IMPROVEMENT OF OXIDATION AND EROSION RESISTANCE OF POLYMERS AND COMPOSITES IN-SPACE ENVIRONMENT BY ION-IMPLANTATION

A novel approach based on ion implantation has been developed and used to investigate the influence of a selection of metal and semi-metal i ons or their combinations with selected non-metal elements, the implan tation energy range, and ion fluencies, on the behaviour of implanted materials under fast atomic oxygen fluxes (FAG). The preferential cond itions of single- or multiple-ion implantation in a number of high-per formance polymers, graphite and composite materials were examined. Hig hly stable, oxidation- and erosion-resistant new surface structures we re created on graphite, Kapton, PEEK and Mylar, and on carbon-fibre/PE EK composites by exposing the implanted materials to FAO in a unique a tomic oxygen beam facility. A number of complementary surface analysis techniques such as RES, XPS, SEM/EDS were used to study the content a nd structure of the modified surfaces, and their resistance to oxidati on and erosion in FAO conditions.