Electron field emission from carbon films grown from pyrolysis of kerosene

Kerosene - the cheapest petroleum product, has now been found to produce am orphous carbon having the property of electron field emission at a pressure 1 Torr. The process of synthesis involves simple pyrolysis of kerosene vap our at 800-1000 degreesC in argon atmosphere. Clay tiles and alumina pellet s having nanopores are used as substrates so that the pyrolysis is achieved within the pores resulting in conducting carbon nanochannels across the su bstrates. Kerosene-pyrolyzed carbon deposited at 800 degreesC for 2 h on a clay tile was able to yield an emission current of 1 muA/cm(2) at a low ele ctric held of 1.4 V/mum, whereas that deposited at 1000 degreesC for 3 h on an alumina pellet yielded 26 muA/cm(2) at an applied held of 5 V/mum. Fiel d emission property of kerosene-pyrolyzed carbon has been discussed on the basis of XRD, SEM and Raman spectra analysis. The evidence of electron emis sion from this extremely cheap material at such a high pressure and low pot ential, and without any sophistication, makes it a promising candidate for further investigation for a prototype display device application. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. Ah rights reserved.