Analysis of the Mold Resistance of the Non-metal Materials on Space Station and Suggestions of Improvement Measures

The space station and other long-term manned spacecrafts will experience the risk of microbial corrosion, especially mold, which will be harmful to the platform system and astronauts. This paper tests the mold resistance level of several frequently used non-metal materials in the pressured cabins of the space station. The results show that the mold resistance level of most materials is 0–1, which satisfies the anti-mildew requirements, but the mold resistance level of some materials is 2–4, which indicates the surfaces of such materials are overgrown with fungi, which may cause disruptions of equipment and even failure of missions. We discuss the reason why some materials does not meet the mold resistance level and propose the anti-mildew methods of these materials, including adding inorganic, composite, and natural anti-mildew components to process materials, and moreover utilize nanotechnologies on the surface treatment of several materials.