空间聚合物基体表面原子氧防护技术研究进展

低地球轨道(Low Earth Orbit,LEO)中,强氧化性、大通量、高能量的原子氧(atomic oxygen,AO)会对航天器表面材料造成极大的破坏。特别是聚合物材料,受AO侵蚀后易氧化降解,造成光学、电学和力学等性能退化,影响航天器的正常工作并缩短其使用寿命。从LEO环境中抗AO侵蚀材料研究的理论基础出发,评述了无机、有机及复合涂层的制备方法和各自的优缺点,目前存在的问题,以及聚合物基体表面涂层开裂与界面剥离失效机理研究的重要性。从目前的研究可以看出,具有自我修复功能的有机或无机功能涂层,以及与原子氧反应时能产生具有保护性能的稳定氧化物或其他稳定表面结构的涂层,是今后的研究方向。应将聚合物基体和涂层作为整体进行研究,充分研究涂层与基体间的界面效应和失效机理。在抗AO新材料研究领域,以聚酰亚胺材料为例,简述了含磷、含硅、含锆聚酰亚胺的研究进展,以及从基础研究到工程化应用还亟待解决的关键问题和工艺技术。希望该综述为发展新的先进防护涂层和新材料体系提供一些可借鉴的研究思路。

Research Progress of Atomic Oxygen Protection Technology on the Surface of Space Polymers

In the low earth orbit (LEO), the atomic oxygen(AO) with strong oxidizing ability, large flux and high energy is considered to cause severe hazards to the spacecraft exterior materials. In particular, the interaction of AO with polymer materials results in severe damages of the materials, such as irreversible degradation of optical, electric and mechanical properties, leading to negative influence on the normal operation and shortened served life of the spacecraft. Base on the theoretical basis for study on AO erosion resistant materials in LEO environment, this paper reviewed the preparation methods of inorganic, organic and composite coatings, summarized their advantages and disadvantages and the existing problems, and pointed out the importance to study the mechanisms of coating cracking and interfacial debonding failure. Future research should be focused on self-healing organic or inorganic coatings and the coatings reacted with AO to produce stable oxides or stable surface structure. The polymer matrix and coatings should be taken as a whole to study, and the interfacial effect and failure mechanism between the coatings and matrix should be well studied. In the research field of AO-resistant new materials, using polyimide as an example, the research progresses of phosphorus-containing polyimide, silicon-containing polyimide and zirconium-containing polyimide were introduced, as well as the key problems and technology to be solved in the transformation from basic research to engineering application. It was hoped that this review could provide some research ideas for the development of new advanced protective coatings and new materials.