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Graphene-reinforced epoxy resin with enhanced atomic oxygen erosion resistance

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Abstract

Atomic oxygen (AO) is a dominant component of the low earth orbit and can erode most spacecraft material. We demonstrated the application of graphene to enhance AO erosion resistance of spacecraft polymers. Graphene-reinforced epoxy resin nanocomposites were prepared by solidification of epoxy resin in solution with dispersed graphene flakes and their AO erosion resistance was investigated in a plasma-type ground-based AO effects simulation facility. The nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Results based on erosion kinetics revealed that a 46 % decrease in mass loss and a 47 % decrease in erosion yield were achieved by addition of only 0.5 wt% of graphene. Further analysis of the surface morphology and composition showed that the graphene nanoflakes could serve as barriers to protect underneath from AO erosion. Thus, this approach provides a novel route for improving durability and reliability of spacecraft material, especially polymers.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Special Funds for Co-construction Project of Beijing Municipal Commission of Education, the “985” Project of Ministry of Education of China, and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing Key Laboratory for Powder Technology Research and Development, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 37 Xueyuan Street, Beijing, 100191, People’s Republic of China

    Wen Zhang, Min Yi, Zhigang Shen, Xiaohu Zhao, Xiaojing Zhang & Shulin Ma

  2. Plasma Laboratory, Ministry-of-Education Key Laboratory of Fluid Mechanics, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 37 Xueyuan Street, Beijing, 100191, People’s Republic of China

    Wen Zhang, Min Yi, Zhigang Shen & Xiaohu Zhao

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  1. Wen Zhang
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  2. Min Yi
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  3. Zhigang Shen
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  4. Xiaohu Zhao
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  5. Xiaojing Zhang
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  6. Shulin Ma
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Correspondence to Zhigang Shen.

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Zhang, W., Yi, M., Shen, Z. et al. Graphene-reinforced epoxy resin with enhanced atomic oxygen erosion resistance. J Mater Sci 48, 2416–2423 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-012-7028-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-012-7028-4

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