A magnetron sputtering device for preparing cylinder inner surface coating

Abstract

The present invention provides a magnetron sputtering device for coating the inner surface of a cylinder, comprising: a mounting bracket; a rotary drive unit, located on one side of a drive shaft and provided with a first connection portion for connecting the rotary drive unit to one end of the cylinder; a target material, a cylindrical hollow structure, one end of which is connected to the drive shaft of the rotary drive unit; a liquid inlet pipe and a liquid outlet pipe connected to both ends of the target material, respectively, with coolant provided inside the target material; a cylindrical magnet, disposed in the target material and one end of which is connected to the drive shaft of the rotary drive unit; the magnet is immersed in the coolant; a chamber, provided with a second connection portion for connecting the chamber to the other end of the cylinder; a vacuum pump and an air supply unit connected to the chamber, the chamber being provided with a through hole for vacuuming or supplying air to the interior of the cylinder; and a power supply connected to the target material and the cylinder. This magnetron sputtering device can uniformly magnetron sputter the inner surface of the cylinder, depositing a nanocoating and improving the coating effect. It is suitable for coating cylinders with large aspect ratios.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of nano coating preparation, and in particular relates to a magnetron sputtering device for preparing coating on the inner surface of a cylinder. Background Art

[0002] Liquid-driven piston hydrogen compressors are the core equipment of hydrogen refueling stations. Currently, liquid-driven piston hydrogen compressors generally have disadvantages such as short maintenance cycle, high maintenance and replacement costs, and large hydrogen leakage. The main reason is that oil cannot be used to lubricate the piston and the inner wall of the cylinder. The reciprocating motion of the piston under high temperature and high pressure can easily damage the inner surface of the cylinder, causing the cylinder to fail and need to be replaced.

[0003] To improve the hardness and wear resistance of liquid-driven piston hydrogen compressor cylinders, the inner surface of the forgings is typically nitrided after fine machining, resulting in a nitrided layer depth of 0.5-0.6 mm and a hardness of HV900-1100. Nitriding is a technique that alters the chemical composition and structure of the workpiece surface to achieve superior surface properties. Depending on the nitriding method and conditions, the friction coefficient after nitriding may vary. For example, in a vacuum environment, the formation of a nitrided layer can significantly reduce the material's friction coefficient and wear volume, effectively reducing friction and resisting wear. However, under atmospheric conditions, the formation of a nitrided layer can significantly increase the material's friction coefficient and wear resistance. Therefore, the friction coefficient may increase after nitriding, reducing the service life of the cylinder piston.

[0004] Preparing a nano-coating with high hardness and high wear resistance on the inner surface of the cylinder can improve the self-lubricating performance of the inner surface of the cylinder and reduce the friction coefficient. Magnetron sputtering technology is a physical vapor deposition technology that uses a magnetic field to enhance the sputtering rate and deposition rate. It is an effective method for preparing nanolayers. A magnetron sputtering device is usually composed of a vacuum chamber, a target material, a magnet, a power supply, a vacuum system, a cooling system, etc. The existing magnetron sputtering devices usually use a planar target material for sputtering. For example, the Chinese patent document with publication number CN107779836B discloses a magnetron sputtering device and a method for adjusting the magnetic field distribution thereof. The magnetron sputtering device includes: a sputtering chamber and a planar target material arranged in the sputtering chamber, three sets of electromagnetic coils, a drive unit, and connecting wires. The sputtering effect of the flat target material can meet the requirements of general workpieces, but for the inner wall of the cylinder, this type of target material can only sputter on both ends of the cylinder. The sputtering amount for the middle part of the inner wall of the cylinder is insufficient, and the sputtering effect of the entire cylinder is uneven, especially for thinner cylinders with a larger aspect ratio. The sputtering effect is extremely poor.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a magnetron sputtering device that can prepare a nano-coating on the inner surface of a cylinder by magnetron sputtering, which is particularly suitable for cylinders with a large aspect ratio. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem solved by the present invention is to provide a magnetron sputtering device for preparing cylinder inner surface coating, which can uniformly perform magnetron sputtering on the inner surface of the cylinder, deposit nano coating, improve the coating effect, and is suitable for coating cylinders with large aspect ratios.

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a magnetron sputtering device for preparing a coating on the inner surface of a cylinder, comprising:

[0008] Mounting bracket;

[0009] A rotary drive unit is provided on the mounting bracket; a first connecting portion is provided on one side of the rotary drive unit located on the driving shaft, and the first connecting portion is used to connect the rotary drive unit to one end of the cylinder;

[0010] A target material having a cylindrical hollow structure; one end of the target material is connected to the drive shaft of the rotary drive unit; both ends of the target material are respectively connected to a liquid inlet pipe and a liquid outlet pipe, and a coolant is provided inside the target material;

[0011] a magnet, the magnet being cylindrical and disposed in the target material, one end of the magnet being connected to the drive shaft of the rotary drive unit; the magnet being immersed in the coolant inside the target material;

[0012] A chamber, wherein the chamber is provided with a second connecting portion, the second connecting portion being used to connect the chamber to the other end of the cylinder; the chamber is connected to a vacuum pumping device and an air supply device, and the chamber is provided with a through hole for vacuuming or supplying air to the interior of the cylinder through the through hole;

[0013] A power supply, wherein two poles of the power supply are connected to the target material and the cylinder respectively.

[0014] Preferably, the magnetron sputtering device further comprises a liner tube, which is arranged between the target material and the magnet; the liquid inlet pipe and the liquid outlet pipe are respectively connected to the two ends of the liner tube, and the coolant is arranged inside the liner tube.

[0015] Preferably, the liquid inlet pipe is connected to the bottom end of the liner pipe; and the liquid outlet pipe is connected to the top end of the liner pipe.

[0016] Preferably, the magnet is composed of a plurality of cylindrical sub-magnets; the plurality of sub-magnets are connected end to end in sequence through magnetic adsorption.

[0017] Preferably, the magnetron sputtering device further comprises:

[0018] The longitudinal moving mechanism is arranged on the mounting bracket, the rotary driving part is arranged at the moving end of the longitudinal moving mechanism, and the longitudinal moving mechanism is used to drive the rotary driving part to move up and down.

[0019] Preferably, the first connecting portion includes a first flange, a first annular groove and a first sealing ring; the first flange is provided on the rotary drive portion, the first annular groove is provided on the end face of the first flange, and the first sealing ring is provided in the first annular groove.

[0020] Preferably, the second connecting portion includes an annular fixing seat and a second sealing ring; the annular fixing seat is detachably connected to the outer wall of the chamber by a fastener, the second sealing ring is arranged between the outer wall of the chamber and the annular fixing seat, and the middle of the annular fixing seat is suitable for fixing the end of the cylinder.

[0021] Preferably, the magnetron sputtering device further comprises a connecting shaft, which is detachably arranged between the rotary drive portion and the cylinder; the first connecting portion is arranged between the rotary drive portion and the connecting shaft; and a third sealing ring is further provided between the connecting shaft and the cylinder.

[0022] Preferably, a target material fixing bracket is provided in the chamber, and a conical groove is provided on the target material fixing bracket, and the end of the target material can be rotatably disposed in the conical groove.

[0023] Preferably, the magnetron sputtering device also includes a support seat; the chamber is arranged in the support seat, the top open end of the chamber is connected to the support seat, the end of the cylinder is located above the support seat, and the second connecting part is used to connect the cylinder and the support seat.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0025] The magnetron sputtering device of the present invention: 1. A cylindrical hollow target is used, and the hollow target is inserted into the cylinder to be processed for sputtering. Compared with sputtering with a flat target set at both ends of the cylinder, it can achieve uniform deposition of the coating on the inner surface of the cylinder, ensuring uniform deposition of the nano-coating on all parts of the inner surface of the cylinder. 2. The two ends of the cylinder to be processed are directly connected to the rotating drive unit and the chamber to form a closed space. The interior of the cylinder is directly used as a vacuum chamber. Compared with existing magnetron sputtering devices, there is no need to set up a vacuum chamber outside the workpiece to be processed, which greatly saves space and improves the operational convenience of installing and disassembling the cylinder. 3. The magnet is directly immersed in the coolant inside the target, and there is no need to set up cooling pipes inside the cylinder, inside the target, and outside the magnet, which greatly saves space. In the magnetron sputtering device of the present invention, a hollow target with a thinner diameter can be used, so it is suitable for coating the inner wall of a tube with a large aspect ratio, and is suitable for cylinders with a minimum inner wall radius of 15 mm. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of a target material and a workpiece in a magnetron sputtering device for preparing a coating on the inner surface of a cylinder according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of a magnetron sputtering device for preparing a coating on the inner surface of a cylinder according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of an annular fixing seat in a magnetron sputtering device for preparing a coating on the inner surface of a cylinder according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of a target material fixing bracket in a magnetron sputtering device for preparing a cylinder inner surface coating according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Among them: 1-mounting bracket; 2-rotating drive part; 3-first connecting part; 31-first flange; 4-cylinder; 5-target; 6-magnet; 61-sub-magnet; 7-chamber; 8-second connecting part; 81-annular fixing seat; 82-second sealing ring; 9-liner; 11-liquid outlet pipe; 12-longitudinal moving mechanism; 13-connecting shaft; 14-target fixing bracket; 15-support seat. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions of the present invention in conjunction with the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] Example 1

[0033] like Figure 1 、 Figure 2 As shown, a magnetron sputtering device for preparing a coating on the inner surface of a cylinder in this embodiment includes:

[0034] Mounting bracket 1;

[0035] The rotary drive unit 2 is provided on the mounting bracket 1; a first connecting portion 3 is provided on one side of the rotary drive unit 2 located on the drive shaft, and the first connecting portion 3 is used to connect the rotary drive unit 2 to one end of the cylinder 4;

[0036] Target 5, which is a cylindrical hollow structure; one end of the target 5 is connected to the drive shaft of the rotary drive unit 2; both ends of the target 5 are connected to a liquid inlet pipe and a liquid outlet pipe, respectively, and a coolant is provided inside the target 5;

[0037] The magnet 6 is cylindrical and is disposed in the target 5. One end of the magnet 6 is connected to the drive shaft of the rotary drive unit 2. The magnet 6 is immersed in the coolant inside the target 5.

[0038] The chamber 7 is provided with a second connecting portion 8, which is used to connect the chamber 7 to the other end of the cylinder 4; the chamber 7 is connected to a vacuum pumping device and an air supply device, and the chamber 7 is provided with a through hole for vacuuming or supplying air to the interior of the cylinder 4 through the through hole;

[0039] The power supply has two poles connected to the target material and the cylinder respectively.

[0040] In a magnetron sputtering device for preparing a coating on the inner surface of a cylinder according to an embodiment of the present invention, when magnetron sputtering is performed on the inner surface of the cylinder to be coated, the cylinder to be treated is placed outside a cylindrical hollow target material 5, and its two ends are connected to a rotary drive unit and a chamber via a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion, respectively, so that the rotary drive unit, the cylinder, and the chamber form a closed space. Before magnetron sputtering, during vacuum treatment, the vacuum pumping device evacuates the interior of the cylinder to be treated through the chamber. During magnetron sputtering, gas can be supplied to the cylinder through the chamber via a gas supply device. During magnetron sputtering, the rotary drive unit rotates the target material and the magnet, and power is applied to the target material and the cylinder to be treated. Gas ions, under the action of a high voltage drop, evenly bombard the target material, sputtering target particles that are uniformly deposited on the inner surface of the cylinder, forming a nanofilm. Simultaneously, a coolant cools the target material and the magnet workpiece to prevent overheating.

[0041] The magnetron sputtering device of the embodiment of the present invention: 1. A cylindrical hollow target is used, which is inserted into the cylinder to be processed for sputtering. Compared with sputtering with a flat target set at both ends of the cylinder, it can achieve uniform deposition of the coating on the inner surface of the cylinder, ensuring uniform deposition of the nano-coating on all parts of the inner surface of the cylinder. 2. The two ends of the cylinder to be processed are directly connected to the rotating drive unit and the chamber to form a closed space. The interior of the cylinder directly serves as a vacuum chamber. Compared with existing magnetron sputtering devices, there is no need to set up a vacuum chamber outside the workpiece to be processed, which greatly saves space and improves the operational convenience of cylinder installation and disassembly. 3. The magnet is directly immersed in the coolant inside the target, and there is no need to set up cooling pipes inside the cylinder, inside the target, or outside the magnet, which greatly saves space. The magnetron sputtering device of the present invention can use a hollow target with a thinner diameter, so it is suitable for coating the inner wall with a large aspect ratio, and is suitable for cylinders with a minimum inner wall radius of 15 mm.

[0042] The rotation drive mechanism may be a motor, and the output shaft of the motor is connected to the magnet and the target material.

[0043] In some embodiments, the magnetron sputtering device further includes a liner 9, which is disposed between the target 5 and the magnet 6; a liquid inlet pipe and a liquid outlet pipe are connected to both ends of the liner 9, respectively, and a coolant is disposed inside the liner 9. The liner can protect and support the target.

[0044] In some embodiments, the liquid inlet pipe 10 is connected to the bottom end of the liner 9; the liquid outlet pipe 11 is connected to the top end of the liner 9. The cooling liquid enters the liner from the bottom end, and the cooling effect is higher.

[0045] In some embodiments, the magnet 6 is composed of multiple cylindrical sub-magnets 61, which are connected end to end via magnetic attraction. The target length and the number of magnets can be adjusted according to the length of the cylinder to be deposited, thereby adapting to the coating of cylinders of different lengths.

[0046] In some embodiments, the magnetron sputtering device further comprises:

[0047] The longitudinal movement mechanism 12 is mounted on the mounting bracket 1, and the rotary drive unit 2 is mounted on the movable end of the longitudinal movement mechanism 12. The longitudinal movement mechanism 12 is used to drive the rotary drive unit to move up and down. By adjusting the movable end of the longitudinal movement mechanism 12, the bottom of the rotary drive unit can be adjusted to accommodate cylinders of different lengths to be processed. First, the movable end of the longitudinal movement mechanism is moved upward, and after the cylinder is placed in the corresponding position in the chamber, the movable end is adjusted downward so that the first connecting portion on the rotary drive unit presses the cylinder against the second connecting portion of the chamber. The first and second connecting portions are used to tighten the ends of the cylinder, forming a closed space between the cylinder, the rotary drive unit, and the chamber.

[0048] Specifically, the longitudinal movement mechanism may be implemented by a longitudinal movement motor, or by a screw-nut pair combined with a guide rail.

[0049] In some embodiments, the first connecting portion 3 includes a first flange 31, a first annular groove, and a first sealing ring. The first flange 31 is provided on the rotary drive portion 2, the first annular groove is provided on the end surface of the first flange 31, and the first sealing ring is disposed in the first annular groove. The longitudinally movable motor presses against the cylinder, squeezing the first sealing ring, thereby achieving a seal between the rotary drive motor housing and the cylinder.

[0050] like Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the second connecting portion 8 includes an annular fixing seat 81 and a second sealing ring 82. The annular fixing seat 81 is removably connected to the outer wall of the chamber 7 via fasteners. The second sealing ring 82 is positioned between the outer wall of the chamber 7 and the annular fixing seat 81. The center of the annular fixing seat 81 is suitable for securing the end of the cylinder. The annular fixing seat secures the end of the cylinder, and the longitudinal movement motor presses the cylinder against the outer wall of the chamber. The sealing ring ensures a seal between the cylinder and the chamber.

[0051] In some embodiments, the magnetron sputtering device further includes a connecting shaft 13, which is detachably disposed between the rotary drive unit 2 and the cylinder; the first connecting portion 3 is disposed between the rotary drive unit 2 and the connecting shaft 13; and a third sealing ring is disposed between the connecting shaft 13 and the cylinder. The connecting shaft can extend the length of the cylinder, expanding the applicability of the device. Furthermore, the detachable connecting shaft is provided. If the cylinder is sufficiently long, the connecting shaft is not required. If the cylinder is too short, the connecting shaft can be added to extend the cylinder length, ensuring that both ends of the connecting shaft tighten against the cylinder and improving sealing.

[0052] like Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, a target fixing bracket 14 is provided in the chamber 7. The target fixing bracket 14 has a tapered groove, and the end of the target 5 is rotatably disposed in the tapered groove. The target fixing bracket can fix the end of the target so that it rotates around a stable rotation axis during rotation without deviation.

[0053] In some embodiments, the magnetron sputtering apparatus further includes a support base 15; the chamber 7 is disposed within the support base 15, with the open top end of the chamber 7 connected to the support base 15. The end of the cylinder is located above the support base 15, and the second connection portion is used to connect the cylinder to the support base. The support base can provide better support for the bottom end of the cylinder.

[0054] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely examples for clarity of explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation methods. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that other variations or modifications based on the above descriptions are possible. It is not necessary and impossible to enumerate all implementation methods here. Obvious variations or modifications arising therefrom remain within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A magnetron sputtering device for preparing cylinder inner surface coating, characterized in that: include: Mounting bracket; A rotary drive unit is provided on the mounting bracket; a first connecting portion is provided on one side of the rotary drive unit located on the driving shaft, and the first connecting portion is used to connect the rotary drive unit to one end of the cylinder; A target material having a cylindrical hollow structure; one end of the target material is connected to the drive shaft of the rotary drive unit; both ends of the target material are respectively connected to a liquid inlet pipe and a liquid outlet pipe, and a coolant is provided inside the target material; a magnet, the magnet being cylindrical and disposed in the target material, one end of the magnet being connected to the drive shaft of the rotary drive unit; the magnet being immersed in the coolant inside the target material; A chamber is provided with a second connecting portion, the second connecting portion being used to connect the chamber to the other end of the cylinder; the chamber is connected to a vacuum pumping device and an air supply device, and the chamber is provided with a through hole for vacuuming or supplying air to the interior of the cylinder through the through hole; A power supply, wherein two poles of the power supply are connected to the target material and the cylinder respectively.

2. The magnetron sputtering device for preparing a coating on the inner surface of a cylinder according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a liner tube, which is arranged between the target material and the magnet; the liquid inlet pipe and the liquid outlet pipe are respectively connected to the two ends of the liner tube, and the coolant is arranged inside the liner tube.

3. The magnetron sputtering device for preparing cylinder inner surface coating according to claim 2, characterized in that: The liquid inlet pipe is communicated with the bottom end of the liner pipe; the liquid outlet pipe is communicated with the top end of the liner pipe.

4. The magnetron sputtering device for preparing cylinder inner surface coating according to claim 1, characterized in that: The magnet is composed of a plurality of cylindrical sub-magnets; the plurality of sub-magnets are connected end to end in sequence through magnetic attraction.

5. The magnetron sputtering device for preparing cylinder inner surface coating according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: The longitudinal moving mechanism is arranged on the mounting bracket, the rotary driving part is arranged at the moving end of the longitudinal moving mechanism, and the longitudinal moving mechanism is used to drive the rotary driving part to move up and down.

6. The magnetron sputtering device for preparing a coating on the inner surface of a cylinder according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first connecting portion includes a first flange, a first annular groove and a first sealing ring; the first flange is arranged on the rotary drive portion, the first annular groove is arranged on the end surface of the first flange, and the first sealing ring is arranged in the first annular groove.

7. The magnetron sputtering device for preparing a coating on the inner surface of a cylinder according to claim 5, characterized in that: The second connecting part includes an annular fixing seat and a second sealing ring; the annular fixing seat is detachably connected to the outer wall of the chamber by a fastener, and the second sealing ring is arranged between the outer wall of the chamber and the annular fixing seat, and the middle of the annular fixing seat is suitable for fixing the end of the cylinder.

8. The magnetron sputtering device for preparing a coating on the inner surface of a cylinder according to claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes a connecting shaft, which is detachably arranged between the rotary drive part and the cylinder; the first connecting part is arranged between the rotary drive part and the connecting shaft; and a third sealing ring is also arranged between the connecting shaft and the cylinder.

9. The magnetron sputtering device for preparing cylinder inner surface coating according to claim 1, characterized in that: A target material fixing bracket is provided in the chamber. A conical groove is provided on the target material fixing bracket. The end of the target material can be rotatably arranged in the conical groove.

10. The magnetron sputtering device for preparing a coating on the inner surface of a cylinder according to claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes a support seat; the chamber is arranged in the support seat, the top open end of the chamber is connected to the support seat, the end of the cylinder is located above the support seat, and the second connecting part is used to connect the cylinder and the support seat.

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