|   | 
Details
   web
Records
Author Colla, M.-S.; Amin-Ahmadi, B.; Idrissi, H.; Malet, L.; Godet, S.; Raskin, J.-P.; Schryvers, D.; Pardoen, T.
Title Dislocation-mediated relaxation in nanograined columnar ​palladium films revealed by on-chip time-resolved HRTEM testing Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Nature communications Abbreviated Journal Nat Commun
Volume 6 Issue 6 Pages 5922
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract The high-rate sensitivity of nanostructured metallic materials demonstrated in the recent literature is related to the predominance of thermally activated deformation mechanisms favoured by a large density of internal interfaces. Here we report time-resolved high-resolution electron transmission microscopy creep tests on thin nanograined films using on-chip nanomechanical testing. Tests are performed on ​palladium, which exhibited unexpectedly large creep rates at room temperature. Despite the small 30-nm grain size, relaxation is found to be mediated by dislocation mechanisms. The dislocations interact with the growth nanotwins present in the grains, leading to a loss of coherency of twin boundaries. The density of stored dislocations first increases with applied deformation, and then decreases with time to drive additional deformation while no grain boundary mechanism is observed. This fast relaxation constitutes a key issue in the development of various micro- and nanotechnologies such as ​palladium membranes for hydrogen applications.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (down) 000348742300002 Publication Date 2015-01-05
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2041-1723; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 12.124 Times cited 34 Open Access
Notes Iap7/21; Fwo G012012n Approved Most recent IF: 12.124; 2015 IF: 11.470
Call Number c:irua:122045 Serial 731
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Galvan Moya, J.E.; Nelissen, K.; Peeters, F.M.
Title Structural ordering of self-assembled clusters with competing interactions : transition from faceted to spherical clusters Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Langmuir: the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids Abbreviated Journal Langmuir
Volume 31 Issue 31 Pages 917-924
Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Abstract The self-assembly of nanoparticles into clusters and the effect of the different parameters of the competing interaction potential on it are investigated. For a small number of particles, the structural organization of the clusters is almost unaffected by the attractive part of the potential, and for an intermediate number of particles the configuration strongly depends on the strength of it. The cluster size is controlled by the range of the interaction potential, and the structural arrangement is guided by the strength of the potential: i.e., the self-assembled cluster transforms from a faceted configuration at low strength to a spherical shell-like structure at high strength. Nonmonotonic behavior of the cluster size is found by increasing the interaction range. An approximate analytical expression is obtained that predicts the smallest cluster for a specific set of potential parameters. A Mendeleev-like table is constructed for different values of the strength and range of the attractive part of the potential in order to understand the structural ordering of the ground-state configuration of the self-assembled clusters.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor
Language Wos (down) 000348689700005 Publication Date 2014-12-30
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0743-7463;1520-5827; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.833 Times cited 4 Open Access
Notes ; This work was supported by the Flemish Science Foundation (FWO-Vl) and the Methusalem programme of the Flemish government. Computational resources were provided by the HPC infrastructure of the University of Antwerp (CalcUA), a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center (VSC). ; Approved Most recent IF: 3.833; 2015 IF: 4.457
Call Number c:irua:125292 Serial 3243
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author van der Stam, W.; Berends, A.C.; Rabouw, F.T.; Willhammar, T.; Ke, X.; Meeldijk, J.D.; Bals, S.; de Donega, C.M.
Title Luminescent CuInS2 quantum dots by partial cation exchange in Cu2-xS nanocrystals Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Chemistry of materials Abbreviated Journal Chem Mater
Volume 27 Issue 27 Pages 621-628
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Here, we show successful partial cation exchange reactions in Cu2-xS nanocrystals (NCs) yielding luminescent CuInS2 (CIS) NCs. Our approach of mild reaction conditions ensures slow Cu extraction rates, which results in a balance with the slow In incorporation rate. With this method, we obtain CIS NCs with photoluminescence (PL) far in the near-infrared (NIR), which cannot be directly synthesized by currently available synthesis protocols. We discuss the factors that favor partial, self-limited cation exchange from Cu2-xS to CIS NCs, rather than complete cation exchange to In2S3. The product CIS NCs have the wurtzite crystal structure, which is understood in terms of conservation of the hexagonal close packing of the anionic sublattice of the parent NCs into the product NCs. These results are an important step toward the design of CIS NCs with sizes and shapes that are not attainable by direct synthesis protocols and may thus impact a number of potential applications.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (down) 000348618400028 Publication Date 2014-12-29
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0897-4756;1520-5002; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 9.466 Times cited 119 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes 335078 Colouratom; 262348 Esmi; ECAS_Sara; (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 9.466; 2015 IF: 8.354
Call Number c:irua:125291 Serial 1858
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Sathiya, M.; Abakumov, A.M.; Foix, D.; Rousse, G.; Ramesha, K.; Saubanère, M.; Doublet, M. .; Vezin, H.; Laisa, C.P.; Prakash, A.S.; Gonbeau, D.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Tarascon, J.M.
Title Origin of voltage decay in high-capacity layered oxide electrodes Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Nature materials Abbreviated Journal Nat Mater
Volume 14 Issue 14 Pages 230-238
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Although Li-rich layered oxides (Li1+xNiyCozMn1−x−y−zO2 > 250 mAh g−1) are attractive electrode materials providing energy densities more than 15% higher than todays commercial Li-ion cells, they suffer from voltage decay on cycling. To elucidate the origin of this phenomenon, we employ chemical substitution in structurally related Li2RuO3 compounds. Li-rich layered Li2Ru1−yTiyO3 phases with capacities of ~240 mAh g−1 exhibit the characteristic voltage decay on cycling. A combination of transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies reveals that the migration of cations between metal layers and Li layers is an intrinsic feature of the chargedischarge process that increases the trapping of metal ions in interstitial tetrahedral sites. A correlation between these trapped ions and the voltage decay is established by expanding the study to both Li2Ru1−ySnyO3 and Li2RuO3; the slowest decay occurs for the cations with the largest ionic radii. This effect is robust, and the finding provides insights into new chemistry to be explored for developing high-capacity layered electrodes that evade voltage decay.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos (down) 000348600200024 Publication Date 2014-12-01
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1476-1122;1476-4660; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 39.737 Times cited 395 Open Access
Notes 246791 Countatoms; 312483 Esteem2; esteem2_ta Approved Most recent IF: 39.737; 2015 IF: 36.503
Call Number c:irua:132555 c:irua:132555 Serial 2528
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Zhang, L.-F.; Covaci, L.; Peeters, F.M.
Title Position-dependent effect of non-magnetic impurities on superconducting properties of nanowires Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Europhysics letters Abbreviated Journal Epl-Europhys Lett
Volume 109 Issue 109 Pages 17010
Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Abstract Anderson's theorem states that non-magnetic impurities do not change the bulk properties of conventional superconductors. However, as the dimensionality is reduced, the effect of impurities becomes more significant. Here we investigate superconducting nanowires with diameter comparable to the Fermi wavelength $\lambda_F$ (which is less than the superconducting coherence length) by using a microscopic description based on the Bogoliubov-de Gennes method. We find that: 1) impurities strongly affect the superconducting properties, 2) the effect is impurity position dependent, and 3) it exhibits opposite behavior for resonant and off-resonant wire widths. We show that this is due to the interplay between the shape resonances of the order parameter and the subband energy spectrum induced by the lateral quantum confinement. These effects can be used to manipulate the Josephson current, filter electrons by subband and investigate the symmetries of the superconducting subband gaps.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Paris Editor
Language Wos (down) 000348592100029 Publication Date 2015-01-21
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0295-5075 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.957 Times cited 7 Open Access
Notes ; This work was supported by the Flemish Science Foundation (FWO-Vlaanderen) and the Methusalem funding of the Flemish Government. ; Approved Most recent IF: 1.957; 2015 IF: 2.095
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:128424 Serial 4227
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Zhang, L.-F.; Covaci, L.; Peeters, F.M.
Title Tomasch effect in nanoscale superconductors Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Physical review : B : condensed matter and materials physics Abbreviated Journal Phys Rev B
Volume 91 Issue 91 Pages 024508
Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Abstract The Tomasch effect (TE) is due to quasiparticle interference (QPI) as induced by a nonuniform superconducting order parameter, which results in oscillations in the density of states (DOS) at energies above the superconducting gap. Quantum confinement in nanoscale superconductors leads to an inhomogenerous distribution of the Cooperpair condensate, which, as we found, triggers the manifestation of a new TE. We investigate the electronic structure of nanoscale superconductors by solving the Bogoliubov-de Gennes (BdG) equations self-consistently and describe the TE determined by two types of processes, involving two-or three-subband QPIs. Both types of QPIs result in additional BCS-like Bogoliubov-quasiparticles and BCS-like energy gaps leading to oscillations in the DOS and modulated wave patterns in the local density of states. These effects are strongly related to the symmetries of the system. A reduced 4 x 4 inter-subband BdG Hamiltonian is established in order to describe analytically the TE of two-subband QPIs. Our study is relevant to nanoscale superconductors, either nanowires or thin films, Bose-Einsten condensates, and confined systems such as two-dimensional electron gas interface superconductivity.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Lancaster, Pa Editor
Language Wos (down) 000348473700003 Publication Date 2015-01-16
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1098-0121;1550-235X; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.836 Times cited 6 Open Access
Notes ; This work was supported by the Flemish Science Foundation (FWO-Vlaanderen) and the Methusalem funding of the Flemish Government. ; Approved Most recent IF: 3.836; 2015 IF: 3.736
Call Number c:irua:123864 Serial 3670
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Kolev, S.; Bogaerts, A.
Title A 2D model for a gliding arc discharge Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Plasma sources science and technology Abbreviated Journal Plasma Sources Sci T
Volume 24 Issue 24 Pages 015025
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract In this study we report on a 2D fluid model of a gliding arc discharge in argon. Despite the 3D nature of the discharge, 2D models are found to be capable of providing very useful information about the operation of the discharge. We employ two modelsan axisymmetric and a Cartesian one. We show that for the considered experiment and the conditions of a low current arc (around 30 mA) in argon, there is no significant heating of the cathode surface and the discharge is sustained by field electron emission from the cathode accompanied by the formation of a cathode spot. The obtained discharge power and voltage are relatively sensitive to the surface properties and particularly to the surface roughness, causing effectively an amplification of the normal electric field. The arc body and anode region are not influenced by this and depend mainly on the current value. The gliding of the arc is modelled by means of a 2D Cartesian model. The arcelectrode contact points are analysed and the gliding mechanism along the electrode surface is discussed. Following experimental observations, the cathode spot is simulated as jumping from one point to another. A complete arc cycle is modelled from initial ignition to arc decay. The results show that there is no interaction between the successive gliding arcs.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Institute of Physics Place of Publication Bristol Editor
Language Wos (down) 000348298200026 Publication Date 2014-12-23
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0963-0252;1361-6595; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.302 Times cited 34 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.302; 2015 IF: 3.591
Call Number c:irua:122538 c:irua:122538 c:irua:122538 c:irua:122538 Serial 3
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Kozák, T.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Evaluation of the energy efficiency of CO2 conversion in microwave discharges using a reaction kinetics model Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Plasma sources science and technology Abbreviated Journal Plasma Sources Sci T
Volume 24 Issue 24 Pages 015024
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract We use a zero-dimensional reaction kinetics model to simulate CO2 conversion in microwave discharges where the excitation of the vibrational levels plays a significant role in the dissociation kinetics. The model includes a description of the CO2 vibrational kinetics, taking into account state-specific VT and VV relaxation reactions and the effect of vibrational excitation on other chemical reactions. The model is used to simulate a general tubular microwave reactor, where a stream of CO2 flows through a plasma column generated by microwave radiation. We study the effects of the internal plasma parameters, namely the reduced electric field, electron density and the total specific energy input, on the CO2 conversion and its energy efficiency. We report the highest energy efficiency (up to 30%) for a specific energy input in the range 0.41.0 eV/molecule and a reduced electric field in the range 50100 Td and for high values of the electron density (an ionization degree greater than 10−5). The energy efficiency is mainly limited by the VT relaxation which contributes dominantly to the vibrational energy losses and also contributes significantly to the heating of the reacting gas. The model analysis provides useful insight into the potential and limitations of CO2 conversion in microwave discharges.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Institute of Physics Place of Publication Bristol Editor
Language Wos (down) 000348298200025 Publication Date 2014-12-23
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0963-0252;1361-6595; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.302 Times cited 100 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.302; 2015 IF: 3.591
Call Number c:irua:122243 Serial 1087
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Euan-Diaz, E.; Herrera-Velarde, S.; Misko, V.R.; Peeters, F.M.; Castaneda-Priego, R.
Title Structural transitions and long-time self-diffusion of interacting colloids confined by a parabolic potential Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication The journal of chemical physics Abbreviated Journal J Chem Phys
Volume 142 Issue 142 Pages 024902
Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Abstract We report on the ordering and dynamics of interacting colloidal particles confined by a parabolic potential. By means of Brownian dynamics simulations, we find that by varying the magnitude of the trap stiffness, it is possible to control the dimension of the system and, thus, explore both the structural transitions and the long-time self-diffusion coefficient as a function of the degree of confinement. We particularly study the structural ordering in the directions perpendicular and parallel to the confinement. Further analysis of the local distribution of the first-neighbors layer allows us to identify the different structural phases induced by the parabolic potential. These results are summarized in a structural state diagram that describes the way in which the colloidal suspension undergoes a structural re-ordering while increasing the confinement. To fully understand the particle dynamics, we take into account hydrodynamic interactions between colloids; the parabolic potential constricts the available space for the colloids, but it does not act on the solvent. Our findings show a non-linear behavior of the long-time self-diffusion coefficient that is associated to the structural transitions induced by the external field. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication New York, N.Y. Editor
Language Wos (down) 000348129700053 Publication Date 2015-01-10
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0021-9606;1089-7690; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.965 Times cited 7 Open Access
Notes ; This work was partially supported by the “Odysseus” Program of the Flemish Government, the Flemish Science Foundation (FWO-Vl), PIFI 3.4 – PROMEP, and CONACyT (Grant Nos. 61418/2007, 102339/2008, Ph.D. scholarship 230171/2010). R.C.-P. also acknowledges financial support provided by the Marcos Moshinsky fellowship 2013-2014. The authors also thank to the General Coordination of Information and Communications Technologies (CGSTIC) at Cinvestav for providing HPC resources on the Hybrid Cluster Super-computer Xiuhcoatl, which have contributed partially to the research results reported in this paper. ; Approved Most recent IF: 2.965; 2015 IF: 2.952
Call Number c:irua:123832 Serial 3267
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author van der Stam, W.; Akkerman, Q.A.; Ke, X.; van Huis, M.A.; Bals, S.; de Donega, C.M.
Title Solution-processable ultrathin size- and shape-controlled colloidal Cu2-xS nanosheets Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Chemistry of materials Abbreviated Journal Chem Mater
Volume 27 Issue 27 Pages 283-291
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets (NSs) possess extraordinary properties that are attractive for both fundamental studies and technological devices. Solution-based bottom-up methods are emerging as promising routes to produce free-standing NSs, but the synthesis of colloidal NSs with well-defined size and shape has remained a major challenge. In this work, we report a novel method that yields 2 nm thick colloidal Cu2-xS NSs with well-defined shape (triangular or hexagonal) and size (100 nm to 3 mu m). The key feature of our approach is the use of a synergistic interaction between halides (Br or Cl) and copper-thiolate metal-organic frameworks to create a template that imposes 2D constraints on the Cu-catalyzed C-S thermolysis, resulting in nucleation and growth of colloidal 2D Cu2-xS NSs. Moreover, the NS composition can be postsynthetically tailored by exploiting topotactic cation exchange reactions. This is illustrated by converting the Cu2-xS NSs into ZnS and CdS NSs while preserving their size and shape. The method presented here thus holds great promise as a route to solution-processable compositionally diverse ultrathin colloidal NSs with well-defined shape and size.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (down) 000348085300036 Publication Date 2014-12-04
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0897-4756;1520-5002; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 9.466 Times cited 68 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes 335078 Colouratom; 246791 Countatoms; 312483 Esteem2; esteem2ta; ECASSara; (ROMEO:white; preprint:; postprint:restricted 12 months embargo; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 9.466; 2015 IF: 8.354
Call Number c:irua:123865 c:irua:123865 Serial 3052
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author van Dyck, D.; Lobato, I.; Chen, F.-R.; Kisielowski, C.
Title Do you believe that atoms stay in place when you observe them in HREM? Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Micron Abbreviated Journal Micron
Volume 68 Issue 68 Pages 158-163
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Vision lab
Abstract Recent advancements in aberration-corrected electron microscopy allow for an evaluation of unexpectedly large atom displacements beyond a resolution limit of similar to 0.5 angstrom, which are found to be dose-rate dependent in high resolution images. In this paper we outline a consistent description of the electron scattering process, which explains these unexpected phenomena. Our approach links thermal diffuse scattering to electron beam-induced object excitation and relaxation processes, which strongly contribute to the image formation process. The effect can provide an explanation for the well-known contrast mismatch (“Stobbs factor”) between image calculations and experiments. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Oxford Editor
Language Wos (down) 000348016500023 Publication Date 2014-09-16
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0968-4328; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.98 Times cited 11 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 1.98; 2015 IF: 1.988
Call Number c:irua:123802 Serial 745
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Kirilenko, D.A.; Dideykin, A.T.; Aleksenskiy, A.E.; Sitnikova, A.A.; Konnikov, S.G.; Vul', A.Y.
Title One-step synthesis of a suspended ultrathin graphene oxide film: Application in transmission electron microscopy Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Micron Abbreviated Journal Micron
Volume 68 Issue 68 Pages 23-26
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Ultrathin graphene films find their use as advantageous support for nano- and biomaterials investigations. Thin film causes a very slight deterioration to measured signals, thus providing more details of the object's structure at nanoscale. The ultimate thinness of graphene works in the best way for this purpose. However, obtaining suspended thin film of a large-area, which is convenient for applications, is often a relatively complicated and time-consuming task. Here we present a one-step 1-min technique for synthesis of an extremely thin (about 1-2 nm) continuous film suspended over cells of a conventional copper grid (50-400 mu m mesh). This technique enables us to acquire a large-area film which is water-resistant, stable in organic solvents and can act as a support when studying nanoparticles or biomaterials. Moreover, the very mechanism of the film formation can be interesting from the point of view of other applications of ultrathin graphene oxide papers. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Oxford Editor
Language Wos (down) 000348016500004 Publication Date 2014-08-30
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0968-4328; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.98 Times cited 13 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 1.98; 2015 IF: 1.988
Call Number c:irua:123800 Serial 2467
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Gul, B.; Tinck, S.; De Schepper, P.; Aman-ur-Rehman; Bogaerts, A.
Title Numerical investigation of HBr/He transformer coupled plasmas used for silicon etching Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Journal of physics: D: applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Phys D Appl Phys
Volume 48 Issue 48 Pages 025202
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract A two-dimensional hybrid Monte Carlofluid model is applied to study HBr/He inductively coupled plasmas used for etching of Si. Complete sets of gas-phase and surface reactions are presented and the effects of the gas mixing ratio on the plasma characteristics and on the etch rates are discussed. A comparison with experimentally measured etch rates is made to validate the modelling results. The etch rate in the HBr plasma is found to be quite low under the investigated conditions compared to typical etch rates of Si with F- or Cl-containing gases. This allows for a higher control and fine-tuning of the etch rate when creating ultra-small features. Our calculations predict a higher electron temperature at higher He fraction, because the electrons do not lose their energy so efficiently in vibrational and rotational excitations. As a consequence, electron impact ionization and dissociation become more important, yielding higher densities of ions, electrons and H atoms. This results in more pronounced sputtering of the surface. Nevertheless, the overall etch rate decreases upon increasing He fraction, suggesting that chemical etching is still the determining factor for the overall etch rate.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos (down) 000347980100011 Publication Date 2014-12-10
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727;1361-6463; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 7 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2015 IF: 2.721
Call Number c:irua:121335 Serial 2394
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Dumpala, S.; Broderick, S.R.; Khalilov, U.; Neyts, E.C.; van Duin, A.C.T.; Provine, J.; Howe, R.T.; Rajan, K.
Title Integrated atomistic chemical imaging and reactive force field molecular dynamic simulations on silicon oxidation Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Applied physics letters Abbreviated Journal Appl Phys Lett
Volume 106 Issue 106 Pages 011602
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract In this paper, we quantitatively investigate with atom probe tomography, the effect of temperature on the interfacial transition layer suboxide species due to the thermal oxidation of silicon. The chemistry at the interface was measured with atomic scale resolution, and the changes in chemistry and intermixing at the interface were identified on a nanometer scale. We find an increase of suboxide (SiOx) concentration relative to SiO2 and increased oxygen ingress with elevated temperatures. Our experimental findings are in agreement with reactive force field molecular dynamics simulations. This work demonstrates the direct comparison between atom probe derived chemical profiles and atomistic-scale simulations for transitional interfacial layer of suboxides as a function of temperature.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher American Institute of Physics Place of Publication New York, N.Y. Editor
Language Wos (down) 000347976900008 Publication Date 2015-01-06
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0003-6951;1077-3118; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.411 Times cited 19 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.411; 2015 IF: 3.302
Call Number c:irua:122300 Serial 1679
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Sarmadian, N.; Saniz, R.; Partoens, B.; Lamoen, D.
Title Ab initio study of shallow acceptors in bixbyite V2O3 Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Journal of applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Appl Phys
Volume 117 Issue 117 Pages 015703
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Abstract We present the results of our study on p-type dopability of bixbyite V2O3 using the Heyd, Scuseria, and Ernzerhof hybrid functional (HSE06) within the density functional theory (DFT) formalism. We study vanadium and oxygen vacancies as intrinsic defects and substitutional Mg, Sc, and Y as extrinsic defects. We find that Mg substituting V acts as a shallow acceptor, and that oxygen vacancies are electrically neutral. Hence, we predict Mg-doped V2O3 to be a p-type conductor. Our results also show that vanadium vacancies are relatively shallow, with a binding energy of 0.14 eV, so that they might also lead to p-type conductivity.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher American Institute of Physics Place of Publication New York, N.Y. Editor
Language Wos (down) 000347958600067 Publication Date 2015-01-05
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0021-8979;1089-7550; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.068 Times cited 3 Open Access
Notes FWO G015013; Hercules Approved Most recent IF: 2.068; 2015 IF: 2.183
Call Number c:irua:122728 Serial 35
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Bekaert, J.; Saniz, R.; Partoens, B.; Lamoen, D.
Title First-principles study of carbon impurities in CuInSe2 and CuGaSe2, present in non-vacuum synthesis methods Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Journal of applied physics Abbreviated Journal J Appl Phys
Volume 117 Issue 117 Pages 015104
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Abstract A first-principles study of the structural and electronic properties of carbon impurities in CuInSe2 and CuGaSe2 is presented. Carbon is present in organic molecules in the precursor solutions used in non-vacuum growth methods for CuInSe2 and CuGaSe2 based photovoltaic cells. These growth methods make more efficient use of material, time, and energy than traditional vacuum methods. The formation energies of several carbon impurities are calculated using the hybrid HSE06 functional. C Cu acts as a shallow donor, CIn and interstitial C yield deep donor levels in CuInSe2, while in CuGaSe2 CGa and interstitial C act as deep amphoteric defects. So, these defects reduce the majority carrier (hole) concentration in p-type CuInSe2 and CuGaSe2 by compensating the acceptor levels. The deep defects are likely to act as recombination centers for the photogenerated charge carriers and are thus detrimental for the performance of the photovoltaic cells. On the other hand, the formation energies of the carbon impurities are high, even under C-rich growth conditions. Thus, few C impurities will form in CuInSe2 and CuGaSe2 in thermodynamic equilibrium. However, the deposition of the precursor solution in non-vacuum growth methods presents conditions far from thermodynamic equilibrium. In this case, our calculations show that C impurities formed in non-equilibrium tend to segregate from CuInSe2 and CuGaSe2 by approaching thermodynamic equilibrium, e.g., via thorough annealing.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher American Institute of Physics Place of Publication New York, N.Y. Editor
Language Wos (down) 000347958600055 Publication Date 2015-01-07
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0021-8979;1089-7550; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.068 Times cited 6 Open Access
Notes FWO G015013; Hercules Approved Most recent IF: 2.068; 2015 IF: 2.183
Call Number c:irua:122064 Serial 1215
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Singh, S.K.; Neek-Amal, M.; Costamagna, S.; Peeters, F.M.
Title Rippling, buckling, and melting of single- and multilayer MoS2 Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Physical Review B Abbreviated Journal Phys Rev B
Volume 91 Issue 91 Pages 014101
Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Abstract Large-scale atomistic simulations using the reactive empirical bond order force field approach is implemented to investigate thermal and mechanical properties of single-layer (SL) and multilayer (ML) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). The amplitude of the intrinsic ripples of SL MoS2 are found to be smaller than those exhibited by graphene (GE). Furthermore, because of the van der Waals interaction between layers, the out-of-plane thermal fluctuations of ML MoS2 decreases rapidly with increasing number of layers. This trend is confirmed by the buckling transition due to uniaxial stress which occurs for a significantly larger applied tension as compared to graphene. For SL MoS2, the melting temperature is estimated to be 3700 K which occurs through dimerization followed by the formation of small molecules consisting of two to five atoms. When different types of vacancies are inserted in the SL MoS2 it results in a decrease of both the melting temperature as well as the stiffness.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Lancaster, Pa Editor
Language Wos (down) 000347921300001 Publication Date 2015-01-05
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1098-0121;1550-235X; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.836 Times cited 40 Open Access
Notes ; This work is supported by the ESF-Eurographene project CONGRAN, the Flemish Science Foundation (FWO-VI), and the Methusalem Foundation of the Flemish Government. We acknowledge funding from the FWO (Belgium)-MINCyT (Argentina) collaborative research project. We would like to thanks Prof. Douglas E. Spearot [26] for giving us the implemented parameters of Mo-S in LAMMPS. ; Approved Most recent IF: 3.836; 2015 IF: 3.736
Call Number c:irua:123834 Serial 2909
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Trashin, S.; De Jong, M.; Breugelmans, T.; Pilehvar, S.; De Wael, K.
Title Label-free impedance aptasensor for major peanut allergen Ara h 1 Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Electroanalysis Abbreviated Journal
Volume 27 Issue 1 Pages 32-37
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation); Applied Electrochemistry & Catalysis (ELCAT)
Abstract The peanut allergen Ara h 1 belonging to the vicilin family of seed storage proteins is known to be a suitable marker for peanut detection in foods. In the present work, we suggest an electrochemical detection of Ara h 1 using a recently selected 80-base DNA aptamer. The detection strategy relies on insulation effect of a bulky protein captured by an immobilized aptamer. The electrodes were modified by the aptamer and characterized using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The aptamer surface density and analytical parameters of the calibration curves for Ara h 1 were compared with the system prepared with thrombin binding aptamer (TBA) and operated in the same conditions.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (down) 000347838300004 Publication Date 2014-10-13
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 10 Open Access
Notes ; ST greatly appreciates the Research Council University of Antwerp (IWS BOF UA) for funding the post-doctoral fellowship. ; Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:119442 Serial 5686
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Hai, G.-Q.; Peeters, F.M.
Title Hamiltonian of a many-electron system with single-electron and electron-pair states in a two-dimensional periodic potential Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication European physical journal : B : condensed matter and complex systems Abbreviated Journal Eur Phys J B
Volume 88 Issue 88 Pages 20
Keywords A1 Journal article; Condensed Matter Theory (CMT)
Abstract Based on the metastable electron-pair energy band in a two-dimensional (2D) periodic potential obtained previously by Hai and Castelano [J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 26, 115502 (2014)], we present in this work a Hamiltonian of many electrons consisting of single electrons and electron pairs in the 2D system. The electron-pair states are metastable of energies higher than those of the single-electron states at low electron density. We assume two different scenarios for the single-electron band. When it is considered as the lowest conduction band of a crystal, we compare the obtained Hamiltonian with the phenomenological model Hamiltonian of a boson-fermion mixture proposed by Friedberg and Lee [Phys. Rev. B 40, 6745 (1989)]. Single-electron-electron-pair and electron-pair-electron-pair interaction terms appear in our Hamiltonian and the interaction potentials can be determined from the electron-electron Coulomb interactions. When we consider the single-electron band as the highest valence band of a crystal, we show that holes in this valence band are important for stabilization of the electron-pair states in the system.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Berlin Editor
Language Wos (down) 000347776800005 Publication Date 2015-01-10
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1434-6028;1434-6036; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.461 Times cited 2 Open Access
Notes ; This work was supported by FAPESP and CNPq (Brazil). ; Approved Most recent IF: 1.461; 2015 IF: 1.345
Call Number c:irua:125317 Serial 1406
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Kuppens, T.; Van Dael, M.; Vanreppelen, K.; Thewys, T.; Yperman, J.; Carleer, R.; Schreurs, S.; Van Passel, S.
Title Techno-economic assessment of fast pyrolysis for the valorization of short rotation coppice cultivated for phytoextraction Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Journal Of Cleaner Production Abbreviated Journal J Clean Prod
Volume 88 Issue Pages 336-344
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering Management (ENM)
Abstract The main barrier in the commercialization of phytoextraction as a sustainable alternative for remediating metal contaminated soils is its long time period, which can be countered by biomass valorization. From an environmental point of view, fast pyrolysis of the biomass is promising because its lower process temperature prevents metal volatilization. The remaining question is whether fast pyrolysis is also preferred from an economic point of view. Therefore, a techno-economic assessment of fast pyrolysis has been performed for a case study in the Campine region in Belgium. For this region, willow trees cultivated in short rotation have the right characteristics to serve as a phytoextracting crop. A techno-economic assessment requires by definition a multidisciplinary approach. The problem statement urges for a focus on the economic profitability from the viewpoint of an investor, including economic risk analysis. Fast pyrolysis seems more profitable than gasification. The profit is dependent on the scale of operation, the policy support (subsidies) and the oil yield. The economic risk can be reduced by increasing the scale of operation by means of complementing feedstocks, and by valorization of the char byproduct by subsequent processing to activated carbon. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (down) 000347771100036 Publication Date 2014-07-19
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0959-6526 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 5.715 Times cited 36 Open Access
Notes ; ; Approved Most recent IF: 5.715; 2015 IF: 3.844
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:127539 Serial 6264
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Maes, D.; Van Dael, M.; Vanheusden, B.; Goovaerts, L.; Reumerman, P.; Luzardo, N.M.; Van Passel, S.
Title Assessment of the sustainability guidelines of EU Renewable Energy Directive : the case of biorefineries Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Journal Of Cleaner Production Abbreviated Journal J Clean Prod
Volume 88 Issue Pages 61-70
Keywords A1 Journal article; Economics; Engineering Management (ENM)
Abstract Sustainability guidelines can help to safeguard the sustainable use of biological materials. When these guidelines are legally prescribed, their influence on the economic viability of bioenergy, biofuel and bioliquid projects is increased substantially, through their impact on national subsidy regimes and international trade. One of the key examples is the European directive 2009/28/EC, or the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), and the related COM/2010/11 that integrate guidelines for calculating greenhouse gas impact for various bioenergy pathways. This paper looks further into the sustainability results when influenced by principal decisions that are legally open for debate. Therefore, a concise review is conducted of the legal state-of-the-art on whether a product is waste or not. The review pinpoints uncertainty, leading to four potential legal scenarios. The sustainability of a complex biorefinery is analysed for each scenario. The results show (i) a high sensitivity to the principal decisions on the nature of waste materials in the scenarios, and (ii) to the definition of boundaries between the processes. More detailed rules for the application of the RED guidelines are needed, and should be complemented with methods specifically targeting all relevant sustainability aspects, thereby enhancing the overall understanding of the sustainability of the process. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (down) 000347771100007 Publication Date 2014-04-30
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0959-6526 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 5.715 Times cited 25 Open Access
Notes ; We would like to thank the editor and the anonymous referees for their helpful suggestions and insightful comments that have significantly improved the paper. The 'Energy Conversion Parks' (ECP) project is funded as Project nr IVA-VLANED-2.39 by the Interreg IVa-Flanders-Netherlands program from the European Fund for Regional Development that stimulates cross border projects. Also the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Flemish Government, the Provinces of Noord-Brabant (NL), Zeeland (NL), Limburg (BE) and the partners (VITO, Avans University of Applied Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Hasselt University, and Zeeland University of Applied Sciences) themselves are co-financing the project. Finally, we would like to express our gratitude towards the organization of the eighth Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment systems in Dubrovnik (Croatia) for giving us the opportunity to present and thereby fine-tune our work. ; Approved Most recent IF: 5.715; 2015 IF: 3.844
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:127538 Serial 6157
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Adam, N.; Leroux, F.; Knapen, D.; Bals, S.; Blust, R.
Title The uptake and elimination of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles in Daphnia magna under chronic exposure scenarios Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Water research Abbreviated Journal Water Res
Volume 68 Issue 68 Pages 249-261
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Veterinary physiology and biochemistry
Abstract In this study, the uptake and elimination of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles in Daphnia magna was tested. Daphnids were exposed during 10 days to sublethal concentrations of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles and corresponding metal salts (ZnCl2 and CuCl2.2H2O), after which they were transferred to unexposed medium for another 10 days. At different times during the exposure and none-exposure, the total and internal zinc or copper concentration of the daphnids was determined and the nanoparticles were localized in the organism using electron microscopy. The exposure concentrations were characterized by measuring the dissolved, nanoparticle and aggregated fraction in the medium. The results showed that the ZnO nanoparticles quickly dissolved after addition to the medium. Contrarily, only a small fraction (corresponding to the dissolved metal salt) of the CuO nanoparticles dissolved, while most of these nanoparticles formed large aggregates. Despite an initial increase in zinc and copper concentration during the first 48 hour to 5 day exposure, the body concentration reached a plateau level that was comparable for the ZnO nanoparticles and ZnCl2, but much higher for the CuO nanoparticles (with visible aggregates accumulating in the gut) than CuCl2.2H2O. During the remaining exposure and subsequent none-exposure phase, the zinc and copper concentration decreased fast to concentrations comparable with the unexposed daphnids. The results indicate that D. magna can regulate its internal zinc and copper concentration after exposure to ZnO and CuO nanoparticles, similar as after exposure to metal salts. The combined dissolution, accumulation and toxicity results confirm that the toxicity of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles is caused by the dissolved fraction. Keywords nano; zinc; copper; dissolution; aggregation; electron microscopy
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Oxford Editor
Language Wos (down) 000347756900022 Publication Date 2014-10-14
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0043-1354; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 6.942 Times cited 51 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes ; The authors would like to thank Valentine Mubiana and Steven Joosen (Sphere, UA) for performing the ICP-MS and ICP-OES measurements and Prof. Dr. Gustaaf Van Tendeloo for making the collaboration between the EMAT and Sphere group possible. This study is part of the ENNSATOX-project, which was funded by the EU (NMP4-SL-2009-229244). The authors report no conflicts of interest. ; Approved Most recent IF: 6.942; 2015 IF: 5.528
Call Number c:irua:119366 c:irua:119366 Serial 3822
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Verbruggen, S.W.; Lenaerts, S.; Denys, S.
Title Analytic versus CFD approach for kinetic modeling of gas phase photocatalysis Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Chemical engineering journal Abbreviated Journal Chem Eng J
Volume 262 Issue Pages 1-8
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract In this work two methods for determining the LangmuirHinshelwood kinetic parameters for a slit-shaped flat bed photocatalytic reactor are compared: an analytic mass transfer based model adapted from literature and a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach that was used in conjunction with a simplex optimization routine. Despite the differences between both approaches, similar values for the kinetic parameters and similar trends in terms of their UV intensity dependence were found. Using an effectiveness-NTU (number of transfer units) approach, the analytic mass transfer based method could quantify the relative contributions of the rate limiting steps through a reaction effectiveness parameter. The numeric CFD approach on the other hand could yield the two kinetic parameters that determine the photocatalytic reaction rate simultaneously. Furthermore, it proved to be more accurate as it accounts for the spatial variation of flow rate, reaction rate and concentrations at the surface of the photocatalyst. We elaborate this dual kinetic analysis with regard to the photocatalytic degradation of acetaldehyde in air over a silicon wafer coated with a layer of TiO2 P25 (Evonik) and study the usefulness and limitations of both strategies.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (down) 000347577700001 Publication Date 2014-09-28
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1385-8947; 1873-3212 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 6.216 Times cited 30 Open Access
Notes ; S.W.V. acknowledges the Research Foundation of Flanders (FWO) for financial support. ; Approved Most recent IF: 6.216; 2015 IF: 4.321
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:119724 Serial 5927
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Anaf, W.; Bencs, L.; Van Grieken, R.; Janssens, K.; De Wael, K.
Title Indoor particulate matter in four Belgian heritage sites : case studies on the deposition of dark-colored and hygroscopic particles Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication The science of the total environment Abbreviated Journal Sci Total Environ
Volume 506 Issue Pages 361-368
Keywords A1 Journal article; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation)
Abstract Atmospheric total suspended particulate (TSP) was passively sampled by means of deployed horizontal and vertical filters in various rooms of four Belgian cultural heritage buildings, installed with various heating/ventilation systems. Soiling/blackening and deposition of inorganic, water-soluble aerosol components were considered. The extent of soiling was determined by means of two independent methods: (1) in terms of the covering rate of the samplers by optical reflection microscopy and (2) the reduction in lightness of the samplers using the CIE L*a*b* color space by spectrophotometry. A fairly good correlation was found between both methods. The inorganic composition of the deposited water-soluble TSP was quantified by means of ion chromatography. Compared to controlled environments, uncontrolled environments showed increased water-soluble aerosol content of the total deposited mass. Higher chloride deposition was observed on horizontal surfaces, compared to vertical surfaces.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (down) 000347576800039 Publication Date 2014-11-24
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0048-9697 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.9 Times cited 12 Open Access
Notes ; ; Approved Most recent IF: 4.9; 2015 IF: 4.099
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:120640 Serial 5662
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Rossi, F.; Olguin, E.J.; Diels, L.; De Philippis, R.
Title Microbial fixation of CO2 in water bodies and in drylands to combat climate change, soil loss and desertification Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication New biotechnology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 32 Issue 1 Pages 109-120
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract The growing concern for the increase of the global warming effects due to anthropogenic activities raises the challenge of finding novel technological approaches to stabilize CO2 emissions in the atmosphere and counteract impinging interconnected issues such as desertification and loss of biodiversity. Biological-CO2 mitigation, triggered through biological fixation, is considered a promising and eco-sustainable method, mostly owing to its downstream benefits that can be exploited. Microorganisms such as cyanobacteria, green algae and some autotrophic bacteria could potentially fix CO2 more efficiently than higher plants, due to their faster growth. Some examples of the potential of biological-CO2 mitigation are reported and discussed in this paper. In arid and semiarid environments, soil carbon sequestration (CO2 fixation) by cyanobacteria and biological soil crusts is considered an eco-friendly and natural process to increase soil C content and a viable pathway to soil restoration after one disturbance event. Another way for biological-CO2 mitigation intensively studied in the last few years is related to the possibility to perform carbon dioxide sequestration using microalgae, obtaining at the same time bioproducts of industrial interest. Another possibility under study is the exploitation of specific chemotrophic bacteria, such as Ralstonia eutropha (or picketii) and related organisms, for CO2 fixation coupled with the production chemicals such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). In spite of the potential of these processes, multiple factors still have to be optimized for maximum rate of CO2 fixation by these microorganisms. The optimization of culture conditions, including the optimal concentration of CO2 in the provided gas, the use of metabolic engineering and of dual purpose systems for the treatment of wastewater and production of biofuels and high value products within a biorefinery concept, the design of photobioreactors in the case of phototrophs are some of the issues that, among others, have to be addressed and tested for cost-effective CO2 sequestration.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (down) 000347507800015 Publication Date 2013-12-16
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1871-6784; 1876-4347 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:123762 Serial 8242
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Rather, J.A.; Pilehvar, S.; De Wael, K.
Title Polycyclodextrin and carbon nanotubes as composite for tyrosinase immobilization and its superior electrocatalytic activity towards butylparaben an endocrine disruptor Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Journal of nanoscience and nanotechnology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 15 Issue 5 Pages 3365-3372
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation)
Abstract We developed a protocol for the immobilization of tyrosinase (Tyr) on the composite of polycyclodextrin polymer (CDP) and carbon nanotubes for the detection of an endocrine disruptor, i.e., butylparaben (BP). The formation of the CDP polymer was characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The conducting film of cross-linked CDP and carbon nanotubes, displays excellent matrix capabilities for Tyr immobilization. The host-guest chemical reaction ability of CD and the ππ stacking interaction assure the bioactivity of Tyr towards butylparaben. The developed biosensor was characterized electrochemically by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The enzyme-substrate kinetic parameters such as the apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (K M app) was measured under saturated substrate concentration. The determination of butylparaben was carried out by using square wave voltammetry over the concentration range of 2.1 to 35.4 μM with a detection limit of 0.1 μM. The fabricated biosensor was successfully applied in real-life cosmetic samples with good recovery ranging from 98.5 to 102.8%.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (down) 000347435200007 Publication Date 2014-10-01
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1533-4899 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 3 Open Access
Notes ; The authors are highly thankful for the mobility grant (Non-Europe Postdoc Fellowship) for one of the author (Jahangir Ahmad Rather) supported by the Belgian Federal Science Policy (Belspo) co-funded by the Marie Curie Actions from the European Commission. Sanaz Pilehvar is funded by BOF-DOCPRO UA. ; Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:119550 Serial 5776
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Jochems, P.; Mueller, T.; Satyawali, Y.; Diels, L.; Dejonghe, W.; Hanefeld, U.
Title Active site titration of immobilized beta-galactosidase for the determination of active enzymes Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Biochemical engineering journal Abbreviated Journal
Volume 93 Issue Pages 137-141
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract In the present study, an active site titration method is demonstrated, to determine the amount of active enzyme (beta-galactosidase), immobilized on a support. Two types of supports were investigated, viz, amino acrylic resin and a mixed matrix membrane. Furthermore, 2',4'-dinitrophenyl 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-beta-D-galactopyranoside was used as an inhibitor for the active site titration of immobilized beta-galactosidase obtained from Kluyveromyces lactis. Using the active site titration, approximately 8.3 mg of active enzyme was found on 1 g of dried commercially available SPRIN imibond, which is an amino acrylic resin with covalently bound beta-galactosidase obtained from K. lactis. However, this method, in its present form, was not effective on the mixed matrix membranes due to the irreversible partial adsorption of the leaving group (2',4'-dinitrophenolate) by the membrane. This observation implied that it is important to investigate interactions between the support and the used inhibitor and leaving group. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (down) 000347362100018 Publication Date 2014-10-23
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1369-703x; 1873-295x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:123763 Serial 7417
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Lin, F.; Meng; Kukueva, E.; Mertens, M.; Van Doorslaer, S.; Bals, S.; Cool, P.
Title New insights into the mesophase transformation of ethane-bridged PMOs by the influence of different counterions under basic conditions Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication RSC advances Abbreviated Journal Rsc Adv
Volume 5 Issue 5 Pages 5553-5562
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA)
Abstract The counterions are of crucial importance in determining the mesostructure and morphology of ethanebridged PMO materials synthesized under basic conditions. By using CTABr as the surfactant, the final PMO materials show a 2-D hexagonal (p6mm) mesophase, while PMO materials with cubic (Pm (3) over barn ) mesostructure are obtained when CTACl or CTA(SO4)(1)/(2) are used. With gradually replacing CTABr by CTACl or CTA(SO4) (1)/(2) while keeping the total surfactant concentration constant, a clear p6mm to Pm (3) over barn 3n mesophase evolution process is observed. For a given gel composition, the mesophase of ethanebridged PMO materials can also be adjusted by the addition of different sodium salts. In short, the effect of the counterions on the mesophase can be attributed to the binding strength of the ions on the surfactant micelles, which follows the Hofmeister series (SO42- < Cl- < Br-< NO3- < SCN-). Furthermore, it is found that the hydrolysis and condensation rate of the organosilica precursor also plays an important role in the formation of the final mesostructure
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos (down) 000347304900010 Publication Date 2014-12-11
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2046-2069; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.108 Times cited 6 Open Access Not_Open_Access
Notes ; The Erasmus Mundus CONNEC program is acknowledged for PhD funding of F. L. Furthermore, the authors acknowledge support by the GOA-BOF project 'Optimization of the structureactivity relation in nanoporous materials', funded by the University of Antwerp. ; Approved Most recent IF: 3.108; 2015 IF: 3.840
Call Number c:irua:123768 Serial 2317
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Vandenbroucke, A.M.; Aerts, R.; Van Gaens, W.; De Geyter, N.; Leys, C.; Morent, R.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Modeling and experimental study of trichloroethylene abatement with a negative direct current corona discharge Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Plasma chemistry and plasma processing Abbreviated Journal Plasma Chem Plasma P
Volume 35 Issue 35 Pages 217-230
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract In this work, we study the abatement of dilute trichloroethylene (TCE) in air with a negative direct current corona discharge. A numerical model is used to theoretically investigate the underlying plasma chemistry for the removal of TCE, and a reaction pathway for the abatement of TCE is proposed. The Cl atom, mainly produced by dissociation of COCl, is one of the controlling species in the TCE destruction chemistry and contributes to the production of chlorine containing by-products. The effect of humidity on the removal efficiency is studied and a good agreement is found between experiments and the model for both dry (5 % relative humidity (RH)) and humid air (50 % RH). An increase of the relative humidity from 5 % to 50 % has a negative effect on the removal efficiency, decreasing by ±15 % in humid air. The main loss reactions for TCE are with ClO·, O· and CHCl2. Finally, the by-products and energy cost of TCE abatement are discussed.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication New York Editor
Language Wos (down) 000347285800014 Publication Date 2014-09-10
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0272-4324;1572-8986; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.355 Times cited 9 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.355; 2015 IF: 2.056
Call Number c:irua:118882 Serial 2108
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Wang, X.; Kustov, S.; Li, K.; Schryvers, D.; Verlinden, B.; Van Humbeeck, J.
Title Effect of nanoprecipitates on the transformation behavior and functional properties of a Ti50.8 at.% Ni alloy with micron-sized grains Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Acta materialia Abbreviated Journal Acta Mater
Volume 82 Issue 82 Pages 224-233
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract In order to take advantage of both grain refinement and precipitation hardening effects, nanoscaled Ni4Ti3 precipitates are introduced in a Ti50.8 at.% Ni alloy with micron-sized grains (average grain size of 1.7 μm). Calorimetry, electrical resistance studies and thermomechanical tests were employed to study the transformation behavior and functional properties in relation to the obtained microstructure. A significant suppression of martensite transformation by the obtained microstructure is observed. The thermomechanical tests show that the advantageous properties of both grain refinement and precipitation hardening are combined in the developed materials, resulting in superior shape memory characteristics and stability of pseudoelasticity. It is concluded that introducing nanoscaled Ni4Ti3 precipitates into small grains is a new approach to improve the functional properties of NiTi shape memory alloys.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Oxford Editor
Language Wos (down) 000347017800021 Publication Date 2014-10-04
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1359-6454; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 5.301 Times cited 51 Open Access
Notes Fwo Approved Most recent IF: 5.301; 2015 IF: 4.465
Call Number c:irua:120469 Serial 824
Permanent link to this record