DAMAGE EFFECTS AND MECHANISMS OF PROTON IRRADIATION ON METHYL SILICONE RUBBER

摘要

A study was performed on the damage effects and mechanisms of proton irradiation with 200keV energy to space-grade methyl silicone rubber. The changes in surface morphology, mechanical properties, infrared attenuated total reflection spectrum, mass spectrum and pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrum indicated that, under lower fluence, the proton radiation would induce cross-linking effect, resulting in an increase in tensile strengths and hardness of the methyl silicon rubber. However, under higher proton fluence, the radiation-induced degradation, which decreased the tensile strengths and hardness, became a dominant effect. A macromolecular-network destruction model for the silicone rubber radiated with the protons was proposed.