Silver FEP Film
The combination of low solar absorptance and low infrared (IR) emissivity combine to result in
low sink temperatures.
Given silver coated Teflon™ film is engineered for low solar absorptance, it is typically used as
an outer layer for MLI blankets on surfaces where solar-like heat loads need to be mitigated.
Oftentimes silver Teflon™ film is directly exposed to the sun, but can also be effective at reducing
radiative heat absorbed from reflected solar heat from near-by surfaces or planetary bodies.
Similarly, low IR emissivity properties makes the use of silver FEP film beneficial in applications that
require low temperatures while in environments dominated by high IR heat loads or view factors like the
International Space Station or equatorial Lunar surface.
In addition to superior thermal performance, silver Teflon™ film benefits from the inherent chemical
inertness of Fluorinated ethylene propylene as a low outgassing surface that reacts little with the
space environment.
This property of Teflon™ film can make it particularly beneficial in high dust environments like Lunar,
Martian, or asteroid surfaces where dust adherence would cause a degradation of thermal properties or
pose contamination concerns.
Material Properties :
- Typical outside surface α / ϵ values: 0.13 to 0.16
- Operating Temperature: -185°C to 125°C
- Thickness range: 50 - 250 μm
Silver Teflon™ Film Applications :
Satellite MLI
Used for Hubble Telescope
