Space metal

JoshNH4H · 2008-04-21 07:44:44

In space, a strong metal alloy would be very useful for many applications. Assuming that all planets with a solid, rocky surface will be similar, I think we should look for an alloy we can make ISRU most places we would want to go in the solar system. (this isn't a bad assumption)

I would suggest that we go with:

Oxygen: 42%
Silicon: 21%
Iron: 13%
Aluminum: 7%
Calcium: 6%
Magnesium: 5%
Titanium, Manganese, Sulfur: ~1%
Trace of nickel, chromium, chlorine, phosphorus (~0.3%)

Edit: I'm saying that we use this as the available materials.

GCNRevenger · 2008-04-21 08:13:25

Thats an awful lot of oxygen and silicon

Any particular reason you picked this blend?

cIclops · 2008-04-21 08:16:24

Of course there is It's the composition of lunar regolith.

JoshNH4H · 2008-04-21 08:45:36

basically, yea. Very very close to mars as well.

Midoshi · 2008-04-21 10:32:32

It's probably going to come down to various iron and aluminum based alloys in the end. Aluminum would be preferable for transport craft due to its fuel-saving high strength/weight ratio. It's also a better radiation shield than iron due to its low atomic number (less secondary radiation). Not that I'm suggesting it would be the only radiation safety measure.

cIclops · 2008-04-21 10:45:17

Titanium is catching up fast - there's a new process for drastically cutting its cost - it may replace Al.

Gregori · 2008-04-21 15:54:44

There will be plenty of useful metals available in space if we develop the infrastructure to systematically exploit them. We know lots and lots and lots about making things from metals since we use them for everything on Earth.

I'm thinking that asteroid mining will be invaluable to settling outerspace an enriching Earth if we develop the tech to do it.

We really want to get to the stage where its possible to build large spacecraft off Earth using the solar system resources

zhar2 · 2008-04-23 05:43:01

Before choosing a mix of alloy in such a manner there needs to be rigorous material testing and differences as little as 0.1% could mean the difference between a flexible or brittle material.

And ties is something that would need to be tested out in a lab, plus from the blend characteristics this sounds more like a ceramic than metal, in other words a dopped glass from the high silicon and oxygen ratio.

The manganese and silicon content does make it sound similar to the Spiegel iron athough theres way to much oxygen and the ratios are too diferent to suggest similar properties.

Gregori · 2008-04-23 05:58:16

Before choosing a mix of alloy in such a manner there needs to be rigorous material testing and differences as little as 0.1% could mean the difference between a flexible or brittle material.
And ties is something that would need to be tested out in a lab, plus from the blend characteristics this sounds more like a ceramic than metal, in other words a dopped glass from the high silicon and oxygen ratio.
The manganese and silicon content does make it sound similar to the Spiegel iron athough theres way to much oxygen and the ratios are too diferent to suggest similar properties.

Absolutely. And we should get cracking on the R&D needed to achieve this. We know a lot of alloys that we can make on Earth, If we can locate and process the necessary materials to create them we will be doing well.

Commodore · 2008-04-23 07:09:45

The greatest challenge in asteroid mining is simply handling the material in zero g.

Gregori · 2008-04-23 15:23:45

The greatest challenge in asteroid mining is simply handling the material in zero g.

Probably. plus they have never done it before.

We need to develop the types of vehicles and facilities that would make it possible. Hopefully a lot of it can be automated.

A manned mission to an asteroid as well as the moon may prove useful.

JoshNH4H · 2008-04-24 14:02:53

I've just had a thought: Could something be done to glass (or any form of SiO2) to make it less brittle? addition of 25% iron? Aluminum? Could anything be done?

This is because the Si:O ratio is pretty good to make glass with.

zhar2 · 2008-04-24 15:06:17

Well the problem with glass it self over metals is its molecular structure, glass is covalent and has been doped to with titanium dioxide or germanium dioxide to improve its ability to withstand distortion (eg: for optic fibers).

It would be interesting to see if a glass like ceramic could perform metal function in structural matters although i doubt it will match its capabilities, but a dopped diamonoid material might do it.

GCNRevenger · 2008-04-24 18:30:41

Lunar ceramics/glasses might not have to be THAT strong, remember that gravity is pretty weak.

Terraformer · 2008-04-26 04:18:02

So is the air pressure.

JoshNH4H · 2008-04-26 06:04:29

Maybe something like this for the alloy:

50% SiO2 (glass or quartz, whichever is stronger)
5% TiO2
5% Ti
35% Fe
5% Al

what do you think?

zhar2 · 2008-04-26 10:45:33

i seriuosly doubt it would be easily to come up with a alloyd mix ratio just from deduction and just sticking to it without any sort of testing.

JoshNH4H · 2008-04-26 20:30:10

Yes, you're right, but something like that would seem decent.

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