Optical analysis of transparent polymeric material exposed to simulated space environment

Details Optical analysis of transparent polymeric material exposed to simulated space environment Optical analysis of transparent polymeric material exposed to simulated space environment

Oct 2000

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2000spie.4134...56e&link_type=abstract

Proc. SPIE Vol. 4134, p. 56-64, Photonics for Space Environments VII, Edward W. Taylor; Ed.

Physics

1

Scientific paper

Transparent polymeric materials are being designed and utilized as solar concentrating lenses for spacecraft power and propulsion systems. These polymeric lenses concentrate solar energy onto energy conversion devices such as solar cells and thermal energy systems. The conversion efficiency is directly related to the transmissivity of the polymeric lens. The Environmental Effects Group of the Marshall Space Flight Center's Materials, Processes, and Manufacturing Department exposed a variety of material to a simulated space environment and evaluated them for change in optical transmission. These materials include LexanTM, polyethylene terephalate, several formulate of TefzelTM and TeflonTM, and silicone DC 93 - 500. Samples were exposed to a minimum of 1000 equivalent sun hours of near ultraviolet radiation (250 - 400 nm wavelength). Prolonged exposure to the space environment will decrease the polymer film's transmission and thus reduce the conversion efficiency. A method was developed to normalize the transmission loss and thus rank the materials according to their tolerance to space environmental exposure. Spectral results and the material ranking according to transmission loss are presented. Power loss over time for a typical solar cell was calculated based on degraded transmission of the polymer material.

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