Abstract
The results of studies of polyimide and fluoropolymer films after a prolonged exposure at the Mir orbital space station are reported. The weight loss of external polyimide films was ∼40–60%; the weight of FEP-100A fluoropolymer films remained unchanged, and the weight of F-4MB films increased by ∼50%. The external and internal surfaces of polyimide films were hydrophilized. The external surface of a polyimide film acquired anisotropic properties, which manifested themselves as the shape anisotropy of liquid drops, the surface tension and the work of adhesion, the light scattering circular diagrams, and in the formation of spatially oriented fractal structures. The appearance of anisotropic properties is a consequence of the arrangement of a film on the station surface at an angle to the flow of atomic oxygen. The possible reactions of fast and scattered oxygen atoms, which are responsible for the chemical and structural transformations of polyimide, are discussed.
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