Infrared Spectroscopic Analysis of the Effects of Simulated Space Radiation on a Polyimide

Infrared spectroscopic techniques have been used to study the effects of electron radiation on the polyimide PMDA-p, p'-ODA. The radiation exposures were made at various dose rates for a total dose approximately equal to that for 30 years of exposure to electron radiation in geosynchronous Earth orbit. At high dose rates the major effect was probably the formation of a polyisoimide or a charged quarternary amine and at the low dose rates the effect was a reduction in the amount of aromatic ether linkage. In addition, the effects of dose rate for a small total dose were studied. Elevated temperatures occurred at high dose rates and were, in part, probably the cause of the radiation product. The data suggest that dose rates for accelerated simulations of the space environment should not exceed 105 rads/sec.