(488a) Generation And Field Emission Of Titania Nanotube Arrays Prepared With A Fast Anodization Process Enabled By Use Of A Deep Eutectic Solvent

A fast anodization process was developed to fabricate well aligned, smooth titania nanotube arrays. The resulted titania nanotubes were with a diameter of 20-30 nm, tube wall thickness of 5-10 nm, and length of 4.5 µm. The tube growth rate can be as high as 0.9 µm/min, much faster than those of other titania nanotube growth processes, made possible by use of a deep eutectic solvent in the electrolyte. These titania nanotubes were vertically grown and adhered very well to the substrate. After a post-annealing treatment at 500 ^oC in air, the nanotubes acquired crystallinity and exhibited excellent field emission characteristics: a turn on field of 1.5 V/µm for a current density of 1µA/cm² and a threshold field of 2.2 V/µm for a current density of 1mA/cm². The field enhancement factor was estimated to be around 4300.