Preparation and field emission properties of Er-decorated multiwalled carbon nanotubes

The field emission of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was improved after decorating their external surface with erbium (Er)-nanoparticles. The decoration was performed by liquid-phase reduction using ethylene glycol as the reducing agent. The oxidation of MWCNTs and the attachment of Er-nanoparticles on the surface of MWCNTs were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Raman spectroscopy also...