Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-t5tsf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T18:54:43.127Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

TEM Studies of Protective Al Coatings on Kapton H

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Judith C. Yang ,
Huiping Xu ,
Long Li ,
Deborah Waters  and
Bruce Banks
Judith C. Yang
Affiliation:
Materials Science & Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Huiping Xu*
Affiliation:
Materials Science & Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Long Li
Affiliation:
Materials Science & Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Deborah Waters
Affiliation:
NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH
Bruce Banks
Affiliation:
NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH
*
* Corresponding author
Get access

Abstract

Polymeric materials undergo rapid erosion when exposed to the harsh low-earth-orbit (LEO) environment. Coatings can reduce the erosion rate of polyimide Kapton from atomic oxygen (AO) attack. Specifically, we are investigating how thin Al coatings can protect Kapton. Protective Al layers with variations in layer thickness and growth conditions were deposited on Kapton H. The quality of these protective coatings were evaluated by mass loss measurement and compared to Kapton alone and the SiO2 coating, where dramatically decreased erosion rate was noted. To understand how these coatings protect Kapton as well as how the AO interacts with the coatings, we are investigating the microstructure of these coated materials by plane view and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods. To understand the AO degradation mechanism, we attempted to correlate the mass loss with growth conditions and microstructures. We noted a slight improvement in erosion resistance of the Al coating due to the presence of the dendrimer, but a major improvement when the Al coating is deposited under ultrahigh vacuum conditions.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 851: Symposium NN – Materials for Space Applications , 2004 , NN9.8
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2005

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Zimicik, D.G., Wertheimer, M. R., Balmain, K. B. & Tennyson, R. C., J. Spacecraft 28, 652 (1991).Google Scholar
2. Banks, B.A., Mirtich, M.J., Rutledge, S.K. and Swec, D.M., “Sputtered Coatings for Protection of Spacecraft Polymers,” presented at the 11th ICMC Conference, San Diego, California, and April 9.13, 1984; published in Thin Solid Films, 127, 1985.Google Scholar
3. Banks, B.A., Rutledge, S.K., Gebauer, L. and LaMoreaux, C., “SiOX Coatings for Atomic Oxygen Protection of Polyimide Kapton in Low Earth Orbit,” AIAA 92.2151, presented at the Coatings Technologies for Aerospace Systems Specialist Conference, Dallas, Texas, April 16.17, 1992.Google Scholar
4. Banks, B.A., Rutledge, S.K. and Cales, M., “Performance Characterization of EUREKA Retroreflectors with Fluoropolymer Filled SiOx Protective Coatings,” Proceedings of the Third LDEF Post-Retrieval Symposium, NASA Langley Research Center, Williamsburg, VA, November 8.12, 1993.Google Scholar
5. Forkapa, M.J, Banks, B.A, Rutledge, S.K, Stidham, C.R, Ma, D., and Sechkar, E., “Atomic Oxygen Durability Testing of an International Space Station Solar Array Validation Coupon, presented at the Third International Space Conference, Toronto, Canada, April 25.26, 1996.Google Scholar
6. Snyder, A. and deGroh, K.K., “The Dependence of Atomic Oxygen Undercutting of Protected Polyimide Kapton H Upon Defect Size,” presented at the 8th International Symposium on Materials in a Space Environments and the Fifth International Conference on Protection of Materials and Structures for LEO Space Environment, Arcachon, France, and June 5–9, 2000.Google Scholar
7. Xu, F., Li, L., Yang, J. C., Street, S. C., Barnard*, J. A., Microsc. Microanal. 8 (Suppl. 2), 1120 (2002).Google Scholar
8. Smallman, R.E., Modern Physical Metallurgy, fourth ed. (Butterworth & Co (Publishers) Ltd, London, 1985) pp. 146–8.Google Scholar