Making air from Moon dust: Scientists create a prototype oxygen plant

Michael · Feb 15, 2020

To separate the oxygen from other components in faux Moon rocks, the researchers use a technique called molten salt electrolysis.

By first placing the powdery Moon dust into a hot batch of molten calcium chloride salt, then running an electrical current through the mixture, the researchers can let chemistry and physics do the heavy lifting. The oxygen previously trapped in the simulated rocks migrates to an electrode (specifically, an anode), where the researchers can then capture it.

With this technique, the researchers report, they have been able to pull 96 percent of the oxygen out of their imitation Moon rocks in the course of just 50 hours. Alternatively, they can extract 75 percent of the oxygen in just the first 15 hours. Plus, as an added bonus, the process leaves behind a mixture of metal alloys that researchers suggest could be useful as well.

Not only does this technique release/create oxygen, it also produces metal alloys.

Tanj · Feb 16, 2020

I've always thought carbon is the limiting factor in a moon base.

Michael · Feb 16, 2020

I wouldn't think so since humans exhale C02, but I haven't really spent any time studying the subject to be honest.

I would think that oxygen and water would be the two most important things to be able to get our hands on quickly. Water would allow us to create oxygen, but I suspect it's in short supply on the moon.

Tanj · Feb 17, 2020

Michael said:
I wouldn't think so since humans exhale C02

We don't magically generate the C in C02 from nothing, it comes from the food we eat. Your article shows a way to get Oxygen from the moon which is great, but without a biomass source and given no system can be 100% contained, without constant replenishment all the carbon will go, so plants and humans will be unable to grow or produce energy.

I would think that oxygen and water would be the two most important things to be able to get our hands on quickly. Water would allow us to create oxygen, but I suspect it's in short supply on the moon.

It's a nice step forward, but there's water all over the solar system. Carbon, not so much.

Michael · Feb 17, 2020

At first I found it hard to believe that carbon was so scarce in dust on the moon, but it turns out that you're right that most of the carbon that's found in lunar soil samples comes from solar wind.

Michael · Feb 17, 2020

NASA - NASA Identifies Carbon-rich Molecules in Meteors as the 'Origin of Life'

I suppose that some types of meteorites might provide extra amounts of carbon.

Tanj · Feb 17, 2020

Michael said:
NASA - NASA Identifies Carbon-rich Molecules in Meteors as the 'Origin of Life'

I suppose that some types of meteorites might provide extra amounts of carbon.

So instead of just shipping carbon to the moon base from Earth, instead we'll work out some way to harvest meteors. Hmm. Bags not to be in your moon base.

Michael · Feb 17, 2020

Tanj said:
So instead of just shipping carbon to the moon base from Earth, instead we'll work out some way to harvest meteors. Hmm. Bags not to be in your moon base.

Well, it's pretty clear that we'll be shipping almost everything we need to the moon or Mars or wherever we end up building bases, but sooner or later you'll have to harvest what we need from the environment itself. In the case of Carbon, we'd be shipping some there with every human being we put up there. I'm sure human waste will be used as fertilizer for instance, and urine will be recycled, etc.

At some point however, it would be logical to plant green things that produce oxygen, and which absorb the carbon dioxide that we exhale.

Tanj · Feb 17, 2020

Michael said:
Well, it's pretty clear that we'll be shipping almost everything we need to the moon or Mars or wherever we end up building bases, but sooner or later you'll have to harvest what we need from the environment itself. In the case of Carbon, we'd be shipping some there with every human being we put up there. I'm sure human waste will be used as fertilizer for instance, and urine will be recycled, etc.

At some point however, it would be logical to plant green things that produce oxygen, and which absorb the carbon dioxide that we exhale.

It doesn't matter what recycling you put in place, it's never going to be 100% efficient, so a moon base will always need carbon input...and possibly nitrogen, not sure on that one.

Mars, on the other hand, has copious amounts of both H20 and C02, all you need there is a fast breeder reactor which can push out energy for about 5000 years. You will be entirely self sufficient in a relatively short time.

Making air from Moon dust: Scientists create a prototype oxygen plant

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