Electronic structure tailoring and selective adsorption mechanism of metal-coated nanotubes

Effects of various metal coating (Co, Ti, Pd, W, and Ru) on electronic structures of carbon nanotubes are systematically studied by both ab initio calculations and field-emission experiments. The theoretical results indicate that the adsorption of metal atoms leads to substantial changes in the band structures and work functions of nanotubes. In particular, titanium is found to be the most effective coating material for the application of nanotubes to the field emission display, by lowering the work function and increasing the local density of states near the Fermi level. This is confirmed by the field-emission experiments using Ti-coated nanotubes, which shows enhanced emission performances. In addition, it is found that the Ti coating extends the lifetime of the nanotube substantially. Through the thermogravimetric analysis and theoretical modeling, we propose that this is related to the role of metal coating as a protection layer against residual gases such as oxygen, which cause the degradation of nanotubes. The applications of metal-coated nanotubes to other types of electronic devices are also discussed.