Abstract Scope |
Polymer surfaces in low earth orbit (e.g. solar array substrates, thermal blankets), are attacked by reactive atomic oxygen and vacuum ultraviolet radiation. Till now, sputtered amorphous silica has been used by NASA to mitigate attack, however; rough machined surfaces preclude the use of these thin films, and adhesion and abrasion cause failures. Dry aerosol deposition (DAD) offers the possibility of a more robust nanocrystalline barrier coating of greater thickness. Recent experimental work on quartz, amorphous silica, and mixed silicates aerosol-deposited on Kapton will be presented. The dependence of film thickness and surface roughness on process parameters will be discussed. Phase and microstructural analysis will be shown. Preliminary mechanical behavior of coating and composite structure will be presented. |