Reinforced polymer x-ray window

• US 9,305,735 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Moxtek Inc (Nippon Kayaku Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Moxtek Inc (Nippon Kayaku Company Limited), Brigham Young University (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)
• Inventors: Liddiard, Steven D., Jensen, Charles R., Zappe, Michael, Decker, Keith W., Davis, Robert C., Pei, Lei, Vanfleet, Richard R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Daniel H
• Application Number:
  US13/018,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20120025110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,890 Days
• Field of Search: 428/408, 423/447.1, 423/447.2, 423/448, 977/742
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/158 Carbon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2235/183 Multi-layer structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 35/18 Windows
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 5/18 Windows permeable to X-rays, gamma-rays, or particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24132 including grain, strips, or filamentary elements in different layers or components parallel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24331 including nonapertured component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/30 Self-sustaining carbon mass or layer with impregnant or other layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31721 Of polyimide

Abstract

An x-ray window comprising a polymer and carbon nanotubes and/or graphene. The carbon nanotubes and/or graphene can be embedded in the polymer. Multiple layers of polymer, carbon nanotubes, and/or graphene may be used. The polymer with carbon nanotubes and/or graphene can be used as an x-ray window support structure and/or thin film.

Claims

1. An x-ray window including a film, the film comprising:

a) graphene embedded in a polymer;

b) the film is substantially transmissive to x-rays having an energy in the range of 100-20,000 electronvolts;

c) the film is capable of withstanding a differential pressure of at least 1 atmosphere;

d) the film has a thickness of between about 50 nm to about 500 nm;

e) the film is attached to a mount; and

f) the mount is configured for attachment to an x-ray tube or an x-ray window.

2. The x-ray window of claim 1, further comprising at least one polymer layer disposed adjacent to the film.

3. The x-ray window of claim 1, wherein the film comprises at least two films stacked together, each film including graphene embedded in a polymer.

4. The x-ray window of claim 1:

a) further comprising a plurality of ribs having openings therein, wherein tops of the ribs terminate substantially in a common plane, and a support frame disposed around a perimeter of the plurality of ribs;

b) wherein the film is disposed over and spans the plurality of ribs and openings to pass radiation therethrough; and

c) the ribs comprise carbon nanotubes embedded in a polymer.

5. The x-ray window of claim 1, wherein the polymer comprises a polyimide.

6. The x-ray window of claim 1, wherein

the film is capable of withstanding temperatures of greater than 225°

C.

7. The x-ray window of claim 1, wherein the film is mounted on an x-ray tube.

8. The x-ray window of claim 1, wherein:

a) the mount is attached to an x-ray detector; and

b) the film allow x-rays to impinge upon the detector.

9. The x-ray window of claim 1, further comprising:

a) another film including carbon nanotubes disposed in a polymer;

b) the another film including the carbon nanotubes disposed in the polymer stacked together with the film including graphene embedded in the polymer.

10. An x-ray window comprising:

a) a plurality of ribs having openings therein and tops of the ribs terminate substantially in a common plane;

b) a support frame disposed around and connected to a perimeter of the plurality of ribs;

c) the ribs and support frame comprise carbon nanotubes embedded in a polymer; and

e) a thin film disposed over and spanning the plurality of ribs and openings to pass radiation therethrough.

11. The x-ray window of claim 10 wherein the openings take up about 70% to about 95% of a total area within an inner perimeter of the support frame.

12. The x-ray window of claim 10 wherein each rib is about less than 100 μ

m wide and each rib is between about 30 μ

m to about 300 μ

m high.

13. The x-ray window of claim 10 wherein the thin film comprises graphene and polyimide.

14. The x-ray window of claim 13 wherein the graphene is embedded in the polyimide.

15. An x-ray window comprising:

a) a composite film comprising carbon nanotubes embedded in a polymer;

b) the composite film has a thickness of between about 50 nm to about 500 nm;

c) the composite film is substantially transmissive to x-rays having an energy in the range of 100-20,000 electronvolts;

d) the composite film is capable of withstanding a differential pressure of at least 1 atmosphere; and

e) the composite film is capable of withstanding temperatures of greater than 225°

C.

16. The x-ray window of claim 15, wherein the a majority of the carbon nanotubes are randomly aligned.

17. The x-ray window of claim 15, wherein a majority of the carbon nanotubes are aligned substantially parallel with respect to a surface of the film.

18. The x-ray window of claim 15, further comprising:

a) a plurality of ribs having openings therein and tops of the ribs terminate substantially in a common plane;

b) a support frame disposed around and connected to a perimeter of the plurality of ribs;

c) the ribs and support frame comprise carbon nanotubes and a polymer; and

d) the composite film disposed over and spanning the plurality of ribs and openings to pass radiation therethrough.