Back to Search Start Over

Space Atomic Oxygen Erosion Effects on Epoxy and Silicone Adhesives Used in LEO Spacecraft

Authors :
Li Tao
Jiang Lixiang
Feng Weiquan
Liu Xiangpeng
Jacob I. Kleiman
Source :
AIP Conference Proceedings.
Publication Year :
2009
Publisher :
AIP, 2009.

Abstract

Atomic oxygen (AO) is among the predominant factors in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) space environment. Ground‐based laboratory AO exposure testing was performed to investigate interaction between atomic oxygen and materials that were intended for use in future missions on LEO spacecraft. Two types of adhesive materials, i.e., E‐32 epoxy and GS414 silicone were tested in Atomic Oxygen Test Facility at the Beijing Institute of Spacecraft Environment Engineering (BISEE). The effective atomic oxygen fluence in the conducted tests was approximately 1.4×1021 atoms/cm2 which is close to the fluence of a two‐year exposure in LEO orbit. Significant mass losses of epoxy adhesive materials were detected after the exposure to atomic oxygen, but relatively small mass changes were found in silicone samples. The erosion yields of epoxy samples were from 3.2×10−24 cm3/atom to 3.8×10−24 cm3/atom. Surface bleaching by atomic oxygen was found in epoxy samples. The surface on silicone sample remained glossy after AO exposure. Both ...

Details

Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
AIP Conference Proceedings
Accession number :
edsair.doi...........69f2f8c4171ae8f86c009546639954f7
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3076889