Nano barrier adds layer of protection to spacecraft

The research team from Surrey University and Airbus Defence and Space has shown that their Multifunctional Nanobarrier Structure (MFNS) can reduce the operating temperatures of space-qualified structures from 120°C to 60°C.  

Thanks to its custom-built, room temperature application system, researchers were able to show that it is possible to use the MFNS alongside a craft's sensors and advanced composite materials. The team’s research is detailed in ACS Nano.

In a statement, Professor Ravi Silva, corresponding author of the study and director of the Advanced Technology Institute at Surrey University, said: "Space is a wondrous but dangerous place for us humans and other human-made structures. While solutions already on the market offer protection, they are bulky and can be restrictive when it comes to thermal control.  

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"Our new nano barrier is able to not only provide radiation and thermal protection but also harvest energy for use at a later date." 

Spacecraft must account for huge variations of solar illumination and space radiation to ensure that their payloads work. Spacecraft temperature is maintained by balancing radiation and external weather with heat produced internally. Atomic oxygen (AO) is created when oxygen molecules break apart, a process made easier in space because of the abundance of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. AO then reacts with organic surfaces on spacecraft and degrades them. 

The MSFN consists of a buffer layer made of poly(p-xylylene) and a diamond-like-carbon superlattice layer to give it a mechanically and environmentally ultra-stable platform.  

This means that the MSFN can protect a craft from AO and UV radiation. Its dielectric nature - transparent across a wide range of radio frequencies - means it can also be coated on highly sensitive payloads and structures, such as antennas, without interfering significantly with performance.  

The team found also that it is possible to modify how much AO and UV a craft can absorb and harvest while a craft is in low-earth orbit.