Ding Yigang

Degradation of mechanical properties of spacecraft polyimide film exposed to radiation environments

Polyimide films are widely used in spacecraft, but their mechanical properties would degrade in radiation environments that include electrons, protons, atomic oxygen, near ultraviolet or far ultraviolet, etc. Implications of using polyimide films in spacecraft are reviewed in this paper. The degradation of mechanical properties of Kapton film exposed to electrons and far ultraviolet radiation environments were studied. It is known that the tensile strength and the rupture elongation of Kapton film decrease with the increase of the tensile deformation rate and the electron and far ultraviolet radiation. The far ultraviolet radiation will cause the rupture and cross linkage of molecular bonds in the film, deoxidation of C-CO, denitrification of C-N. The increase of C-H percentage is attributed mainly to the mechanical property degradation of Kapton film under far ultraviolet irradiation.

The Study of Simulated Space Radiation Environment Effect on Conductive Properties of ITO Thermal Control Materials

In order to prevent detrimental effects of ESD caused by differential surface charging of spacecraft under space environments, an ITO transparent conductive coating is often deposited on the thermal control materials outside spacecraft. Since the ITO coating is exposed in space environment, the environment effects on electrical property of ITO coatings concern designers of spacecraft deeply. This paper introduces ground tests to simulate space radiation environmental effects on conductive property of ITO coating. Samples are made of ITO/OSR, ITO/Kapton/Al and ITO/FEP/Ag thermal control coatings. Simulated space radiation environment conditions are NUV of 500ESH, 40 keV electron of 2 × 1016 е/cm2, 40 keV proton of 2.5 × 1015 p/cm2. Conductive property is surface resistivity measured in-situ in vacuum. Test results proved that the surface resistivity for all ITO coatings have a sudden decrease in the beginning of environment test. The reasons for it may be the oxygen vacancies caused by vacuum and decayed RIC caused by radiation. Degradation in conductive properties caused by irradiation were found. ITO/FEP/Ag exhibits more degradation than other two kinds. The conductive property of ITO/kapton/Al is stable for vacuum irradiation. The analysis of SEM and XPS found more crackers and less Sn and In concentration after irradiation which may be the reason for conductive property degradation.