Published October 25, 2014 | Version v1
Journal article

Enhanced thermionic emission properties in textured two-phase LaB6–BaB6 system prepared by spark plasma sintering

  • 1. State Key Laboratory of Theoretical Physics, Institute of Theoretical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)
  • 2. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Special Artificial Microstructure and Pohl Institute of Solid State Physics and School of Physics Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China)
  • 3. College of Mathematics and Physics, Jinggangshan University, Jian 343409 (China)
  • 4. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009 (China)
  • 5. Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory for Physics and Chemistry of Functional Materials, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot 010022 (China)

Description

Graphical abstract: Room temperature XRD patterns of the nominal composition (La0.6Ba0.4)B6 synthesized by SPS at 1400 °C for 5 min under 50 MPa. The XRD patterns reveal that the (La0.6Ba0.4)B6 is a two-phase mixture of LaB6 and BaB6. The inset is a macroscopic picture of the obtained (La0.6Ba0.4)B6. - Highlights: • (La0.6Ba0.4)B6 has been successfully prepared by spark plasma sintering. • The obtained (La0.6Ba0.4)B6 compound is a two-phase mixture of LaB6 and BaB6. • The (0 0 1) texture is favorable for the decrease of work function. • The addition of BaB6 to LaB6 improves the electron emission performance. • (La0.6Ba0.4)B6 is shown to be promising candidate for cathode applications. - Abstract: Structure, crystallographic orientation, and thermionic emission properties of the two-phase LaB6–BaB6 system fabricated by a combined process of evaporation–condensation and spark plasma sintering (SPS) were investigated systematically. The powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) reveals that the obtained nominal composition (La0.6Ba0.4)B6 compound exhibits coexistence of two isostructural phases of LaB6 and BaB6. The electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) confirms that the surface of the (La0.6Ba0.4)B6 forms a clear (0 0 1) texture, which favors reduction in work function. Thermionic emission properties were measured in the temperature range between 1500 and 1873 K. The results indicated that the (La0.6Ba0.4)B6 emitter displayed a low work function of 1.95 eV, and a high zero field emission current density of 10 A cm−2 at 1773 K. Compared to the reported LaB6 and (La0.6Sm0.4)B6 prepared for identical synthesis conditions, (La0.6Ba0.4)B6 is shown to have the most excellent thermionic emission performance and could be promising candidate for cathode material applications. It was revealed that the addition of BaB6 to LaB6 plays an important role for the reduction of work function and enhancement of electron emission properties

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2014.05.067

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1016/j.jallcom.2014.05.067;
PII
S0925-8388(14)01142-6;

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Journal of Alloys and Compounds
Journal Volume
611
Journal Page Range
p. 130-134
ISSN
0925-8388
CODEN
JALCEU

Optional Information

Copyright
Copyright (c) 2014 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.