Study on properties of Al film on CFRP after cryogenic-thermal cycling

Al film on CFRP has been tested by cryogenic-thermal cycling according to the especial condition of space. Properties of aluminum film have been characterized by electron pull apparatus, XRD and SEM. The result shows that the adhesion of Al film increases slowly at early stage of cryogenic-thermal cycling. When the times of cryogenic-thermal cycling exceed 50, the adhesion of Al film becomes stability, and then the adhesion of Al film decrease slowly when cycling times from 100 to 600. After 600 times, the adhesion of Al film becomes stability again. The microcrack appears on the surface of Al film after 50 times, and the amounts of microcrack increase and microcrack is coarsening versus times of cryogenic-thermal cycling. The structure of Al film is changing slowly during cryogenic-thermal cycling.