Thermoplastic Dielectric Coatings for Flexible Electrodynamic Dust Shields: Structural and Functional Performance

Abstract

ABSTRACT Lunar dust severely complicates space exploration by adhering to and contaminating exposed spacecraft surfaces. Electrodynamic dust shielding (EDS) is an active mitigation technology that repels electrostatically charged dust particles using oscillating electric fields; however, most existing designs employ rigid metallic conductors that fracture due to cyclic fatigue when attached to flexible surfaces. Flexible EDS devices incorporating graphene‐based nanoflake electrodes mitigate cracking but lack dielectric encapsulation, leading to electrical breakdown during high‐voltage operation. Here, we introduce a thermoplastic encapsulation strategy using high‐density polyethylene, polysulfone, and polyvinylidene fluoride to enhance dielectric reliability. Conductive networks are spray‐printed onto thermoplastic substrates and melt‐bonded to same‐material coating layers, embedding the nanoparticle network within a thermoplastic laminate. Interfacial bonding is characterized through peel testing and scanning electron microscopy, while short‐term stability is assessed via cyclic electromechanical bending, abrasion resistance, and vacuum dust‐removal performance. Thermoplastic encapsulation suppresses permanent resistance shift measured after cyclic bending to <1% for PVDF devices (compared to ∼6.5% for uncoated controls) and reduces abrasion‐induced resistance increases by up to ∼5x. Encapsulated devices operate stably up to 6.0 kVpp without dielectric breakdown, whereas uncoated devices fail near 2.0 kVpp. These results establish a processing‐structure‐performance pathway toward resilient and adaptable EDS technologies for lunar exploration.