Artist’s impression of the shape of the lunar base. Scientists investigating whether lunar resources could be used to aid human exploration on the moon or beyond have reported that lunar soil contains active compounds that can convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and fuel. Credit: ESA – P. Carril
Soil on the Moon contains active compounds that can convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and fuel, according to a new study conducted by scientists in China and published May 5, 2022 in the journal. joule. They are currently investigating whether lunar resources can be used to facilitate human exploration on the Moon or beyond.
Nanjing University materials 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 lunar soil brought back by China’s Chang’e 5 spacecraft, the research team found that the sample contained compounds – including iron- and titanium-rich materials – that may act as a catalyst for produce desirable products like oxygen using sunlight and carbon dioxide. .
This image shows a sample of lunar soil brought back by the Chinese spacecraft Chang’e 5. 1 credit
Based on the observation, the team came up with an “alien photosynthesis” strategy. Essentially, the system uses lunar soil to break down water extracted from the moon and in astronauts’ respiratory exhaust into sunlight-powered oxygen and hydrogen. Carbon dioxide emitted by lunar inhabitants is also collected and combined with hydrogen from the electrolysis of water in the hydrogenation process stimulated by the lunar soil.
The process produces hydrocarbons such as methane, which can be used as fuel. The researchers say the strategy does not use external energy but sunlight to produce a variety of desirable products such as water, oxygen and fuel that could support life on the moon base. The team is looking for an opportunity to test the system in space, possibly with future Chinese manned lunar missions.
This diagram shows how lunar soil could act as a catalyst for extraterrestrial photosynthesis to produce the oxygen and fuel needed for long-term survival on the Moon. 1 credit
“We use on-site environmental resources to reduce missile payload, and our strategy provides a scenario for a sustainable and affordable off-planet living environment,” Yao said.
While the catalytic efficiency of lunar soil is lower than catalysts available on Earth, Yao says the team is testing different ways to improve the design, such as fusing lunar soil into a high-entropy nanomaterial, which is a best catalyst.
This video shows the electrolysis of water driven by photovoltaic cells which is stimulated by the lunar soil. 1 credit
Previously, scientists have proposed many strategies for extraterrestrial survival. But most designs require power sources from the ground. for example,[{”attribute=””>NASA’sPerseverance[{”attribute=””>NASA’sPerseverance[{”attribute=””>LapersévérancedelaNASA[{”attribute=””>NASA’sPerseverance" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{" attribute="">March Rover has brought an instrument that can use carbon dioxide in the planet’s atmosphere to make oxygen, but it’s powered by an onboard nuclear battery.
This photograph shows the Nanjing University research team holding the lunar soil sample. 1 credit
“In the near future, we will see the crewed spaceflight industry develop rapidly,” Yao said. “Just like the ‘Age of Sail’ in the 1600s, when hundreds of ships head out to sea, we will enter an ‘Age of Space’. But if we want to conduct large-scale exploration of the extraterrestrial world, we will have to think of ways to reduce the payload, i.e. rely on as few supplies from Earth as possible and use instead extraterrestrial resources.
Reference: “Extraterrestrial Photosynthesis by Chang’E-5 Lunar Soil” by 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, and Zhigang Zou, May 5, 2022, Joule.
DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2022.04.011
This work was supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China, Major Research Plan of National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Basic Research Funds for Universities power plants, the introduction program of Guangdong Innovative and Entrepreneurial Teams, the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province. the open fund of Wuhan National Optoelectronics Laboratory, Hefei National Laboratory for Microscale Physical Sciences, Civil Aerospace Technology Research Project: In Situ Extraterrestrial Water Extraction and Photochemical Synthesis of hydrogen and oxygen, and the Foshan Xianhu Laboratory of Advanced Energy Guangdong Science and Technology Laboratory.
