Effect of Electrochemical Treatment in a Lithium Chloride Solution on Field Emission from Carbon Nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are electrochemically treated in a lithium chloride solution at a concentration 0.1mol/L. The field emission properties of the CNTs are investigated at different temperatures before and after the electrochemical treatment. After treatment, the turn-on voltage to produce field emission current of 10μA decreases from 4.2kV to 2.7kV and the field emission current increases distinctly, but the stability falls off. Based on the Fowler-Nordheim plot, the values of the work function for the CNTs are calculated, which reveals that work function decreases after the electrochemical treatment. These results are attributed to the decrease of the work function of the carbon nanotubes.