Computational Modeling and Experimental Microwave Processing of JSC-1A Lunar Simulant

Allan, Shawn M.; Braunstein, Jeffrey; Baranova, Inessa; Vandervoort, Nicholas; Fall, Morgana L.; Shulman, Holly S.

doi:10.1061/(asce)as.1943-5525.0000245

Cited by 27 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…In addition, it could also verify Taylor and Meek's hypothesis, prior to visiting the Moon for sampling resources . Although a few previous studies (Ethridge and Kaukler 2011, Allan et al 2013) discussed the numerical modelling of microwave heating behaviour of lunar simulants, no such work has been done for the real lunar regolith. As the availability of real lunar regolith is highly limited, we have set about establishing a fully defined numerical model of microwave heating behaviour of lunar regolith by combining existing information regarding the material properties of lunar regolith as a complementary solution for our future lab experiments using real lunar samples.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical modelling of the microwave heating behaviour of lunar regolith

Lim

Anand

2019

Planetary and Space Science

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical modelling of the microwave heating behaviour of lunar regolith

Lim

Anand

2019

Planetary and Space Science

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“…The required metal could be brought from Earth or obtained in situ by recycling the lander parts and by processing regolith [8]. Trade-off studies could be conducted to compare combustion synthesis of construction materials from regolith and transported/recycled/recovered metal, incorporation of regolith into thermoplastics [9][10][11], and high-temperature sintering of regolith using microwave [12,13] or laser [14] radiation. Such studies, however, should involve a detailed mission analysis, which is beyond the scope of the present work.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermite reactions with oxides of iron and silicon during combustion of magnesium with lunar and Martian regolith simulants

Delgado

Cordova

Shafirovich

2015

Combustion and Flame

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It has been shown recently that mixtures of JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant with magnesium are combustible. Thermite-type reactions in these mixtures could be used for in situ production of construction materials on the Moon. Because of complex composition of lunar regolith, however, the mechanisms of these reactions are not well understood. Also, for Mars mission applications, it is important to explore the possibility of using Martian regolith in such mixtures. In the present paper, combustion of two Martian regolith simulants (JSC-Mars-1A and Mojave Mars) with magnesium is studied using thermodynamic calculations and combustion experiments. To understand the reaction mechanisms in these mixtures as well as in the mixtures of JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant with magnesium, thermoanalytical experiments are also conducted. It has been shown that the Martian regolith simulants form combustible mixtures with magnesium. The measured combustion temperatures and identified product compositions are in reasonable agreement with thermodynamic predictions. The mixtures of JSC-Mars-1A with magnesium at 20-30 wt% Mg exhibit higher temperatures and burn more vigorously than mixtures based on Mojave Mars, which is explained by the higher content of iron oxide in JSC-Mars-1A. For Mojave Mars, combustion is accompanied by oscillations in the front motion and by the formation of a layered structure of the product. This effect is more significant at lower concentrations of Mg. Thermoanalytical studies have shown that iron oxide plays a dominant role in the combustion of JSC-Mars-1A simulant with magnesium. However, Mg/SiO 2 mixture ignites at a temperature lower by approximately 100°C than for Mg/Fe 2 O 3 . For Mojave Mars material and JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant, which include more silica and less iron oxide, silica exhibits a significant effect on the combustion, promoting reactions at lower temperatures.

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“…On the other hand, while traditional material-deposition 3D-printing approaches, such as fused deposition modeling (FDM), are currently being successfully and safely utilized in the micro-gravity environment of the International Space Station (Zero-G Printer, Made In Space) to create objects on demand, traditional deposition approaches have only been compatible with a select set of simple thermoplastics and low-particle-content thermoplastic composites, but not regolith materials. Additionally, although valuable for a variety of applications, previous work with planetary regoliths has focused entirely on the fabrication of hard materials, primarily via thermal134 or microwave sintering47, melting of regolith powder compacts, or cementation reactions of extruded materials2, and has not addressed the need for soft-material manufacturing.…”

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confidence: 99%

Robust and Elastic Lunar and Martian Structures from 3D-Printed Regolith Inks

Jakus

Koube

Geisendorfer

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

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Here, we present a comprehensive approach for creating robust, elastic, designer Lunar and Martian regolith simulant (LRS and MRS, respectively) architectures using ambient condition, extrusion-based 3D-printing of regolith simulant inks. The LRS and MRS powders are characterized by distinct, highly inhomogeneous morphologies and sizes, where LRS powder particles are highly irregular and jagged and MRS powder particles are rough, but primarily rounded. The inks are synthesized via simple mixing of evaporant, surfactant, and plasticizer solvents, polylactic-co-glycolic acid (30% by solids volume), and regolith simulant powders (70% by solids volume). Both LRS and MRS inks exhibit similar rheological and 3D-printing characteristics, and can be 3D-printed at linear deposition rates of 1–150 mm/s using 300 μm to 1.4 cm-diameter nozzles. The resulting LRS and MRS 3D-printed materials exhibit similar, but distinct internal and external microstructures and material porosity (~20–40%). These microstructures contribute to the rubber-like quasi-static and cyclic mechanical properties of both materials, with young’s moduli ranging from 1.8 to 13.2 MPa and extension to failure exceeding 250% over a range of strain rates (10–1−102 min−1). Finally, we discuss the potential for LRS and MRS ink components to be reclaimed and recycled, as well as be synthesized in resource-limited, extraterrestrial environments.

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Computational Modeling and Experimental Microwave Processing of JSC-1A Lunar Simulant

Cited by 27 publications

References 10 publications

Numerical modelling of the microwave heating behaviour of lunar regolith

Numerical modelling of the microwave heating behaviour of lunar regolith

Thermite reactions with oxides of iron and silicon during combustion of magnesium with lunar and Martian regolith simulants

Robust and Elastic Lunar and Martian Structures from 3D-Printed Regolith Inks

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