| Abstract Scope |
Densification of lunar soils is considered a core mission to produce various kinds of infrastructure materials that can build structural components on the moon surface. The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of the spark plasma sintering (SPS) process for proper densification of lunar soils, which is compared with pressureless sintering. The effect of SPS conditions, such as temperature and pressure, on the densification behavior, phase transformation, microstructural evolution, and mechanical properties of lunar soil simulants have been examined by conducting the X-ray diffraction test, electron microscopy imaging, and nano/micro indentation testing. The FJS-1 lunar soil simulant was composed of sodian anorthite, augite, pigeonite, and iron titanium oxide. These phases were transformed to sodian anorthite, glass, feather-shaped augite, and dendritic schorlomite at 1000 and 1050 oC during SPS. Mechanical properties of the local phases were represented by the contour maps of elastic modulus and nanohardness. |