Organic-inorganic hybrid cathodes: facile synthesis of polypyrrole/zinc oxide nanofibers for low turn-on electron field emitters

The identification of new materials capable of sustaining a high electron emission current is a key requirement in the development of the next generation of cold cathode devices and technology. Compatibility with large volume material production methods is a further important practical consideration with solution chemistry-based methods providing for routes to industrial scale-up. Here we demonstrate a new class of organic-inorganic hybrid material based on polypyrrole and zinc oxide (PPy/ZnO) nanofibers for use as a low-cost large-area cathode material. Solution chemistry based surfactant chemical oxidation polymerisation is used to synthesise the nanofibers and the macroscopic turn-on electric field for emission has been measured to be as low as 1.8 V μm −1 , with an emission current density of 1 mA cm −2 possible for an applied electric field of less than 4 V μm −1 . Specific surface area measurements reveal a linear increase in the nanofiber surface area with ZnO incorporation, which when coupled with electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the wurtzite ZnO nanoparticles (around 45 nm in size) act as nucleation sites for the growth of PPy nanofibers. Our study demonstrates for the first time how an inorganic nanocrystal acting as a nucleation site allows the tailored growth of the organic component without diminishing the overall electrical properties and opens the potential for a new type of organic-inorganic hybrid large-area cathode material. The broader impacts and advantages of using hybrid materials, when compared to other composite nanomaterial systems, as large area cathode materials are also discussed. Hybrid organic-inorganic nanomaterials can be used as cold cathode devices with ultra-low turn-on voltages, which when coupled with solution processing allow for their use in large area electronics.