This study reports on the synthesis of N-doped carbon spheres (N-CSs) by a simple synthetic procedure. A horizontal CVD type reactor was used to synthesize N-CSs from pyridine. Depending on the dilution of the pyridine with toluene, a nitrogen content of 0.13-5 mol % was obtained. The use of a vertical CVD reactor gave N-CSs with a N-content of 0.19-3 mol % when an ammonium solution and acetylene were used as reactants. The diameters of carbon spheres were found to be in the range of 40 nm to 1000 nm for both CVD reactors. The diameter can be controlled by varying the flow rate, temperature, time, concentration and the reactor type. The samples were characterized by TEM, HRTEM, elemental analysis, Raman spectroscopy, TGA, PXRD and ESR. We have demonstrated that unsubstituted thiophene can be polymerized by Fe3+-catalyzed oxidative polymerization. The average particle size was about 50 nm, within a narrow particlesize distribution. The undoped carbon spheres (CSs) were reacted with thiophene to give polymer/carbon composites containing polythiophene and carbon nanospheres via chemical oxidative polymerization reaction. Polythiophene molecules were either chemically bonded or physically adsorbed to the surface of carbon spheres. The microstructure and properties of the two types of composites were compared. The thermogravimetric analysis data confirmed that the presence of CSs in the polymer\carbon composites is responsible for the higher thermal stability of the composite material in comparison with pristine polythiophene. The FTIR analysis showed that covalent functionalized nanocomposites exhibit a high intensity of a C-S bond This study reports on the synthesis of N-doped carbon spheres (N-CSs) by a simple synthetic procedure. A horizontal CVD type reactor was used to synthesize N-CSs from pyridine. Depending on the dilution of the pyridine with toluene, a nitrogen content of 0.13-5 mol % was obtained. The use of a vertical CVD reactor gave N-CSs with a N-content of 0.19-3 mol % when an ammonium solution and acetylene were used as reactants. The diameters of carbon spheres were found to be in the range of 40 nm to 1000 nm for both CVD reactors. The diameter can be controlled by varying the flow rate, temperature, time, concentration and the reactor type. The samples were characterized by TEM, HRTEM, elemental analysis, Raman spectroscopy, TGA, PXRD and ESR. We have demonstrated that unsubstituted thiophene can be polymerized by Fe3+-catalyzed oxidative polymerization. The average particle size was about 50 nm, within a narrow particlesize distribution. The undoped carbon spheres (CSs) were reacted with thiophene to give polymer/carbon composites containing polythiophene and carbon nanospheres via chemical oxidative polymerization reaction. Polythiophene molecules were either chemically bonded or physically adsorbed to the surface of carbon spheres. The microstructure and properties of the two types of composites were compared. The thermogravimetric analysis data confirmed that the presence of CSs in the polymer\carbon composites is responsible for the higher thermal stability of the composite material in comparison with pristine polythiophene. The FTIR analysis showed that covalent functionalized nanocomposites exhibit a high intensity of a C-S bondThis study reports on the synthesis of N-doped carbon spheres (N-CSs) by a simple synthetic procedure. A horizontal CVD type reactor was used to synthesize N-CSs from pyridine. Depending on the dilution of the pyridine with toluene, a nitrogen content of 0.13-5 mol % was obtained. The use of a vertical CVD reactor gave N-CSs with a N-content of 0.19-3 mol % when an ammonium solution and acetylene were used as reactants. The diameters of carbon spheres were found to be in the range of 40 nm to 1000 nm for both CVD reactors. The diameter can be controlled by varying the flow rate, temperature, time, concentration and the reactor type. The samples were characterized by TEM, HRTEM, elemental analysis, Raman spectroscopy, TGA, PXRD and ESR. We have demonstrated that unsubstituted thiophene can be polymerized by Fe3+-catalyzed oxidative polymerization. The average particle size was about 50 nm, within a narrow particlesize distribution. The undoped carbon spheres (CSs) were reacted with thiophene to give polymer/carbon composites containing polythiophene and carbon nanospheres via chemical oxidative polymerization reaction. Polythiophene molecules were either chemically bonded or physically adsorbed to the surface of carbon spheres. The microstructure and properties of the two types of composites were compared. The thermogravimetric analysis data confirmed that the presence of CSs in the polymer\carbon composites is responsible for the higher thermal stability of the composite material in comparison with pristine polythiophene. The FTIR analysis showed that covalent functionalized nanocomposites exhibit a high intensity of a C-S bond at 695 cm-1 , which is not observed in the noncovalent functionalized nanocomposites

<p>  </p> <p>With the surge of interest in the electrification of transportation driven by global climate change, the need for powertrains using non-carbon energy sources has become more urgent than ever. The fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) using polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have many advantages over the internal combustion engine (ICE) and other renewable energy vehicles such as high efficiency, zero-emission, fast fueling, unique power, and energy scalability (without heavy penalty from the increased mass). After three decades of intensive development, there are only several thousand FCEVs on the road, in contrast to the millions of battery electric vehicles (BEV) in use today. The biggest challenge of the widespread implantation of the PEMFCs is the cost, primarily due to the use of platinum catalysts. The high intrinsic catalyst activity exhibited using a rotating disc electrode (RDE) is rarely realized in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA), which is the core of PEMFC, due to the difference on the electrolyte(ionomer)/catalyst interfaces. Much of my Ph. D research effort is concentrated on how to reduce the Pt usage and improve the stability of catalyst to reduce the operation cost of fuel cells. Several approaches were practiced improving the performance of MEA in a fuel cell, such as optimizing the ink formulation and MEA fabrication method, enhancing proton conductivity of carbon support for catalysts, engineering the ionomer and catalyst interface via surface functionalization. Such studies unraveled the relationship between property, structure, and performance of MEA, and significantly improved the performance of MEA. Further, to reduce the cost of fuel cell operation, approaches that is to improve the stability of catalysts either in reducing Oswald ripening or limiting surface migration were practiced on developing novel catalysts. Such as doping anion into Pt and Ni alloy crystal structure, introducing PANI on catalyst surface. These approaches significantly improve the stability of catalyst and MEA. Finally, same as platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts, PGM-free catalysts as well as their MEAs were studied. A novel method of PGM-free MEA fabrication was developed which significantly reduced the thickness of catalyst layer, thus greatly reduced the mass transfer resistance. Also, a highly stable and active PGM-free catalyst was developed and can be considered as a strong competitor to replace the traditional PGM catalysts in MEA.</p>

New derivatives of carbon nanostructures: nanotubes, nano-onions and nanocrystalline diamonds were obtained through fluorination and subsequent functionalization with sucrose. Chemically modified nanocarbons show high solubility in water, ethanol, DMF and can be used as biomaterials for medical applications. It was demonstrated that sucrose functionalized nanostructures can find applications in nanocomposites due to improved dispersion enabled by polyol functional groups. Additionally, pristine and chemically derivatized carbon nanotubes were studied as nanofillers in epoxy composites. Carbon nanotubes tailored with amino functionalities demonstrated better dispersion and crosslinking with epoxy polymer yielding improved tensile strength and elastic properties of nanocomposites. Reductive functionalization of nanocarbons, also known as Billups reaction, is a powerful method to yield nanomaterials with high degree of surface functionalization. In this method, nanocarbon salts prepared by treatment with lithium or sodium in liquid ammonia react readily with alkyl and aryl halides as well as bromo carboxylic acids. Functionalized materials are soluble in various organic or aqueous solvents. Water soluble nanodiamond derivatives were also synthesized by reductive functionalization of annealed nanodiamonds. Nanodiamond heat pretreatment was necessary to yield surface graphene layers and facilitate electron transfer from reducing agent to the surface of nanoparticles. Other carbon materials such as activated carbon and anthracite coal were also derivatized using reductive functionalization to yield water soluble activated carbon and partially soluble in organic solvents anthracite. It was shown that activated carbon can be effectively functionalized by Billups method. New derivatives of activated carbon can improve water treatment targeting specific impurities and bio active contaminants. It was demonstrated that functionalized carbon nanotubes are suitable for real time radiation measurements. Radiation sensor incorporating derivatized carbon nanotubes is lightweight and reusable. In summary, functionalization of carbon nanomaterials opens new avenues for processing and applications ranging from biomedicine to radiation sensing in space.