THE EFFECTS OF ATOMIC OXYGEN ON POLYMER-FILMS CONTAINING BIS(TRIPHENYLTIN) OXIDE

A tin-containing compound, bis(triphenyltin) oxide (BTO), was added to two polymeric materials in an effort to reduce the erosion of the mat erials in the presence of atomic oxygen. The BTO was added to a soluti on of a thermoplastic polyetherimide, and to the amic acid solution of a polyimide thermoset before curing. The films of these materials wer e tested in the laboratory by exposing them to atomic oxygen from a pl asma generator. Subsequently, they were exposed to the Low Earth Orbit (LEG) on two Space Shuttle flights. In all cases, the BTO-containing materials exhibited significantly less mass loss than the correspondin g pure polymer. Analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed th at after exposure to atomic oxygen, the BTO-containing films had a pre dominance of tin oxide on their surfaces. This could serve as a barrie r to resist further erosion. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Limited.