Physical simulation of the action of atomic oxygen and vacuum ultraviolet radiation on polymer materials in the earth’s ionosphere

Abstract

A procedure of the physical (bench) simulation of the long-term interaction of polymer materials with flows of atomic oxygen and vacuum ultraviolet radiation in the earth’s ionosphere is designed. The efficiency of the bench measurements of mass losses of kapton-H and PM-1E polyimides, polyethylene, and FEP Teflon is confirmed by results of satellite measurements. The dependences of degradation of polymer films on the fluence of atomic oxygen are determined. They allow one to forecast time changes of mass and geometric characteristics of polymers during the whole operating period in the ionosphere. The synergetic effect of the action of the near-satellite environment on the ablation of the polymer films characterizes threshold ratio values of the vacuum ultraviolet energy flow to the atomic oxygen flow.