Comparison of mechanical properties evolution of polyimide films in space radiation environment

Abstract

Polyimide films are widely used in spacecraft, but their mechanical properties would degrade in space environments, such as electron, proton, near ultraviolet or far ultraviolet, etc. The mechanical property and mechanism of polyimide film in electron, proton, near ultraviolet and far ultraviolet was studied by Φ800 combined space radiation test facility of Beijing Institute of Space Environment Engineering (BISSE), and the degradation of mechanical property of polyimide film was tested by Electronic tensile testing machine. The tensile strength and the rupture elongation of PI film decrease with the increase of electron and proton radiation, while tensile strength and the rupture elongation of PI film decrease firstly and then increase with near ultraviolet and far ultraviolet.