Functionalized carbon nanotubes for thermionic emission and cooling applications

Jin, Feng; Miruko, Ansibert; Litt, Daniel; Zhou, Karolena

doi:10.1116/6.0001467

Title: Functionalized carbon nanotubes for thermionic emission and cooling applications

Journal Article · 28 December 2021 · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1116/6.0001467 · OSTI ID:1980704

Jin, Feng ^[1]; Miruko, Ansibert ^[2]; Litt, Daniel ^[2]; Zhou, Karolena ^[3]

Ball State Univ., Muncie, IN (United States); Ball State Univ., Muncie, IN (United States)
Ball State Univ., Muncie, IN (United States)
Carmel High School, IN (United States)

Barium strontium oxide-coated carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were implemented as a work function lowering and field enhancing functional coating on a coiled tungsten filament to create a new thermionic cathode. This cathode resembles conventional oxide cathodes in structure. It has the same coiled tungsten filament as a conventional oxide cathode but uses barium strontium oxide-coated CNTs instead of the traditional barium strontium calcium oxide powder mixture as an emissive coating. The cathode produces a strong thermionic emission. At 1395 K and 2.5 V/μm, the thermionic emission current of 0.87 A or current density of 2.9 A/cm² was obtained from this oxide-coated CNT cathode. This level of emission is about three times as large as a conventional oxide cathode operating at similar temperature and field strength. Strong thermionic emissions from the cathode also lead to a large thermionic cooling effect. Temperature reduction as large as 90° was observed from the cathode surface when it was emitting electrons. Strong thermionic emission and a large cooling effect obtained are the result of the combination of the low work function of barium strontium oxide (1.6 eV) and the large field effect induced by the CNTs. Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition was used to grow CNTs, and magnetron sputtering deposition was used to deposit the barium strontium oxide functional coating; details of the cathode fabrication are presented to illustrate both the versatility of the processing techniques and the adaptability of barium strontium oxide-coated CNTs as a functional coating. Finally, measurements on thermionic emission and thermionic cooling of the cathode are also presented.

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Research Organization:: Ball State Univ., Muncie, IN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)

Grant/Contract Number:: FC26-04NT42329

OSTI ID:: 1980704

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1837723

Journal Information:: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A, Journal Name: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 40; ISSN 0734-2101

Publisher:: American Vacuum Society / AIPCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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