The Innovation (Sep 2024)
Massive water production from lunar ilmenite through reaction with endogenous hydrogen
- Xiao Chen,
- Shiyu Yang,
- Guoxin Chen,
- Wei Xu,
- Lijian Song,
- Ao Li,
- Hangboce Yin,
- Weixing Xia,
- Meng Gao,
- Ming Li,
- Haichen Wu,
- Junfeng Cui,
- Lei Zhang,
- Lijing Miao,
- Xiaoxue Shui,
- Weiping Xie,
- Peiling Ke,
- Yongjiang Huang,
- Jianfei Sun,
- Bingnan Yao,
- Min Ji,
- Mingliang Xiang,
- Yan Zhang,
- Shaofan Zhao,
- Wei Yao,
- Zhigang Zou,
- Mengfei Yang,
- Weihua Wang,
- Juntao Huo,
- Jun-Qiang Wang,
- Haiyang Bai
Affiliations
- Xiao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China; Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Shiyu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China; Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Guoxin Chen
- Center of Test and Analysis, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Wei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Lijian Song
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Ao Li
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Hangboce Yin
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Weixing Xia
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Meng Gao
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Ming Li
- Center of Test and Analysis, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Haichen Wu
- Center of Test and Analysis, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Junfeng Cui
- Center of Test and Analysis, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Lei Zhang
- Center of Test and Analysis, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Lijing Miao
- Center of Test and Analysis, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Xiaoxue Shui
- Center of Test and Analysis, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Weiping Xie
- Center of Test and Analysis, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Peiling Ke
- Center of Test and Analysis, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Yongjiang Huang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
- Jianfei Sun
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
- Bingnan Yao
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Min Ji
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Mingliang Xiang
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
- Yan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China; Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Shaofan Zhao
- Qian Xuesen Laboratory of Space Technology, China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), Beijing 100049, China
- Wei Yao
- Qian Xuesen Laboratory of Space Technology, China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), Beijing 100049, China
- Zhigang Zou
- Qian Xuesen Laboratory of Space Technology, China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), Beijing 100049, China; College of Engineering and Applied Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
- Mengfei Yang
- Qian Xuesen Laboratory of Space Technology, China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), Beijing 100049, China
- Weihua Wang
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Qian Xuesen Laboratory of Space Technology, China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), Beijing 100049, China; Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan 523830, China
- Juntao Huo
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China; Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Corresponding author
- Jun-Qiang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China; Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Corresponding author
- Haiyang Bai
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Qian Xuesen Laboratory of Space Technology, China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), Beijing 100049, China; Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Corresponding author
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 5,
no. 5
p. 100690
Abstract
Finding water resources is a crucial objective of lunar missions. However, both hydroxyl (OH) and natural water (H2O) have been reported to be scarce on the Moon. We propose a potential method for obtaining water on the Moon through H2O formation via endogenous reactions in lunar regolith (LR), specifically through the reaction FeO/Fe2O3 + H → Fe + H2O. This process is demonstrated using LR samples brought back by the Chang’E-5 mission. FeO and Fe2O3 are lunar minerals containing Fe oxides. Hydrogen (H) retained in lunar minerals from the solar wind can be used to produce water. The results of this study reveal that 51–76 mg of H2O can be generated from 1 g of LR after melting at temperatures above 1,200 K. This amount is ∼10,000 times the naturally occurring OH and H2O on the Moon. Among the five primary minerals in LR returned by the Chang’E-5 mission, FeTiO3 ilmenite contains the highest amount of H, owing to its unique lattice structure with sub-nanometer tunnels. For the first time, in situ heating experiments using a transmission electron microscope reveal the concurrent formation of Fe crystals and H2O bubbles. Electron irradiation promotes the endogenous redox reaction, which is helpful for understanding the distribution of OH on the Moon. Our findings suggest that the hydrogen retained in LR is a significant resource for obtaining H2O on the Moon, which is helpful for establishing a scientific research station on the Moon.
