THE EFFECTS OF SIMULATED SPACE ENVIRONMENTS ON STRUCTURAL PLASTIC MATERIALS

Technical Report · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1960

OSTI ID:4821970

Brownlee, J; McNally, J P

Glass fabric-reinforced plastic laminates can be used satisfactorily in space environments with integrated radiation dosages up to 10/sup 11/ ergs per gram (C) as indicated by test results determined from gamma irradiation. It is also indicated that reinforced plastics can be expected to withstand mixed flux environments with equivalent energy transfer equally as well. Structural adhesives approved under MIL-A-8431 did not deteriorate below specification requirements with an integrated dosage of l0/sup 11/ ergs per gram (C). Other materials that are equally resistant to nuclear radiation are alkyd-isocyanate foam sandwich structures and glass fiber-reinforced phenolic honeycomb cores. In addition to their radiation-resistance p:-operties, the structural integrity of adhesive-bonded sandwich structures was proven in low-cost, high-efficiency construction in air vehicles. The Northrop T-38 supersonic trainer, for example, incorporates 25 percent of its wetted area in adhesive-bonded sandwich structure. The Convair B-58 Hustler uses adhesive-bonded or brazed sandwich structure in 90 percent of its wetted surface areas. Studies show that the heat-resistant materials are more resistant to degradation from nuclear radiation than the standard materials. This is particularly important for it implies that reinforced plastics research to obtain materials resistance to various types of energy exposures can be evaluated in preliminary studies by simple thermal energy exposures. In general, the combined space environmental conditions of radiation, high vacuum, meteoric dust, and temperatures within the range of -80 to + 175 deg F will have no significant effect on the mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of high-temperature-resistant reinforced structural plastic materials, during an exposure period in excess of one year. (auth)

• Research Organization: Aerojet-General Corp., Azusa, Calif.
• NSA Number: NSA-16-005721
• OSTI ID: 4821970
• Report Number(s): NP-11182; SP-TP-24; RD-R60-80
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ADHESION
ALKYL RADICALS
BONDING
CYANATES
DECOMPOSITION
ECONOMICS
ELECTRIC PROPERTIES
ELECTRICITY
GLASS
LOW TEMPERATURE
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
METEORITES
PHENOLS
POLYMERS
RADIATION DOSES
REINFORCED PLASTICS
RESINS
SPACE VEHICLES
THERMAL RADIATION
USES
VACUUM