Polyimides like Kapton are attractive for aerospace applications, which is often applied to solar array multilayer isolation system, thermal control coating, and solar sail is exposed extensively to the space environment. The low Earth orbit environment introduces various hazards to external spacecraft materials, such as exposure to atomic oxygen (AO), ultraviolet radiation (UV) and electromagnetic radiation, thermal cycles, micrometeoroids, orbital debris, and charged particle bombardment. In this work, Al_xTi_yO/r-NiCr coating and ZrO_x/r-NiCr coating were deposited by combining ion implantation, filter cathode vacuum arc, and high power impulse magnetron sputtering to protect flexible Kapton substrates from AO attack. Due to the ion stitching effect and mechanical interlocking of implanted Ni⁺, the ductility and supporting effect of fcc r (Ni-Cr) alloy layer, and the low growth stress of Al_xTi_yO and ZrO_x coating, the coatings showed high adhesion and toughness. Exposure tests indicated that the AO erosion yield of the Al_xTi_yO/r-NiCr-coated Kapton and ZrO_x/r-NiCr-coated Kapton was two orders of magnitude lower than that of blank Kapton. Moreover, the as-deposited Al_xTi_yO coating had sufficient electrostatic dissipation capacity, which remained within the expected range of antistatic materials.
 

Atomic oxygen,Electrostatic discharge (ESD),HiPIMS,FCVA,ion implantation