Synthesis, characterization and field emission of single wall carbon nanotubes

In this work, high-quality SWCNTs were synthesized by pyrolysis of ethanol at 900 °C in a tubular furnace. The catalyst was manufactured by depositing Fe and Mo metal on the surface of sol–gel MgO nanopowder. The SWCNTs produced by sol–gel MgO nanopowder have better yield, higher purity, and smaller diameters than those produced by commercial milling MgO powder. The lengths of SWCNTs are up to several microns with diameters in the range of 0.73–1.40 nm. The extremely small turn-on field Eto (0.01 V/μm) and threshold field Eth (0.07 V/μm) show that the SWCNTs have potential applications in field emission displays (FEDs).