Recovery of Al and Si from lunar regolith by low temperature electrochemical deposition from ethaline
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62638/ZasMat1925Abstract
In this study, the dissolution and electrochemical recovery of metals from regolith simulant using a choline chloride-based deep eutectic solvent (DES) and electrochemical recovery of metals from thus prepared electrolyte were investigated. For the first time, a designed lunar regolith representing Lunar Mare Soil (LMS-1) was dissolved in ethaline (choline chloride:ethylene glycol, ChCl:EG), and the solubility of the major oxide components of the regolith was determined using inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry (ICP–OES). The electrochemical reduction of dissolved metal species in the ethaline–regolith system involved multivalent redox transitions, which occurred at very close potentials or simultaneously. Based on electrochemical measurements and the determined equilibrium potentials of the metals, parameters for electrolysis were selected, and metal recovery was achieved by adjusting the electrode potentials. As a result, a deposit composed of Al, Cr, Fe, and Si is formed at a potential of–1.750 V vs. Pt, while at a more positive potential, the deposit consisted mainly of Si, according to EDS and ICP-OES analysis. The results indicate the potential of using DESs for the dissolution of lunar regolith and controlled electrochemical recovery of metals, introducing a previously unexplored strategy for extraterrestrial resource processing.
Keywords:
Lunar regolith; Ethaline; regolith dissolution in DES; Metals extraction from regolithReferences
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