?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fd-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu%2F19565%2F&rft.title=CARBON+NANOMATERIALS+AND+THEIR+ELECTROCHEMICAL+APPLICATIONS&rft.creator=Tang%2C+Yifan&rft.description=Recent+years+have+witnessed+the+continuously+growing+interest+in+the+area+of+nanotechnology.+Among+the+innumerable+novel+compounds+and+materials%2C+carbon+nanomaterials%2C+especially+carbon+nanotubes+(CNTs)+and+graphene%2C+are+undeniably+two+of+the+most+glorious+shining+stars+due+to+their+unique+structures+and+promising+physical%2C+chemical%2C+and+electrical+properties.+Numerous+research+projects+have+been+focused+on+the+synthesis%2C+characterization%2C+and+functionalization+of+carbon+nanomaterials%2C+as+well+as+their+enormous+possible+applications+in+energy+generation%2Fstorage%2C+sensors%2C+electronics%2C+reinforcement+of+composite+materials%2C+and+drug+delivery.+%0D%0AOf+particular+interest+in+this+dissertation+are+the+functionalization+of+carbon+nanomaterials+%E2%88%92+either+by+decorating+with+Pt+nanoparticles+(NPs)+or+by+doping+with+nitrogen+atoms+%E2%88%92+and+their+electrochemical+applications+for+both+fuel+cell+catalysts+(and+supports)+and+electrochemical+sensors%2Fbiosensors.+I+have+successfully+synthesized+and+characterized+hybrid+structures+of+Pt+NP-CNTs+or+Pt+NP-graphene%2C+and+also+a+novel+carbon+nanomaterial+%E2%88%92+nitrogen+doped+carbon+nanotube+cups+(NCNCs).+The+electrochemical+properties+and+applications+of+these+nanomaterials+were+also+investigated.++%0D%0APt+NP+decorated+CNTs+or+graphene+were+studied+and+compared+for+their+electrochemical+sensor+performance+in+order+to+obtain+further+understanding+on+the+structure-property+relationship+between+1-dimensional+and+2-dimensional+nanomaterials+as+the+sensing+platform.%0D%0ABoth+Pt-CNTs+and+NCNCs+were+investigated+as+fuel+cell+catalysts+with+the+aim+of+improving+the+performance+and+stability%2C+decreasing+the+amount+of+expensive+Pt%2C+and+most+importantly%2C+understanding+and+optimizing+NCNCs+as+non-precious-metal+catalysts+to+ultimately+replace+expensive+Pt-based+catalysts.+Pt-CNTs+demonstrated+extraordinary+stability+with+less+material+used+compared+to+commercial+Pt%2FC+catalysts+in+long+term+stability+testing.+NCNCs+also+exhibited+good+catalytic+activity+towards+oxygen+reduction+reaction+(ORR)+which+makes+them+promising+alternatives+to+Pt-based+catalysts.+Further+look+into+the+ORR+mechanism+suggested+that+the+presence+of+both+nitrogen+and+iron+from+catalyst+of+NCNCs+synthesis+process+is+crucial+for+the+improved+ORR+catalytic+activity.%0D%0AFrom+the+materials+point+of+view%2C+a+novel+simple+sonication+method+was+studied+to+separate+stacked+NCNCs+into+individual+nanocups+structures%2C+with+the+long-term+objective+of+drug+delivery+or+nano-reactor+applications.+Both+the+separation+mechanism+and+the+structure-property+relationship+of+the+stacked+and+separated+NCNCs+were+investigated.%0D%0A&rft.date=2013-10-17&rft.type=University+of+Pittsburgh+ETD&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.language=en&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fd-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu%2F19565%2F1%2FYifan_Dissertation_-_D-scholar_revision.pdf&rft.identifier=++Tang%2C+Yifan++(2013)+CARBON+NANOMATERIALS+AND+THEIR+ELECTROCHEMICAL+APPLICATIONS.++Doctoral+Dissertation%2C+University+of+Pittsburgh.++++(Unpublished)++