Field emission properties of N-doped capped single-walled carbon nanotubes: A first-principles density-functional study

Tuning the Defects of Two-Dimensional Layered Carbon/TiO2 Superlattice Composite for a Fast Lithium-Ion Storage

Defect engineering is one of the effective ways to improve the electrochemical property of electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIB). Herein, an organic functional molecule of p-phenylenediamine is embedded into two-dimensional (2D) layered TiO₂ as the electrode for LIB. Then, the 2D carbon/TiO₂ composites with the tuning defects are prepared by precise control of the polymerization and carbothermal atmospheres. Low valence titanium in metal oxide and nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheets can be obtained in the carbon/TiO₂ composite under a carbonization treatment atmosphere of N₂/H₂ gas, which can not only increase the electronic conductivity of the material but also provide sufficient electrochemical active sites, thus producing an excellent rate capability and long-term cycle stability. The prepared composite can provide a high capacity of 396.0 mAh g⁻¹ at a current density of 0.1 A g⁻¹ with a high capacitive capacity ratio. Moreover, a high specific capacity of 80.0 mAh g⁻¹ with retention rate of 85% remains after 10,000 cycles at 3.0 A g⁻¹ as well as the Coulomb efficiency close to 100%. The good rate-capability and cycle-sustainability of the layered materials are ascribed to the increase of conductivity, the lithium-ion transport channel, and interfacial capacitance due to the multi-defect sites in the layered composite.

A Cu-atom-chain current channel with a width of approximately 0.246 nm on (5, 0) single-wall carbon nanotube

Continuous miniaturization with improved performance has enabled the development of electronic devices. However, further shrinking of electronic circuits will push feature sizes (linewidths) firmly into the nanoscale. This can cause electronic devices built using current materials (silicon-based) and fabrication processes to not work as expected. Therefore, new materials or preparation technologies are needed for the further miniaturization of electron devices. Here, through theoretical simulation, we show that regular doping of a Cu-atom chain on a single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) can be used to realize an atomic-scale current channel (Cu-atom-chain current channel) with a linewidth of approximately 0.246 nm. Moreover, the atomic-scale Cu-atom-chain current channel shows enhanced conductivity (lower power consumption) compared to a pristine SWCNT. Such a Cu-atom-chain current channel with an atomic-scale linewidth and its method of fabrication (regular doping) may be suitable for the preparation of nanoelectronic devices.

Effects of ZnO Quantum Dots Decoration on the Field Emission Behavior of Graphene

ZnO quantum dots (QDs) have been decorated on graphene deposited on patterned Ag electrodes as a field emission cathode by a solution process. Effects of ZnO QDs on the field emission behavior of graphene are studied by experiment and first-principles calculations. The results indicate that the attachment of ZnO QDs with a C atom leads to the enhancement of electron emission from graphene, which is mainly attributed to the reduction of the work function and ionization potential, and the increase of the Fermi level of graphene after the decoration. A change in the local density distribution and the density of states near the Fermi level may also account for this behavior. Our study may help to develop new field emission composites and expand ZnO QDs in applications for electron emission devices as well.

Scandium and Titanium Containing Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Hydrogen Storage: a Thermodynamic and First Principle Calculation

The generalized gradient approximation (GGA) to density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that the highly localized states derived from the defects of nitrogen doped carbon nanotube with divacancy (4ND-CNxNT) contribute to strong Sc and Ti bindings, which prevent metal aggregation. Comparison of the H2 adsorption capability of Sc over Ti-decorated 4ND-CNxNT shows that Ti cannot be used for reversible H2 storage due to its inherent high adsorption energy. The Sc/4ND-CNxNT possesses favorable adsorption and consecutive adsorption energy at the local-density approximation (LDA) and GGA level. Molecular dynamics (MD) study confirmed that the interaction between molecular hydrogen and 4ND-CNxNT decorated with scandium is indeed favorable. Simulations indicate that the total amount of adsorption is directly related to the operating temperature and pressure. The number of absorbed hydrogen molecules almost logarithmically increases as the pressure increases at a given temperature. The total excess adsorption of hydrogen on the (Sc/4ND)10-CNxNT arrays at 300 K is within the range set by the department of energy (DOE) with a value of at least 5.85 wt%.

The enhanced field emission properties of K and Rb doped (5,5) capped single-walled carbon nanotubes

The field emission properties of alkali metal K and Rb (AM) doped (5,5) capped single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been investigated using first-principles theory.

EXAMPLES OF MODIFICATIONS TO FIELD EMITTER ARRAYS

A discussion is presented of some of the work reported during the early 21st century describing modifications to field emitter arrays (FEAs). Discussion is focused on FEAs of metals ( Mo and Si ), of ZnO , and of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Particular attention is given to modifications that lower the FEA turn-on field, and to the "screening effect" of closely packed emitters in an FEA. Hydrothermal synthesis briefly is described as a preparation technique.

Effect of N/B doping on the electronic and field emission properties for carbon nanotubes, carbon nanocones, and graphene nanoribbons

Carbon nanotubes, carbon nanocones, and graphene nanoribbons are carbon-based nanomaterials, and their electronic and field emission properties can be altered by either electron donors or electron acceptors. Among both donors and accepters, nitrogen and boron atoms are typical substitutional dopants for carbon materials. The contribution of this paper mainly provides a comprehensive overview of the theoretical topics. The effect of nitrogen/boron doping on the electronic and field emission properties for carbon nanotubes, carbon nanocones, and graphene nanoribbons is reviewed. It is also suggested that nitrogen is more an n-type donor. The discussion about the mechanism of field emission for N-doped carbon nanotubes and electronic structures of N-doped graphene nanoribbons is interesting and timely.

Electronic Structures of S-Doped Capped C-SWNT from First Principles Study

The semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotube (C-SWNT) has been synthesized by S-doping, and they have extensive potential application in electronic devices. We investigated the electronic structures of S-doped capped (5, 5) C-SWNT with different doping position using first principles calculations. It is found that the electronic structures influence strongly on the workfunction without and with external electric field. It is considered that the extended wave functions at the sidewall of the tube favor for the emission properties. With the S-doping into the C-SWNT, the HOMO and LUMO charges distribution is mainly more localized at the sidewall of the tube and the presence of the unsaturated dangling bond, which are believed to enhance workfunction. When external electric field is applied, the coupled states with mixture of localized and extended states are presented at the cap, which provide the lower workfunction. In addition, the wave functions close to the cap have flowed to the cap as coupled states and to the sidewall of the tube mainly as extended states, which results in the larger workfunction. It is concluded that the S-doped C-SWNT is not incentive to be applied in field emitter fabrication. The results are also helpful to understand and interpret the application in other electronic devices.

Enhanced field emission properties of vertically aligned double-walled carbon nanotube arrays

Vertically aligned double-walled carbon nanotube (VA-DWCNT) arrays were synthesized by point-arc microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition on Cr/n-Si and SiO(2)/n-Si substrates. The outer tube diameters of VA-DWCNTs are in the range of 2.5-3.8 nm, and the average interlayer spacing is approximately 0.42 nm. The field emission properties of these VA-DWCNTs were studied. It was found that a VA-DWCNT array grown on a Cr/n-Si substrate had better field emission properties as compared with a VA-DWCNT array grown on a SiO(2)/n-Si substrate and randomly oriented DWCNTs, showing a turn-on field of about 0.85 V µm(-1) at the emission current density of 0.1 µA cm(-2) and a threshold field of 1.67 V µm(-1) at the emission current density of 1.0 mA cm(-2). The better field emission performance of the VA-DWCNT array was mainly attributed to the vertical alignment of DWCNTs on the Cr/n-Si substrate and the low contact resistance between CNTs and the Cr/n-Si substrate.

Effect of Substrate Morphology on Growth and Field Emission Properties of Carbon Nanotube Films

Carbon nanotube (CNT) films were grown by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process on four types of Si substrates: (i) mirror polished, (ii) catalyst patterned, (iii) mechanically polished having pits of varying size and shape, and (iv) electrochemically etched. Iron thin film was used as catalytic material and acetylene and ammonia as the precursors. Morphological and structural characteristics of the films were investigated by scanning and transmission electron microscopes, respectively. CNT films of different morphology such as vertically aligned, randomly oriented flowers, or honey-comb like, depending on the morphology of the Si substrates, were obtained. CNTs had sharp tip and bamboo-like internal structure irrespective of growth morphology of the films. Comparative field emission measurements showed that patterned CNT films and that with randomly oriented morphology had superior emission characteristics with threshold field as low as ~2.0 V/μm. The defective (bamboo-structure) structures of CNTs have been suggested for the enhanced emission performance of randomly oriented nanotube samples.

Enhancement of the transverse conductance in DNA nucleotides

We theoretically study the electron transport properties of DNA nucleotides placed in the gap between two single-wall carbon nanotubes capped or terminated with H or N. We show that in the case of C-cap and H-termination the current at low electric bias is dominated by nonresonant tunneling, similarly to the cases of gold electrodes. In nitrogen-terminated nanotube electrodes, the nature of current is primarily quasiresonant tunneling and is increased by several orders of magnitude. We discuss the consequence of our result on the possibility of recognition at the level of single molecule.