Shielding Kevlar fibers from atomic oxygen erosion via layer-by-layer assembly of nanocomposites

Highly uniform and defect-free multilayer coatings of montmorillonite (MMT) and poly (p-aminostyrene) (PPAS) on Kevlar fibers were generated to provide protection from atomic oxygen (AO) erosion, one of the greatest causes of degradation of polymeric materials used in the low earth orbit. The quantified protective MMT/PPAS layer was successfully deposited through a layer-by-layer assembly technique, as confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The accelerated AO durability was tested in a ground-based AO-effects simulation facility. The results show that the multilayers provide the Kevlar fibers an excellent protection from AO erosion.