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A Compact Device for Colloidal Crystal Studies on Tiangong-1 Target Spacecraft

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Abstract

An experimental device with three crystallization cells, each with two working positions, was designed to study growth kinetics and structural transformation of colloidal crystals under microgravity condition. The device is capable of remote control of experimental procedures. It uses direct-space imaging with white light to monitor morphology of the crystals and reciprocal-space laser diffraction (Kossel lines) to reveal lattice structure. The device, intended for colloidal crystal growth kinetics and structural transformation on Tiangong-1 target spacecraft, had run on-orbit for more than one year till the end of the mission. Hundreds of images and diffraction patterns were collected via the on-ground data receiving station. The data showed that single crystalline samples were successfully grown on the orbit. Structural transformation was carefully studied under electric and thermal field. Using a backup device, control experiments were also performed on the ground under similar conditions except for the microgravity. Preliminary results indicated that the on-orbit crystals were more stable than the on-ground ones.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by China Manned Space Engineering and the System Design Department of China Academy of Space Technology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China

    Xiao-Long Li, Shu-Xin Hu, Yong-Liang Zhai, Lan-Sheng Wu & Ming Li

  2. Center for Space Science and Applied Research, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China

    Zhi-Bin Sun, Zhen Huang, Wei-Ning Li, Han-Dong Yang & Guang-Jie Zhai

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  1. Xiao-Long Li
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  2. Shu-Xin Hu
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  3. Zhi-Bin Sun
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  4. Yong-Liang Zhai
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  5. Lan-Sheng Wu
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  6. Zhen Huang
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  7. Wei-Ning Li
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  8. Han-Dong Yang
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  9. Guang-Jie Zhai
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  10. Ming Li
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Correspondence to Shu-Xin Hu.

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Li, XL., Hu, SX., Sun, ZB. et al. A Compact Device for Colloidal Crystal Studies on Tiangong-1 Target Spacecraft. Microgravity Sci. Technol. 25, 375–381 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12217-014-9375-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12217-014-9375-z

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