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Study of Lightweight Ni-Co Alloy Mirrors Obtained by Electroforming TechniquesOne contribution in reducing the costs of optics in space can be provided by production of ultralight mirrors. The decrease in the weight of the primary mirror of a telescope is anticipated to lead to the possibility of increasing the size of the telescopes, therefore increasing the amount and distance from which information is received. An electroplating process of ultralight replica mirrors from nickel sulfamate solution will be described. Based on an experimental setup with cylindrical symmetry, flat mirrors with a diameter of 7 inches and thickness of 1.5 mm are made from a Ni-Co alloy. The composition of the resulting deposit is analyzed using Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) and Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE). In order to resolve Ni and Co, 10 MeV nitrogen ions are used as projectiles in the RBS measurements. Solution parameters monitored during the deposition process using optical absorption and polarography will be correlated with the final concentration of Ni and Co in the deposit. Bath parameters like temperature, current density, agitation level and acidity are chosen at certain values and maintained constant from one sample to another throughout the deposition process. The purpose of the experiment is to obtain mirrors with near zero stress, and predetermined composition and hardness. This study is an intermediate step in obtaining through the same process, but with a larger scale setup, ultralight large aperture replica mirrors.
Document ID
20030000539
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Jones, Ruth
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Muntele, Iulia
(Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical Univ. Normal, AL United States)
Muntele, Claudiu
(Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical Univ. Normal, AL United States)
Zimmerman, Robert
(Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical Univ. Normal, AL United States)
Ila, Daryush
(Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical Univ. Normal, AL United States)
Smith, W. Scott
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2002
Subject Category
Optics
Meeting Information
Meeting: Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation
Location: Waikoloa, HI
Country: United States
Start Date: August 22, 2002
End Date: August 28, 2002
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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