Material and fabrication developments in the ion-electrospray propulsion system

In this thesis, new materials, microfluidic control devices, and fabrication techniques were developed in support of the ion electrospray propulsion system (iEPS) developed by MIT's Space Propulsion Lab. MEMS fabrication techniques are reworked to increase yield reliability of the thruster frames. The focus of this work is on propellant management, increasing thrust density, system robustness, and reducing cost of thruster production. Altered fabrication process steps have led to reliable 100 percent yields. A large focus of improving iEPS thrusters is tied to preventing premature wetting of the thruster emitter with propellant and adding the ability to modulate flow on command. The development of a flow-regulating solid-state valve using similar fabrication methods facilitates this. Initial designs and fabrication trials are explored alongside the underlying physics of operation. Additionally, a new monodisperse, sintered porous silica ceramic was developed for use in emitter substrates. The highly-modifiable, photocurable ceramic resin used to cast the emitter substrates is a strong contender to replace the state-of-the-art borosilicate glass chips. An experimental new material emitter was tested to gain a voltage-current relation as well as time-of-flight spectroscopy. This new silica ceramic demonstrated promising tip geometry after laser ablation, good wetting characteristics, and excellent current emission in the purely ionic thruster operation mode.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2020

Author dc:creator

• MacArthur, Jonathan V.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Paulo C. Lozano.

• Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses may be protected by copyright. Please reuse MIT thesis content according to the MIT Libraries Permissions Policy, which is available through the URL provided.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/127075

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/127075