Contact Angle and AFM Analysis of Glassy Carbon Coatings after an Extended Stay on the International Space Station (ISS)

Authors

  • Dimitar Teodosiev Space Research and Technology Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
  • Anna Bouzekova-Penkova Space Research and Technology Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
  • Silviya Simeonova Department Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria
  • Nikolay Grozev Department Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7546/CRABS.2023.02.10

Keywords:

glassy carbon, graphitizing carbon, cosmic ray and gamma radiation, Contact angle and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)

Abstract

The proposed work presents the results for contact angle and atomic force microscopy (AFM), which are applied to characterize the surface of two types of samples, “reference” sample and “space” sample, both made of the same material – graphite covered with glassy carbon coating, but stored for 28 months in different environments (conditions). One “space” sample was mounted outside the International Space Station, and the other “reference” sample was stored on Earth.

The technique applied to measure the contact angle of wetting of the surface of the samples (hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity) is using water droplets. Values of the energy surface area of the sample surfaces were determined by measuring the contact angle with the substances formamide and diiodomethane. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was applied to characterize the glass surface morphology of carbon coatings.

Author Biographies

Dimitar Teodosiev, Space Research and Technology Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Mailing Address:
Space Research and Technology Institute,
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Akad. G. Bonchev St, Bl. 1
1113 Sofia, Bulgaria

E-mail: dteod@space.bas.bg

Anna Bouzekova-Penkova, Space Research and Technology Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Mailing Address:
Space Research and Technology Institute,
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Akad. G. Bonchev St, Bl. 1
1113 Sofia, Bulgaria

E-mail: a_bouzekova@space.bas.bg

Silviya Simeonova, Department Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria

Mailing Address:
Department Physical Chemistry,
Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy,
Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”
1, James Bourchier Blvd
1164 Sofia, Bulgaria

E-mail: fhsss@chem.uni-sofia.bg

Nikolay Grozev, Department Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria

Mailing Address:
Department Physical Chemistry,
Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy,
Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”
1, James Bourchier Blvd
1164 Sofia, Bulgaria

E-mail: fhng@chem.uni-sofia.bg

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Published

26-02-2023

How to Cite

[1]
D. Teodosiev, A. Bouzekova-Penkova, S. Simeonova, and N. Grozev, “Contact Angle and AFM Analysis of Glassy Carbon Coatings after an Extended Stay on the International Space Station (ISS)”, C. R. Acad. Bulg. Sci., vol. 76, no. 2, pp. 256–263, Feb. 2023.

Issue

Section

Space Sciences