Long-Term Thermal Stability of Solithane, a Candidate TWT Encapsulant.
Abstract
In support of traveling-wave tube amplifier tube encapsulant evaluations, a cured sample of Solithane 113 (a polyurethane potting compound supplied by Watkins-Johnson) was exposed to a vacuum-thermal (120 C) environment for 300+ hours to determine if channel degradation occurs on such exposure. Degradation was determined qualitatively by sampling into a quadrupole mass spectrometer the gases and vapors produced from the sample and analyzing the spectra of the gases. The resultant spectra indicated significant thermochemical degradation of the polymer under the conditions of the exposure. These results should be factored into deliberations on the choice of encapsulants for TWTA components. Degradation of this kind may markedly affect physical-chemical properties of the material over the long term and should be treated as a potential source of tube failure due to corona discharge. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADA078832
Entities
People
- Camille A. Gaulin
- Manfred Buechler
- Vester L. Knight
Organizations
- The Aerospace Corporation