Synthesis of boron carbon oxynitride (BCNO) nanosheets at different temperature from amorphous to crystalline regime has been reported. The synthesis was done by a simple molten salt process using sodium borohydride and urea as precursors. Transmission electron microscopic study confirms the formation of sheet-like structure of the as-synthesized material. The performances of the as-synthesized BCNO nano sheets as cold cathode materials have been studied for the first time in the high vacuum electron field emission set up. It has been seen that the material gives considerable field emission current with turn on field as low as 2.95 V/mu m with good stability and thus a new cold cathode material can be postulated. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.