Electrically conductive, low solar absorption, atomic oxygen resistant films for spacecraft thermal and charge control

There is a significant requirement for an electrically conductive thermal control film for the dissipation of spacecraft charging. The present technology based upon Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) thin conductive coatings on Teflon or Kapton films suffer from a range of problems, including poor space durability and a tendency to crack. A new blended polymer film developed at Triton Systems combines the properties of an intrinsically electrically conductive polymer with that of an AO resistant polymer. The resulting film, called C-COR for Conductive Colorless Oxygen Resistant, has bulk electrical conductivity adjustable between 10(-12) and 10(-8) (ohm-cm)(-1), AO resistantance, low absorptance, high emittance, vacuum stability, and good mechanical and UV resistant properties. The C-COR polymer can be used as a coating or as a free standing film. Data will be presented on the details of the space durability, optical, mechanical, and electrical properties of the C-COR film.