Property changes induced by the space environment in composite materials on LDEF: Solar array materials passive LDEF experiment A0171 (SAMPLE)
Surface modifications to composite materials induced by long term exposure in low earth orbit (LEO) were dominated by atomic oxygen erosion and micrometeoroid and space debris impacts. As expected, calculated erosion rates were peculiar to material type and within the predicted order of magnitude. Generally, about one ply of the carbon fiber composites was eroded during the 70 month LDEF experiment. Matrix erosion was greater than fiber erosion and was more evident for a polysulfone matrix than for epoxy matrices. Micrometeoroid and space debris impacts resulted in small (less than 1mm) craters and splattered contaminants on all samples. Surfaces became more diffuse and darker with small increases in emissivity and absorption. Tensile strength decreased roughly with thickness loss, and epoxy matrices apparently became slightly embrittled, probably as a result of continued curing under UV and/or electron bombardment. However, changes in the ultimate yield stress of the carbon reinforced epoxy composites correlate neither with weave direction nor fiber type. Unexpected developments were the discovery of new synergistic effects of the space environment in the interaction of atomic oxygen and copious amounts of contamination and in the induced luminescence of many materials.
- Research Organization:
- Camber Corp., Huntsville, AL (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 5867166
- Report Number(s):
- N-94-11484; NASA-CR--192572; NAS--1.26:192572; CNN: NAS8-38978
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
360603 -- Materials-- Properties
360605* -- Materials-- Radiation Effects
ABSORPTION
CARBON FIBERS
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
CONTAMINATION
ELEMENTS
EMBRITTLEMENT
EMISSIVITY
EPOXIDES
EROSION
FIBERS
IMPACT SHOCK
LUMINESCENCE
MATERIALS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
METEOROIDS
NONMETALS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
REINFORCED MATERIALS
SORPTION
SURFACE PROPERTIES
TENSILE PROPERTIES