Ti3C2 (MXene) based field electron emitters

Abstract

As a novel class of two-dimensional materials, MXene has provoked tremendous progress for various applications in functional devices. Here, we pioneer a preliminary understanding on the field emission behavior of MXene for the first time. Ti3C2 paper is fabricated by using facile filtration method, and multiple vertical sheets appear on the surface of MXene paper with high electrical conductivity (2.93 × 105 S m−1) and low work function (3.77 eV). The field electron emission performance and electric field distribution on MXene emitters are measured and simulated under planar and standing conditions. Both emitter conditions exhibit stable, uniform electron emission pattern, and the standing emitter achieves high emission current density of 59 mA cm−2 under 7.5 V μm−1. This work demonstrates the feasibility of MXene as cold electron source, establishing a preliminary foundation for its applications in field emission-based devices.