Low-temperature liquid phase reduced TiO2 nanotube arrays: synergy of morphology manipulation and oxygen vacancy doping for enhancement of field emission

Abstract

The partially reduced TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNAs) are prepared via an uncomplicated and low-cost liquid phase reduction strategy using NaBH4 as the reducing agent. By controlling and adjusting the reduction temperatures from 30 to 90 °C, the reduction treatment can not only change their surface morphology but also introduce oxygen vacancies into them, resulting in an optimized morphology, elevated Fermi-level, reduced effective work function and improved conductivity of the TNAs. Meanwhile, the thermal and long-term stability of oxygen vacancy are also investigated, indicating that the oxygen vacancies retain long-term stability from room temperature up to 150 °C. More interesting, partially reduced TNAs show drastically enhanced field emission (FE) performances including substantially decreased turn-on field from 18.86 to 1.53 V μm−1, a high current density of 4.00 mA cm−2 at 4.52 V μm−1, and an excellent FE stability and repeatability. These very promising results are attributed to the combination of the optimized morphology and introduced oxygen vacancies, which can increase FE sites, reduce effective work function and increase conductivity.