Radiation-Induced Conductivity of Space Used Polymers Under High Energy Electron Irradiation

Polymers are widely used on spacecraft for different specific functions such as thermal and electrical insulation, mechanical support, and adhesion. These polymers are highly sensitive to radiation encountered in space. Their electric properties are especially significantly altered leading to a very specific behavior in terms of charge transport and discharge processes. Different dedicated facilities have been developed at ONERA, with Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales support, for the characterization of space used materials in representative conditions. Thanks to the use of these different facilities, it has indeed been demonstrated that radiation-induced conductivity of space polymers strongly affects the charging surface potential and depends on several parameters (radiation dose rate, total radiation dose, temperature, and on the induced electric field) through complex physical mechanisms that are described in this paper. The sensitivity of polymers on these different parameters strongly depends on the polymer trap distribution and molecular configuration. Experimental and numerical results are presented in this paper, coupled with the different experimental techniques developed and applied to this work.