Study on the Thermal-Mechanical Properties of Space Ultra Low Temperature Vacuum Insulation Panel
JIN Nan1, ZHAO Wantong1, MENG Bo1, AI Sufen1,*, LIU Jia1, CHEN Zhaofeng2, YANG Lixia2
1 Beijing Spacecrafts, Beijing 100094, China 2 College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
Abstract: Vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) serve as the core material for low-temperature storage units in space stations, providing essential insulation for prolonged operations at -80 ℃. In response to the specific insulation needs of space storage applications, a space-grade VIP with a thermal conductivity below 5 mW/(m·K) was developed. This VIP was tested under various conditions including ambient temperature, low temperature, high/low temperature cycling, and long-term low-temperature storage, to assess its compressive and tensile properties, revealing the variation patterns of thermal conductivity and linear expansion coefficients. Results illustrated that the mechanical properties of the VIP significantly improve at -80 ℃, with compressive strength and compression modulus increasing to approximately 104.60% and 107.04% of those at room temperature, respectively. Additionally, tensile strength and tensile modulus reach 2.12 times and 3.04 times those at room temperature. After undergoing high/low temperature cycling and extended periods of low-temperature storage, the VIP's compressive strength and compression mo-dulus generally trend upwards, evidencing its excellent adaptability to diverse environments and long-term stability. This space-grade VIP successfully fulfills the rigorous demands of space stations for low thermal conductivity, high strength, minimal deformation, and durability, and has been effectively implemented in orbital operations, demonstrating its viability and potential for broader aerospace applications.
靳楠, 赵婉彤, 孟博, 艾素芬, 刘佳, 陈照峰, 杨丽霞. 空间超低温真空绝热板的热-力学性能研究[J]. 材料导报, 2025, 39(18): 24070067-5.
JIN Nan, ZHAO Wantong, MENG Bo, AI Sufen, LIU Jia, CHEN Zhaofeng, YANG Lixia. Study on the Thermal-Mechanical Properties of Space Ultra Low Temperature Vacuum Insulation Panel. Materials Reports, 2025, 39(18): 24070067-5.
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