Scientists demonstrate producing fiber materials from simulated Martian soil
by Simon Mansfield
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Sep 05, 2024
A study conducted by Chinese researchers has confirmed that it is possible to continuously produce fiber materials from Martian soil, suggesting that “in-situ resource utilization” could be achieved in the construction of future Mars bases.
A research team from the Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), collaborated with various institutions, including the CAS Institute of Geochemistry and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, to achieve this breakthrough. The team successfully simulated Martian soil using Earth-based basalt and produced continuous Martian soil fibers through melt-drawing experiments, according to a report from ScienceNet.cn.
The researchers also evaluated how factors such as Mars’ low gravity and its unique atmosphere – characterized by low pressure and an inert composition – might influence the fiber production process and its performance.
The findings confirm that continuous fiber materials with controllable diameters can be produced from Martian soil. These fibers could be vital in creating fiber-reinforced composite materials, which would have significant application value in building future Martian bases, according to Ma Pengcheng, who led the research team.
Ma’s team has been dedicated to studying and applying high-performance basalt fiber for many years.
“Although physical samples of Martian soil are currently not available, basalt, which is widely found on Earth, is very similar to Martian soil in terms of chemical composition, mineral composition, and similar melting behavior,” Ma explained.
In recent years, the research team has conducted extensive experiments using basalt as a Martian soil simulant. These experiments revealed that the simulated Martian soil could be fully melted at 1,360 degrees Celsius, with no significant crystal precipitation during the melting-cooling process.
The molten material transformed into an amorphous glassy state after quenching, demonstrating excellent properties for further fiber production, according to Ma.
Based on these experimental results, the researchers utilized the melt-drawing method to produce continuous Martian soil fibers. Further analysis indicated that lower drawing speeds result in a denser atomic structure in the soil fibers, enhancing their resistance to external damage and improving their mechanical properties, Ma noted.
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Chinese Academy of Sciences Xinjiang Lihua Institute of Technology
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