Universität Bremen
Success of the extra-terrestrial missions such Mars exploration depends on many factors including ability to repair the equipment on site using the principles of in-situ resources utilisation. The scarcity of local Martian resources including raw materials and energy drives the necessity to manufacture "enough-to-use" materials instead of those ones featuring over performance. In this study, we explored Fe-regolith composites since its components are readily available or can be produced using Mars resources. The Fe-regolith with 1 wt% of regolith have been processed using laser powder bed fusion. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the synthesized Fe-regolith revealed regolith particles featuring a spherical form in an iron matrix. The detailed examination of the interface between Fe and regolith revealed a narrow 20 nm thick interface without crack or pore formations. The energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis in SEM demonstrated lack of elements diffusion from the regolith particles to the iron matrix or visa versa. However, the EDX analysis in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed a consistent nanometric-scale interface with segregation of Al and Mg on the edge of the interface with drop of Si and Ca concentration. This could be associated with the formation of Al2O3 precipitates. The X-ray diffraction analysis reveals only the presence of the body-centered cubic (BCC) iron phase. The detailed crystallographic analysis using TEM selected area diffraction (SAD) confirmed the amorphous nature of the regolith particles. The yield strength of the Fe-regolith is 242.4 ± 13.4MPa while the plastic deformation is over 40%. The spheroidization of regolith particles during PBF, defect free interface between Fe and regolith and technologically attractive mechanical properties suggest that Fe-regolith composites can be used as possible solution for the equipment repair during the extra-terrestrial missions such Mars exploration.
Abstract
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