Nitrogenated　carbon　nanorods　(NCNRs)　with　different　structures　were　catalytically　synthesized　on　the　silicon　substrate　deposited　with　gold　films　in　a　plasma-enhanced　hot　filament　chemical　vapor　deposition　system,　where　methane,　nitrogen　and　hydrogen　were　used　as　the　reactive　gases.　The　structure　and　composition　of　synthesized　NCNRs　were　investigated　by　field　emission　scanning　electron　microscopy,　transmission　electron　microscopy,　micro-Raman　spectroscopy　and　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy,　respectively.　The　results　indicate　that　the　gold　particles　locate　at　the　tops　of　NCNRs　composed　of　amorphous　carbon　with　nitrogen　incorporation　and　their　growth　was　improved　with　the　increase　of　nitrogen.　According　to　the　theory　related　to　thermodynamics,　the　catalytic　growth　mechanism　of　NCNRs　was　studied.　The　electron　field　emission　(EFE)　properties　of　NCNRs　were　studied　in　a　high-vacuum　system　of　similar　to　10(-6)　Pa.　The　EFE　results　show　that　the　turn-on　field　changes　from　2.26　to　3.11　V/mu　m　for　the　NCNRs　with　different　structures　and　the　current　density　is　up　to　about　2.2　mA/cm(2).　The　EFE　results　also　indicate　that　the　Fowler-Nordheim　curves　of　NCNRs　are　composed　of　three　straight　lines,　which　are　different　from　the　F-N　curve　of　single　carbon　nanorod　reported.　In　addition,　the　work　function　of　carbon　nanorods　was　measured　by　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　and　the　results　show　that　the　work　function　is　closely　correlated　with　the　structure　and　composition　of　the　synthesized　carbon　nanorods.　Depending　on　the　interface　barrier　formed　between　the　NCNRs　and　gold　particles,　the　effects　of　catalyst　on　the　EFE　properties　of　NCNRs　were　studied　according　to　the　analysis　of　the　change　in　the　slope　of　F-N　curves.　These　results　can　enrich　our　knowledge　on　the　structure　and　EFE　properties　of　carbon　nano-materials　and　are　highly　relevant　to　fabrication　of　next　generation　of　optoelectronic　devices.　(C)　2013　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.