Suppression of carbon monoxide formation in oxide-coated TZM molybdenum X-ray rotating anodes

Higher performance designs for rotating anode X-ray tubes have increased the average rotating anode temperature from below 1100 °C to well above 1300 °C. This temperature increase has accelerated the formation of carbon monoxide by reaction of carbon from the alloy substrate with oxygen from the emissive coating. The dominant carbon source is thought to be Mo₂C grain boundary precipitates in the TZM molybdenum alloy substrate. The dominant oxygen source is thought to be TiO in the emissive coating. Placement of a monocarbide-forming reactive layer between the alloy substrate and the emissive coating has been demonstrated to lower the thermodynamic activity of the carbon source and dramatically reduce the rate of formation of carbon monoxide.