Paper in Acta Astronautica

Jorge and Austin's paper on Sintering of 3D Printable Simulated Lunar Regolith Magnesium Oxychloride Cements was published in Acta Astronautica. Congratulations Jorge and Austin!

Abstract: 

This study investigates the formulation, processing, hardened state properties, and additive manufacturing of sintered 3D-printable simulated lunar regolith magnesium oxychloride (MOC) cements. Sintering of these materials up to 1200 °C leads to full decomposition of the lunar regolith based MOC cement with release of HCl and water, which could potentially be captured and reused without compromising material properties. The sintering process reduces porosity and increases compressive strength, particularly when the material is initially pre-dried. 3D print manufacturing of the simulated lunar regolith cement is demonstrated using a powder binder jetting technique, showing expected pattern reproduction suitable for the manufacturing of small-scale parts. This material and processing approach could provide opportunities for future lunar fabrication of parts using additive manufacturing and in-situ resources, reducing the need for dedicated manufacturing facilities, distant transport of materials, and minimizing water demands through partial recovery during processing.