Vacuum Arc Plasma Coating for Polymer Surface Protection— A Plasma Enhanced In-Orbit Additive Manufacturing Concept
In-orbit additive manufacturing (AM) is a promising approach for fabrication of large structures. It allows to expand and accelerate human space exploration possibilities. Extrusion-based AM was demonstrated in zero gravity, while the realization of such a process in orbit-like vacuum conditions is...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-11-01
|
| Series: | Plasma |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6182/5/4/35 |
| _version_ | 1797455575942955008 |
|---|---|
| author | Marina Kühn-Kauffeldt Marvin Kühn Michael Mallon Wolfgang Saur Fabian Fuchs |
| author_facet | Marina Kühn-Kauffeldt Marvin Kühn Michael Mallon Wolfgang Saur Fabian Fuchs |
| author_sort | Marina Kühn-Kauffeldt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In-orbit additive manufacturing (AM) is a promising approach for fabrication of large structures. It allows to expand and accelerate human space exploration possibilities. Extrusion-based AM was demonstrated in zero gravity, while the realization of such a process in orbit-like vacuum conditions is currently under exploration. Still, a solution for protection of the UV and IR radiation sensitive polymers is needed in order to prevent their early mechanical failure under space conditions. Vacuum arc plasma based process is widely applied on earth for thin protective coating deposition. Its major advantage is its scalability—from tiny size used in electric propulsion to large scale coating devices. The usability of the vacuum arc process in space conditions was shown in electric propulsion applications in nano-satellites. In this work we discuss and demonstrate the integration of vacuum arc process as a post processing step after Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) for additive manufacturing and functionalization of long polymer structures. Here we address the concept for technical realization, which integrates the vacuum arc into additive manufacturing process chain. More over we present a laboratory prototype, which implements this concept together with a use case, where a previously printed PEEK structure is coated with aluminum based coating suitable for UV radiation protection. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:56:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3aa74c9eb73b474d9189612c9b04e068 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2571-6182 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:56:16Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plasma |
| spelling | doaj.art-3aa74c9eb73b474d9189612c9b04e0682023-11-24T17:30:01ZengMDPI AGPlasma2571-61822022-11-015447048110.3390/plasma5040035Vacuum Arc Plasma Coating for Polymer Surface Protection— A Plasma Enhanced In-Orbit Additive Manufacturing ConceptMarina Kühn-Kauffeldt0Marvin Kühn1Michael Mallon2Wolfgang Saur3Fabian Fuchs4Institute for Plasma Technology and Mathematics, Universität der Bundeswehr München, Werner-Heisenberg-Weg 39, 85579 Neubiberg, GermanyInstitute for Plasma Technology and Mathematics, Universität der Bundeswehr München, Werner-Heisenberg-Weg 39, 85579 Neubiberg, GermanyMaterials and Processes Section, Mechanical Department, ESA-ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, NL-2201 AZ Noordwijk, The NetherlandsInstitute of Construction Materials, Universität der Bundeswehr München, Werner-Heisenberg-Weg 39, 85577 Neubiberg, GermanyWehrwissenschaftliches Institut für Werk- und Betriebsstoffe (WIWeB), Department 310-Surface Technology and Analytics, Institutsweg 1, 85435 Erding, GermanyIn-orbit additive manufacturing (AM) is a promising approach for fabrication of large structures. It allows to expand and accelerate human space exploration possibilities. Extrusion-based AM was demonstrated in zero gravity, while the realization of such a process in orbit-like vacuum conditions is currently under exploration. Still, a solution for protection of the UV and IR radiation sensitive polymers is needed in order to prevent their early mechanical failure under space conditions. Vacuum arc plasma based process is widely applied on earth for thin protective coating deposition. Its major advantage is its scalability—from tiny size used in electric propulsion to large scale coating devices. The usability of the vacuum arc process in space conditions was shown in electric propulsion applications in nano-satellites. In this work we discuss and demonstrate the integration of vacuum arc process as a post processing step after Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) for additive manufacturing and functionalization of long polymer structures. Here we address the concept for technical realization, which integrates the vacuum arc into additive manufacturing process chain. More over we present a laboratory prototype, which implements this concept together with a use case, where a previously printed PEEK structure is coated with aluminum based coating suitable for UV radiation protection.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6182/5/4/35vacuum archigh temperature polymersPEEKin orbit manufacturingvacuumthin protective coating |
| spellingShingle | Marina Kühn-Kauffeldt Marvin Kühn Michael Mallon Wolfgang Saur Fabian Fuchs Vacuum Arc Plasma Coating for Polymer Surface Protection— A Plasma Enhanced In-Orbit Additive Manufacturing Concept Plasma vacuum arc high temperature polymers PEEK in orbit manufacturing vacuum thin protective coating |
| title | Vacuum Arc Plasma Coating for Polymer Surface Protection— A Plasma Enhanced In-Orbit Additive Manufacturing Concept |
| title_full | Vacuum Arc Plasma Coating for Polymer Surface Protection— A Plasma Enhanced In-Orbit Additive Manufacturing Concept |
| title_fullStr | Vacuum Arc Plasma Coating for Polymer Surface Protection— A Plasma Enhanced In-Orbit Additive Manufacturing Concept |
| title_full_unstemmed | Vacuum Arc Plasma Coating for Polymer Surface Protection— A Plasma Enhanced In-Orbit Additive Manufacturing Concept |
| title_short | Vacuum Arc Plasma Coating for Polymer Surface Protection— A Plasma Enhanced In-Orbit Additive Manufacturing Concept |
| title_sort | vacuum arc plasma coating for polymer surface protection a plasma enhanced in orbit additive manufacturing concept |
| topic | vacuum arc high temperature polymers PEEK in orbit manufacturing vacuum thin protective coating |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6182/5/4/35 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marinakuhnkauffeldt vacuumarcplasmacoatingforpolymersurfaceprotectionaplasmaenhancedinorbitadditivemanufacturingconcept AT marvinkuhn vacuumarcplasmacoatingforpolymersurfaceprotectionaplasmaenhancedinorbitadditivemanufacturingconcept AT michaelmallon vacuumarcplasmacoatingforpolymersurfaceprotectionaplasmaenhancedinorbitadditivemanufacturingconcept AT wolfgangsaur vacuumarcplasmacoatingforpolymersurfaceprotectionaplasmaenhancedinorbitadditivemanufacturingconcept AT fabianfuchs vacuumarcplasmacoatingforpolymersurfaceprotectionaplasmaenhancedinorbitadditivemanufacturingconcept |