Enhanced field emission properties of a reduced graphene oxide/carbon nanotube hybrid film

• A controllable method to enhance field emission from CNTs using rGO as a bi-functional filler
• rGO sheets serve as bi-functional fillers to control density of CNT-emitters.
• This technique provides an ease of transferring onto other flexible and transparent substrates.

A facile vacuum filtration method for the preparation of hybrid films to achieve superior field emission properties from carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as a bi-functional filler has been proposed. In the hybrid films, CNTs serve as electron emitters, while rGO helps to control the density of the CNT-emitters and reduce electrical resistance of the films. Via controlling volumes of CNTs and rGO dispersions, electron field emission properties of the hybrid films can be easily tailored. Higher weight ratio of rGO:CNT results in better electrical properties and the best field emission property is achieved when a rGO:CNT weight ratio of 1:3 is employed. The hybrid film reveals a significant improvement in field emission properties, as compared with the CNT film without adding rGO. Decreases in sheet resistance, turn-on field, and threshold field are attributed to the formation of extended conjugated network between CNTs and rGO in association with the reduction of screening effect through the optimization of density of CNT-emitters. The concept that rGO can be employed to control the density of CNT emitters will be of special interest for field emission enhancement.

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