|   | 
Details
   web
Records
Author Bogaerts, A.; Kozak, T.; van Laer, K.; Snoeckx, R.
Title Plasma-based conversion of CO2: current status and future challenges Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Faraday discussions Abbreviated Journal Faraday Discuss
Volume 183 Issue 183 Pages 217-232
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract This paper discusses our recent results on plasma-based CO2 conversion, obtained by a combination of experiments and modeling, for a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), a microwave plasma and a packed bed DBD reactor. The results illustrate that plasma technology is quite promising for CO2 conversion, but more research is needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms and to further improve the capabilities.
Address Research Group PLASMANT, University of Antwerp, Department of Chemistry, Universiteitsplein 1, Antwerp, Belgium. annemie.bogaerts@uantwerpen.be
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Wos 000365914900013 Publication Date 2015-06-29
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1359-6640 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.588 Times cited 89 Open Access
Notes We thank R. Aerts and W. van Gaens for setting up the experimental systems and for the interesting results obtained during their PhD study in our group. We also acknowledge nancial support from the IAP/7 (Inter-university Attraction Pole) program ‘PSI-Physical Chemistry of Plasma-Surface Interactions’ by the Belgian Federal Office for Science Policy (BELSPO), the Fund for Scientic Research Flanders (FWO) and the EU-FP7-ITN network “RAPID”. Approved Most recent IF: 3.588; 2015 IF: 4.606
Call Number c:irua:130318 Serial 3983
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Bal, K.M.; Neyts, E.C.
Title Merging Metadynamics into Hyperdynamics: Accelerated Molecular Simulations Reaching Time Scales from Microseconds to Seconds Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Journal of chemical theory and computation Abbreviated Journal J Chem Theory Comput
Volume 11 Issue 11 Pages 4545-4554
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract The hyperdynamics method is a powerful tool to simulate slow processes at the atomic level. However, the construction of an optimal hyperdynamics potential is a task that is far from trivial. Here, we propose a generally applicable implementation of the hyperdynamics algorithm, borrowing two concepts from metadynamics. First, the use of a collective variable (CV) to represent the accelerated dynamics gives the method a very large flexibility and simplicity. Second, a metadynamics procedure can be used to construct a suitable history-dependent bias potential on-the-fly, effectively turning the algorithm into a self-learning accelerated molecular dynamics method. This collective variable-driven hyperdynamics (CVHD) method has a modular design: both the local system properties on which the bias is based, as well as the characteristics of the biasing method itself, can be chosen to match the needs of the considered system. As a result, system-specific details are abstracted from the biasing algorithm itself, making it extremely versatile and transparent. The method is tested on three model systems: diffusion on the Cu(001) surface and nickel-catalyzed methane decomposition, as examples of reactive processes with a bond-length-based CV, and the folding of a long polymer-like chain, using a set of dihedral angles as a CV. Boost factors up to 109, corresponding to a time scale of seconds, could be obtained while still accurately reproducing correct dynamics.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000362921700004 Publication Date 2015-09-02
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1549-9618 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 5.245 Times cited 41 Open Access
Notes K.M.B. is funded as Ph.D. fellow (aspirant) of the FWOFlanders (Fund for Scientific Research-Flanders), Grant No. 11 V8915N. The computational resources and services used in this work were provided by the VSC (Flemish Supercomputer Center) and the HPC infrastructure of the University of Antwerp (CalcUA), funded by the Hercules Foundation and the Flemish Government−Department EWI. Approved Most recent IF: 5.245; 2015 IF: 5.498
Call Number c:irua:128183 Serial 3991
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Neyts, E.C.; Ostrikov, K.K.; Sunkara, M.K.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Plasma Catalysis: Synergistic Effects at the Nanoscale Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Chemical reviews Abbreviated Journal Chem Rev
Volume 115 Issue 115 Pages 13408-13446
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Thermal-catalytic gas processing is integral to many current industrial processes. Ever-increasing demands on conversion and energy efficiencies are a strong driving force for the development of alternative approaches. Similarly, synthesis of several functional materials (such as nanowires and nanotubes) demands special processing conditions. Plasma catalysis provides such an alternative, where the catalytic process is complemented by the use of plasmas that activate the source gas. This combination is often observed to result in a synergy between plasma and catalyst. This Review introduces the current state-of-the-art in plasma catalysis, including numerous examples where plasma catalysis has demonstrated its benefits or shows future potential, including CO2 conversion, hydrocarbon reforming, synthesis of nanomaterials, ammonia production, and abatement of toxic waste gases. The underlying mechanisms governing these applications, as resulting from the interaction between the plasma and the catalyst, render the process highly complex, and little is known about the factors leading to the often-observed synergy. This Review critically examines the catalytic mechanisms relevant to each specific application.
Address Department of Chemistry, Research Group PLASMANT, Universiteit Antwerpen , Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk-Antwerp, Belgium
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Wos 000367563000006 Publication Date 2015-11-30
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0009-2665 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 47.928 Times cited 204 Open Access
Notes ECN and AB gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Fund of Scientific Research Flanders (FWO), Belgium, Grant Number G.0217.14N. KO acknowledges partial support by the Australian Research Council and CSIRO’s OCE Science Leaders Program. MKS acknowledges partial support from US National Science Foundation through grants DMS 1125909 and EPSCoR 1355448 and also PhD students Babajide Ajayi, Apolo Nambo and Maria Carreon for their help. Approved Most recent IF: 47.928; 2015 IF: 46.568
Call Number c:irua:130001 Serial 3993
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author de de Meux, A.J.; Pourtois, G.; Genoe, J.; Heremans, P.
Title Comparison of the electronic structure of amorphous versus crystalline indium gallium zinc oxide semiconductor : structure, tail states and strain effects 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 435104
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract We study the evolution of the structural and electronic properties of crystalline indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) upon amorphization by first-principles calculation. The bottom of the conduction band (BCB) is found to be constituted of a pseudo-band of molecular orbitals that resonate at the same energy on different atomic sites. They display a bonding character between the s orbitals of the metal sites and an anti-bonding character arising from the interaction between the oxygen and metal s orbitals. The energy level of the BCB shifts upon breaking of the crystal symmetry during the amorphization process, which may be attributed to the reduction of the coordination of the cationic centers. The top of the valence band (TVB) is constructed from anti-bonding oxygen p orbitals. In the amorphous state, they have random orientation, in contrast to the crystalline state. This results in the appearance of localized tail states in the forbidden gap above the TVB. Zinc is found to play a predominant role in the generation of these tail states, while gallium hinders their formation. Last, we study the dependence of the fundamental gap and effective mass of IGZO on mechanical strain. The variation of the gap under strain arises from the enhancement of the anti-bonding interaction in the BCB due to the modification of the length of the oxygen-metal bonds and/or to a variation of the cation coordination. This effect is less pronounced for the amorphous material compared to the crystalline material, making amorphous IGZO a semiconductor of choice for flexible electronics. Finally, the effective mass is found to increase upon strain, in contrast to regular materials. This counterintuitive variation is due to the reduction of the electrostatic shielding of the cationic centers by oxygen, leading to an increase of the overlaps between the metal orbitals at the origin of the delocalization of the BCB. For the range of strain typically met in flexible electronics, the induced variation in the effective mass is found to be negligible (less than 1%).
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000365876300012 Publication Date 2015-09-30
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-3727 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.588 Times cited 23 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.588; 2015 IF: 2.721
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:130277 Serial 4153
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Clima, S.; Chen, Y.Y.; Fantini, A.; Goux, L.; Degraeve, R.; Govoreanu, B.; Pourtois, G.; Jurczak, M.
Title Intrinsic tailing of resistive states distributions in amorphous <tex>HfOx </tex> and TaOx based resistive random access memories Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication IEEE electron device letters Abbreviated Journal Ieee Electr Device L
Volume 36 Issue 36 Pages 769-771
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract We report on the ineffectiveness of programming oxide-based resistive random access memory (OxRAM) at low current with a program and verify algorithm due to intrinsic relaxation of the verified distribution to the natural state distribution obtained by single-pulse programming without verify process. Based on oxygen defect formation thermodynamics and on their diffusion barriers in amorphous HfOx and TaOx, we describe the intrinsic nature of tailing of the verified low resistive state and high resistive state distributions. We introduce different scenarios to explain fast distribution widening phenomenon, which is a fundamental limitation for OxRAM current scaling and device reliability.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000358570300011 Publication Date 2015-06-23
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0741-3106 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.048 Times cited 33 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.048; 2015 IF: 2.754
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:134412 Serial 4200
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Neyts, E.C.
Title The role of ions in plasma catalytic carbon nanotube growth : a review Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Frontiers of Chemical Science and Engineering Abbreviated Journal Front Chem Sci Eng
Volume 9 Issue 9 Pages 154-162
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract While it is well-known that the plasma-enhanced catalytic chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) offers a number of advantages over thermal CVD, the influence of the various individual contributing factors is not well understood. Especially the role of ions is unclear, since ions in plasmas are generally associated with sputtering rather than with growing a material. Even so, various studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of ion bombardment during the growth of CNTs. This review looks at the role of the ions in plasma-enhanced CNT growth as deduced from both experimental and simulation studies. Specific attention is paid to the beneficial effects of ion bombardment. Based on the available literature, it can be concluded that ions can be either beneficial or detrimental for carbon nanotube growth, depending on the exact conditions and the control over the growth process.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000360319600003 Publication Date 2015-06-11
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2095-0179 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.712 Times cited 8 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 1.712; 2015 IF: NA
Call Number UA @ lucian @ c:irua:127815 Serial 4239
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Amiri-Aref, M.; Raoof, J.B.; Kiekens, F.; De Wael, K.
Title Mixed hemi/ad-micelles coated magnetic nanoparticles for the entrapment of hemoglobin at the surface of a screen-printed carbon electrode and its direct electrochemistry and electrocatalysis Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Biosensors and bioelectronics Abbreviated Journal Biosens Bioelectron
Volume 74 Issue Pages 518-525
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Pharmacology. Therapy; Engineering sciences. Technology; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation)
Abstract An efficient procedure for the physical entrapment of proteins within a biocompatible matrix and their immobilization on electrode surfaces is of utmost importance in the fabrication of biosensors. In this work, the magnetic entrapment of hemoglobin (Hb) at the surface of a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE), through mixed hemi/ad-micelles (MHAM) array of positively charged surfactant supported iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (Mag-NPs), is reported. The Hb/MHAM@Mag-NPs biocomposite is captured at SPCE by a super magnet (Hb/MHAM@Mag-NPs/SPCE). To gain insight in the configuration of the mixed hemi/ad-micelles of CTAB at Mag-NPs, zeta-potential measurements were performed. The entrapment of Hb at MHAM@Mag-NPs was confirmed by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Direct electron transfer of the Hb intercalated into the composite film showed a pair of well-defined quasi-reversible redox peak at formal potential of −0.255 V vs. Ag/AgCl corresponding to heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple. It shows that the MHAM@Mag-NPs composite could increase the adsorption ability for Hb, thus provides a facile direct electron transfer between the Hb and the substrate. The proposed biosensor showed excellent electrocatalytic activity to the H2O2 reduction in the wide concentration range from 5.0 to 300.0 µM obtained by amperometric measurement. The MichaelisMenten constant (Km) value of Hb at the modified electrode is 55.4 µM, showing its high affinity. Magnetic entrapment offers a promising design for fast, convenient and effective immobilization of protein within a few minutes for determination of the target molecule in low sample volume at disposable cost-effective SPCE.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000360772800071 Publication Date 2015-07-05
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0956-5663 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 7.78 Times cited 14 Open Access
Notes ; We are thankful for the BOF financial support from the University of Antwerp and Hercules financial support (SEM). ; Approved Most recent IF: 7.78; 2015 IF: 6.409
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:126535 Serial 5731
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Daems, D.; van Nuijs, A.L.N.; Covaci, A.; Hamidi-Asl, E.; Van Camp, G.; Nagels, L.J.
Title Potentiometric detection in UPLC as an easy alternative to determine cocaine in biological samples Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Biomedical chromatography Abbreviated Journal
Volume 29 Issue 7 Pages 1124-1129
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Pharmacology. Therapy; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation); Toxicological Centre
Abstract The analytical methods which are often used for the determination of cocaine in complex biological matrices are a prescreening immunoassay and confirmation by chromatography combined with mass spectrometry. We suggest an ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography combined with a potentiometric detector, as a fast and practical method to detect and quantify cocaine in biological samples. An adsorption/desorption model was used to investigate the usefulness of the potentiometric detector to determine cocaine in complex matrices. Detection limits of 6.3ngmL(-1) were obtained in plasma and urine, which is below the maximum residue limit (MRL) of 25ngmL(-1). A set of seven plasma samples and 10 urine samples were classified identically by both methods as exceeding the MRL or being inferior to it. The results obtained with the UPLC/potentiometric detection method were compared with the results obtained with the UPLC/MS method for samples spiked with varying cocaine concentrations. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.997 for serum (n =7) and 0.977 for urine (n =8). As liquid chromatography is an established technique, and as potentiometry is very simple and cost-effective in terms of equipment, we believe that this method is potentially easy, inexpensive, fast and reliable. Copyright (c) 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000356694000020 Publication Date 2014-12-16
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0269-3879 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:127069 Serial 8396
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ranjbari, E.; Hadjmohammadi, M.R.; Kiekens, F.; De Wael, K.
Title Mixed hemi/ad-micelle sodium dodecyl sulfate-coated magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for the efficient removal and trace determination of rhodamine-B and rhodamine-6G Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Analytical chemistry Abbreviated Journal Anal Chem
Volume 87 Issue 15 Pages 7894-7901
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Pharmacology. Therapy; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation)
Abstract Mixed hemi/ad-micelle sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-coated magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MHAMS-MIONPs) were used as an efficient adsorbent for both removal and preconcentration of two important carcinogenic xanthine dyes named rhodamine-B (RB) and rhodamine-6G (RG). To gain insight in the configuration of SDS molecules on the surface of MIONPs, zeta potential measurements were performed in different [SDS]/[MIONP] ratios. Zeta potential data indicated that mixed hemi/ad-micelle MHAM was formed in [SDS]/[MIONP] ratios over the range of 1.1 to 7.3. Parameters affecting the adsorption of dyes were optimized as removal efficiency by one variable at-a-time and response surface methodology; the obtained removal efficiencies were ∼100%. Adsorption kinetic and equilibrium studies, under the optimum condition (pH = 2; amount of MIONPs = 87.15 mg; [SDS]/[MIONP] ratio = 2.9), showed that adsorption of both dyes are based on the pseudo-second-order and the Langmuir isotherm models, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacities for RB and RG were 385 and 323 mg g1, respectively. MHAMS-MIONPs were also applied for extraction of RB and RG. Under optimum conditions (pH = 2; amount of damped MHAMS-MIONPs = 90 mg; eluent solvent volume = 2.6 mL of 3% acetic acid in acetonitrile), extraction recoveries for 0.5 mg L1 of RB and RG were 98% and 99%, with preconcentration factors of 327 and 330, respectively. Limit of detection obtained for rhodamine dyes were <0.7 ng mL1. Finally, MHAMS-MIONPs were successfully applied for both removal and trace determination of RB and RG in environmental and wastewater samples.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000359277900056 Publication Date 2015-07-08
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0003-2700; 5206-882x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 6.32 Times cited 36 Open Access
Notes ; ; Approved Most recent IF: 6.32; 2015 IF: 5.636
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:126583 Serial 5730
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ayalew, E.; Gebre, Y.; De Wael, K.
Title A survey of occupational exposure to inhalable wood dust among workers in small- and medium-scale wood-processing enterprises in Ethiopia Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication The annals of occupational hygiene Abbreviated Journal Ann Occup Hyg
Volume 59 Issue 2 Pages 253-257
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Pharmacology. Therapy; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation)
Abstract A study of wood dust exposure in 20 small- and medium-scale wood-processing enterprises was performed in Ethiopia. Sampling was conducted daily from January to June, 2013 and a total of 360 samples from 113 workers were collected with Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) personal samplers. Eight-hour time-weighted average exposure to wood dust ranged from 0.24 to 23.3mg m−3 with a geometric mean (GM) of 6.82mg m−3 and a geometric standard deviation of 1.82. Although Ethiopia did not have any defined standard of Occupational Exposure Limit for wood dust exposure, 71% of the measurements exceeded the limit of 5mg m−3 set by the European Union (EU). Higher than the EU exposure limit was measured while workers perform sanding and sawing activities with a GM of 9.72 and 7.60mg m−3, respectively. In conclusion, wood workers in the small- and medium-scale enterprises are at a higher risk of developing different respiratory health problems with continuous exposure trends.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000352158700011 Publication Date 2014-10-28
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0003-4878 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.71 Times cited 4 Open Access
Notes ; Eyasu Ayalew thanks the Addis Ababa University (Center for Environmental Sciences) for the personal grant for independent study. ; Approved Most recent IF: 1.71; 2015 IF: 2.101
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:119739 Serial 5857
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ramakers, M.; Michielsen, I.; Aerts, R.; Meynen, V.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Effect of argon or helium on the CO2 conversion in a dielectric barrier discharge Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Plasma processes and polymers Abbreviated Journal Plasma Process Polym
Volume 12 Issue 12 Pages 755-763
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA); Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract This paper demonstrates that the CO2 conversion in a dielectric barrier discharge rises drastically upon addition of Ar or He, and the effect is more pronounced for Ar than for He. The effective CO2 conversion, on the other hand, drops upon addition of Ar or He, which is logical due to the lower CO2 content in the gas mixture, and the same is true for the energy efficiency, because a considerable fraction of the energy is then consumed into ionization/excitation of Ar or He atoms. The higher absolute CO2 conversion upon addition of Ar or He can be explained by studying in detail the Lissajous plots and the current profiles. The breakdown voltage is lower in the CO2/Ar and CO2/He mixtures, and the discharge gap is more filled with plasma, which enhances the possibility for CO2 conversion. The rates of electron impact excitationdissociation of CO2, estimated from the electron densities and mean electron energies, are indeed higher in the CO2/Ar and (to a lower extent) in the CO2/He mixtures, compared to the pure CO2 plasma. Moreover, charge transfer between Ar+ or Ar2+ ions and CO2, followed by electron-ion dissociative recombination of the CO2+ ions, might also contribute to, or even be dominant for the CO2 dissociation. All these effects can explain the higher CO2 conversion, especially upon addition of Ar, but also upon addition of He.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Weinheim Editor
Language Wos 000359672400007 Publication Date 2015-02-12
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1612-8850; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.846 Times cited 63 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.846; 2015 IF: 2.453
Call Number c:irua:126822 Serial 799
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 (down) 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 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 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 (down) 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 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 Shi, P.-J.; Xu, Q.; Sandhu, H.S.; Gielis, J.; Ding, Y.-L.; Li, H.-R.; Dong, X.-B.
Title Comparison of dwarf bamboos (Indocalamus sp.) leaf parameters to determine relationship between spatial density of plants and total leaf area per plant Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Ecology and evolution Abbreviated Journal
Volume 5 Issue 20 Pages 4578-4589
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract The relationship between spatial density and size of plants is an important topic in plant ecology. The self-thinning rule suggests a −3/2 power between average biomass and density or a −1/2 power between stand yield and density. However, the self-thinning rule based on total leaf area per plant and density of plants has been neglected presumably because of the lack of a method that can accurately estimate the total leaf area per plant. We aimed to find the relationship between spatial density of plants and total leaf area per plant. We also attempted to provide a novel model for accurately describing the leaf shape of bamboos. We proposed a simplified Gielis equation with only two parameters to describe the leaf shape of bamboos one model parameter represented the overall ratio of leaf width to leaf length. Using this method, we compared some leaf parameters (leaf shape, number of leaves per plant, ratio of total leaf weight to aboveground weight per plant, and total leaf area per plant) of four bamboo species of genus Indocalamus Nakai (I. pedalis (Keng) P.C. Keng, I. pumilus Q.H. Dai and C.F. Keng, I. barbatus McClure, and I. victorialis P.C. Keng). We also explored the possible correlation between spatial density and total leaf area per plant using log-linear regression. We found that the simplified Gielis equation fit the leaf shape of four bamboo species very well. Although all these four species belonged to the same genus, there were still significant differences in leaf shape. Significant differences also existed in leaf area per plant, ratio of leaf weight to aboveground weight per plant, and leaf length. In addition, we found that the total leaf area per plant decreased with increased spatial density. Therefore, we directly demonstrated the self-thinning rule to improve light interception.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000363731500008 Publication Date 2015-09-30
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2045-7758 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:128662 Serial 7691
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 (down) 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 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 Kim, E.; Spooren, J.; Broos, K.; Horckmans, L.; Quaghebeur, M.; Vrancken, K.C.
Title Selective recovery of Cr from stainless steel slag by alkaline roasting followed by water leaching Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Hydrometallurgy Abbreviated Journal
Volume 158 Issue Pages 139-148
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Selective chromium (Cr) leaching from stainless steel slag (SS slag) by alkali roasting followed by water leaching was investigated. The efficiency of the alkali roasting process for Cr leaching was increased by optimizing the mass ratio of alkaline agents (NaOH, and NaOH-NaNO3) to the slag, roasting temperature and time. At the optimum condition (0.67 mass ratio of NaOH to SS slag, 400 degrees C, 2 h) of NaOH roasting, chromium leaching was around 83%, while the matrix material was dissolved only to a limited extent (Si 8.0%). Mechanical activation of the SS slag prior to roasting reduced the optimum NaOH to SS slag mass ratio to 0.4. The addition of NaNO3 as an oxidant to the NaOH salt increased Cr leaching to 89% after roasting at 400 degrees C for 2 h. The remaining Cr phases in the residue were almost exclusively FeCr alloys. Further chromium dissolution from these alloys is prevented by a passivation layer of Fe oxides as shown by SEM/EDS images. Based on these results, a SS slag recycling process is suggested in which roasting-water leaching followed by water washing to remove Cr yields a residue which has potential for application as a construction material. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000366768000019 Publication Date 2015-11-02
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0304-386x 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:130223 Serial 8504
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Huygh, S.; Neyts, E.C.
Title Adsorption of C and CHx radicals on anatase (001) and the influence of oxygen vacancies Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 119 Issue 119 Pages 4908-4921
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract The adsorption of C and CHx radicals on anatase (001) was studied using DFT within the generalized gradient approximation using the Perde-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) functional. We have studied the influence of oxygen vacancies in and at the surface on the adsorption properties of the radicals. For the oxygen vacancies in anatase (001), the most stable vacancy is located at the surface. For this vacancy, the maximal adsorption strength of C and CH decreases compared to the adsorption on the stoichiometric surface, but it increases for CH2 and CH3. If an oxygen vacancy is present in the first subsurface layer, the maximal adsorption strength increases for C, CH, CH2, and CH3. When the vacancy is present in the next subsurface layer, we find that only the CH3 adsorption is enhanced, while the maximal adsorption energies for the other radical species decrease. Not only does the precise location of the oxygen vacancy determine the maximal adsorption interaction, it also influences the adsorption strengths of the radicals at different surface configurations. This determines the probability of finding a certain adsorption configuration at the surface, which in turn influences the possible surface reactions. We find that C preferentially adsorbs far away from the oxygen vacancy, while CH2 and CH3 adsorb preferentially at the oxygen vacancy site. A fraction of CH partially adsorbs at the oxygen vacancy, and another fraction adsorbs further away from the vacancy.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor
Language Wos 000350840700052 Publication Date 2015-02-18
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447;1932-7455; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 13 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2015 IF: 4.772
Call Number c:irua:124909 Serial 63
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Quan Manh, P.; Pourtois, G.; Swerts, J.; Pierloot, K.; Delabie, A.
Title Atomic layer deposition of Ruthenium on Ruthenium surfaces : a theoretical study Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 119 Issue 119 Pages 6592-6603
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Atomic, layer deposition,(ALD of ruthenium using two ruthenium precursors, i.e., Ru(C5H5)(2) (RuCp2) and Ru(C5H5)(C4H4N) (RuCpPy), is studied using density functional theory. By investigating the reaction mechanisms On bare ruthenium surfaces, i.e., (001), (101), and (100), and H-terminated surfaces, an atomistic insight in the Ru ALD is provided. The calculated results show that on the Ru surfaces both RuCp2 and RuCpPy an undergo dehydrogenation and ligand dissociation reactions. RuCpPy is more reactive than RuCp2. By forming a, strong, bond between N of Py and Ru of the surface, RuCpPy can easily chemisorb on the surfaces. The reactions of RuCp2,On the Surfaces are less favorable the adsorption is not strong enough This could be a,factor contributing to the higher growth-per-cycle of Ru using RuCpPy, as observed experimentally. By Studying, the adsorption on H-terminated Ru surfaces, We showed that H Can prevent the adsorption of the precursors, thus inhibiting the growth of Ru. Our calculations indicate that the H content on the surface can have an impact on the growth-per-cycle. Finally, our simulations also demonstrate large impacts of the surface structure on the reaction mechanisms. Of the three surfaces, the (100) surface, which is the less stable and has a zigzag surface structure, is also the most reactive one.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor
Language Wos 000351970800015 Publication Date 2015-03-04
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447;1932-7455; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 10 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2015 IF: 4.772
Call Number c:irua:125544 Serial 171
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Hoon Park, J.; Kumar, N.; Hoon Park, D.; Yusupov, M.; Neyts, E.C.; Verlackt, C.C.W.; Bogaerts, A.; Ho Kang, M.; Sup Uhm, H.; Ha Choi, E.; Attri, P.;
Title A comparative study for the inactivation of multidrug resistance bacteria using dielectric barrier discharge and nano-second pulsed plasma Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Scientific reports Abbreviated Journal Sci Rep-Uk
Volume 5 Issue 5 Pages 13849
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Bacteria can be inactivated through various physical and chemical means, and these have always been the focus of extensive research. To further improve the methodology for these ends, two types of plasma systems were investigated: nano-second pulsed plasma (NPP) as liquid discharge plasma and an Argon gas-feeding dielectric barrier discharge (Ar-DBD) as a form of surface plasma. To understand the sterilizing action of these two different plasma sources, we performed experiments with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria (wild type) and multidrug resistant bacteria (Penicillum-resistant, Methicillin-resistant and Gentamicin-resistant). We observed that both plasma sources can inactivate both the wild type and multidrug-resistant bacteria to a good extent. Moreover, we observed a change in the surface morphology, gene expression and β-lactamase activity. Furthermore, we used X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to investigate the variation in functional groups (C-H/C-C, C-OH and C=O) of the peptidoglycan (PG) resulting from exposure to plasma species. To obtain atomic scale insight in the plasma-cell interactions and support our experimental observations, we have performed molecular dynamics simulations to study the effects of plasma species, such as OH, H2O2, O, O3, as well as O2 and H2O, on the dissociation/formation of above mentioned functional groups in PG.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Nature Publishing Group Place of Publication London Editor
Language Wos 000360909000001 Publication Date 2015-09-09
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2045-2322; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.259 Times cited 32 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.259; 2015 IF: 5.578
Call Number c:irua:127410 Serial 419
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Kato, T.; Neyts, E.C.; Abiko, Y.; Akama, T.; Hatakeyama, R.; Kaneko, T.
Title Kinetics of energy selective Cs encapsulation in single-walled carbon nanotubes for damage-free and position-selective doping Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 119 Issue 119 Pages 11903-11908
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract A method has been developed for damage-free cesium (Cs) encapsulation within single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with fine position selectivity. Precise energy tuning of Cs-ion irradiation revealed that there is a clear energy window (2060 eV) for the efficient encapsulation of Cs through the hexagonal network of SWNT sidewalls without causing significant damage. This minimum energy threshold of Cs-ion encapsulation (∼20 eV) matches well with the value obtained by ab initio simulation (∼22 eV). Furthermore, position-selective Cs encapsulation was carried out, resulting in the successful formation of pn-junction SWNT thin films with excellent environmental stability.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor
Language Wos 000355495600072 Publication Date 2015-05-06
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447;1932-7455; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 3 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2015 IF: 4.772
Call Number c:irua:125928 Serial 1760
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author De Bie, C.; van Dijk, J.; Bogaerts, A.
Title The Dominant Pathways for the Conversion of Methane into Oxygenates and Syngas in an Atmospheric Pressure Dielectric Barrier Discharge Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 119 Issue 119 Pages 22331-22350
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract A one-dimensional fluid model for a dielectric barrier discharge in CH4/O2 and CH4/CO2 gas mixtures is developed. The model describes the gas-phase chemistry for partial oxidation and for dry reforming of methane. The spatially averaged densities of the various plasma species are presented as a function of time and initial gas mixing ratio. Besides, the conversion of the inlet gases and the selectivities of the reaction products are calculated. Syngas, higher hydrocarbons, and higher oxygenates are typically found to be important reaction products. Furthermore, the main underlying reaction pathways for the formation of syngas, methanol, formaldehyde, and other higher oxygenates are determined.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000362385700010 Publication Date 2015-09-10
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447;1932-7455; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 46 Open Access
Notes This work was carried out using the Turing HPC infrastructure at the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Center VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI), and the Universiteit Antwerpen. The authors also acknowledge financial support from the IAP/7 (Interuniversity Attraction Pole) program “PSI-Physical Chemistry of Plasma- Surface Interactions” by the Belgian Federal Office for Science Policy (BELSPO) and from the Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO). Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2015 IF: 4.772
Call Number c:irua:128774 Serial 3960
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Kamaraj, B.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Structure and function of p53-DNA complexes with inactivation and rescue mutations : a molecular dynamics simulation study Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication PLoS ONE Abbreviated Journal Plos One
Volume 10 Issue 10 Pages e0134638
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract The tumor suppressor protein p53 can lose its function upon DNA-contact mutations (R273C and R273H) in the core DNA-binding domain. The activity can be restored by second-site suppressor or rescue mutations (R273CT284R, R273HT284R, and R273HS240R). In this paper, we elucidate the structural and functional consequence of p53 proteins upon DNA-contact mutations and rescue mutations and the underlying mechanisms at the atomic level by means of molecular dynamics simulations. Furthermore, we also apply the docking approach to investigate the binding phenomena between the p53 protein and DNA upon DNA-contact mutations and rescue mutations. This study clearly illustrates that, due to DNA-contact mutants, the p53 structure loses its stability and becomes more rigid than the native protein. This structural loss might affect the p53-DNA interaction and leads to inhibition of the cancer suppression. Rescue mutants (R273CT284R, R273HT284R and R273HS240R) can restore the functional activity of the p53 protein upon DNA-contact mutations and show a good interaction between the p53 protein and a DNA molecule, which may lead to reactivate the cancer suppression function. Understanding the effects of p53 cancer and rescue mutations at the molecular level will be helpful for designing drugs for p53 associated cancer diseases. These drugs should be designed so that they can help to inhibit the abnormal function of the p53 protein and to reactivate the p53 function (cell apoptosis) to treat human cancer.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000359061400096 Publication Date 2015-08-05
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-6203; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.806 Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.806; 2015 IF: 3.234
Call Number c:irua:126779 Serial 3278
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Heijkers, S.; Snoeckx, R.; Kozák, T.; Silva, T.; Godfroid, T.; Britun, N.; Snyders, R.; Bogaerts, A.
Title CO2 conversion in a microwave plasma reactor in the presence of N2 : elucidating the role of vibrational levels Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces Abbreviated Journal J Phys Chem C
Volume 119 Issue 119 Pages 12815-12828
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract A chemical kinetics model is developed for a CO2/N2 microwave plasma, focusing especially on the vibrational levels of both CO2 and N2. The model is used to calculate the CO2 and N2 conversion as well as the energy efficiency of CO2 conversion for different power densities and for N2 fractions in the CO2/N2 gas mixture ranging from 0 to 90%. The calculation results are compared with measurements, and agreements within 23% and 33% are generally found for the CO2 conversion and N2 conversion, respectively. To explain the observed trends, the destruction and formation processes of both CO2 and N2 are analyzed, as well as the vibrational distribution functions of both CO2 and N2. The results indicate that N2 contributes in populating the lower asymmetric levels of CO2, leading to a higher absolute CO2 conversion upon increasing N2 fraction. However, the effective CO2 conversion drops because there is less CO2 initially present in the gas mixture; thus, the energy efficiency also drops with rising N2 fraction.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Washington, D.C. Editor
Language Wos 000356317500005 Publication Date 2015-05-13
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-7447;1932-7455; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.536 Times cited 56 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 4.536; 2015 IF: 4.772
Call Number c:irua:126325 Serial 3523
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Khalilov, U.; Bogaerts, A.; Neyts, E.C.
Title Atomic scale simulation of carbon nanotube nucleation from hydrocarbon precursors Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Nature communications Abbreviated Journal Nat Commun
Volume 6 Issue 6 Pages 10306
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Atomic scale simulations of the nucleation and growth of carbon nanotubes is essential for understanding their growth mechanism. In spite of over twenty years of simulation efforts in this area, limited progress has so far been made on addressing the role of the hydrocarbon growth precursor. Here we report on atomic scale simulations of cap nucleation of single-walled carbon nanotubes from hydrocarbon precursors. The presented mechanism emphasizes the important role of hydrogen in the nucleation process, and is discussed in relation to previously presented mechanisms. In particular, the role of hydrogen in the appearance of unstable carbon structures during in situ experimental observations as well as the initial stage of multi-walled carbon nanotube growth is discussed. The results are in good agreement with available experimental and quantum-mechanical results, and provide a basic understanding of the incubation and nucleation stages of hydrocarbon-based CNT growth at the atomic level.
Address PLASMANT research group, Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerpen, Belgium
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Wos 000367584500001 Publication Date 2015-12-22
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 37 Open Access
Notes The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Fund of Scientific Research Flanders (FWO), Belgium, grant number 12M1315N. The work was carried out in part using the Turing HPC infrastructure of the CalcUA core facility of the Universiteit Antwerpen, a division of the Flemish Supercomputer Centre VSC, funded by the Hercules Foundation, the Flemish Government (department EWI) and the Universiteit Antwerpen. We thank Professor Adri C. T. van Duin for sharing the ReaxFF code. Approved Most recent IF: 12.124; 2015 IF: 11.470
Call Number c:irua:129975 Serial 3990
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author van Laer, K.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Improving the Conversion and Energy Efficiency of Carbon Dioxide Splitting in a Zirconia-Packed Dielectric Barrier Discharge Reactor Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Energy technology Abbreviated Journal Energy Technol-Ger
Volume 3 Issue 3 Pages 1038-1044
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract The use of plasma technology for CO2 splitting is gaining increasing interest, but one of the major obstacles to date for industrial implementation is the considerable energy cost. We demonstrate that the introduction of a packing of dielectric zirconia (ZrO2) beads into a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor can enhance the CO2 conversion and energy efficiency up to a factor 1.9 and 2.2, respectively, compared to that in a normal (unpacked) DBD reactor. We obtained a maximum conversion of 42 % and a maximum energy efficiency of 9.6 %. However, it is the ability of the packing to almost double both the conversion and the energy efficiency simultaneously at certain input parameters that makes it very promising. The improved conversion and energy efficiency can be explained by the higher values of the local electric field and electron energy near the contact points of the beads and the lower breakdown voltage, demonstrated by 2 D fluid modeling.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000362913600006 Publication Date 2015-08-19
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2194-4288 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.789 Times cited 59 Open Access
Notes This research was carried out in the framework of the network on Physical Chemistry of Plasma-Surface Interactions—Interuniversity Attraction Poles, phase VII (http://psiiap7.ulb.ac.be/), and supported by the Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO). K.V.L. is indebted to the Institute for the Promotion of Innovation by Science and Technology in Flanders (IWT Flanders) for financial support Approved Most recent IF: 2.789; 2015 IF: 2.824
Call Number c:irua:128224 Serial 3992
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Pinera, I.; Cruz, C.M.; Abreu, Y.; Leyva, A.; van Espen, P.; Diaz, A.; Cabal, A.E.; Van Remortel, N.
Title Gamma induced atom displacements in LYSO and LuYAP crystals as used in medical imaging applications Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Interactions With Materials And Atoms Abbreviated Journal
Volume 356 Issue Pages 46-52
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Particle Physics Group; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation)
Abstract The radiation damage, in terms of atom displacements, induced by gamma irradiation in LYSO and LuYAP crystals is presented. Sc-44, Na-22 and V-48 are used as gamma sources for this study. The energy of gammas from the electron positron annihilation processes (511 keV) is also included in the study. The atom displacements distributions inside each material are calculated following the Monte Carlo assisted Classical Method introduced by the authors. This procedure also allows to study the atom displacements in-depth distributions inside each crystal. The atom displacements damage in LYSO crystals is found to be higher than in LuYAP crystals, mainly provoked by the displacements of silicon and oxygen atoms. But the difference between atom displacements produced in LYSO and LuYAP decreases when more energetic sources are used. On the other hand, the correlation between the atom displacements and energy deposition in-depth distributions is excellent. The atom displacements to energy deposition ratio is found to increases with more energetic photon sources. LYSO crystals are then more liable to the atom displacements damage than LuYAP crystals. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000356990400008 Publication Date 2015-05-14
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0168-583x 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:127012 Serial 7987
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Cambré, S.; Campo, J.; Beirnaert, C.; Verlackt, C.; Cool, P.; Wenseleers, W.
Title Asymmetric dyes align inside carbon nanotubes to yield a large nonlinear optical response Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Nature nanotechnology Abbreviated Journal Nat Nanotechnol
Volume 10 Issue 10 Pages 248-252
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Nanostructured and organic optical and electronic materials (NANOrOPT); Laboratory of adsorption and catalysis (LADCA); Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Asymmetric dye molecules have unusual optical and electronic properties1, 2, 3. For instance, they show a strong second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) response that has attracted great interest for potential applications in electro-optic modulators for optical telecommunications and in wavelength conversion of lasers2, 3. However, the strong Coulombic interaction between the large dipole moments of these molecules favours a pairwise antiparallel alignment that cancels out the NLO response when incorporated into bulk materials. Here, we show that by including an elongated dipolar dye (p,p′-dimethylaminonitrostilbene, DANS, a prototypical asymmetric dye with a strong NLO response4) inside single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)5, 6, an ideal head-to-tail alignment in which all electric dipoles point in the same sense is naturally created. We have applied this concept to synthesize solution-processible DANS-filled SWCNTs that show an extremely large total dipole moment and static hyperpolarizability (β0 = 9,800 × 10−30 e.s.u.), resulting from the coherent alignment of arrays of ∼70 DANS molecules.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000350799700016 Publication Date 2015-02-02
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1748-3387;1748-3395; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 38.986 Times cited 46 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 38.986; 2015 IF: 34.048
Call Number c:irua:125405 Serial 158
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Bia, P.; Caratelli, D.; Mescia, L.; Gielis, J.
Title Analysis and synthesis of supershaped dielectric lens antennas Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication IET microwaves, antennas and propagation Abbreviated Journal
Volume 9 Issue 14 Pages 1497-1504
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Mass communications; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract A novel class of supershaped dielectric lens antennas, whose geometry is described by the three-dimensional (3D) Gielis formula, is introduced and analysed. To this end, a hybrid modelling approach based on geometrical and physical optics is adopted in order to efficiently analyse the multiple wave reflections occurring within the lens and to evaluate the relevant impact on the radiation properties of the antenna under analysis. The developed modelling procedure has been validated by comparison with numerical results already reported in the literature and, afterwards, applied to the electromagnetic characterisation of Gielis dielectric lens antennas with shaped radiation pattern. Furthermore, a dedicated optimisation algorithm based on quantum particle swarm optimisation has been developed for the synthesis of 3D supershaped lens antennas with single feed, as well as with beamforming capabilities.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000364491200002 Publication Date 2015-08-14
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1751-8725 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:128659 Serial 7441
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author De Schepper, E.; Lizin, S.; Durlinger, B.; Azadi, H.; Van Passel, S.
Title Economic and environmental performances of small-scale rural PV solar projects under the clean development mechanism : the case of Cambodia Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Energies Abbreviated Journal Energies
Volume 8 Issue 9 Pages 9892-9914
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM)
Abstract The two core objectives of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) are cost-effective emission reduction and sustainable development. Despite the potential to contribute to both objectives, solar projects play a negligible role under the CDM. In this research, the greenhouse gas mitigation cost is used to evaluate the economic and environmental performances of small-scale rural photovoltaic solar projects. In particular, we compare the use of absolute and relative mitigation costs to evaluate the attractiveness of these projects under the CDM. We encourage the use of relative mitigation costs, implying consideration of baseline costs that render the projects profitable. Results of the mitigation cost analysis are dependent on the baseline chosen. To overcome this drawback, we complement the analysis with a multi-objective optimization approach, which allows quantifying the trade-off between economic and environmental performances of the optimal technologies without requiring a baseline.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000362553000046 Publication Date 2015-09-15
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1996-1073 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.262 Times cited 6 Open Access
Notes ; ; Approved Most recent IF: 2.262; 2015 IF: 2.072
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:129426 Serial 6187
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Sentosun, K.; Sanz Ortiz, M.N.; Batenburg, K.J.; Liz-Marzán, L.M.; Bals, S.
Title Combination of HAADF-STEM and ADF-STEM Tomography for Core-Shell Hybrid Materials Type A1 Journal article
Year 2015 Publication Particle and particle systems characterization Abbreviated Journal Part Part Syst Char
Volume 32 Issue 32 Pages 1063-1067
Keywords (down) A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Vision lab
Abstract Characterization of core-shell type nanoparticles in 3D by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) can be very challenging. Especially when both heavy and light elements co-exist within the same nanostructure, artefacts in the 3D reconstruction are often present. A representative example would be a particle comprising an anisotropic metallic (Au) nanoparticle coated with a (mesoporous) silica shell. To obtain a reliable 3D characterization of such an object, we propose a dose-efficient strategy to simultaneously acquire high angle annular dark field scanning TEM and annular dark field tilt series for tomography. The 3D reconstruction is further improved by applying an advanced masking and interpolation approach to the acquired data. This new methodology enables us to obtain high quality reconstructions from which also quantitative information can be extracted. This approach is broadly applicable to investigate hybrid core-shell materials.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000368446800003 Publication Date 2015-10-13
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0934-0866; ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.474 Times cited 13 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes S.B. acknowledges financial support from European Research Council (ERC) (ERC Starting Grant #335078-COLOURATOM). L.M. acknowledges funding from the EU, Grant# 310651-2 Self-Assembly in Confined Space (SACS). K.J.B acknowledges financial support from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), project number 639.072.005 and NWO CW 700.57.026. Networking support was provided by COST Action MP1207. The authors acknowledge the European Union under the Seventh Framework Program under a contract for an Integrated Infrastructure Initiative, Reference No. 312483-ESTEEM2 for financial support.; esteem2jra4; ECASSara; (ROMEO:yellow; preprint:; postprint:restricted ; pdfversion:cannot); Approved Most recent IF: 4.474; 2015 IF: 3.081
Call Number c:irua:129590 c:irua:129590 Serial 3967
Permanent link to this record