Location
Radisson Resort at the Port, Convention Center, Martinique Room
Start Date
30-4-2002 1:00 PM
End Date
30-4-2002 4:00 PM
Description
Studies of the electrostatic interaction between micrometer-sized particles and polymer surfaces are of great interest to NASA’s planetary exploration program. The unmanned landing missions to Mars planned for this decade as well as the possible manned missions that might take place during the second decade of this century require a better understanding of the electrostatic response of the materials used in landing crafts and equipment when exposed to wind-blown dust or to surface dust and sand particles. We report on preliminary experiments designed to measure the electrostatic charge developed on three polymer surfaces as they are impacted by Mars simulant particles less than 5 micrometers in diameter moving at 20 m/s. Experiments were performed in a CO2 atmosphere at 10 mbars of pressure using a particle delivery method that propels the particles without contact. The polymer surfaces, commonly used in space applications, were chosen so that they span the triboelectric series.
Paper Session I-A - Electrostatic Charging of Polymers by Particle Impact at Martian Atmospheric Pressurs
Radisson Resort at the Port, Convention Center, Martinique Room
Studies of the electrostatic interaction between micrometer-sized particles and polymer surfaces are of great interest to NASA’s planetary exploration program. The unmanned landing missions to Mars planned for this decade as well as the possible manned missions that might take place during the second decade of this century require a better understanding of the electrostatic response of the materials used in landing crafts and equipment when exposed to wind-blown dust or to surface dust and sand particles. We report on preliminary experiments designed to measure the electrostatic charge developed on three polymer surfaces as they are impacted by Mars simulant particles less than 5 micrometers in diameter moving at 20 m/s. Experiments were performed in a CO2 atmosphere at 10 mbars of pressure using a particle delivery method that propels the particles without contact. The polymer surfaces, commonly used in space applications, were chosen so that they span the triboelectric series.
