Influence of Simulated Space Hazards on Polyimide ArtilonTM Type Used in Space Applications

The polyimide performance was monitored and evaluated after exposure to ionized and particulate radiation as a space hazard. The material was irradiated with three different doses 500, 750 and 1000kGy in CO60 source in the presence of air. Both non-irradiated and irradiated materials were characterized by tensile test, Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR). Quantum modeling was executed by using "Gaussian 5" software program for chemical structure verification. The non-irradiated material showed a super ductility but revealed a brittle behavior when irradiated with 500 and 1000 kGy gamma doses. Nevertheless, the material attained moderate ductility when exposed to 750kGy. Results by the stated characterization tools matched with the evaluated behavior and confirmed by the quantum modeling.