Improved field emission stability and uniformity of printed carbon nanotubes prepared using high energy-milled glass frit

•Examine the effects of glass frit properties on the field emission properties and stability.•Synthesis of MWCNTs having straight morphology by chemical vapor deposition.•Finer and more uniformly distributed glass frits by 3 h of high energy milling.•Uniform emission and enhanced long-term stability with the high energy-milled frits.

Stable and uniform electron field emitters were fabricated by the screen-printing of a carbon nanotube (CNT) paste. The CNT paste was prepared by mixing thin multi-walled CNTs, organic binder and glass frits in terpineol followed by three-roll milling. The paste was screen-printed onto an indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass substrate and exposed to firing. The emitters formed by the adhesive tape treatment of the printed pastes generally showed non-uniform heights of emitting tips due to the large-sized glass frit distributed in the paste. On the other hand, small glass frits with a uniform particle size distribution could be obtained by high energy milling. In addition, the CNT paste prepared using the high energy-milled glass frits showed very uniform tip heights. The uniform CNT tip height was found to play an important role in acquiring the long-term emission stability and uniformity of field emitters.