Large-Area Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes:  Synthesis, Characterization, and Electron Field Emission

Large-area, high-uniformity, and high-density single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were fabricated by ethanol at 900 °C in a tubular furnace. The Fe(NO3)3·9H2O and the ICP/DCP standard solution of Mo were reacted to deposit SWNTs on the surface of the MgO sol−gel nanopowders. SWNTs have diameters in the range of 0.6−1.6 for SWNTs in bundles, and diameters in the range of 2−6 nm for isolated SWNTs were identified by the high-resolution transmission electron microscope and the breathing mode of the Raman spectrrum. A high yield of the as-synthesized SWNTs is over 500 wt % relative to the Fe−Mo metal in the catalyst. The extremely low turn-on field E to = 0.008 V/μm and threshold field E thr = 0.07 V/μm show that the SWNTs have an excellent performance on the electron field emission.