-dimensional electron microscopy techniques, including three-dimensional energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The experimental results were used as input for molecular dynamics simulations, to unravel the mechanisms behind the morphological transformation of Au@Pt core–shell nanorods. We conclude that thermal stability is influenced not only by the degree of coverage of Pt on Au but also by structural details of the Pt shell.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000819246800001 Publication Date 2022-06-10  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1936-0851 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 17.1 Times cited 8 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes S.B., S.V.A., L.M.L.-M. and A.P.-T. acknowledge financial support from the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 Programme by grant nos. 731019 (EUSMI) and 823717 (ESTEEM3) and ERC Consolidator grant nos. 815128 (REALNANO) and 770887 (PICOMETRICS). L.M.L.-M. acknowledges funding from MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 through grants no. PID2020-117779RB-I00 and Maria de Maeztu Unit of Excellence no. MDM-2017-0720. The authors acknowledge the resources and services used for the simulations in this work were provided by the VSC (Flemish Supercomputer Center), funded by the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) and the Flemish Government.; esteem3reported; esteem3JRA Approved Most recent IF: 17.1  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:188540 Serial 7072  
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Author Fatermans, J.; Romolini, G.; Altantzis, T.; Hofkens, J.; Roeffaers, M.B.J.; Bals, S.; Van Aert, S. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Atomic-scale detection of individual lead clusters confined in Linde Type A zeolites Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Nanoscale Abbreviated Journal Nanoscale  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)  
  Abstract Structural analysis of metal clusters confined in nanoporous materials is typically performed by X-ray-driven techniques. Although X-ray analysis has proved its strength in the characterization of metal clusters, it provides averaged structural information. Therefore, we here present an alternative workflow for bringing the characterization of confined metal clusters towards the local scale. This workflow is based on the combination of aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy (TEM), TEM image simulations, and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) with advanced statistical techniques. In this manner, we were able to characterize the clustering of Pb atoms in Linde Type A (LTA) zeolites with Pb loadings as low as 5 wt%. Moreover, individual Pb clusters could be directly detected. The proposed methodology thus enables a local-scale characterization of confined metal clusters in zeolites. This is important for further elucidation of the connection between the structure and the physicochemical properties of such systems.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000809619900001 Publication Date 0000-00-00  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2040-3364 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 6.7 Times cited 2 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The authors acknowledge the Research Foundation Flanders through project fundings (FWO, G026718N, G050218N, ZW15_09-G0H6316N, and W002221N) and through a PhD scholarship to G.R. (grant 11C6920N), as well as iBOF-21-085 PERSIST. T.A. and S.V.A. acknowledge funding from the University of Antwerp Research fund (BOF). J.H. acknowledges the Flemish government through long-term structural funding Methusalem (CASAS2, Meth/15/04) and the MPI as MPI fellow. M.R. acknowledges funding by the KU Leuven Research Fund (C14/19/079). S.B. and S.V.A. acknowledge funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (ERC Consolidator Grants No. 815128−REALNANO and No. 770887−PICOMETRICS). The authors thank Dr. D. Chernyshov for the collection of XRD measurements. Approved Most recent IF: 6.7  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:189061 Serial 7076  
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Author Jenkinson, K.; Liz-Marzan, L.M.; Bals, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Multimode electron tomography sheds light on synthesis, structure, and properties of complex metal-based nanoparticles Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Advanced materials Abbreviated Journal Adv Mater  
  Volume (down) 34 Issue 36 Pages 2110394-19  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Electron tomography has become a cornerstone technique for the visualization of nanoparticle morphology in three dimensions. However, to obtain in-depth information about a nanoparticle beyond surface faceting and morphology, different electron microscopy signals must be combined. The most notable examples of these combined signals include annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (ADF-STEM) with different collection angles and the combination of ADF-STEM with energy-dispersive X-ray or electron energy loss spectroscopies. Here, the experimental and computational development of various multimode tomography techniques in connection to the fundamental materials science challenges that multimode tomography has been instrumental to overcoming are summarized. Although the techniques can be applied to a wide variety of compositions, the study is restricted to metal and metal oxide nanoparticles for the sake of simplicity. Current challenges and future directions of multimode tomography are additionally discussed.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000831332200001 Publication Date 2022-04-19  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0935-9648 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 29.4 Times cited 10 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The authors thank the financial support of the European Research Council (ERC-AdG-2017 787510, ERC-CoG-2019 815128) and of the European Commission (EUSMI, Grant 731019 and ESTEEM3, Grant 823717). Approved Most recent IF: 29.4  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189616 Serial 7087  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Friedrich, T.; Yu, C.-P.; Verbeek, J.; Pennycook, T.; Van Aert, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Phase retrieval from 4-dimensional electron diffraction datasets Type P1 Proceeding
  Year 2021 Publication Proceedings T2 – IEEE International Conference on Image Processing (ICIP), SEP 19-22, 2021, Electr. network Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages 3453-3457  
  Keywords P1 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract We present a computational imaging mode for large scale electron microscopy data, which retrieves a complex wave from noisy/sparse intensity recordings using a deep learning approach and subsequently reconstructs an image of the specimen from the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) predicted exit waves. We demonstrate that an appropriate forward model in combination with open data frameworks can be used to generate large synthetic datasets for training. In combination with augmenting the data with Poisson noise corresponding to varying dose-values, we effectively eliminate overfitting issues. The U-NET[1] based architecture of the CNN is adapted to the task at hand and performs well while maintaining a relatively small size and fast performance. The validity of the approach is confirmed by comparing the reconstruction to well-established methods using simulated, as well as real electron microscopy data. The proposed method is shown to be effective particularly in the low dose range, evident by strong suppression of noise, good spatial resolution, and sensitivity to different atom types, enabling the simultaneous visualisation of light and heavy elements and making different atomic species distinguishable. Since the method acts on a very local scale and is comparatively fast it bears the potential to be used for near-real-time reconstruction during data acquisition.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000819455103114 Publication Date 2021-08-23  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 978-1-6654-4115-5 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189462 Serial 7089  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Borah, R.; Smets, J.; Ninakanti, R.; Tietze, M.L.; Ameloot, R.; Chigrin, D.N.; Bals, S.; Lenaerts, S.; Verbruggen, S.W. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Self-assembled ligand-capped plasmonic Au nanoparticle films in the Kretschmann configuration for sensing of volatile organic compounds Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication ACS applied nano materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume (down) 5 Issue 8 Pages acsanm.2c02524-12  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)  
  Abstract Films of close-packed Au nanoparticles are coupled electrodynamically through their collective plasmon resonances. This collective optical response results in enhanced light–matter interactions, which can be exploited in various applications. Here, we demonstrate their application in sensing volatile organic compounds, using methanol as a test case. Ordered films over several cm2 were obtained by interfacial self-assembly of colloidal Au nanoparticles (∼10 nm diameter) through controlled evaporation of the solvent. Even though isolated nanoparticles of this size are inherently nonscattering, when arranged in a close-packed film the plasmonic coupling results in a strong reflectance and absorbance. The in situ tracking of vapor phase methanol concentration through UV–vis transmission measurements of the nanoparticle film is first demonstrated. Next, in situ ellipsometry of the self-assembled films in the Kretschmann (also known as ATR) configuration is shown to yield enhanced sensitivity, especially with phase difference measurements, Δ. Our study shows the excellent agreement between theoretical models of the spectral response of self-assembled films with experimental in situ sensing experiments. At the same time, the theoretical framework provides the basis for the interpretation of the various observed experimental trends. Combining periodic nanoparticle films with ellipsometry in the Kretschmann configuration is a promising strategy toward highly sensitive and selective plasmonic thin-film devices based on colloidal fabrication methods for volatile organic compound (VOC) sensing applications.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000834348300001 Publication Date 2022-07-27  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2574-0970 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 5.9 Times cited 11 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes R.B. acknowledges financial support from the University of Antwerp Special Research Fund (BOF) for a DOCPRO4 doctoral scholarship. J.S. acknowledges financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) by a Ph.D. fellowship (11H8121N) . M.L.T. acknowledges financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) by a senior postdoctoral fellowship (12ZK720N) . Approved Most recent IF: 5.9  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189295 Serial 7095  
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Author Hofer, C.; Gao, C.; Chennit, T.; Yuan, B.; Pennycook, T.J. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Phase offset method of ptychographic contrast reversal correction Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2024 Publication Ultramicroscopy Abbreviated Journal Ultramicroscopy  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages 113922  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 001164447000001 Publication Date 2024-01-08  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0304-3991 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 2.2 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes FWO, G013122N ; Horizon 2020 Framework Programme; European Research Council, 802123-HDEM ; European Research Council; Approved Most recent IF: 2.2; 2024 IF: 2.843  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:202379 Serial 8988  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author De Backer, A.; Zhang, Z.; van den Bos, K.H.W.; Bladt, E.; Sánchez‐Iglesias, A.; Liz‐Marzán, L.M.; Nellist, P.D.; Bals, S.; Van Aert, S. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Element Specific Atom Counting at the Atomic Scale by Combining High Angle Annular Dark Field Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X‐ray Spectroscopy Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Small methods Abbreviated Journal Small Methods  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages 2200875  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract A new methodology is presented to count the number of atoms in multimetallic nanocrystals by combining energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF STEM). For this purpose, the existence of a linear relationship between the incoherent HAADF STEM and EDX images is exploited. Next to the number of atoms for each element in the atomic columns, the method also allows quantification of the error in the obtained number of atoms, which is of importance given the noisy nature of the acquired EDX signals. Using experimental images of an Au@Ag core–shell nanorod, it is demonstrated that 3D structural information can be extracted at the atomic scale. Furthermore, simulated data of an Au@Pt core–shell nanorod show the prospect to characterize heterogeneous nanostructures with adjacent atomic numbers.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000862072700001 Publication Date 2022-09-30  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2366-9608 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 12.4 Times cited 5 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This work was supported by the European Research Council (Grant 770887 PICOMETRICS to S.V.A., Grant 815128 REALNANO to S.B., and Grant 823717 ESTEEM3). The authors acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium) through project fundings (G.0267.18N, G.0502.18N, G.0346.21N) and a postdoctoral grant to A.D.B.; esteem3reported; esteem3JRA Approved Most recent IF: 12.4  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:191570 Serial 7109  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ni, B.; Mychinko, M.; Gómez‐Graña, S.; Morales‐Vidal, J.; Obelleiro‐Liz, M.; Heyvaert, W.; Vila‐Liarte, D.; Zhuo, X.; Albrecht, W.; Zheng, G.; González‐Rubio, G.; Taboada, J.M.; Obelleiro, F.; López, N.; Pérez‐Juste, J.; Pastoriza‐Santos, I.; Cölfen, H.; Bals, S.; Liz‐Marzán, L.M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Chiral Seeded Growth of Gold Nanorods Into 4‐Fold Twisted Nanoparticles with Plasmonic Optical Activity Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Advanced materials Abbreviated Journal Adv Mater  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages 2208299  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract A robust and reproducible methodology to prepare stable inorganic nanoparticles with chiral morphology might hold the key to the practical utilization of these materials. We describe herein an optimized chiral growth method to prepare 4-fold twisted gold nanorods, where the amino acid cysteine is used as a dissymmetry inducer. Four tilted ridges were found to develop on the surface of single-crystal nanorods upon repeated reduction of HAuCl4, in the presence of cysteine as the chiral inducer and ascorbic acid as a reducing agent. From detailed electron microscopy analysis of the crystallographic structures, we propose that dissymmetry results from the development of chiral facets in the form of protrusions (tilted ridges) on the initial nanorods, eventually leading to a twisted shape. The role of cysteine is attributed to assisting enantioselective facet evolution, which is supported by density functional theory simulations of the surface energies, modified upon adsorption of the chiral molecule. The development of R-type and S-type chiral structures (small facets, terraces, or kinks) would thus be non-equal, removing the mirror symmetry of the Au NR and in turn resulting in a markedly chiral morphology with high plasmonic optical activity.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000888886000001 Publication Date 2022-10-14  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0935-9648 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 29.4 Times cited 35 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This work was supported by the MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (Grants PID2019-108954RB-I00, PID2020-117371RA-I00, PID2020-117779RB-I00, and Maria de Maeztu Units of Excellence Program from the Spanish State Research Agency Grant No. MDM-2017-0720), Xunta de Galicia/FEDER (Grant GRC ED431C 2020/09) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). M.M., W.H. and S.B. acknowledge financial support from the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 Programme by ERC Consolidator grant no. 815128 (REALNANO). W.A. acknowledges financial support from the research program of AMOLF, which is partly financed by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). J. M.-V. and N. L. thank the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation for financial support (RTI2018- 101394-B-I00 and Severo Ochoa Grant MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 CEX2019-000925-S) and the Barcelona Supercomputing Center-MareNostrum (BSC-RES) for providing generous computer resources. S.G.-G. acknowledges the MCIN. B. N. acknowledges a postdoctoral fellowship of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. G. G.-R. acknowledges the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (GO 3526/1-1) for financial support. H.C. thanks Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) SFB 1214 project B1 for funding. G.C-Z. acknowledges National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 21902148). Approved Most recent IF: 29.4  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:191808 Serial 7115  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Zhuo, X.; Mychinko, M.; Heyvaert, W.; Larios, D.; Obelleiro-Liz, M.; Taboada, J.M.; Bals, S.; Liz-Marzán, L.M. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Morphological and Optical Transitions during Micelle-Seeded Chiral Growth on Gold Nanorods Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication ACS nano Abbreviated Journal Acs Nano  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Chiral plasmonics is a rapidly developing field where breakthroughs and unsolved problems coexist. We have recently reported binary surfactant-assisted seeded growth of chiral gold nanorods (Au NRs) with high chiroptical activity. Such a seeded-growth process involves the use of a chiral cosurfactant that induces micellar helicity, in turn driving the transition from achiral to chiral Au NRs, from both the morphological and the optical points of view. We report herein a detailed study on both transitions, which reveals intermediate states that were hidden so far. The correlation between structure and optical response is carefully analyzed, including the (linear and CD) spectral evolution over time, electron tomography, the impact of NR dimensions on their optical response, the variation of the absorption-to-scattering ratio during the evolution from achiral to chiral Au NRs, and the near-field enhancement related to chiral plasmon modes. Our findings provide further understanding of the growth process of chiral Au NRs and the associated optical changes, which will facilitate further study and applications of chiral nanomaterials.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000878324400001 Publication Date 2022-10-26  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1936-0851 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 17.1 Times cited 17 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This work was supported by the European Research Council (ERC-AdG-4DbioSERS-787510 to L.M.L.-M. and ERC-CoG-REALNANO-815128 to S.B.) and the MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (Grant PID2020-117779RB-I00). X.Z. acknowledges funding from the Juan de la Cierva fellowship (FJC2018-036104-I) and the University Development Fund (UDF01002665, CUHK-Shenzhen). D.L., M.O.-L., and J.M.T. acknowledge funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, under Projects PID2020-116627RB-C21 and PID2020-116627RB-C22, as well as from the ERDF/Galician Regional Government as part of the agreement for funding the Atlantic Research Center for Information and Communication Technologies (atlanTTic) and ERDF/Extremadura Regional Government under Projects IB18073 and GR18055. This work was performed in the framework of the Maria de Maeztu Units of Excellence Program from the Spanish State Research Agency (Grant No. MDM-2017-0720). The authors acknowledge Dr. Guillermo González-Rubio for providing suggestions for synthesis and Dr. Irantzu Llarena for assisting with the CD measurements. Approved Most recent IF: 17.1  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:191815 Serial 7116  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author De wael, A.; De Backer, A.; Yu, C.-P.; Sentürk, D.G.; Lobato, I.; Faes, C.; Van Aert, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Three Approaches for Representing the Statistical Uncertainty on Atom-Counting Results in Quantitative ADF STEM Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Microscopy and microanalysis Abbreviated Journal Microsc Microanal  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages 1-9  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract A decade ago, a statistics-based method was introduced to count the number of atoms from annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (ADF STEM) images. In the past years, this method was successfully applied to nanocrystals of arbitrary shape, size, and composition (and its high accuracy and precision has been demonstrated). However, the counting results obtained from this statistical framework are so far presented without a visualization of the actual uncertainty about this estimate. In this paper, we present three approaches that can be used to represent counting results together with their statistical error, and discuss which approach is most suited for further use based on simulations and an experimental ADF STEM image.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000854930500001 Publication Date 2022-09-19  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1431-9276 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 2.8 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant Agreement No. 770887 and No. 823717 ESTEEM3). The authors acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium) through grants to A.D.w. and A.D.B. and projects G.0502.18N, G.0267.18N, and EOS 30489208. S.V.A. acknowledges TOP BOF funding from the University of Antwerp. The authors are grateful to L.M. Liz-Marzán (CIC biomaGUNE and Ikerbasque) for providing the samples. esteem3reported; esteem3jra Approved Most recent IF: 2.8  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:190585 Serial 7119  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Vega Ibañez, F.; Béché, A.; Verbeeck, J. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Can a programmable phase plate serve as an aberration corrector in the transmission electron microscope (TEM)? Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Microscopy and microanalysis Abbreviated Journal Microsc Microanal  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages Pii S1431927622012260-10  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Current progress in programmable electrostatic phase plates raises questions about their usefulness for specific applications. Here, we explore different designs for such phase plates with the specific goal of correcting spherical aberration in the transmission electron microscope (TEM). We numerically investigate whether a phase plate could provide down to 1 angstrom ngstrom spatial resolution on a conventional uncorrected TEM. Different design aspects (fill factor, pixel pattern, symmetry) were evaluated to understand their effect on the electron probe size and current density. Some proposed designs show a probe size () down to 0.66 angstrom, proving that it should be possible to correct spherical aberration well past the 1 angstrom limit using a programmable phase plate consisting of an array of electrostatic phase-shifting elements.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000849975400001 Publication Date 2022-09-21  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1431-9276 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.8 Times cited 3 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes All authors acknowledge funding from the Flemish Research Fund under contract G042820N “Exploring adaptive optics in transmission electron microscopy”. J.V. acknowledges funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research Infrastructure – Integrating Activities for Advanced Communities under grant agreement No 823717 – ESTEEM3 and from the University of Antwerp through a TOP BOF project.; esteem3reported; esteem3jra Approved Most recent IF: 2.8  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:190627 Serial 7134  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Hao, Y. url  openurl
  Title A joint experimental-modeling study of the structure and properties of functional molecular monolayers for the control of organic crystal growth Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2022 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages xiii, 174 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Among all types of discovered crystals, those formed by organic molecules show the greatest diversity, which results from the intrinsic complexity of the organic molecules and the weak interactions between them. Even for a given compound, different crystal structures can exist. This feature is referred to as polymorphism in the modern crystallographic context and those different crystal forms are called polymorphs. In reality, the crystallization of organic molecules is often performed at the surface of a substrate, giving rise to heterogeneous crystallization. Except for the well-known catalyzing effects, the existence of substrates brings more possibilities to the polymorphic behaviors of organic molecules, promoting the formation of new polymorphs that are only stable in the vicinity of the substrates. For this reason, these new polymorphic forms are often described as substrate-induced polymorphs (SIPs). It is of great importance to understand the formation of SIPs for organic molecules as it has been reported that SIPs can show superior properties with respect to their bulk form counterparts. Up to now, most studies focus on the identifying and characterizing the presence of SIPs, which relies mainly on X-ray diffraction techniques. However, a detailed explanation about the origin of SIPs is still missing. In this work, we have combined several powerful experimental characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in order to reach an integrated view over the formation of SIPs. These experimental studies are strongly supported by computational chemistry simulations, such as density functional theory and molecular dynamics. A big advantage of using atomistic simulations is that it enables the possibility to predict a priori the crystal structures of SIPs and to establish a posteriori the general rules for the formation of SIPs. In practice, this thesis employs state-of-art atomistic simulation approaches in order to bridge substrate-induced polymorphism with a conceptually-connected research area: the self-assembly of molecular networks (SAMNs), also called 2D crystallization. Unlike SIPs, which extend at least several molecular layers, SAMNs are composed of a single layer of molecules with ordered packing. Our simulations have enabled a more comprehensive understanding about the role of substrate during the formation of SIPs and we elucidate how the positional and orientational order of molecules propagates from the substrate to the upper 2D and even 3D crystal layers. In this way, a fundamental understanding of the substrate-induced crystallization is gained by connecting 2D and 3D crystallization using substrate-induced approaches.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:191758 Serial 7176  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Guo, A.; Bai, H.; Liang, Q.; Feng, L.; Su, X.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Wu, J. pdf  doi
openurl 
  Title Resistive switching in Ag₂Te semiconductor modulated by Ag+-ion diffusion and phase transition Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Advanced Electronic Materials Abbreviated Journal Adv Electron Mater  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages 2200850-2200858  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Memristors are considered to be the fourth circuit element and have great potential in areas like logic operations, information storage, and neuromorphic computing. The functional material in a memristor, which has a nonlinear resistance, is the key component to be developed. Herein, resistive switching is demonstrated and the structural evolutions in Ag2Te are examined under an external electric field. It is shown that the electroresistance effect is originating from an electronically triggered phase transition together with directional Ag+-ion diffusion. Using in situ transmission electron microscopy, the phase transition from the monoclinic alpha-Ag2Te into the face-centered cubic beta-Ag2Te, accompanied by a change in resistance, is directly observed. Diffusion of Ag+-ions modulates the localized density of Ag+-ion vacancies, leading to a change in electrical conductivity and influences the threshold voltage to trigger the phase transition. During the electric field-driven phase transition, the spontaneous and localized multiple polarizations from the low-symmetry alpha-Ag2Te (referring to an antiferroelectric structure) are vanishing in the cubic beta-Ag2Te (referring to a paraelectric structure). The abrupt resistance change of thin Ag2Te caused by the phase transition and modulated by the applied electric field demonstrates its great potential as functional material in volatile memory and memristors with a low-energy consumption.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000855728500001 Publication Date 2022-09-21  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2199-160x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 6.2 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: 6.2  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:190582 Serial 7203  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Pacquets, L. url  openurl
  Title Towards stable Cu-Ag bimetallic nanoparticles to boost the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2022 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages xvi, 188 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)  
  Abstract Ever since the industrial revolution, the emission of greenhouse gasses dramatically increased, resulting in high CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. The electrochemical conversion of CO2 to value added products, such as carbon monoxide, formic acid, methane, ethylene and ethanol is a very promising strategy to inhibit CO2 emissions. Nevertheless, at the moment, the electrochemical CO2 reduction (eCO2R) is not yet industrially viable, mainly due to the lack of good electrocatalysts. On the other hand, core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged over the last couple of years as promising candidates. It is believed that bimetallic enhancement effects are behind the improved performance of these core-shell NPs when compared to the individual metals. Although widely investigated, there are still some remaining issues and/or open questions. Indeed, the development of a robust and straightforward synthesis method along with fundamental insight into their resistance towards electrochemical stress remains absent. A good control over morphology, size and composition is key in determining which properties are beneficial for the eCO2R. Since these catalysts are designed to be implemented in electrolyzers, they have to maintain long-term performance. This makes the design of a reproducible method, unveiling structure-performance relationships the effect of electrochemical stress, a crucial aspect. Exploring and modifying existing synthesis methods, have led to the acquisition of a robust and reproducible synthesis method where thermal decomposition of the Cu core is combined with the galvanic replacement of Ag in organic solvents. The implementation of this method has led to the design of a wide variety of Cu-Ag bimetallic NPs and enabled to investigate their composition-selectivity profile. Introducing Ag on Cu suppressed hydrogen and increased the CO formation. CO production was boosted by using Cu@Ag core-shells and was promoted even more by changing the type of electrolyte. As these nanoparticles suffered from degradation, the 3D mapping of the structural changes of Cu@Ag core-shells under operating conditions led to the hypothesis of a two-step degradation mechanism where initially Cu leaching was observed with the subsequent sintering of the Ag shells. One approach to avoid this electrochemical degradation, investigated in this research, was the application of an ultrathin carbon layer to protect the active layer. This ultrathin carbon layer operated as a protective layer, suppressing hydrogen production and increasing the stability of the electrocatalyst. In conclusion, the product selectivity can be tuned by using different Cu-Ag bimetallic nanoparticles synthesized through a robust method. Their unique degradation pathway of Cu@Ag core-shell nanoparticles has led to the proposition of a more accurate stabilization strategy. These findings can contribute significantly in the quest for improved electrocatalysts for the eCO2R.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:190236 Serial 7221  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Batuk, M.; Vandemeulebroucke, D.; Ceretti, M.; Paulus, W.; Hadermann, J. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Topotactic redox cycling in SrFeO2.5+δ explored by 3D electron diffraction in different gas atmospheres Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2022 Publication Journal of materials chemistry A : materials for energy and sustainability Abbreviated Journal J Mater Chem A  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract For oxygen conducting materials applied in solid oxide fuel cells and chemical-looping processes, the understanding of the oxygen diffusion mechanism and the materials’ crystal structure at different stages of the redox reactions is a key parameter to control their performance. In this paper we report the first ever in situ 3D ED experiment in a gas environment and with it uncover the structure evolution of SrFeO2.5 as notably different from that reported from in situ X-ray and in situ neutron powder diffraction studies in gas environments. Using in situ 3D ED on submicron sized single crystals obtained from a high quality monodomain SrFeO2.5 single crystal , we observe the transformation under O2 flow of SrFeO2.5 with an intra- and interlayer ordering of the left and right twisted (FeO4) tetrahedral chains (space group Pcmb) into consecutively SrFeO2.75 with space group Cmmm (at 350°C, 33% O2) and SrFeO3-δ with space group Pm3 ̅m (at 400°C, 100% O2). Upon reduction in H2 flow, the crystals return to the brownmillerite structure with intralayer order, but without regaining the interlayer order of the pristine crystals. Therefore, redox cycling of SrFeO2.5 crystals in O2 and H2 introduces stacking faults into the structure, resulting in an I2/m(0βγ)0s symmetry with variable β.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000891928400001 Publication Date 0000-00-00  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2050-7488 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 11.9 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Financial support is acknowledged from the FWO-Hercules fund I003218N ‘Infrastructure for imaging nanoscale processes in gas/vapor or liquid environments’, from the University of Antwerp through grant BOF TOP 38689. This work was supported by the European Commission Horizon 2020 NanED grant number 956099. Financial support from the French National Research Agency (ANR) through the project “Structural induced Electronic Complexity controlled by low temperature Topotactic Reaction” (SECTOR No. ANR-14-CE36- 0006-01) is gratefully acknowledged. Approved Most recent IF: 11.9  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:192325 Serial 7229  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Wang, J.; Zhang, K.; Kavak, S.; Bals, S.; Meynen, V. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Modifying the Stöber Process: Is the Organic Solvent Indispensable? Type A1 Journal Article
  Year 2022 Publication Chemistry-A European Journal Abbreviated Journal Chem-Eur J  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal Article; Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT) ;  
  Abstract The Stöber method is one of the most important and fundamental processes for the synthesis of inorganic (nano)materials but has the drawback of using a large amount of organic solvent. Herein, ethanol was used as an example to explore if the organic solvent in a typical Stöber method can be omitted. It was found that ethanol increases the particle size of the obtained silica spheres and aids the formation of uniform silica particles rather than forming a gel. Nevertheless, the results indicated that an organic solvent in the initial synthesis mixture is not indispensable. An initially immiscible synthesis method was discovered, which can replace the organic solvent-based Stöber method to successfully synthesize silica particles with the same size ranges as the original Stöber process without addition of organic solvents. Moreover, this process can be of further value for the extension to synthesis processes of other materials based on the Stöber process.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000898283500001 Publication Date 2022-12-14  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0947-6539 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 4.3 Times cited 3 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes The authors are grateful to Alexander Vansant and Dr. Steven Mullens of VITO for their contributions to the DLS measurements in this paper. J.W acknowledges the State Scholarship funded by the China Scholarship Council (201806060123). K.Z acknowledges the EASiCHEM project funded by the Flemish Strategic Basic Research Program of the Catalisti cluster and Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (HBC.2018.0484). S.K acknowledges the Flemish Fund for Scientific Research (FWO Flanders) through a PhD research grant (1181122N). Approved Most recent IF: 4.3  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:191646 Serial 7233  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author De Backer, A.; Bals, S.; Van Aert, S. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title A decade of atom-counting in STEM: From the first results toward reliable 3D atomic models from a single projection Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Ultramicroscopy Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages 113702  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Quantitative structure determination is needed in order to study and understand nanomaterials at the atomic scale. Materials characterisation resulting in precise structural information is a crucial point to understand the structure–property relation of materials. Counting the number of atoms and retrieving the 3D atomic structure of nanoparticles plays an important role here. In this paper, an overview will be given of the atom-counting methodology and its applications over the past decade. The procedure to count the number of atoms will be discussed in detail and it will be shown how the performance of the method can be further improved. Furthermore, advances toward mixed element nanostructures, 3D atomic modelling based on the atom-counting results, and quantifying the nanoparticle dynamics will be highlighted.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000953765800001 Publication Date 2023-02-10  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0304-3991 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 2.2 Times cited 3 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes This work was supported by the European Research Council (Grant 770887 PICOMETRICS to S. Van Aert, Grant 815128 REALNANO to S. Bals, and Grant 823717 ESTEEM3). The authors acknowledge financial support from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO, Belgium) through project fundings (G.0267.18N, G.0502.18N, G.0346.21N, and EOS 30489208) and a postdoctoral grant to A. De Backer. S. Van Aert acknowledges funding from the University of Antwerp Research fund (BOF) . The authors also thank the colleagues who have contributed to this work over the years, including T. Altantzis, E. Arslan Irmak, K.J. Batenburg, E. Bladt, A. De wael, R. Erni, C. Faes, B. Goris, L. Jones, L.M. Liz-Marzán, I. Lobato, G.T. Martinez, P.D. Nellist, M.D. Rosell, A. Rosenauer, K.H.W. van den Bos, A. Varambhia, and Z. Zhang.; esteem3reported; esteem3JRA Approved Most recent IF: 2.2; 2023 IF: 2.843  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:195896 Serial 7236  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Marchetti, A.; Gori, A.; Ferretti, A.M.; Esteban, D.A.; Bals, S.; Pigliacelli, C.; Metrangolo, P. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Templated Out‐of‐Equilibrium Self‐Assembly of Branched Au Nanoshells Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Small Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages 2206712  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Out-of-equilibrium self-assembly of metal nanoparticles (NPs) has been devised using different types of strategies and fuels, but the achievement of finite 3D structures with a controlled morphology through this assembly mode is still rare. Here we used a spherical peptide-gold superstructure (PAuSS) as a template to control the out-of-equilibrium self-assembly of Au NPs, obtaining a transient 3D branched Au-nanoshell (BAuNS) stabilized by sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). The BAuNS dismantled upon concentration gradient equilibration over time in the solution, leading to NPs disassembly. Notably, BAuNS assembly and disassembly favoured temporary interparticle plasmonic coupling, leading to a remarkable oscillation of their optical properties.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000914725800001 Publication Date 2023-01-17  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1613-6810 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 13.3 Times cited 1 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes European Research Council, ERC‐2017‐PoC MINIRES 789815 ERC‐2012‐StG_20111012 FOLDHALO 307108 815128 ; Approved Most recent IF: 13.3; 2023 IF: 8.643  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:194299 Serial 7247  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Daele, K.V.; Arenas‐Esteban, D.; Choukroun, D.; Hoekx, S.; Rossen, A.; Daems, N.; Pant, D.; Bals, S.; Breugelmans, T. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Enhanced Pomegranate‐Structured SnO2Electrocatalysts for the Electrochemical CO2Reduction to Formate Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication ChemElectroChem Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)  
  Abstract Although most state-of-the-art Sn-based electrocatalysts yield promising results in terms of selectivity and catalyst activity, their stability remains insufficient to date. Here, we demonstrate the successful application of the recently developed pomegranate-structured SnO2 (Pom. SnO2) and SnO2@C (Pom. SnO2@C) nanocomposite electrocatalysts for the efficient electrochemical conversion of CO2 to formate. With an initial selectivity of 83 and 86% towards formate and an operating potential of -0.72 V and -0.64 V vs. RHE, respectively, these pomegranate SnO2 electrocatalysts are able to compete with most of the current state-of-the-art Sn-based electrocatalysts in terms of activity and selectivity. Given the importance of electrocatalyst stability, long-term experiments (24 h) were performed and a temporary loss in selectivity for the Pom. SnO2@C electrocatalyst was largely restored to its initial selectivity upon drying and exposure to air. Of all the used (24 h) electrocatalysts, the pomegranate SnO2@C had the highest selectivity over a time period of one hour, reaching an average recovered FE of 85%, while the commercial SnO2 and bare pomegranate SnO2 electrocatalysts reached an average of 79 and 80% FE towards formate, respectively. Furthermore, the pomegranate structure of Pom. SnO2@C was largely preserved due to the presence of the heterogeneous carbon shell, which acts as a protective layer, physically inhibiting particle segregation/pulverisation and agglomeration.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000936694800001 Publication Date 2023-02-15  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2196-0216 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record  
  Impact Factor 4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes European Regional Development Fund, E2C 2S03-019 ; Approved Most recent IF: 4; 2023 IF: 4.136  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:195228 Serial 7249  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author van der Sluijs, M.M.; Salzmann, B.B.V.; Arenas Esteban, D.; Li, C.; Jannis, D.; Brafine, L.C.; Laning, T.D.; Reinders, J.W.C.; Hijmans, N.S.A.; Moes, J.R.; Verbeeck, J.; Bals, S.; Vanmaekelbergh, D. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Study of the Mechanism and Increasing Crystallinity in the Self-Templated Growth of Ultrathin PbS Nanosheets Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Chemistry of materials Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Colloidal 2D semiconductor nanocrystals, the analogue of solid-state quantum wells, have attracted strong interest in material science and physics. Molar quantities of suspended quantum objects with spectrally pure absorption and emission can be synthesized. For the visible region, CdSe nanoplatelets with atomically precise thickness and tailorable emission have been (almost) perfected. For the near-infrared region, PbS nanosheets (NSs) hold strong promise, but the photoluminescence quantum yield is low and many questions on the crystallinity, atomic structure, intriguing rectangular shape, and formation mechanism remain to be answered. Here, we report on a detailed investigation of the PbS NSs prepared with a lead thiocyanate single source precursor. Atomically resolved HAADF-STEM imaging reveals the presence of defects and small cubic domains in the deformed orthorhombic PbS crystal lattice. Moreover, variations in thickness are observed in the NSs, but only in steps of 2 PbS monolayers. To study the reaction mechanism, a synthesis at a lower temperature allowed for the study of reaction intermediates. Specifically, we studied the evolution of pseudo-crystalline templates towards mature, crystalline PbS NSs. We propose a self-induced templating mechanism based on an oleylamine-lead-thiocyanate (OLAM-Pb-SCN) complex with two Pb-SCN units as a building block; the interactions between the long-chain ligands regulate the crystal structure and possibly the lateral dimensions.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000959572100001 Publication Date 2023-03-25  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0897-4756 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 8.6 Times cited 2 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes H2020 Research Infrastructures, 731019 ; H2020 European Research Council, 692691 815128 ; Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, 715.016.002 ; Approved Most recent IF: 8.6; 2023 IF: 9.466  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:195894 Serial 7255  
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Author de la Encarnación, C.; Jungwirth, F.; Vila-Liarte, D.; Renero-Lecuna, C.; Kavak, S.; Orue, I.; Wilhelm, C.; Bals, S.; Henriksen-Lacey, M.; Jimenez de Aberasturi, D.; Liz-Marzán, L.M. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Hybrid core–shell nanoparticles for cell-specific magnetic separation and photothermal heating Type A1 Journal article
  Year 2023 Publication Journal of materials chemistry B : materials for biology and medicine Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages  
  Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Hyperthermia, as the process of heating a malignant site above 42 °C to trigger cell death, has emerged as an effective and selective cancer therapy strategy. Various modalities of hyperthermia have been proposed, among which magnetic and photothermal hyperthermia are known to benefit from the use of nanomaterials. In this context, we introduce herein a hybrid colloidal nanostructure comprising plasmonic gold nanorods (AuNRs) covered by a silica shell, onto which iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) are subsequently grown. The resulting hybrid nanostructures are responsive to both external magnetic fields and near-infrared irradiation. As a result, they can be applied for the targeted magnetic separation of selected cell populations – upon targeting by antibody functionalization – as well as for photothermal heating. Through this combined functionality, the therapeutic effect of photothermal heating can be enhanced. We demonstrate both the fabrication of the hybrid system and its application for targeted photothermal hyperthermia of human glioblastoma cells.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos 000968908400001 Publication Date 2023-04-05  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2050-750X ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles  
  Impact Factor 7 Times cited 1 Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, PID2019-108854RA-I00 ; H2020 European Research Council, ERC AdG 787510, 4DBIOSERS ERC CoG 815128, REALNANO ; Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, PhD research grant 1181122N ; Approved Most recent IF: 7; 2023 IF: 4.543  
  Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:195879 Serial 7261  
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Author Penders, A.G. url  openurl
  Title Microstructural investigation of irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking mechanisms based on focused ion beam analysis of tested and industrial specimens Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2022 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages xxxviii, 226 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract Irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) is an intergranular cracking effect which can occur in heavily irradiated internal structural components of nuclear reactor cores. It is a complex phenomenon which is not yet fully understood because it occurs through an interplay of several material degradation processes. The factors that influence IASCC susceptibility include irradiation damage (neutrons and other irradiation particles stemming from the nuclear fission reaction), the operating temperature of the nuclear reactor, water corrosion, operating stresses, and the composition of materials susceptible to IASCC. Such materials are typically fabricated from austenitic stainless steels because of their relatively high strength, ductility, and fracture toughness. However, besides excellent metallurgical and corrosion resistant qualities, the operating conditions may still cause severe material degradation and component failure, which is extremely important for nuclear power plant safety and lifetime managements. Despite much accumulated data in the literature, both crack initiation and crack propagation mechanisms still need to be further elucidated. To that end, a probabilistic fracture model entitled the subcritical crack propagation (SCP) was recently developed, which assumes that the oxidized part of stainless steel in front of the crack plays an essential role in the crack initiation and crack propagation in sample failures. Still, despite a very good agreement with experimental observations, the SCP model but also other contemporary models favoured within the literature, require further experimental verification to what concerns the investigation of (IA)SCC. To that end, the main objective of this doctorate was to utilize experimental instrumentations like SEM, FIB-SEM and (S)TEM to conduct the investigation of the crack initiation and propagation processes in both tested and industrial specimens. Some of the investigated materials were retrieved within a nuclear reactor and are thus considered as unique test material to investigate the material degradation processes relevant for cracking. Other specimens were tailor-made to simulate the cracking processes of irradiated materials in otherwise un-irradiated materials. The newly acquired experimental results in this doctorate help rationalize existing models and methodologies used in the literature to analyse the IASCC failures of structural materials of reactor components. These results also facilitate in the development of predictive methodologies and mitigation strategies towards IASCC cracking and provide more information on IASCC from a microstructural perspective.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:192431 Serial 7323  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Kashiwar, A. url  doi
openurl 
  Title TEM investigations of deformation mechanisms in nanocrystalline metals and multilayered composites Type Doctoral thesis
  Year 2022 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume (down) Issue Pages xvi, 129 p.  
  Keywords Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)  
  Abstract In the last few decades, nanostructuring has driven significant attention towards the development of novel metallic materials with advanced mechanical properties. Nanocrystalline (nc) metals are a class of nanostructured materials with grain sizes smaller than about 100 nm. These exhibit outstanding mechanical strength and fatigue properties compared to their coarse-grained (cg) counterparts. These are promising candidates for application as structural or functional materials. Nc metals in the form of thin films are employed as hard coatings on bulk components, structural components, and conductive layers in various micro-/nanoscale devices. These structural components and devices are often subjected to cyclic stresses or fatigue loading. Under these cyclic stresses, nc metals tend to exhibit the Bauschinger effect (BE). The strength loss during the BE is of great importance concerning the strength-ductility trade-off in nc metals. Furthermore, contact surfaces of the engineering components in service often undergo relative motion and are subject to both friction and wear. These extreme loading conditions demand nc metals with tailored interfacial characteristics for improved tribological performance. Aiming at ensuring high reliability and mechanical robustness for optimum performance of these components, there has been a strong motivation for understanding the mechanical properties and governing deformation mechanisms in nc metallic materials. This thesis aimed at in-depth investigation of microstructures at micro-/nanoscales using state-of-the-art in situ and ex situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to develop a closer link between the deformation structure and underlying deformation mechanisms in some nc metallic materials. The thesis has primarily focused on the in situ TEM nanomechanics of the BE and rotational deformation of grains in nc palladium thin films. A sputtered thin film of nc Pd was deformed inside TEM by cyclic loading-unloading experiments and the evolving microstructure was studied in real-time under different TEM imaging modes. The stress-strain response of the film exhibited a characteristic non-linear unloading behavior confirming the BE in the film. The corresponding bright-field TEM imaging revealed evidence of partially reversible dislocation activity. Towards a quantitative understanding of the deformation structure in real-time, in situ nanomechanical testing was coupled with precession-assisted automated crystal orientation mapping in scanning TEM (ACOM-STEM). Global ACOM-STEM analysis offered crystal orientation of a large number of grains at different states of deformation and confirmed partially reversible rotations of nanosized grains fitting to the observed BE during loading and unloading. Analysis of intragranular rotations showed substantial changes in the sub-structure within most of these grains indicating a dominant role of dislocation-based processes in driving these rotations. Globally, an unusually random evolution of texture was seen that demonstrated the influence of deformation heterogeneity and grain interactions on the resulting texture characteristics in nc metals. In the quest of understanding the grain interactions, local investigations based on annular dark-field STEM imaging during loading-unloading showed reversible changes in the contrast of grains with sets of adjoining grains exhibiting a unique cooperative rotation. Local analysis of the density of geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) showed the formation of dislocation pile-up at grain boundaries due to the generation of back-stresses during unloading. Critical observations of the evolution of GND density offered greater insights into the mechanism of cooperative grain rotations and these rotations were related to grain structure and grain boundary characteristics. In addition to understanding the influence of grain structure and grain boundaries, the thesis has further investigated the role of heterointerfaces in sputtered Au-Cu and Cu-Cr nanocrystalline multilayered composites (NMCs) deformed under cyclic sliding contact. The microstructural evolution in the NMCs was investigated at different deformation states by classical TEM imaging, ACOM-STEM as well as energy-filtered TEM (EFTEM). Au-Cu NMC with an initial high density of twin boundaries deformed by stress-driven detwinning with a concurrent change in grain structure in both Au and Cu. The formation of a vortex structure was observed due to plastic flow instabilities at Au-Cu interfaces that led to codeformation and mechanical intermixing. Cu-Cr NMC showed a preferential grain growth in Cu layers whereas no noticeable change in the grain sizes was seen in Cr layers. The phase maps revealed sharp interfaces between Cu and Cr layers indicating no intermixing between the immiscible phases. EFTEM results exposed the cracking processes in Cr layers with a concurrent migration of Cu in the cracks. Overall, the thesis has attempted to analyze the competing deformation processes and relate these with the microstructural heterogeneity in terms of grain structure and GB and interfacial characteristics in nc metallic materials.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Wos Publication Date  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record  
  Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess  
  Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA  
  Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189013 Serial 7343  
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