PHOTOCATALYTIC COATINGS ON OPTICAL SOLAR REFLECTORS TO DECOMPOSE ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS

摘要

An optical solar reflector (OSR) for spacecraft having a thin film layer of photocatalytic coating material applied to the space-facing side of the OSR which is effective to maintain long term effectiveness of optical solar reflectors (OSR) by preventing/decomposing organic residues on the OSR surfaces. Preferred photocatalytic coating materials include photoactive transition metal oxides and compound semiconductor materials. The photoactive coating material is excited by the UV or near UV components of solar radiation to generate free carriers. The resulting conduction-band electrons and valence-band holes can then interact with bound oxygen in the organic residues to form radicals and eventually break down the organic contaminants.