Researchers from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and Youngstown State University (YSU) are collaborating with NASA to develop a way to 3D print batteries on the moon using local materials. The project aims to reduce the cost of shipping batteries from Earth, which is expensive. The team hopes to create batteries that can be produced in virtually any desired shape to save space.
UTEP’s experience in additive manufacturing is an important factor in the project, as the university has a reputation for 3D printing, materials science, and state-of-the-art equipment. The team hopes to apply the results of the study both in space and on Earth.
Two Methods of 3D Printing in Space
The project is exploring two methods of 3D printing in space. The first method involves material extrusion, in which the printer produces products in their final form. The second method, vat photopolymerization (VPP), uses a vat of photopolymer resin to build the object layer by layer. This method will allow astronauts to make suitably shaped batteries for spacecraft, robots, portable power packs, and large-scale long-term energy systems.
Sodium-ion Batteries for Energy Storage
However, manufacturing batteries from lunar regolith imposes some limitations on the type of products. Currently, the International Space Station’s (ISS) main power systems use lithium-ion energy storage units shipped from Earth, but there is extremely little lithium available for mining on the Moon and Mars. Therefore, the team is studying the technology of sodium-ion batteries, which are present in sufficient quantities on the Moon and Mars. The team will study the chemistry of sodium-ion batteries and possible printing solutions and then begin tests.
The team of scientists has already developed and used VPP 3D printing to create composite resin raw materials for each part of the proposed energy storage units, including electrodes, electrolytes, and current collectors. Teams from NASA centers have developed ME 3D composite inks for various battery components. NASA’s Glenn Research Center will conduct electrochemical tests on the finished components of a 3D-printed sodium-ion battery.
Overall, the project to 3D print batteries on the moon using local materials is an important step towards reducing the cost of space exploration. The collaboration between UTEP, YSU, and NASA aims to produce batteries in virtually any desired shape, which can be built into the walls of living spaces or inside other equipment to save space. The use of sodium-ion batteries will help overcome the challenge of the limited availability of lithium on the moon and Mars. The team’s innovative work is crucial to the future of space exploration.
