Micro-X lands carbon nanotube x-ray development deal

Adelaide X-ray equipment manufacturer Micro-X (ASX: MX1) has been awarded a follow on contract by the UK Department for Transport to further develop its carbon nanotube x-ray imaging system.

The contract of 100,000 pounds is relatively small, but is a validation of its high technology solution to producing more effective, small, mobile x-ray systems.

The contract extension follows another run by the Defence and Security Accelerator to source technologies to detect explosives hidden in electronic devices, which resulted in a 2-D system.

The new contract will develop a 3-D imaging system based on Micro-X’s unique cold cathode, carbon nanotube x-ray emitter (pictured).

Micro-X managing director Peter Rowland said: “The British Government is committed in this unique programme to finding the best ways to provide aviation security.

“We see this as another validation for the utility of Micro-X’s technology and how Micro-X is performing on a global stage.”

X-ray production has changed little since the 19th century involving high voltages across an anode, and a heated, spinning cathode.

Micro-X is the only company globally to succeed in reliably generating x-rays from a cold cathode made up of aligned carbon nanotubes.

The resulting X-ray machines are smaller and lighter than traditional systems, use less power and have opened up new markets for the company. It markets an ultra-lightweight, portable, digital medical x-ray, the Carestream DRX.

As reported in @AuManufacturing news, the company recently brought emitter production in-house to more closely control the manufacturing process.

Picture: Peter Roberts

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