[JUNE THEMATIC REPORT]-ATOMIC OXYGEN IN SPACEby Baraka E Urio | 01-07-2023 21:14 |
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ATOMIC OXYGEN(AO). Oxygen comes in several different forms. The oxygen that we breathe is called O2—that is, it is comprised of two atoms of oxygen. O3 is ozone, such as occurs in Earth's upper atmosphere, and O (one atom), is atomic oxygen. Atomic oxygen doesn't exist naturally for very long on the surface of Earth, as it is very reactive. But in space, where there is plenty of ultraviolet radiation, O2 molecules are more easily broken apart to create atomic oxygen. The atmosphere in low Earth orbit is comprised of about 96% atomic oxygen. In the early days of NASA's space shuttle missions, the presence of atomic oxygen caused problems. It is the most significant component of the space environment at ISS altitude in terms of material degradation. AO oxidizes many metals, especially silver, copper, and osmium. AO reacts strongly with any material containing carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and hydrogen bonds, meaning that many polymers react and erode. Polymers containing fluorine, such as Teflon, react synergistically, meaning that the reactivity to AO increases with longer exposure to UV radiation (Pippin et al., 2004). Even materials with AO protective coatings can degrade because of AO undercutting erosion at protective coating defect sites. So the main importance of AO in space is to destroy space wastes to not reach the world.  REFFERENCES. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20190027587/downloads/20190027587. https://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/everydaylife/AtomicOxRestoration.html |
