Abstract
Adhesives are widely used on a spacecraft for several reasons. They allow a significant mass reduction and, using an adhesive allows. The combination of several properties (as the mechanical fixation and some electrical function). One of their main drawbacks is that they are organics and thus they react with space environment.
Among all the components of the space environment which could lead to material degradations, the three most important are the energetic charged particles (protons and electrons particles with different fluxes and energies), the electromagnetic radiation from the direct solar flux (and most specifically in the Ultra Violet wave length) and the Atomic Oxygen (ATOX) coming from the photo-dissociation of the oxygen molecules of the atmosphere by the solar electromagnetic radiation. These factors lead to physicochemical degradation of the adhesives, which can affect their functional properties.
All the adhesives used in spacecraft have to be validated on ground before launch and their behavior in space environment must be evaluated. Test facilities are developed to simulate charged particles, UV, and ATOX constraints. Even if it is not possible to be 100% representative of the in-orbit conditions, tests, methodologies and specifications exist to correctly evaluate the degradation and to take into account the adhesives end of life properties, in the spacecraft design.
Atoms and molecules along the charged particles trajectory can be either excited or ionized. The primary effects are generally deformation, embrittlement, and discoloration, which impact the mechanical integrity of the adhesive. The modification of mechanical properties is generally the result of the competition between chain scissions and crosslinking in the macromolecular chains.
The main UV effect on adhesives is generally a degradation of their optical properties (e.g., solar cell cover glass). Indeed, during the interaction of a photon with an atom or a molecule of the material, the photon can either be absorbed or diffused with possible loss of energy. These photochemical effects may result in a change of color of the material, leading to an increase of solar absorptance.
Atomic Oxygen might also have detrimental effects on adhesives, mainly erosion of surfaces and oxidation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
ASTM E-490 Standard. Solar constant and zero air mass solar spectral irradiance tables
ASTM E512 Standard. Practice for combined simulated space environment testing of thermal control materials with electromagnetic and particulate radiation. American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia
ASTM.E.490A Standard. Solar constant and zero air mass solar spectral irradiance tables
Roggero A (2015) Analyse du vieillissement d’un adhésif silicone en environnement spatial: influence sur le comportement électrique », CIRIMAT/ONERA. PhD thesis
Banks BA, Dill GC, Loftus RJ, de Groh KK, Miller SK (2013) Comparison of hyperthermal ground laboratory atomic oxygen erosion yields with those in low earth orbit. NASA/TM—2013-216613
Clegg DW, Collyer AA (1991) Irradiation effects on polymers. Elsevier Applied Science, London/New York
ECSS-Q-ST-10-04C (2008) Space engineering: critical item control
ECSS-Q-ST-70-06C (2008) Space product assurance: particle and UV radiation testing for space materials
Fisher HR et al (2013) Degradation mechanism of silicone glues under UV irradiation and options for designing materials with increased stability. Polym Degrad Stab 98:720–726
Fornes E et al (1981) The effects of electron and gamma radiation on epoxy based materials. 3rd annual technical review, Nov 16–19
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/gallery/20130228-radiationbelts.html
https://www.newport.com/n/solar-simulator-spectral-irradiance-data. Newport light sources. Technical note: “solar simulator spectral irradiance data”
Jochem H et al (2013) Effects of 400 keV electrons flux on two space grade silicone rubbers. Mater Chem Phys 141:189–194
Kleiman J, Iskanderova Z, Gudimenko Y, Horodetsky S (2003) Atomic oxygen beam sources: a ciritcal overview. Proceedings of the 9th international symposium on materials in a space environment, Noordwijk, 16–20 June 2003
Lewandowski S et al (2016) Particle flux effects on physicochemical polymer degradations. J Spacecr Rocket 53(6):1146–1151. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.A33500
Makhlis FA (1975) Radiation physics and chemistry of polymers. J Chem Educ 53(2):138. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed053pA138.1
Marco J, Remaury S, Tonon C (2009) Eight years GEO ground testing of thermal control coatings. ISMSE 11 – unpublished
NASA-HDBK-6024 (2014) Spacecraft polymers atomic oxygen durability handbook
Paillous A (1993) Radiation damage to surface and structure materials. In: The behavior of systems in the space environment, pp 383–405. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2048-7_17
Paillous A, Pailler C (1994) Degradation of multiply polymer-matrix composites induced by space environment. Composites 25(4):287–295
Siegel S, Stewart T (1969) Vacuum-ultraviolet photolysis of polydimethylsiloxane. Gas yields and energy transfer. J Phys Chem 73:823–828
“Space weather effect catalogue” ESTEC/Contract No.14069/99/NL/SB; ESA Space Weather Study (ESWS); WP 310 Range of space weather and effects (ESWS-FMI-RP-0001)
Tavlet M, Hominal L (1997) Shear tests on adhesive for magnet collars for the LHC. Cryogenics 38(1998):47–50
Tonon C (2000) PhD thesis, ENSAE
Van de Voorde M, Restat C (1972) Selection guide to organic materials for nuclear engineering. CERN technical report, pp 72–77
Zhang L et al (2006) Effect of 200 keV proton irradiation on the properties of methyl silicone rubber. Radiat Phys Chem 75:350–355
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature
About this entry
Cite this entry
Dagras, S., Eck, J., Tonon, C., Lavielle, D. (2018). Adhesives in Space Environment. In: da Silva, L., Öchsner, A., Adams, R. (eds) Handbook of Adhesion Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55411-2_32
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55411-2_32
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-55410-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-55411-2
eBook Packages: EngineeringReference Module Computer Science and Engineering