Keywords
Citation
(2005), "Polymers combat cosmic radiation", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 77 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2005.12777fad.007
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2005, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Polymers combat cosmic radiation
Materials
Polymers combat cosmic radiation
Keywords: Aircraft, Polymers
Aircraft and space capsules may soon be better shielded from cosmic radiation thanks to a special polymer developed by Bayer MaterialScience AG.
Until now, aircraft and space capsules have been effectively shielded through the use of aluminium. However, while Bayer MaterialScience's polymers offer the same level of shielding as aluminium, they have the added advantage of being up to 30 per cent lighter.
A unique measuring method, developed under Professor Norbert Vana of the Austrian Universities' Atomic Institute in Vienna, is capable of quantifying the shielding effect by measuring the radiation dose and its biological relevance in front of and behind the samples.
Dr Michael Hajek, a project team member at the Atomic Institute comments: “The results of the measurements enable us to reliably assess the shielding effect of materials for biological and electronic systems. In addition, researchers can also simulate cosmic radiation quite realistically in experiments on earth. This provides a valuable alternative to testing the materials in unmanned space flights”.
Dr Harald Pielartzik of Bayer MaterialScience adds: “If the results continue to be positive, the new lightweight polymer materials could one day be used on aircraft and space capsules to protect aircrew and astronauts from cosmic radiation”.
“Cosmic radiation protection would be especially important on a manned mission to Mars, as the capsule would be exposed to a particularly high dose of radiation on the long journey through the vacuum of space”.
Cosmic radiation is a complex mix of various forms of radiation generated by the stars, including the sun, that travels through the universe to the earth. The majority of radiation reaching the earth is deflected by its magnetic field. However, the intensity of the radiation increases significantly outside the reach of the earth's magnetic field. Cosmic radiation can have a damaging effect on the human body and also cause malfunctions in electronic systems.