NEW LUBRICANTS FOR ROTATING ANODE X-RAY TUBE BEARINGS

用于旋转阳极 X 射线管轴承的新型润滑剂

• 批准号: 6074682
• 负责人: WARD D HALVERSON
• 金额: $ 9.99万
• 依托单位: SPIRE CORPORATION
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2000
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2000-08-15 至 2001-02-14
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6074682
• 关键词: X ray; biomedical equipment; ionization; silver; surface coating; technology /technique development

The project will develop new solid lubricant coatings for bearings that must operate at high rotational speed, high temperature, and under vacuum in rotating anode X-ray tubes for CT scanners and other medical and industrial applications. The lubricants will be applied by an ion- assisted process developed by Spire Corporation, in which an energetic ion beam both sputter-deposits the coating and concurrently bombards the deposited material. Ion bombardment initially modifies the substrate/coating interface to enhance adhesion, and continued bombardment during deposition densifies and homogenizes the microstructure for improved performance. The coating's composition can be far from phase-equilibrium, thus providing unique lubrication properties. In Phase I, we will identify and test promising coating materials based primarily on mixtures of silver and other ductile metals; a commercial manufacturer of X-ray tubes will test lubricated bearing balls in a rotating anode simulator, under realistic thermal-mechanical-vacuum conditions. Phase II would investigate a wider range of lubricant materials, processing parameters, and bearing components and initiate full-scale testing in actual X-ray tubes. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: Bearing wear is the principal limitation on rotating anode X-ray tube lifetime in CT scanners and other X-ray equipment. New bearing lubricants could not only extend tube lifetime but also allow a major increase in X-ray intensity, along with proportional reduction of exposure time. An immediate commercial market exists for new solid lubricants for bearings in rotating anode X-ray tubes and in other precision machinery that operates in a vacuum environment.

该项目将为 CT 扫描仪和其他医疗和工业应用的旋转阳极 X 射线管中必须在高转速、高温和真空下运行的轴承开发新型固体润滑涂层。润滑剂将通过 Spire 公司开发的离子辅助工艺进行涂覆，其中高能离子束既溅射沉积涂层，同时轰击沉积的材料。离子轰击首先改变基材/涂层界面以增强附着力，沉积过程中的持续轰击使微观结构致密化和均匀化，以提高性能。该涂层的成分可以远离相平衡，从而提供独特的润滑性能。在第一阶段，我们将识别和测试主要基于银和其他延展金属混合物的有前途的涂层材料； X 射线管商业制造商将在真实的热机械真空条件下在旋转阳极模拟器中测试润滑轴承滚珠。第二阶段将研究更广泛的润滑剂材料、加工参数和轴承部件，并在实际 X 射线管中启动全面测试。拟议的商业应用：轴承磨损是 CT 扫描仪和其他 X 射线设备中旋转阳极 X 射线管寿命的主要限制。新型轴承润滑剂不仅可以延长管的使用寿命，还可以大幅增加 X 射线强度，同时按比例减少曝光时间。用于旋转阳极 X 射线管和其他在真空环境中运行的精密机械中的轴承的新型固体润滑剂存在直接的商业市场。