Tungsten-rhenium　mixed　powders　were　prepared　by　spray　drying　followed　by　a　two-step　hydrogen　reduction　method.　With　these　powders,　W-Re　mixed　metal　matrix　cathodes　were　prepared　by　processes　of　die　pressing,　sintering　and　impregnation.　Thermal　electron　emission　properties　of　the　cathodes　were　tested　using　the　self-prepared　pulsed　power　testing　system.　SEM,　XRD　and　AES　were　adopted　to　analyze　the　surface　morphology,　phase　structure　and　surface　chemical　elements　of　the　cathodes,　respectively.　Results　show　that　the　phase　of　the　cathodes　depends　on　the　content　of　rhenium　in　the　matrixes.　The　W-75Re　cathode　(containing　75at%　Re)　is　composed　of　Re3W　singular　phase.　The　emission　testing　results　show　that　the　W-75Re　cathode　impregnated　with　411　salt　has　the　lowest　work　function　of　1.902　eV　and　the　highest　zero　field　emission　current　density　of　14.03　A.cm(-2)　at　1000　degrees　C-b　among　the　prepared　cathodes.　It　is　possibly　due　to　the　high　concentration　of　Re　in　the　matrix,　which　results　in　fine　grains　in　the　matrix　and　is　favourable　to　the　formation　of　active　Ba　element　and　its　diffusion　on　the　cathode　surface.