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A narrow energy distribution is a prominent characteristic of field-emission cold cathodes. When applied in a vacuum electronic device, the cold cathode is fabricated over a large area and works under a high current and current density. It is interesting to see the energy distribution of the field emitter under such a working situation. In this work, the energy distribution spectra of a single carbon nanotube (CNT) and a CNT film were investigated across a range of currents, spanning from low to high. A consistent result indicated that, at low current emission, the CNT film (area: 0.585 mm2) exhibited a narrow electron energy distribution as small as 0.5 eV, similar to that of a single CNT, while the energy distribution broadened with increased current and voltage, accompanied by a peak position shift. The influencing factors related to the electric field, Joule heating, Coulomb interaction, and emission site over a large area were discussed to elucidate the underlying mechanism. The results provide guidance for the electron source application of nano-materials in cold cathode devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanotube (CNT) is an excellent field emission material. However, uniformity and stability are the key issues hampering its device application. In this work, a bimetallic W-Co alloy was adopted as the catalyst of CNT in chemical vapor deposition process. The high melting point and stable crystal structure of W-Co helps to increase the grown CNT diameter uniformity and homogeneous crystal structure. High-crystallinity CNTs were grown on the W-Co bimetallic catalyst. Its field emission characteristics demonstrated a low turn-on field, high current density, stable current stability, and uniform emission distribution. The Fowler–Nordheim (FN) and Seppen–Katamuki (SK) analyses revealed that the CNT grown on the W-Co catalyst has a relatively low work function and high field enhancement factor. The high crystallinity and homogeneous crystal structure of CNT also reduce the body resistance and increase the emission current stability and maximum current. The result provides a way to synthesis a high-quality CNT field emitter, which will accelerate the development of cold cathode vacuum electronic device application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the natural cellulose encapsulated in both lignin and hemicellulose matrices, as well as in plant cell walls with a compact and complex hierarchy, extracting cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) from lignocellulosic biomass is challenging. In this study, a sustainable high yield strategy with respect to other CNF preparations was developed. The cellulose was liberated from plant cell walls and fibrillated to a 7–22 nm thickness in one bath treatment with H3PO4 and H2O2 under mild conditions. The cellulose underwent swelling, the lignin underwent oxidative degradation, and the hemicellulose and a small amount of cellulose underwent acid hydrolysis. The CNFs' width was about 12 nm, with high yields (93% and 50% based on cellulose and biomass, respectively), and a 64% crystallinity and good thermal stability were obtained from bagasse. The current work suggests a strategy with simplicity, mild conditions, and cost-effectiveness, which means that this method can contribute to sustainable development for the preparation of CNFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Separating the fibers, deconstructing both the interlamellar structures and the intermicrofibrils structures in the cell wall, and cleaving the amorphous regions of cellulose (all reached in one bath chemical-assisted treatment), then extracting cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) from biomass, is both challenging and imperative. A simple, cost-effective and green strategy for extracting CNFs from bamboo using nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide (NCHP), to enable fibrillation via a cooperative mechanism, is demonstrated herein. NCHP-CNFs 13.1 ± 2.0 nm wide, with a high aspect ratio, 74% crystallinity, excellent UV resistance and high thermal stability, were successfully extracted by treatment in HNO3 aqueous solution, at a concentration of 3.2 mol/L, and treatment with 60.00 mmol/g H2O2 at 50 °C for 48 h. The yields of NCHP-CNFs reached 73% and 99% based on biomass and cellulose, respectively, due to the high delignification selectivity of OH+ and the mild aqueous conditions during the NCHP treatment. These NCHP-CNFs with excellent UV resistance can potentially be applied in the field of UV-resistant coatings, to replace organic and inorganic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]