title: The partial space qualification of a vertically aligned carbon nanotube coating on aluminium substrates for EO applications.
abstract: The fabrication of NanoTube Black, a Vertically Aligned carbon NanoTube Array (VANTA) on aluminium substrates is reported for the first time. The coating on aluminium was realised using a process that employs top down thermal radiation to assist growth, enabling deposition at temperatures below the substrate's melting point. The NanoTube Black coatings were shown to exhibit directional hemispherical reflectance values of typically less than 1% across wavelengths in the 2.5 µm to 15 µm range. VANTA-coated aluminium substrates were subjected to space qualification testing (mass loss, outgassing, shock, vibration and temperature cycling) before their optical properties were re-assessed. Within measurement uncertainty, no changes to hemispherical reflectance were detected, confirming that NanoTube Black coatings on aluminium are good candidates for Earth Observation (EO) applications.
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Theocharous
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chunnilall
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mole
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gibbs
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: Naigui
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Howlett
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Rosie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Juan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Reveles
authors.forename: Oliver B
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Naseer
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ahmed