ESD coatings for use with spacecraft
OwnerPaul J. Glatkowski, John W. Connell +3inventors
InventorsPaul J. Glatkowski, John W. Connell, David H. Landis JR., Joseph G. Smith JR., Joseph W. Piche
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Abstract
Spacecraft with electrostatic dissipative surfaces are disclosed herein. The surface has layer which includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes to incorporate electrical conductivity into space durable polymeric layers without degrading optical transparency, solar absorptivity or mechanical properties.
Claims28
A spacecraft comprising a surface defining at least a portion of said spacecraft, wherein said surface comprises a layer of carbon nanotubes effective for electrostatic discharge.
A spacecraft comprising a surface defining at least a portion of said spacecraft, wherein said surface comprises a layer of carbon nanotubes effective for electrostatic discharge;
- wherein said nanotubes are selected from the group consisting of single-walled carbon nantubes (SWNTs), double-walled carbon nantubes (DWNTs), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), modified carbon nanotubes, and combinations and mixtures thereof;
- wherein the layer has a surface resistance in the range of about 105 to about 1012 ohms/square;
- wherein the layer has a thickness between about 0.5 nm to about 1000 microns;
- and
- wherein the layer has optical transparency retention of about 80% to about 99.9% that of a nanotube-free base material.
A method for providing an electrostatic discharge to at least a portion of a surface of a spacecraft comprising applying carbon nanotubes to said portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.