Lunar soil has the potential to generate oxygen and fuel
Date:
May 5, 2022
Source:
Cell Press
Summary:
Soil on the moon contains active compounds that can convert carbon
dioxide into oxygen and fuels, scientists report. They are now
exploring whether lunar resources can be used to facilitate human
exploration on the moon or beyond.
FULL STORY ==========================================================================
Soil on the moon contains active compounds that can convert carbon
dioxide into oxygen and fuels, scientists in China report May 5 in the
journal Joule. They are now exploring whether lunar resources can be
used to facilitate human exploration on the moon or beyond.
========================================================================== Nanjing University material scientists Yingfang Yao and Zhigang Zou hope
to design a system that takes advantage of lunar soil and solar radiation,
the two most abundant resources on the moon. After analyzing the lunar
soil brought back by China's Chang'e 5 spacecraft, their team found
the sample contains compounds -- including iron-rich and titanium-rich substances -- that could work as a catalyst to make desired products
such as oxygen using sunlight and carbon dioxide.
Based on the observation, the team proposed an "extraterrestrial photosynthesis" strategy. Mainly, the system uses lunar soil to
electrolyze water extracted from the moon and in astronauts' breathing
exhaust into oxygen and hydrogen powered by sunlight. The carbon dioxide exhaled by moon inhabitants is also collected and combined with hydrogen
from water electrolysis during a hydrogenation process catalyzed by
lunar soil.
The process yields hydrocarbons such as methane, which could be used
as fuel.
The strategy uses no external energy but sunlight to produce a variety
of desirable products such as water, oxygen, and fuel that could support
life on a moonbase, the researchers say. The team is looking for an
opportunity to test the system in space, likely with China's future
crewed lunar missions.
"We use in-situ environmental resources to minimize rocket payload,
and our strategy provides a scenario for a sustainable and affordable extraterrestrial living environment," Yao says.
While the catalytic efficiency of lunar soil is less than catalysts
available on Earth, Yao says the team is testing different approaches to improve the design, such as melting the lunar soil into a nanostructured high-entropy material, which is a better catalyst.
Previously, scientists have proposed many strategies for extraterrestrial survival. But most designs require energy sources from Earth. For example, NASA's Perseverance Mars rover brought an instrument that can use carbon dioxide in the planet's atmosphere to make oxygen, but it's powered by
a nuclear battery onboard.
"In the near future, we will see the crewed spaceflight industry
developing rapidly," says Yao. "Just like the 'Age of Sail' in the
1600s when hundreds of ships head to the sea, we will enter an 'Age
of Space.' But if we want to carry out large-scale exploration of the extraterrestrial world, we will need to think of ways to reduce payload, meaning relying on as little supplies from Earth as possible and using extraterrestrial resources instead."
========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Cell_Press. Note: Content may be
edited for style and length.
========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Yingfang Yao, Lu Wang, Xi Zhu, Wenguang Tu, Yong Zhou, Rulin Liu,
Junchuan Sun, Bo Tao, Cheng Wang, Xiwen Yu, Linfeng Gao, Yuan Cao,
Bing Wang, Zhaosheng Li, Wei Yao, Yujie Xiong, Mengfei Yang,
Weihua Wang, Zhigang Zou. Extraterrestrial photosynthesis by
Chang'E-5 lunar soil.
Joule, 2022; DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2022.04.011 ==========================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/05/220505114655.htm
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