Physical structure and architecture evolution of PEEK under proton irradiation: Comparison with electron irradiation
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Orbiting satellites operate in a hostile environment characterized by a high vacuum of the order of 10 −11 mbar, thermal cycling and particle irradiation. This study focusses on proton irradiation and their effects on the physical properties of poly(ether-ether-ketone) (PEEK). It is a high-performance thermoplastic, commonly used in space industry because of its low outgassing and good resistance to irradiations. 8 μ m PEEK films were irradiated with 1 MeV protons to avoid any possible implantation and to obtain an homogeneous dose in the thickness. Four doses representative of the lifetime of a satellite in GEOstationary (GEO) orbit were carried out. Analysis of the physico-chemical structure revealed two main phenomena after irradiation : amorphization and crosslinking. The study of molecular mobility confirmed these evolutions. Correlation of the different analysis techniques highlighted a change in behaviour from 50 MGy : crosslinking prevails over amorphization and chain scission. Then, new pristine samples were irradiated with electrons at equivalent doses. The comparison showed no major difference between proton-irradiated and electron-irradiated PEEK, except crytsallization. Indeed, proton irradiation leads to a higher decrease of crystallization temperature and crystallinity degree that can be due to the creation of a greater number of defects in the crystalline phase.
Authors: Lise Sujol, Thierry Paulmier, Éric Dantras
Language: English
Subfield: Polymers and Plastics
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,190
OpenAlex ID: W4416746492