Solar reflectors

• US 6,284,385 B1
• Filed: 06/25/1999
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Centre National D'Etudes Spatiales
• Original Assignee: Centre National D'Etudes Spatiales
• Inventors: Guillaumon, Jean-Claude, Nabarra, Pascale Véronique
• Primary Examiner(s): NAKARANI, DHIRAJLAL S
• Application Number:
  US09/344,523
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 428/451, 428/450
• US Class Current: 428/450
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/503 Radiator panels
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/58 Thermal protection, e.g. heat shields
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 28/00 Coating for obtaining at least two superposed coatings either by methods not provided for in a single one of groups C23C2/00 - C23C26/00 or by combinations of methods provided for in subclasses C23C and C25C or C25D
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/208 for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation, e.g. for separating visible light from infrared and/or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31667 Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers, or aldehyde or ketone condensation product

Abstract

The invention concerns a coating material for thermal control comprising a reflecting metal layer whether or not supported by a substrate, characterized in that the reflecting metal layer is coated with a polysiloxane transparent protective coating whereof the structure consists of two-dimensional or three-dimensional blocks mutually linked with linear chains or binding groups, said protective coat being free of chromophoric groups capable of absorbing in ultraviolet radiation above 170 nm. The invention is particularly useful in the aerospace industry.

Claims

1. A thermal control coating material comprising a metal reflecting layer optionally supported by a substrate, wherein said metal reflecting layer is coated with a transparent protective layer consisting of a polysiloxane which has a structure consisting of two-dimensional or three-dimensional blocks connected together by linear chains or by linking groups, said protective layer being free of chromophore groups capable of absorbing in the ultraviolet band above 170 nm, said transparent protective layer having a transmission in the wavelength range 200 nm to 1000 nm of at least 98%.

2. The material claimed in claim 1 wherein said substrate is flexible.

3. The material claimed in claim 1 wherein said substrate is rigid.

4. A material as claimed in claim 1 which has a solar absorption coefficient less than or equal to 0.12.

5. A material as claimed in claim 1 which has an infrared emissivity factor of at least 0.70.

6. The material claimed in claim 5 wherein said factor is at least 0.80.