NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
ESCA Study of Poly (Vinylidene Fluoride) Tetrafluoroethylene - Ethylene Copolymer and Polyethylene Exposed to Atomic OxygenThe ESCA (electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis) spectra of films of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer (TFE/ET) and polyethylene (PE) exposed to atomic oxygen (O(P-3)), in or out of the glow of a radio-frequency O2 plasma, were compared. ESCA spectra of PE films exposed to (O(P-3)) in low Earth orbit (LEO) on the STS-8 Space Shuttle were also examined. Apart from O(P-3)-induced surface recession (etching), the various polymer films exhibited surface oxidation, which proceeded towards equilibrium saturation oxygen levels. The maximum surface oxygen uptakes for in-glow or out-of-glow exposures were in the order: PE greater than TFE/ET greater than PVDF; for PE itself, the oxygen uptakes were in the order: in glow greater than out of glow greater than LEO. Given prior ESCA data on poly(vinyl fluoride) and polytetrafluoroethylene films exposed to O(P-3), the extent of surface oxidation is seen to decrease regularly with increase in fluorine substitution in a family of ethylene-type polymers. (Keywords: ESCA; poly(vinylidene fluoride); tetrafluoroethylene ethylene copolymer; polyethylene; atomic oxygen; radio-frequency oxygen plasma; low Earth orbit)
Document ID
19990110724
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Golub, Morton A.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Cormia, Robert D.
(Surface Science Labs. Mountain View, CA United States)
Date Acquired
August 19, 2013
Publication Date
September 1, 1989
Publication Information
Publication: Polymer: International Journal for the Science and Technology of Polymers
Publisher: Butterworth and Co. Ltd.
Volume: 30
ISSN: 0032-3861
Subject Category
Nonmetallic Materials
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available