High-performance carbon nanotube paste emitters by using the optimal size distribution of SiC nanometer-fillers aggregates

We improved carbon nanotube (CNT) paste field emitter by optimizing the size distribution of SiC aggregates as inorganic fillers using a novel milling process. The average size of SiC aggregates was reduced to sub-micrometer with a relatively narrow distribution. The CNT paste emitter with the optimized small SiC fillers of 1 m in D50, by the milling process, exhibited better adhesive property and more uniform surface morphology than that with large fillers from the as-purchased SiC. Furthermore, the optimized small fillers shows superior field emission performance even under a high current density, making the CNT paste technology very useful for a variety of field emission devices.