ELECTROCHEMICAL GENERATION OF USEFUL CHEMICAL SPECIES FROM LUNAR MATERIALS

THIS PROGRAM IS DIRECTED TOWARDS ELECTROCHEMICALLY CHARACTERIZING A UNIQUE HIGH TEMPERATURE ELECTROLYTIC CELL WHICH SIMULTANEOUSLY GENERATES OXYGEN GAS AND LIQUID LITHIUM USING THE SIMULATED LUNAR SILICATE MATERIAL DIOPSIDE (CAMGSI2O6) AS A MOLTEN SALT ELECTROLYTE INTO WHICHLITHIUM AND POTASSIUM IONS HAVE BEEN INTENTIONALLY ADDED. THE ELECTROLYTIC CELL UTILIZES THE OXYGEN VACANCY CONDUCTINGSOLID ELECTROLYTE, YTTRIA-STABILIZED ZIRCONIA, TO EFFECTIVELY SEPARATE THE OXYGEN EVOLVING (AT BI-DOPED LANIO3) AND LITHIUM REDUCTION (ON LITHIATED FESI2) HALF-CELL REACTIONS. THE PROPOSED CELL WILL HAVE THE GENERAL CONFIGURATION: FESI2LIX (CATHODE) / LI+ CONDUCTING DIOPSIDE MELT / O2- CONDUCTING YTTRIA-STABILIZED ZIRCONIA / BI-DOPED LANIO3 (ANODE) LIQUID LITHIUM WOULD BE CONTINUOUSLY REMOVED IN THE FINALLY ENGINEERED CELL EVOLVING OUT OF THIS THREE PHASE PROGRAM. LITHIUM FORMED IN THIS MANNER WOULD, ON THE MOON'S SURFACE, BE AN EFFECTIVE REDUCTANT FOR THE DIRECT THERMOCHEMICAL REFINING OF LUNAR ORES TO THEIR METALLIC STATE WITH LITHIUM SIMULTANEOUSLY EXTRACTING OXYGEN TO FORM LI2O. THIS LI2O WOULD AGAIN BE REINTRODUCED INTO THE ELECTROLYTIC CELL TO COMPLETE THE OVERALL SYSTEM CYCLE.