Structural material selection and processing for low Earth orbit spacecraft regarding atomic oxygen effects

To improve AO resistance of polyimide, a type of polyimide/silica (PI/SiO2) hybrid film was prepared by the sol-gel process. The coupling agent p-aminophenyltrimeth- oxysilane (APTMOS) was chosen to enhance the compatibility between the polyimide (PI) and silica (SiO2). AO resistance of the PI/SiO2 hybrid films were tested in the ground-based simulation AO facility. The erosion yield of the films was 4.7×10-26 cm3/atom, decreased by two orders of magnitude compared with the value of 3.0×10-24 cm3/atom of the polyimide film. Results from FTIR, XPS, AFM on AO treated polyimide/silica hybrid films indicate the formation of a passivating inorganic SiO2 layer. The layer significantly retards the penetration of oxygen atoms, preventing further degradation of the polymer in the bulk. The addition of SiO2 in polyimide does not significantly alter the optical properties of polyimide during AO exposure.

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The Effect of Low Earth Orbit Atomic Oxygen Exposure on Phenylphosphine Oxide-Containing Polymers

High Performance Polymers ◽

10.1088/0954-0083/12/1/304 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 43-52 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

John W Connell

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Atomic Oxygen ◽

Low Earth Orbit ◽

Space Environment ◽

Earth Orbit ◽

Cooperative Effort ◽

Flight Experiment ◽

Oxygen Exposure ◽

Atomic Oxygen Exposure ◽

Phenylphosphine Oxide

Thin films of phenylphosphine oxide-containing polymers were exposed to low Earth orbit aboard a space shuttle flight (STS-85) as part of flight experiment designated Evaluation of Space Environment and Effects on Materials (ESEM). This flight experiment was a cooperative effort between the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) and the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The thin-film samples described herein were part of an atomic oxygen exposure (AOE) experiment and were exposed to primarily atomic oxygen (∼1×1019 atoms cm−2). The thin-film samples consisted of three phosphine oxide-containing polymers (arylene ether, benzimidazole and imide). Based on post-flight analyses using atomic force microscopy, x-ray photo-electron spectroscopy and weight loss data, it was found that the exposure of these materials to atomic oxygen (AO) produces a phosphorus oxide layer on the surface of the samples. Earlier work has shown that this layer provides a barrier towards further attack by AO. Consequently, these materials do not exhibit linear erosion rates which is in contrast with most organic polymers. Qualitatively, the results obtained from these analyses compare favourably with those obtained from samples exposed to AO and/or an oxygen plasma in ground-based exposure experiments. The results of the low Earth orbit AO exposure on these materials will be compared with those of ground-based exposure to AO.

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