Advanced Fiber Materials, Volume. 6, Issue 5, 00432(2024)

Spacesuit Textiles from Extreme Fabric Materials: Aromatic Amide Polymer and Boron Nitride Nanotube Composite Fiber for Neutron Shielding and Thermal Management

Ki-Hyun Ryu1...3,4, Minsung Kang1, Jungwon Kim2, Nam-Ho You2, Se Gyu Jang1, Kwang-Un Jeong3,4,*, Seokhoon Ahn1,** and Dae-Yoon Kim1,*** |Show fewer author(s)
Author Affiliations
  • 1Functional Composite Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Wanju 55324, Republic of Korea
  • 2Carbon Composite Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Wanju 55324, Republic of Korea
  • 3Department of Polymer-Nano Science and Technology, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
  • 4Department of Nano Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
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    Space exploration provides unparalleled opportunities for unraveling the mysteries of our origins and exploring planetary systems beyond Earth. Long-distance space missions require successful protection against significant radiation exposure, necessitating the development of effective radiation shielding materials. This study developed aromatic amide polymer (AAP) and boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) composite fibers using lyotropic liquid crystal (LLC) and industrially viable wet-spinning processes. The uniaxially oriented 1D composite fibers provide the necessary continuity and pliability to fabricate 2D macroscopic textiles with low density (1.80 g cm-3), mechanical modulus (18.16 GPa), and heat stability (up to 479 °C), while exhibiting the improved thermal neutron absorption cross-section with thermal neutron-shielding performance (0.73 mm-1). These composite textiles also show high thermal conductivity (7.88 W m-1 K-1) due to their densely packed and uniaxially oriented structures. These enhanced characteristics render the fibers a highly promising material for space applications, offering robust protection for both astronauts and electronics against the dual threats of radiation and heat.

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    Ki-Hyun Ryu, Minsung Kang, Jungwon Kim, Nam-Ho You, Se Gyu Jang, Kwang-Un Jeong, Seokhoon Ahn, Dae-Yoon Kim. Spacesuit Textiles from Extreme Fabric Materials: Aromatic Amide Polymer and Boron Nitride Nanotube Composite Fiber for Neutron Shielding and Thermal Management[J]. Advanced Fiber Materials, 2024, 6(5): 00432

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    Paper Information

    Category: Research Articles

    Received: Jan. 7, 2024

    Accepted: May. 8, 2024

    Published Online: Nov. 14, 2024

    The Author Email: Jeong Kwang-Un (kujeong@jbnu.ac.kr), Ahn Seokhoon (ahn75@kist.re.kr), Kim Dae-Yoon (kdaeyoon@kist.re.kr)

    DOI:10.1007/s42765-024-00432-6

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