TY - JOUR
T1 - In-situ resource utilization
T2 - ferrosilicon and SiC production from BP-1 lunar regolith simulant via carbothermal reduction
AU - Samouhos, Michail
AU - Tsakiridis, Petros
AU - Iskander, Magued
AU - Taxiarchou, Maria
AU - Betsis, Konstantinos
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank Adamantia Lazou from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) for her valuable contribution to the thermodynamic study of the reduction of regolith.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2022/3
Y1 - 2022/3
N2 - A study of carbothermal reductive smelting of the BP-1 lunar simulant, aiming to the in-situ production of ferrosilicon and silicon carbide is reported in the present study. BP-1 simulates a low Ti-content mare regolith and is mined in Arizona. The process was first studied from a thermodynamic point of view, while the final ferrosilicon product was examined metallographically. Reduction experiments were performed, after the enrichment of the simulant in iron oxide through dry magnetic separation, under vacuum. Thermodynamic analysis indicates that the production of a ferrosilicon alloy in smelted form and SiC is possible over 1200 °C. The use of carbon amounts in excess does not have significant effects on the progress of the reduction reaction at 1300 °C. The experimental results showed that reduction at gentle temperature conditions (1300 °C) advances the formation of a granulated ferrosilicon alloy potentially appropriate as a feed for 3D printing. X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy showed that the synthesized ferrosilicon alloy is a homogeneous metallographic structure but having a high silicon content (average concentration 23.78% by weight) and minor contents of aluminum and titanium (1.80% and 0.94% by weight, respectively). This resulting alloy could be used in various basic lunar building structures such as dwellings and research facilities, as well as to produce the machinery required for mining the ore. The second by-product of the reaction, silicon carbide, can be used as a filler in polypropylene resin/SiC composite that has been proposed as a suitable material for shielding space radiation.
AB - A study of carbothermal reductive smelting of the BP-1 lunar simulant, aiming to the in-situ production of ferrosilicon and silicon carbide is reported in the present study. BP-1 simulates a low Ti-content mare regolith and is mined in Arizona. The process was first studied from a thermodynamic point of view, while the final ferrosilicon product was examined metallographically. Reduction experiments were performed, after the enrichment of the simulant in iron oxide through dry magnetic separation, under vacuum. Thermodynamic analysis indicates that the production of a ferrosilicon alloy in smelted form and SiC is possible over 1200 °C. The use of carbon amounts in excess does not have significant effects on the progress of the reduction reaction at 1300 °C. The experimental results showed that reduction at gentle temperature conditions (1300 °C) advances the formation of a granulated ferrosilicon alloy potentially appropriate as a feed for 3D printing. X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy showed that the synthesized ferrosilicon alloy is a homogeneous metallographic structure but having a high silicon content (average concentration 23.78% by weight) and minor contents of aluminum and titanium (1.80% and 0.94% by weight, respectively). This resulting alloy could be used in various basic lunar building structures such as dwellings and research facilities, as well as to produce the machinery required for mining the ore. The second by-product of the reaction, silicon carbide, can be used as a filler in polypropylene resin/SiC composite that has been proposed as a suitable material for shielding space radiation.
KW - Carbothermal reduction
KW - Ferrosilicon
KW - In-situ lunar resource utilization
KW - Regolith
KW - Scanning electron microscopy
KW - Silicon carbide
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U2 - 10.1016/j.pss.2021.105414
DO - 10.1016/j.pss.2021.105414
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85123322865
SN - 0032-0633
VL - 212
JO - Planetary and Space Science
JF - Planetary and Space Science
M1 - 105414
ER -