Loading...
Please wait, while we are loading the content...
Similar Documents
Prediction of in-space durability of protected polymers based on ground laboratory thermal energy atomic oxygen
| Content Provider | NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
|---|---|
| Author | Rutledge, Sharon DiFilippo, Frank J. deGroh, Kim K. Banks, Bruce A. |
| Copyright Year | 1996 |
| Description | The probability of atomic oxygen reacting with polymeric materials is orders of magnitude lower at thermal energies (greater than O.1 eV) than at orbital impact energies (4.5 eV). As a result, absolute atomic oxygen fluxes at thermal energies must be orders of magnitude higher than orbital energy fluxes, to produce the same effective fluxes (or same oxidation rates) for polymers. These differences can cause highly pessimistic durability predictions for protected polymers and polymers which develop protective metal oxide surfaces as a result of oxidation if one does not make suitable calibrations. A comparison was conducted of undercut cavities below defect sites in protected polyimide Kapton samples flown on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) with similar samples exposed in thermal energy oxygen plasma. The results of this comparison were used to quantify predicted material loss in space based on material loss in ground laboratory thermal energy plasma testing. A microindent hardness comparison of surface oxidation of a silicone flown on the Environmental Oxygen Interaction with Materials-III (EOIM-III) experiment with samples exposed in thermal energy plasmas was similarly used to calibrate the rate of oxidation of silicone in space relative to samples in thermal energy plasmas exposed to polyimide Kapton effective fluences. |
| File Size | 1461077 |
| Page Count | 26 |
| File Format | |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://archive.org/details/NASA_NTRS_Archive_19960025268 |
| Archival Resource Key | ark:/13960/t3227v327 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher Date | 1996-04-01 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Nonmetallic Materials Earth Orbital Environments Kapton Trademark Atomic Beams Probability Theory Aircraft Survivability Environmental Tests Durability Space Environment Simulation Spacecraft Construction Materials Thermal Energy Ground Tests Oxygen Atoms Long Duration Exposure Facility Silicones Ntrs Nasa Technical Reports Server (ntrs) Nasa Technical Reports Server Aerodynamics Aircraft Aerospace Engineering Aerospace Aeronautic Space Science |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
