Colorless polyimide CP1 film PI (CP1)
C46H22O6N2F12 (repeat unit
CP1 is a colorless, fluorinated aromatic polyimide film developed at NASA Langley and now made under licence by NeXolve (formerly SRS Technologies).
Evidence level
5 of 5
Flown or field-proven
- 0Predicted only. No one has made it, or no measurement exists.
- 1Calculated. Only calculated or predicted values from sources.
- 2Lab-measured. Measured properties with their conditions stated.
- 3Space-relevant tests. Measured in conditions relevant to space, such as vacuum or atomic oxygen.
- 4Ground-qualified. Qualified for an application on the ground.
- 5Flown or field-proven. Flight or field results exist.
Atomic oxygen
1.91e-24 cm3/atom
Density
1.4193 g/cm3
Radiation
More than 0.3 solar absorptance rise
Solar sail
20 square metres
Recipe, share of the weight
- C not statedCarbon
- H not statedHydrogen
- O not statedOxygen
- N not statedNitrogen
- F not statedFluorine
Best for
Thin, clear, flexible film for solar sails and sunshades where the film stays uncoated in orbit only for short times
Weakest at
Optical darkening under UV and particle radiation (solar absorptance rose more than 0.3 in simulation), and atomic-oxygen erosion of exposed film
Risk at a glance
- People Low. No hazard classification found in a fetched source
- If it fails High. Atomic oxygen erosion
- Corrosion Severe. Atomic oxygen erodes CP1 at about 1.91e-24 cm3 per atom, a little below Kapton HN.
Quick facts: PI (CP1)
| Property | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Density | 1.42 g/cm³ | 1 sourced value |
What is the density of Colorless polyimide CP1 film?
Colorless polyimide CP1 film has a density of 1.42 g/cm³. The source and test conditions are listed in the properties table on this page.
What is Colorless polyimide CP1 film used for?
Uses recorded in the sources include Solar sail made of 2 micrometre CP1 film with vapour-deposited aluminum; Thin-film sunshade for a deployable space telescope.
Why it exists
CP1 is a colorless, fluorinated polyimide from NASA Langley. The NIST atomic weights and the NASA repeat-unit formula give a molar mass of 926.6656 g/mole. It was made for thin, clear film that can be used in space, and the flight data show that it survives on MISSE 2 but erodes and darkens under atomic oxygen and radiation. The erosion yield, 1.91e-24 cm3/atom, is lower than Kapton HN (2.81e-24) in the same NASA table.
Where it's used
2-micrometre solar sail (Plum Brook test, 2005; Nanosail-D2, 2011)
A 20 square metre sail of 2 micrometre CP1 with vapour-deposited aluminum was deployed in vacuum. The memo says this led to the Nanosail-D2 mission.
Thin-film sunshade candidates
CP1 is one of the thin-film candidates for a sunshade in the Next Generation Space Telescope, tested for L1/L2 radiation and UV.
Recipe
C46H22O6N2F12 (repeat unit; fluorinated aromatic polyimide)
Repeat unit C46H22O6N2F12, molar mass 926.6656 g/mole (Banks 2008, Table IV). It is a fluorinated aromatic polyimide, so it is made from a dianhydride and a diamine that form a poly(amic acid), which is then cyclised to the polyimide. The fetched Wikipedia page describes this two-step route for polyimides in general and does not name CP1's monomers, so the specific monomers are not listed here.
| Ingredient | Share of the weight | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon C | not stated | Carbon backbone of the aromatic rings and imide groups (NIST standard atomic weight interval). |
| Hydrogen H | not stated | Hydrogen on the aromatic rings (NIST standard atomic weight interval). |
| Oxygen O | not stated | Imide carbonyl and ether oxygens (NIST standard atomic weight interval). |
| Nitrogen N | not stated | Imide nitrogens (NIST standard atomic weight interval). |
| Fluorine F | not stated | Fluorine groups that make the film colorless and clear (per the NASA memo's description of CP1 as visibly clear); the NASA table does not say which bonds carry them. |
Weight shares are as printed in the sources.
What it can do
Atomic oxygen
1.91e-24 cm3/atom
On MISSE 2 the CP1 film eroded at 1.91e-24 cm3/atom, lower than Kapton HN at 2.81e-24.
Density
1.4193 g/cm3
Density of the MISSE 2 CP1 sample in the NASA table.
Radiation
More than 0.3 solar absorptance rise
Simulated L1/L2 radiation and UV raised the solar absorptance of the CP film group by more than 0.3 without saturating.
Solar sail
20 square metres
A 2 micrometre CP1 sail of 20 square metres was deployed in vacuum at GRC in 2005.
How it compares
In the same MISSE 2 table, CP1 eroded at 1.91e-24 cm3/atom against 2.81e-24 for Kapton HN. Under simulated space radiation the CP films darkened by more than 0.3, while Kapton and Upilex stayed within 0.1 (russell2001). The fetched sources give no CP1 comparison with metals or composites.
The same measurements for each material, so you can compare them. Each row names the key condition under the value; the full conditions and methods are in the numbered notes under Technical details. Other materials are shown beside it; each was measured under its own conditions, so open its page before comparing closely. Compare every grade in the family.
| Measurement | PI (CP1) | PI (Kapton H) | PI (Kapton HN) | PI (PMR-15) | PI (Upilex-S) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lifetime and stability | |||||
| Volume per repeat unit | 1.08×10^-21 cm³5 | no data | no data | no data | no data |
| Minimum volume of atoms in the repeat unit | 1.24×10^-22 cm³6 | no data | no data | no data | no data |
| Physical and electrical | |||||
| Density | 1.419 g/cm³1 | 1.427 g/cm³ | 1.42 g/cm³ | 1.287 g/cm³ | 1.387 g/cm³ |
| Film thickness of the uncoated flight sample | 1 mil8 | no data | no data | no data | no data |
| Other measurements | |||||
| Atomic oxygen erosion yield, MISSE 2 flight | 1.91×10^-24 cm³/atom2 | 3×10^-24 cm³/atom | 2.81×10^-24 cm³/atom | > 3.02×10^-24 cm³/atom | 9.22×10^-24 cm³/atom |
| Predicted atomic oxygen erosion yield | 2.27×10^-24 cm³/atom3 | no data | no data | no data | no data |
| Molar mass of the repeat unit | 926.7 g/mole4 | 382.3 g/mole | no data | no data | no data |
| Fractional ash content | 0.00171 mass fraction7 | no data | no data | no data | no data |
| Atomic oxygen fluence at which the butt-joint seam failed | 1.8×10^20 atoms/cm²9 | no data | no data | no data | no data |
| Increase in solar absorptance after simulated space radiation (CP film group) | 0.3 decimal (solar absorptance)10 | no data | no data | no data | no data |
| Solar absorptance of colorless films before and after irradiation | 0.2 decimal (solar absorptance)11 | no data | 0.38 (dimensionless) | no data | no data |
| Change in infrared emittance of CP-1 after combined UV, proton and electron exposure | 8 percent12 | no data | no data | no data | no data |
Why choose it, and why not
Good for
- Thin, clear, flexible film for solar sails and sunshades. The 2 micrometre sail deployed in vacuum on the ground.
- Flight-proven film with a MISSE 2 erosion yield (1.91e-24 cm3/atom) lower than Kapton HN.
Watch out for
- Atomic oxygen erosion. The MISSE 2 erosion yield is 1.91e-24 cm3/atom, and the seam of a 1 mil sample failed at about 1.8e20 atoms/cm2.
- Radiation darkening. The CP film group gained more than 0.3 solar absorptance in simulation, without saturating.
- Commercial grades differ. NeXolve adds proprietary additives and coatings to CP1, so the values here may not match a current product.
CP1 is a clear, thin, flexible polyimide that was flown on MISSE 2 and used in a 2 micrometre solar sail. It erodes under atomic oxygen (1.91e-24 cm3/atom) and darkens more than Kapton under simulated radiation, so exposed film needs a cover or coating. The record is thin: no CP1 thermal, mechanical or hazard data were read, and the gaps below list them.
Technical details
For scientists and researchers. Everything above comes from the record below: every number with its method, its conditions and its source.
Notes
The method, full conditions and any caveat for the numbered rows above.
| # | Measurement | Method | Conditions | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Density | Density measurement made for the experiment and listed in the NASA report (which cites its references 11 and 12 for the experiment) | specimen PI (CP1) polymer sample used in the MISSE 2 PEACE polymers experimentuse density needed to convert mass loss into erosion yield | — |
| 2 | Atomic oxygen erosion yield, MISSE 2 flight | Mass loss divided by density and atomic oxygen fluence, as reported in the NASA predictive-tool report | platform MISSE 2 PEACE polymers tray, ISS, outside the Quest airlockfluence 8.43e21 atoms/cm2 (average of two fluence witness samples)exposure 2001-08-16 to 2005-07-30, about 3.95 years | — |
| 3 | Predicted atomic oxygen erosion yield | Predicted value from the predictive tool. It is a model output, not a measurement | model NASA predictive equation from the same report, fitted to the MISSE 2 data | — |
| 4 | Molar mass of the repeat unit | Atomic mass of the repeat unit as printed in the NASA table | formula C46H22O6N2F12 | — |
| 5 | Volume per repeat unit | Calculated value from the predictive-tool data set, not a measured value | basis volume per repeat unit calculated for the predictive tool | — |
| 6 | Minimum volume of atoms in the repeat unit | Calculated value from the predictive-tool data set, not a measured value | basis sum of atomic volumes in the repeat unit | — |
| 7 | Fractional ash content | Mass fraction of polymer that is ash, measured for the experiment | specimen PI (CP1) MISSE 2 PEACE polymers sample | — |
| 8 | Film thickness of the uncoated flight sample | Thickness as printed in the NASA memo (the sample description) | sample uncoated CP1, MISSE-1 and MISSE-2 flight samples in the NASA memo | — |
| 9 | Atomic oxygen fluence at which the butt-joint seam failed | Seam failure detected by the Kapton witness sample underneath; the memo says the sample survived about 2e20 atoms/cm2 without a seam failure | sample 1 mil uncoated CP1 with an adhesive-free butt-joint seam, MISSE-2exposure ISS, wake side, Kapton witness sample underneath | — |
| 10 | Increase in solar absorptance after simulated space radiation (CP film group) | Solar absorptance computed from in situ reflectance measurements; the memo gives this as a lower bound for the group, not a value for CP1 alone | exposure simulated L1/L2 electron and proton radiation plus about 1000 equivalent solar hours UV, in vacuumfilms CP-1, CP-2 and TOR film samples as a group; the text says the increase was more than 0.3 without saturating | — |
| 11 | Solar absorptance of colorless films before and after irradiation | Text summary of the solar absorptance change, read from the paper's results section; the paper gives the range as 'from about 0.2 to nearly 0.5' | films colorless polyimide films (CP group), as a groupexposure simulated L1/L2 radiation and UV, as printed in the text | — |
| 12 | Change in infrared emittance of CP-1 after combined UV, proton and electron exposure | Text summary by the paper. Its figure is an increase of about eight percent in the measured emittance | exposure combined UV, proton and electron irradiation (simulated L1/L2 environment)measurement emittance measured in air, from about 0.47 to about 0.51 (decimal) | — |
Corrosion and compatibility
What happens when it meets other materials and environments.
| Environment | Concern | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit | severe | Atomic oxygen erodes CP1 at about 1.91e-24 cm3 per atom, a little below Kapton HN.1 |
| Space ultraviolet, protons and electrons (ground simulation) | severe | CP films darkened more than Kapton under simulated L1/L2 radiation, and their solar absorptance rose by more than 0.3 without saturating.2 |
| Mechanical and thermal, as flown on MISSE | not rated | No corrosion, ageing or thermal-cycling endurance value for CP1 film was read in a fetched source.3 |
| # | Environment | Details | Test conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit | On MISSE 2 the PEACE polymers tray received 8.43e21 atoms/cm2 over about 3.95 years. The uncoated 1 mil CP1 film with a butt-joint seam survived about 2e20 atoms/cm2 on the wake side, but its seam failed at about 1.8e20, and the Kapton witness below showed the failure. | flight 1 MISSE 2 PEACE tray, 3.95 years, fluence 8.43e21 atoms/cm2flight 2 MISSE-2 wake side, 1 mil butt-joint seam, seam failure at about 1.8e20 atoms/cm2 |
| 2 | Space ultraviolet, protons and electrons (ground simulation) | The paper says the solar absorptance of CP and TOR films rose by more than 0.3 without saturating, while Kapton and Upilex stayed within 0.1. The text gives the CP group only; the per-material CP-1 numbers are in figures that were not converted to values here. | exposure simulated five-year L1/L2 proton, electron and about 1000 equivalent solar hours of UV |
| 3 | Mechanical and thermal, as flown on MISSE | The 2015 memo reports that uncoated CP1 showed no significant change in transmission on MISSE-1 and that its seam failed on MISSE-2. It gives no thermal-cycling or humidity result. | basis NASA memo section 3.1 (MISSE-1 and MISSE-2 uncoated CP1) |
Risks and side effects
Hazards to people, what happens when a cell overheats, and how the material is handled and stored.
For people
No safety data sheet for CP1 was read, so no hazard statement is recorded here.
- Hazard data
- None found in a fetched source. The DuPont sheet for Kapton does not apply to CP1.
If it fails
These results come from flight exposure of uncoated film and from a laboratory simulation.
- Atomic oxygen
- Erosion yield 1.91e-24 cm3/atom on MISSE 2, and the seam of a 1 mil sample failed at about 1.8e20 atoms/cm2.
- Radiation darkening
- CP film solar absorptance rose by more than 0.3 in simulation.
Handling and storage
- Storage
- No storage guidance found in a fetched source.
Test details
The original wording and numbers from the sources, for readers who want them.
Failure risks
| Failure | Trigger and consequence |
|---|---|
| Atomic oxygen erosionhigh severity | Exposed CP1 film in low Earth orbit (MISSE 2 PEACE tray, 8.43e21 atoms/cm2)Film thins and erodes; the MISSE 2 erosion yield was 1.91e-24 cm3/atom |
| Seam failure under atomic oxygenmoderate severity | 1 mil uncoated CP1 with an adhesive-free butt-joint seam in MISSE-2 (about 1.8e20 atoms/cm2)The butt joint failed while the film itself survived; a Kapton witness sample underneath showed the failure |
| Optical darkening under radiation and UVhigh severity | Simulated L1/L2 electron, proton and UV exposureSolar absorptance rose by more than 0.3 for the CP film group, and emittance rose by about eight percent for CP-1, with no sign of saturation |
Side effects on surrounding parts
| Affects | Effect |
|---|---|
| Thermal emittance of the film surface | Erosion of an aluminized CP1 sample on MISSE-3 dropped its infrared emittance from 0.65 to 0.61 (the CP1 side was exposed). |
Handling and storage
- No handling or storage guidance for CP1 was found in a fetched source. No safety data sheet for CP1 was read.
Mitigations
- Aluminum coating on one side of the film (vapour-deposited aluminum) was flown and used in the 2 micrometre solar sail. The memo does not give an erosion yield for the coated film.
- A later modified grade, CORIN XLS, labelled as an AO-resistant CP1 and flown on MISSE-6A, had an atomic oxygen erosion yield of 8.4e-26 cm3/atom. It is not the same product as the original CP1 in this profile.
Supply and geography
How common the raw materials are and where they come from.
Colorless polyimide CP1 film
Not read in a fetched source.
- Top producers
- United States (NeXolve in Huntsville, Alabama, per the NASA memo title page), United States
- Recycling
- Not sourced.
- Substitutes
- EP2550 (now Essar Stretch 255) is a low-modulus analog of CP1, visibly clear and easily modified with fillers, per the NASA memo.
Documents
Datasheets, safety data sheets, papers and standards you can open.
Full record
The complete spore, as stored. Free to reuse under CC-BY-4.0. Images keep the licence shown with each one.
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spore: profile
id: pi-cp1
spore_version: 0.2
family: polyimides
name: Colorless polyimide CP1 film
abbreviation: PI (CP1)
role: flexible, optically clear polyimide film for thin-film space structures
category: polymers
type: polyimides
summary: |
CP1 is a colorless, fluorinated aromatic polyimide film developed at NASA Langley and now made under licence by NeXolve (formerly SRS Technologies). In MISSE 2 it eroded by atomic oxygen at 1.91e-24 cm3/atom, a little under Kapton HN at 2.81e-24. Under simulated space radiation it darkened far more than Kapton, with its solar absorptance rising by more than 0.3 without saturating. A 2 micrometre CP1 film with a vapour-deposited aluminum coating was deployed as a 20 square metre solar sail in 2005.
best_for: Thin, clear, flexible film for solar sails and sunshades where the film stays uncoated in orbit only for short times
weakest_at: Optical darkening under UV and particle radiation (solar absorptance rose more than 0.3 in simulation), and atomic-oxygen erosion of exposed film
identity:
formula: C46H22O6N2F12 (repeat unit; fluorinated aromatic polyimide)
source: banks2008
where: Table IV (formula C46H22O6N2F12 and atomic mass 926.6656 g/mole for PI (CP1)); Table V lists 88 atoms per repeat unit, including 12 fluorine. Russell et al. (AIAA-2001-1414) state that all of the films tested are aromatic polyimides
tags:
environments:
- low-earth-orbit
stresses:
- atomic-oxygen
- uv
- total-radiation-dose
applications:
- structures
- thermal-control
properties:
- benchmark: density
label: Density
value: 1.4193
unit: g/cm3
scope: material
conditions:
specimen: PI (CP1) polymer sample used in the MISSE 2 PEACE polymers experiment
use: density needed to convert mass loss into erosion yield
method: Density measurement made for the experiment and listed in the NASA report (which cites its references 11 and 12 for the experiment)
status: ground
source: banks2008
where: Table II (MISSE 2 PEACE polymers density and fractional ash content), column 'Density, ref. 12, rho'
- benchmark: atomic_oxygen_erosion_yield
label: Atomic oxygen erosion yield, MISSE 2 flight
value: 1.91e-24
unit: cm3/atom
scope: material
conditions:
platform: MISSE 2 PEACE polymers tray, ISS, outside the Quest airlock
fluence: 8.43e21 atoms/cm2 (average of two fluence witness samples)
exposure: 2001-08-16 to 2005-07-30, about 3.95 years
method: Mass loss divided by density and atomic oxygen fluence, as reported in the NASA predictive-tool report
status: flight
source: banks2008
where: Table I (MISSE 2 PEACE polymers erosion yield data), row PI (CP1); fluence from the text of section 2
- benchmark: predicted_atomic_oxygen_erosion_yield
label: Predicted atomic oxygen erosion yield
value: 2.27e-24
unit: cm3/atom
scope: material
conditions:
model: NASA predictive equation from the same report, fitted to the MISSE 2 data
method: Predicted value from the predictive tool. It is a model output, not a measurement
status: calculated
source: banks2008
where: Table VII (comparison of predicted and actual MISSE 2 erosion yields), row PI (CP1)
- benchmark: molar_mass
label: Molar mass of the repeat unit
value: 926.6656
unit: g/mole
scope: material
conditions:
formula: C46H22O6N2F12
method: Atomic mass of the repeat unit as printed in the NASA table
status: calculated
source: banks2008
where: Table IV (MISSE 2 PEACE polymers chemical structure), row PI (CP1)
- benchmark: volume_per_repeat_unit
label: Volume per repeat unit
value: 1.08e-21
unit: cm3
scope: material
conditions:
basis: volume per repeat unit calculated for the predictive tool
method: Calculated value from the predictive-tool data set, not a measured value
status: calculated
source: banks2008
where: Table IV, column 'Volume per repeat unit, V r', row PI (CP1)
- benchmark: minimum_volume_of_atoms
label: Minimum volume of atoms in the repeat unit
value: 1.24e-22
unit: cm3
scope: material
conditions:
basis: sum of atomic volumes in the repeat unit
method: Calculated value from the predictive-tool data set, not a measured value
status: calculated
source: banks2008
where: Table IV, column 'Minimum volume of atoms in repeat unit, V-Sigma', row PI (CP1)
- benchmark: ash_fraction
label: Fractional ash content
value: 0.00171
unit: mass fraction
scope: material
conditions:
specimen: PI (CP1) MISSE 2 PEACE polymers sample
method: Mass fraction of polymer that is ash, measured for the experiment
status: ground
source: banks2008
where: Table II, column 'Mass fraction of polymer that is ash, Na', row PI (CP1)
- benchmark: film_thickness
label: Film thickness of the uncoated flight sample
value: 1
unit: mil
scope: material
conditions:
sample: uncoated CP1, MISSE-1 and MISSE-2 flight samples in the NASA memo
method: Thickness as printed in the NASA memo (the sample description)
status: ground
source: ntrs2015
where: Section 3.1 (Uncoated Colorless Polyimide 1) and its figure 4 description
- benchmark: atomic_oxygen_seam_failure_fluence
label: Atomic oxygen fluence at which the butt-joint seam failed
value: 180000000000000000000
unit: atoms/cm2
scope: material
conditions:
sample: 1 mil uncoated CP1 with an adhesive-free butt-joint seam, MISSE-2
exposure: ISS, wake side, Kapton witness sample underneath
method: Seam failure detected by the Kapton witness sample underneath; the memo says the sample survived about 2e20 atoms/cm2 without a seam failure
status: flight
source: ntrs2015
where: Section 3.1, text on figure 4 (MISSE-2 uncoated CP1 with butt joint seam)
- benchmark: solar_absorptance_increase
label: Increase in solar absorptance after simulated space radiation (CP film group)
value: 0.3
unit: decimal (solar absorptance)
scope: material
conditions:
exposure: simulated L1/L2 electron and proton radiation plus about 1000 equivalent solar hours UV, in vacuum
films: CP-1, CP-2 and TOR film samples as a group; the text says the increase was more than 0.3 without saturating
method: Solar absorptance computed from in situ reflectance measurements; the memo gives this as a lower bound for the group, not a value for CP1 alone
status: ground
source: russell2001
where: Results section, paragraph beginning 'The changes in solar absorptance from Kapton and Upilex samples remain less than 0.1'
- benchmark: solar_absorptance
label: Solar absorptance of colorless films before and after irradiation
value: 0.2
value_high: 0.5
unit: decimal (solar absorptance)
scope: material
conditions:
films: colorless polyimide films (CP group), as a group
exposure: simulated L1/L2 radiation and UV, as printed in the text
method: Text summary of the solar absorptance change, read from the paper's results section; the paper gives the range as 'from about 0.2 to nearly 0.5'
status: ground
source: russell2001
where: Results section, paragraph on colorless films doubling their solar absorptance
- benchmark: infrared_emittance_change
label: Change in infrared emittance of CP-1 after combined UV, proton and electron exposure
value: 8
unit: percent
scope: material
conditions:
exposure: combined UV, proton and electron irradiation (simulated L1/L2 environment)
measurement: emittance measured in air, from about 0.47 to about 0.51 (decimal)
method: Text summary by the paper. Its figure is an increase of about eight percent in the measured emittance
status: ground
source: russell2001
where: Results section, paragraph beginning 'The thermal emittance values measured (in air) on the Kapton samples'
uses:
- application: structures
device: Solar sail made of 2 micrometre CP1 film with vapour-deposited aluminum
example: A 20 square metre sail was deployed under high vacuum at the Plum Brook Station test chamber in 2005 and led to the Nanosail-D2 mission in 2011. MISSE flight samples of the same film were flown behind windows on MISSE-6B.
source: ntrs2015
where: Section 8 (2-um CP1 with VDA solar sail), page 21 of the memo
- application: thermal-control
device: Thin-film sunshade for a deployable space telescope
example: The paper lists CP1 among thin-film candidates (12.5 micrometre films, vapour-deposited aluminum on one side) for a sunshade and solar sail in the Next Generation Space Telescope and Geomagnetic Storm Warning missions. It tested them for L1/L2 radiation and UV.
source: russell2001
where: Introduction, first two paragraphs and the film list
risks:
hazards: []
failure_risks:
- mode: Atomic oxygen erosion
trigger: Exposed CP1 film in low Earth orbit (MISSE 2 PEACE tray, 8.43e21 atoms/cm2)
consequence: Film thins and erodes; the MISSE 2 erosion yield was 1.91e-24 cm3/atom
severity: high
source: banks2008
where: Table I
- mode: Seam failure under atomic oxygen
trigger: 1 mil uncoated CP1 with an adhesive-free butt-joint seam in MISSE-2 (about 1.8e20 atoms/cm2)
consequence: The butt joint failed while the film itself survived; a Kapton witness sample underneath showed the failure
severity: moderate
source: ntrs2015
where: Section 3.1, figure 4 text
- mode: Optical darkening under radiation and UV
trigger: Simulated L1/L2 electron, proton and UV exposure
consequence: Solar absorptance rose by more than 0.3 for the CP film group, and emittance rose by about eight percent for CP-1, with no sign of saturation
severity: high
source: russell2001
where: Results section
side_effects:
- text: Erosion of an aluminized CP1 sample on MISSE-3 dropped its infrared emittance from 0.65 to 0.61 (the CP1 side was exposed).
affects: Thermal emittance of the film surface
source: ntrs2015
where: Section 3.2, text on figure 8
handling:
- text: No handling or storage guidance for CP1 was found in a fetched source. No safety data sheet for CP1 was read.
source: ntrs2015
where: Not stated in the memo
mitigations:
- text: Aluminum coating on one side of the film (vapour-deposited aluminum) was flown and used in the 2 micrometre solar sail. The memo does not give an erosion yield for the coated film.
source: ntrs2015
where: Section 8 and section 3.2
- text: A later modified grade, CORIN XLS, labelled as an AO-resistant CP1 and flown on MISSE-6A, had an atomic oxygen erosion yield of 8.4e-26 cm3/atom. It is not the same product as the original CP1 in this profile.
source: ntrs2015
where: Section 9 (CORIN XLS), page 22
supply:
- subject: Colorless polyimide CP1 film
abundance: Not read in a fetched source.
producers:
- name: NeXolve Corporation
note: Formerly SRS Technologies and ManTech Corporation. Exclusively licensed the original polyimides from NASA Langley and modifies CP1 with proprietary additives and coatings.
country: United States (NeXolve in Huntsville, Alabama, per the NASA memo title page)
- name: SRS Technologies
note: Manufacturer named for CP-1 and CP-2 in the 2001 test paper; the same company as NeXolve's former name.
country: United States
critical_lists: []
recycling: Not sourced.
substitutes:
- EP2550 (now Essar Stretch 255) is a low-modulus analog of CP1, visibly clear and easily modified with fillers, per the NASA memo.
source: ntrs2015
where: Introduction (paragraph on NeXolve), section 3 (uncoated CP1 and CP1 variants) and the EP2550 description; manufacturer named in footnote 5 of AIAA-2001-1414 (russell2001)
corrosion:
- environment: Atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit
headline: Atomic oxygen erodes CP1 at about 1.91e-24 cm3 per atom, a little below Kapton HN.
effect: On MISSE 2 the PEACE polymers tray received 8.43e21 atoms/cm2 over about 3.95 years. The uncoated 1 mil CP1 film with a butt-joint seam survived about 2e20 atoms/cm2 on the wake side, but its seam failed at about 1.8e20, and the Kapton witness below showed the failure.
rating: severe
conditions:
flight_1: MISSE 2 PEACE tray, 3.95 years, fluence 8.43e21 atoms/cm2
flight_2: MISSE-2 wake side, 1 mil butt-joint seam, seam failure at about 1.8e20 atoms/cm2
source: banks2008
where: Table I; the seam observation is from section 3.1 of ntrs2015
- environment: Space ultraviolet, protons and electrons (ground simulation)
headline: CP films darkened more than Kapton under simulated L1/L2 radiation, and their solar absorptance rose by more than 0.3 without saturating.
effect: The paper says the solar absorptance of CP and TOR films rose by more than 0.3 without saturating, while Kapton and Upilex stayed within 0.1. The text gives the CP group only; the per-material CP-1 numbers are in figures that were not converted to values here.
rating: severe
conditions:
exposure: simulated five-year L1/L2 proton, electron and about 1000 equivalent solar hours of UV
source: russell2001
where: Results section, paragraph on in situ solar absorptance changes
- environment: Mechanical and thermal, as flown on MISSE
headline: No corrosion, ageing or thermal-cycling endurance value for CP1 film was read in a fetched source.
effect: The 2015 memo reports that uncoated CP1 showed no significant change in transmission on MISSE-1 and that its seam failed on MISSE-2. It gives no thermal-cycling or humidity result.
rating: unknown
conditions:
basis: NASA memo section 3.1 (MISSE-1 and MISSE-2 uncoated CP1)
source: ntrs2015
where: Section 3.1, text on figure 3
story:
recipe:
line: Repeat unit C46H22O6N2F12, molar mass 926.6656 g/mole (Banks 2008, Table IV). It is a fluorinated aromatic polyimide, so it is made from a dianhydride and a diamine that form a poly(amic acid), which is then cyclised to the polyimide. The fetched Wikipedia page describes this two-step route for polyimides in general and does not name CP1's monomers, so the specific monomers are not listed here.
parts:
- name: Carbon
symbol: C
role: Carbon backbone of the aromatic rings and imide groups (NIST standard atomic weight interval).
- name: Hydrogen
symbol: H
role: Hydrogen on the aromatic rings (NIST standard atomic weight interval).
- name: Oxygen
symbol: O
role: Imide carbonyl and ether oxygens (NIST standard atomic weight interval).
- name: Nitrogen
symbol: 'N'
role: Imide nitrogens (NIST standard atomic weight interval).
- name: Fluorine
symbol: F
atoms: 12
atomic_weight: 18.9984031636
role: Fluorine groups that make the film colorless and clear (per the NASA memo's description of CP1 as visibly clear); the NASA table does not say which bonds carry them.
supply_note: See supply section.
risk_groups:
- title: For people
level: 1
verdict: No hazard classification found in a fetched source
lead: No safety data sheet for CP1 was read, so no hazard statement is recorded here.
points:
- label: Hazard data
line: None found in a fetched source. The DuPont sheet for Kapton does not apply to CP1.
- title: If it fails
lead: These results come from flight exposure of uncoated film and from a laboratory simulation.
points:
- label: Atomic oxygen
line: Erosion yield 1.91e-24 cm3/atom on MISSE 2, and the seam of a 1 mil sample failed at about 1.8e20 atoms/cm2.
- label: Radiation darkening
line: CP film solar absorptance rose by more than 0.3 in simulation.
- title: Handling and storage
points:
- label: Storage
line: No storage guidance found in a fetched source.
why: CP1 is a colorless, fluorinated polyimide from NASA Langley. The NIST atomic weights and the NASA repeat-unit formula give a molar mass of 926.6656 g/mole. It was made for thin, clear film that can be used in space, and the flight data show that it survives on MISSE 2 but erodes and darkens under atomic oxygen and radiation. The erosion yield, 1.91e-24 cm3/atom, is lower than Kapton HN (2.81e-24) in the same NASA table.
uses:
- where: 2-micrometre solar sail (Plum Brook test, 2005; Nanosail-D2, 2011)
line: A 20 square metre sail of 2 micrometre CP1 with vapour-deposited aluminum was deployed in vacuum. The memo says this led to the Nanosail-D2 mission.
- where: Thin-film sunshade candidates
line: CP1 is one of the thin-film candidates for a sunshade in the Next Generation Space Telescope, tested for L1/L2 radiation and UV.
can_do:
- label: Atomic oxygen
value: 1.91e-24 cm3/atom
line: On MISSE 2 the CP1 film eroded at 1.91e-24 cm3/atom, lower than Kapton HN at 2.81e-24.
- label: Density
value: 1.4193 g/cm3
line: Density of the MISSE 2 CP1 sample in the NASA table.
- label: Radiation
value: More than 0.3 solar absorptance rise
line: Simulated L1/L2 radiation and UV raised the solar absorptance of the CP film group by more than 0.3 without saturating.
- label: Solar sail
value: 20 square metres
line: A 2 micrometre CP1 sail of 20 square metres was deployed in vacuum at GRC in 2005.
compare: In the same MISSE 2 table, CP1 eroded at 1.91e-24 cm3/atom against 2.81e-24 for Kapton HN. Under simulated space radiation the CP films darkened by more than 0.3, while Kapton and Upilex stayed within 0.1 (russell2001). The fetched sources give no CP1 comparison with metals or composites.
compare_rows:
- scope: material
label: Density
benchmark: density
- scope: material
label: Atomic oxygen erosion yield
benchmark: atomic_oxygen_erosion_yield
- scope: material
label: Solar absorptance rise under radiation
benchmark: solar_absorptance_increase
handling:
- No handling or storage guidance for CP1 was found in a fetched source.
- Keep the film out of atomic oxygen unless it is covered or coated, since the seam and the surface both erode.
good_for:
- Thin, clear, flexible film for solar sails and sunshades. The 2 micrometre sail deployed in vacuum on the ground.
- Flight-proven film with a MISSE 2 erosion yield (1.91e-24 cm3/atom) lower than Kapton HN.
watch_out:
- Atomic oxygen erosion. The MISSE 2 erosion yield is 1.91e-24 cm3/atom, and the seam of a 1 mil sample failed at about 1.8e20 atoms/cm2.
- Radiation darkening. The CP film group gained more than 0.3 solar absorptance in simulation, without saturating.
- Commercial grades differ. NeXolve adds proprietary additives and coatings to CP1, so the values here may not match a current product.
verdict: 'CP1 is a clear, thin, flexible polyimide that was flown on MISSE 2 and used in a 2 micrometre solar sail. It erodes under atomic oxygen (1.91e-24 cm3/atom) and darkens more than Kapton under simulated radiation, so exposed film needs a cover or coating. The record is thin: no CP1 thermal, mechanical or hazard data were read, and the gaps below list them.'
gaps:
- No glass transition, CTE, tensile, thermal-cycling or moisture-absorption value for CP1 was read in a fetched source. A vendor datasheet (Thermalbright, hybridplastics.com) was not reachable in this run, so none is entered.
- No safety data sheet, PubChem record or GHS classification for CP1 was found; the hazards list is empty.
- The monomers of CP1 are not named in a fetched source; the recipe lists only the repeat unit and NIST atomic weights.
- Supply abundance, country shares, critical-mineral lists and recycling were not read in a fetched source.
- The MISSE 2 erosion value (1.91e-24) is for the PEACE polymers tray at the ISS fluence of 8.43e21 atoms/cm2 in Banks 2008. The 2015 NASA memo gives a wake-side MISSE-2 fluence of 1.7 to 2e20 atoms/cm2 for a separate 1 mil uncoated sample; the two exposures are not the same, and we have not reconciled them.
- The CP film solar absorptance change is for the CP group (CP-1, CP-2, TOR), read from text. Per-material CP-1 values are in bar and line graphs in AIAA-2001-1414 and were not converted to numbers.
- 'Non-canonical property names: atomic_oxygen_seam_failure_fluence, minimum_volume_of_atoms, infrared_emittance_change and solar_absorptance_increase are not in property-canon.yaml.'
- Recipe monomers, process and imidisation conditions for CP1 are not in any fetched source. The Wikipedia page describes polyimides in general only.
documents:
- title: 'NASA/TM-2008-215490: Atomic Oxygen Erosion Yield Predictive Tool for Spacecraft Polymers in Low Earth Orbit (Banks, Backus, de Groh)'
type: report
url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20090011780
year: 2008
- title: 'AIAA-2001-1414: Effects of Electrons, Protons, and Ultraviolet Radiation on Thermophysical Properties of Polymeric Films (Russell et al.)'
type: paper
url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20010072172
year: 2001
- title: 'NASA/TM-2015-218205: Analysis of Fluorinated Polyimides Flown on the Materials International Space Station Experiment (Finckenor, Rodman, Farmer)'
type: report
url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20150016168
year: 2015
- title: Polyimide (Wikipedia)
type: database
url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyimide
year: 2026
- title: 'NIST Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions: carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, fluorine'
type: database
url: https://physics.nist.gov/cgi-bin/Compositions/stand_alone.pl
year: 2026
license: CC-BY-4.0
updated: '2026-10-20'
review:
status: draft
method: assistant
checked_values: 12
unreachable: 1
caveats: 4
note: 'Written by an AI assistant on 2026-10-20. Values were read from text extracted from NASA/TM-2008-215490 (Banks 2008) and NASA/TM-2015-218205 (2015), from the text and tables of AIAA-2001-1414 (Russell 2001), and from the Wikipedia Polyimide page and NIST atomic weight pages, all fetched in this run. Caveats: the MISSE 2 fluence differs between the Banks report and the 2015 memo; the CP film solar absorptance values are group values read from text; no CP1 datasheet or safety sheet was reached; the monomers of CP1 are unnamed in the sources read.'
sources:
banks2008:
title: Atomic Oxygen Erosion Yield Predictive Tool for Spacecraft Polymers in Low Earth Orbit
id: NASA/TM-2008-215490, NTRS 20090011780
url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20090011780
year: 2008
kind: report
license: public domain (NASA)
russell2001:
title: 'AIAA-2001-1414: Effects of Electrons, Protons, and Ultraviolet Radiation on Thermophysical Properties of Polymeric Films'
id: AIAA-2001-1414, NTRS 20010072172
url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20010072172
year: 2001
kind: paper
license: public domain (NASA)
ntrs2015:
title: 'NASA/TM-2015-218205: Analysis of Fluorinated Polyimides Flown on the Materials International Space Station Experiment'
id: NASA/TM-2015-218205, NTRS 20150016168
url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20150016168
year: 2015
kind: report
license: public domain (NASA)
wiki-polyimide:
title: Polyimide (Wikipedia)
id: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyimide
url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyimide
year: 2026
kind: web
license: CC BY-SA
nist-c:
title: 'NIST Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions: carbon'
id: 'NIST standard atomic weights, C (Z=6): 12.0096 to 12.0116'
url: https://physics.nist.gov/cgi-bin/Compositions/stand_alone.pl?ele=C&ascii=html
year: 2026
kind: database
license: public domain (US government)
nist-h:
title: 'NIST Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions: hydrogen'
id: 'NIST standard atomic weights, H (Z=1): 1.00784 to 1.00811'
url: https://physics.nist.gov/cgi-bin/Compositions/stand_alone.pl?ele=H&ascii=html
year: 2026
kind: database
license: public domain (US government)
nist-n:
title: 'NIST Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions: nitrogen'
id: 'NIST standard atomic weights, N (Z=7): 14.00643 to 14.00728'
url: https://physics.nist.gov/cgi-bin/Compositions/stand_alone.pl?ele=N&ascii=html
year: 2026
kind: database
license: public domain (US government)
nist-o:
title: 'NIST Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions: oxygen'
id: 'NIST standard atomic weights, O (Z=8): 15.99903 to 15.99977'
url: https://physics.nist.gov/cgi-bin/Compositions/stand_alone.pl?ele=O&ascii=html
year: 2026
kind: database
license: public domain (US government)
nist-f:
title: 'NIST Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions: fluorine'
id: 'NIST standard atomic weights, F (Z=9): 18.998403163(6)'
url: https://physics.nist.gov/cgi-bin/Compositions/stand_alone.pl?ele=F&ascii=html
year: 2026
kind: database
license: public domain (US government)
References
Every number above carries a reference number. Click one to see the source and where in it the value comes from.
| # | Source | Type | Year | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atomic Oxygen Erosion Yield Predictive Tool for Spacecraft Polymers in Low Earth Orbit | report | 2008 | 10 values | |
| AIAA-2001-1414: Effects of Electrons, Protons, and Ultraviolet Radiation on Thermophysical Properties of Polymeric Films | paper | 2001 | 6 values | |
| NASA/TM-2015-218205: Analysis of Fluorinated Polyimides Flown on the Materials International Space Station Experiment | report | 2015 | 10 values | |
| Polyimide (Wikipedia) | web | 2026 | 0 values | |
| NIST Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions: carbon | database | 2026 | 0 values | |
| NIST Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions: hydrogen | database | 2026 | 0 values | |
| NIST Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions: nitrogen | database | 2026 | 0 values | |
| NIST Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions: oxygen | database | 2026 | 0 values | |
| NIST Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions: fluorine | database | 2026 | 0 values |