Synthesis and field emission properties of carbon nanotubes/nanofibers grown on pyrolyzed polyaniline-SiO2 substrates

Pyrolyzed polyaniline-SiO2 substrates with the rough surface containing some holes were prepared by the pyrolysis of polyaniline-SiO2 composites at temperature of 900 °C. Carbon nanotubes/nanofibers (CNTs/CNFs) were grown on the rough surface and inside the holes using a CVD method with a xylene-ferrocene mixture as a carbon and catalyst precursor source. The structural and morphological properties of CNTs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicated that the SiO2 content of the substrates was responsible to the diameter and electron field emission properties of CNTs.