Cast glass-coated microwire for X-ray protection

Abstract

A glass-coated microwire includes a metal wire coated with a glass. The metal wire can contain, in weight %, 20-25% Bi, 6-12% Sn, 4-8% In, 3-5% Cu, 0.6-1.5% Si, 0.05-1.2% Ce, and a balance of Pb. The glass coating can contain, in mol. %, 12-15% SrO, 10-12% B 2 O 3 , 1-3% Al 2 O 3 , 5-15% SiO 2 , 1-3% ZnO, 0.5-1.5% Li 2 O, 2-5% SnO, 2-8% K 2 O, and a balance of PbO. The glass-coated microwire provides improved shielding against X-ray radiation.

1 . A glass-coated microwire comprising 
 a metal wire; and    a glass coated on the metal wire, wherein    the metal wire comprises, in weight %,                                                Bi   20-25%,         Sn    6-12%,         In   4-8%,         Cu   3-5%,         Si   0.6-1.5%,         Ce   0.05-1.2%,          Pb    47.3-66.35%                                                   and inevitable impurities; and    the glass comprises, in mol. %,                                                SrO   12-15%,         B 2 O 3     10-12%,         Al 2 O 3     1-3%,         SiO 2      5-15%,         ZnO   1-3%,         Li 2 O   0.5-1.5%,         SnO   2-5%,         K 2 O   2-8%,         PbO   37.5-66.5%                                                     and inevitable impurities.    
     
     
         2 . The glass-coated microwire according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal wire consists essentially of, in weight %,  
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   Bi 
                   20-25%, 
                 
                     
                   Sn 
                    6-12%, 
                 
                     
                   In 
                   4-8%, 
                 
                     
                   Cu 
                   3-5%, 
                 
                     
                   Si 
                   0.6-1.5%, 
                 
                     
                   Ce 
                   0.05-1.2 %, 
                 
                     
                   Pb 
                    47.3-66.35% 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
               
               
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
         and inevitable impurties.  
       
     
     
         3 . The glass-coated microwire according to  claim 1 , wherein the glass consists essentially of, in mol. %,  
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   SrO 
                   12-15%, 
                 
                     
                   B 2 O 3   
                   10-12%, 
                 
                     
                   Al 2 O 3   
                   1-3%, 
                 
                     
                   SiO 2   
                    5-15%, 
                 
                     
                   ZnO 
                   1-3%, 
                 
                     
                   Li 2 O 
                   0.5-1.5%, 
                 
                     
                   SnO 
                   2-5%, 
                 
                     
                   K 2 O 
                   2-8%, 
                 
                     
                   PbO 
                   37.5-66.5% 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
               
               
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
         and inevitable impurties.  
       
     
     
         4 . The glass-coated microwire according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the metal wire consists essentially of, in weight %,                                                Bi   20-25%,         Sn    6-12%,         In   4-8%,         Cu   3-5%,         Si   0.6-1.5%,         Ce   0.05-1.2%,          Pb    47.3-66.35%                                                 and inevitable impurities; and      the glass consists essentially of, in mol. %,                                                SrO   12-15%,         B 2 O 3     10-12%,         Al 2 O 3     1-3%,         SiO 2      5-15%,         ZnO   1-3%,         Li 2 O   0.5-1.5%,         SnO   2-5%,         K 2 O   2-8%,         PbO   37.5-66.5%                                                   and inevitable impurities.      
     
     
         5 . The glass-coated microwire according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal wire is amorphous.  
     
     
         6 . The glass-coated microwire according to  claim 1 , wherein in the metal wire a weight ratio of Sn:In is in a range of from 1.9 to 2.1.  
     
     
         7 . The glass-coated microwire according to  claim 1 , wherein in the glass a molar ratio of PbO:SrO is in a range of from 4.8 to 5.2.  
     
     
         8 . The glass-coated microwire according to  claim 1 , wherein the microwire has a length of 500 m or more.  
     
     
         9 . The glass-coated microwire according to  claim 1 , wherein the glass-coated microwire has a diameter that varies no more than +/−15% over a length of 500 m.  
     
     
         10 . The glass-coated microwire according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal wire has a diameter in the range of from 10 to 40 μm.  
     
     
         11 . The glass-coated microwire according to  claim 1 , wherein the glass coated on the metal wire has a thickness in the range of from 2 to 4 μm.  
     
     
         12 . A method of making a glass-coated microwire, the method comprising 
 heating a glass tube containing a metal material in the center of the glass tube; and    producing the glass-coated microwire of  claim 1 .    
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising 
 melting the metal material in the center of the glass tube; and    then quenching the molten metal material to form an amorphous alloy.