Ground-based investigation of atomic oxygen effects on naked
Ag and Ag with protective organic coatings
Ag and Ag with protective organic coatings
(1. State Key Laboratory for Corrosion and Protection, Institute of Metal Research,
The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China;
2. Institute of Chemical Science and Engineering,
Liaoning University, Shenyang, 110036, China;
3. Beijing Institute of Spacecraft Environment Engineering, Beijing 100029, China)
The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China;
2. Institute of Chemical Science and Engineering,
Liaoning University, Shenyang, 110036, China;
3. Beijing Institute of Spacecraft Environment Engineering, Beijing 100029, China)
Abstract: Protective behavior of organic coatings of alkyd, epoxy, urethane and siloxane applied to silver solar cell interconnects and erosion of Ag were investigated by exposure experiments to ground simulation atomic oxygen (AO). Evaluations of their protective properties were made through assessing their mass change characteristics, chemical and physical changes to AO attack. The specimens after exposure were analyzed with SEM/EDAX and XPS. The results indicated that the silver is heavily etched, some coatings such as epoxy, alkyd, urethane are seriously degraded or removed as volatile oxides and the morphology of coatings changed. It is evident that siloxane coatings have excellent properties for anti-AO attack. The erosion product consists of silicon dioxide layer of compact texture and is left on the surface to provide adequate protection from further attack by the energetic AO.
Key words: Ag ; atomic oxygen; irradiation; organic protective coatings