This week, we’ve been pondering the potential of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to support life beyond Earth. In a study published earlier this year, researchers at the SFI Centre for Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research (AMBER) demonstrated how CNTs could enable the development of structural materials for extraterrestrial environments, such as the moon or Mars. This research represents a significant step forward in the quest to build sustainable habitats in space. 

Transforming Lunar and Martian Soil into Building Materials

The AMBER team demonstrated a novel process that uses small quantities of CNTs to convert powders from readily available materials, such as Lunar or Martian soil, into extremely robust, low-density bricks. By incorporating CNTs as a binder, the researchers created building materials with a compressive strength of up to 100 million pascals (MPa). This impressive strength is comparable to granite and stronger than the best concretes currently available on Earth, offering a robust solution for extraterrestrial construction. 

Energy-Efficient Production

A key advantage of this process is that the bricks can be produced near room temperature, significantly reducing the energy required compared to traditional material production methods. This energy efficiency will be crucial in space environments with limited power resources. The ability to produce these high-strength materials without high-temperature processes represents a significant step in making construction feasible on the moon or Mars. 

Advanced Materials with Built-In Sensors

Finally, the electrical conductivity of CNTs offers a unique benefit: the ability to create smart materials that can monitor their own structural health. The bricks exhibit a large piezoresistive response, meaning they can act as sensors to detect stress or damage within a building. This capability is critical for enabling real-time assessment of buildings’ integrity and maintaining the safety of structures in remote and harsh extraterrestrial environments.

Building the Future of Space Habitats

These CNT-enhanced bricks are extremely robust and also address the logistical challenges of space construction. By relying primarily on local materials such as Lunar or Martian soil and using only a tiny percentage of CNTs as additives, this process of in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU) minimises the need to transport heavy building materials from Earth. This approach will likely prove significant in building the first extraterrestrial bases on the moon, Mars, and beyond. 

This research demonstrates the potential of CNTs as a critical component in yet another advanced application, bringing us one step closer to sustaining extraterrestrial life. We can’t wait to see what’s next in this exciting research area.

Check out the full publication in Small by clicking the link below. 

Full article

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