Thermophotoinduced electron emission from conductive composite based on polytetrafluoroethylene with carbon nanotubes.

This work explores the potential of conductive polymer-carbon nanocomposites, specifically polytetrafluoroethylene with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (PTFE-CNTs), as efficient electron emitters for emission electronics, low-temperature thermionic energy conversion (TEC), sensors, elements of information storage devices, and materials with targeted control of electromagnetic waves' absorption/reflection. Our main scientific contribution is the demonstration of electron emission from investigated composite PTFE + 10 wt% CNTs at significantly reduced operating temperatures (near 200 °C), much lower than those for pure CNTs and conventional materials for emission electronics and energy. The research combines experimental studies of electron emission under concentrated solar and pulsed laser radiation, structural characterization of samples by electron microscopy, and positron spectroscopy.