| Abstract Scope |
Molten regolith electrolysis (MRE) is proposed for producing desirable resources, such as oxygen and aluminum, for non-terrestrial in-situ resource utilization. MRE for lunar applications will require refractory liners to be in contact with molten oxides (primarily SiO2-Al2O3-CaO-MgO-Fe2O3-TiO2-Na2O) and reduced metal products (e.g., FeSi, Si, and/or Al) at elevated temperatures (1000 - 1800°C) for extended periods of time, from hours to years. To assist with design and terrestrial prototyping of such reactors, we investigate the viscosity of melts as well as chemical and thermal stability of a set of refractory ceramics including Al2O3, SiC, BN, graphite, and Ca: ZrO2 with CSM-LHT1 lunar regolith simulant and predicted electrolysis products at temperatures up to 1600°C under a representative low-pO2 atmosphere. Interfacial regions are characterized using methods including x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy to investigate the reactions between the molten simulants and candidate refractory components. |