Materials Analysis of Transient Plasma-Wall Interactions

Fumio Ohuchi (University of Washington, Department of Materials Science and Engineering)
Richard Milroy (University of Washington, Plasma Science and Innovation Center)

With the discovery of a new class of electromagnetic pulsed plasma propulsion devices such as the Electrodeless Lorentz Force (ELF) Thruster, it is critical to characterize current, and develop new, materials for these systems that exhibit superior performance under the demanding conditions of space propulsion or directed energy. The aim is to discover and develop fundamental and integrated science among materials science, electric propulsion, and electro energetic physics that advances not only pulsed plasma thruster development but any future space power and propulsion concepts based on high energy density plasmas. Through a combination of experiment, surface analysis, numerical modeling and analytical study, the behavior of the plasma-material boundary under transient thermal convective and radiative loads will be investigated.

Specifically, transient non-equilibrium plasma flows will be studied over a broad range of energy densities (1 kJ/m² – 10 MJ/m²), on time scales of microseconds to milli seconds, using atomic and molecular propellants with masses from hydrogen to xenon. The chemical and physical effects of these flows on a range of insulative, conducting and composite materials will be quantified through detailed surface analysis on the micro, meso and macro scale. Both theoretical and numerical analysis of the particle dynamics that result from this research will be undertaken to understand and predict processes at the different time and length-scales corresponding to non-equilibrium conditions that will be relevant to not only space propulsion applications but to fields as diverse as plasma processing to nuclear fusion.

Experimental Apparatus