Fabrication of small diameter few-walled carbon nanotubes with enhanced field emission property.

A unique type of carbon nanotubes with 2 to 5 layers of sidewalls and diameters less than 10 nm was synthesized by the thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method with MgO supported Fe/Mo catalyst. Unlike the typical CVD grown multi-walled carbon nanotubes, these few-walled carbon nanotubes (FWNTs) have a high degree of structural perfection. They have enhanced electron field emission characteristics compared to the current commercial nanotubes, with a low threshold field for emission and improved emission stability.