Engineering topics

Le, Huong G.

Publications and source records attributed to Le, Huong G..

3 records

NASA NTRS1993

High-Emittance, Low-Absorbance Thermal-Control Coating

Modified process for anodizing 5657 aluminum alloy results in Al2O3 surfaces with infrared emissivities as great as 0.92 and solar absorptivities as small as 0.2. Coating enables fabrication of radiators requiring less surface, and hence less weight: radiators with coating weigh approximately 7 percent less than thermally equivalent radiators made with older anodizing processes. Coating applied easily and economically, and retains all of desirable properties of standard anodized coatings.

Le, Huong G.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Process for producing a high emittance coating and resulting article

Process for anodizing aluminum or its alloys to obtain a surface particularly having high infrared emittance by anodizing an aluminum or aluminum alloy substrate surface in an aqueous sulfuric acid solution at elevated temperature and by a step-wise current density procedure, followed by sealing the resulting anodized surface. In a preferred embodiment the aluminum or aluminum alloy substrate is first alkaline cleaned and then chemically brightened in an acid bath The resulting cleaned substrate is anodized in a 15% by weight sulfuric acid bath maintained at a temperature of 30.degree. C. Anodizing is carried out by a step-wise current density procedure at 19 amperes per square ft. (ASF) for 20 minutes, 15 ASF for 20 minutes and 10 ASF for 20 minutes. After anodizing the sample is sealed by immersion in water at 200.degree. F. and then air dried. The resulting coating has a high infrared emissivity of about 0.92 and a solar absorptivity of about 0.2, for a 5657 aluminum alloy, and a relatively thick anodic coating of about 1 mil.

Le, Huong G.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Comparison of sulfuric and oxalic acid anodizing for preparation of thermal control coatings for spacecraft

The development of thermal control surfaces, which maintain stable solar absorptivity and infrared emissivity over long periods, is challenging due to severe conditions in low-Earth orbit (LEO). Some candidate coatings are second-surface silver-coated Teflon; second-surface, silvered optical solar reflectors made of glass or quartz; and anodized aluminum. Sulfuric acid anodized and oxalic acid anodized aluminum was evaluated under simulated LEO conditions. Oxalic acid anodizing shows promise of greater stability in LEO over long missions, such as the 30 years planned for the Space Station. However, sulfuric acid anodizing shows lower solar absorptivity.

Le, Huong G.↗