Passive limitation of surface contamination by perFluoroDecylTrichloroSilane coatings in the ISS during the MATISS experiments

Future long-duration human spaceflight will require developments to limit biocontamination of surface habitats. The MATISS (Microbial Aerosol Tethering on Innovative Surfaces in the international Space Station) experiments allowed for exposing surface treatments in the ISS (International Space Station) using a sample-holder developed to this end. Three campaigns of FDTS (perFluoroDecylTrichloroSilane) surface exposures were performed over monthly durations during distinct periods. Tile scanning optical microscopy (×3 and ×30 magnifications) showed a relatively clean environment with a few particles on the surface (0.8 to 7 particles per mm(2)). The varied densities and shapes in the coarse area fraction (50–1500 µm(2)) indicated different sources of contamination in the long term, while the bacteriomorph shapes of the fine area fraction (0.5–15 µm(2)) were consistent with microbial contamination. The surface contamination rates correlate to astronauts’ occupancy rates on board. Asymmetric particles density profiles formed throughout time along the air-flow. The higher density values were located near the flow entry for the coarse particles, while the opposite was the case for the fine particles, probably indicating the hydrophobic interaction of particles with the FDTS surface.