Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

The 17th Spacecraft Charging Technology Conference, Palais des Papes, Avignon, France, June 17-21, 2024

Publication Date

6-2024

First Page

1

Last Page

4

Abstract

Spacecraft charging issues are understood and mitigated through an understanding of material properties. Material properties are dynamic in the harsh environment of space. Approximations must be made to simulate the space environment in the laboratory. This paper reports on the investigation of the approximation that energy deposition causes the same aging effects in the materials regardless of the radiation source. Samples of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polyether-etherketone (PEEK) were irradiated with x-rays, γ-rays, or electrons at total ionizing dose (TID) of either 2 x 104, 2 x 105, or 2 x 106 rad. Charge was then injected in each sample with an 80 keV mono-energetic electron beam. The resulting charge distribution and charge transport properties were probed via pulsed electroacoustic measurements. Samples were measured in a parallel plate capacitor configuration where they were first grounded, a DC bias was applied, and then grounded again. Measurements of the thermal and structural properties were investigated via differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, respectively. The results indicate that there appear to be at lease three distinct phases of charge transport characteristics in PTFE, while PEEK showed no substantial change at these TID. Measurable differences in both the DSC and FTIR measurements were apparent for both PTFE and PEEK.

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