Testing and Characterization of A Graphene/Polyethylene Nanocomposite for Solar Sail Applications

Notre Dame University has recently developed graphene/polyethylene film (PE graphene) that has low density and vastly superior strength compared to any previously existing polymer film.nbsp; We propose to work with Notre Dame University and Utah State University to adapt this film for space applications such as solar sails.The performance of solar sails is strongly affected by the ratio between the reflecting area of the sail and the mass of the craft.nbsp; Current generation sails use coated 2.5 micron polyimide films (CP-1) which are extremely delicate to handle and deploy.nbsp; The PE Graphene nanocomposite has lower density and vastly superior strength compared to CP-1.nbsp; In terms of specific strength, the new film material outperforms even the best commercial fibers (such as Dyneema) and can offer dramatically improved performance for solar sails. At the same thickness, it offers roughly 70% of the mass of existing solutions and 50x the strength.