Engineering topics

Ferguson, D. C.

Publications and source records attributed to Ferguson, D. C..

21 records · Page 2

NASA NTRS1984

Laboratory degradation of Kapton in a low energy oxygen ion beam

An atomic oxygen ion beam, accelerated from a tunable microwave resonant cavity, was used at Lewis Research Center to bombard samples of the widely used polyimide Kapton. The Kapton experienced degradation and mass loss at high rates, which may be comparable to those found in Space Shuttle operations if the activation energy supplied by the beam enabled surface reactions with the ambient oxygen. The simulation reproduced the directionality (ram-wake dependence) of the degradation, the change in optical properties of the degraded materials, and the structure seen in scanning electron micrographs of samples returned on the Shuttle Trails with a substituted argon ion beam produced no rapid degradation. Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDAX) showed significant surface composition changes in all bombarded samples. Mass loss rates and surface composition changes are discussed in terms of the possible oxidation chemistry of the interaction. Finally, the question of how the harmful degradation of materials in low Earth orbit can be minimized is addressed.

Ferguson, D. C.↗

NASA NTRS1984

The energy dependence and surface morphology of Kapton (trademark) degradation under atomic oxygen bombardment

Data from laboratory simulations and from samples returned from STS-8 are used to derive the energy dependence of the mass loss rate of Kapton under atomic oxygen bombardment and to discuss the development of surface structure and its effect on erosion rates. It is concluded that all the laboratory data from discharge and flow tubes and from accelerated beams, along with the orbital data from STS-3 through STS-8, can be accommodated by a rate of mass loss that varies with impact energy normal to the surface. It is hypothesized that increases of mass loss rate with exposure time may be due to trapping of the incoming atoms by the surface structure which develops.

Ferguson, D. C.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Laboratory degradation of Kapton in a low energy oxygen ion beam

An atomic oxygen ion beam, accelerated from a tunable microwave resonant cavity, was used at Lewis Research Center to bombard samples of the widely used polyimide Kapton. The Kapton experienced degradation and mass loss at high rates, which may be comparable to those found in Space Shuttle operations if the activation energy supplied by the beam enabled surface reactions with the ambient oxygen. The simulation reproduced the directionality (ram-wake dependence) of the degradiation, the change in optical properties of the degraded materials, and the structure seen in scanning electron micrographs of samples returned on the Shuttle Trails with a substituted argon ion beam produced no rapid degradation. Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDAX) showed significant surface composition changes in all bombarded samples. Mass loss rates and surface composition changes are discussed in terms of the possible oxidation chemistry of the interaction. Finally, the question of how the harmful degradation of materials in low earth orbit can be minimized is addressed.

Ferguson, D. C.↗