Difference between revisions of "Cast Basalt"
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| − | David Dietzler has an article at moonminer.com that refers to casting basalt bricks on the moon. He refers to digging sand molds and breaking the molds apart when the bricks harden, and grinding the blocks to shape with carbide grinding wheels.<ref>[http://www.moonminer.com/Moon-bricks.html LUNAR BRICK CONCEPTS]</ref> However, since carbide requires scarce carbon it will probably not be used much for grinding on Luna. Bricks can be ground flat and square simply by rubbing the bricks together in pairs with local grit put between them. More complex shapes than rectangular solids will require grinding wheels | + | David Dietzler has an article at moonminer.com that refers to casting basalt bricks on the moon. He refers to digging sand molds and breaking the molds apart when the bricks harden, and grinding the blocks to shape with carbide grinding wheels.<ref>[http://www.moonminer.com/Moon-bricks.html LUNAR BRICK CONCEPTS]</ref> However, since carbide requires scarce carbon it will probably not be used much for grinding on Luna. [[Corundum]] would be a better choice. Bricks can be ground flat and square simply by rubbing the bricks together in pairs with local grit put between them. More complex shapes than rectangular solids will require grinding wheels that should be produced from local materials. They need to contain a considerable proportion of grit harder than basalt. |
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| + | It may be possible to join cast basalt bricks with [[Structural Engineering|lunar cement]] if the structure being made is not for the purpose of containing oxygen, water, or water vapor. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 16:44, 7 May 2012
WPE Produces many molded shapes of cast basalt on Earth. They use a special grade of natural basalt that melts near 2372 degrees F (1300 degrees C). This product is advertised to have a density of from 2.8 to 2.9 g/cm3 a hardness of 8 Mohs a compressive strength of 400 to 450 MPa and temperature resistance up to 662 degrees F (350 degrees C).[1]
David Dietzler has an article at moonminer.com that refers to casting basalt bricks on the moon. He refers to digging sand molds and breaking the molds apart when the bricks harden, and grinding the blocks to shape with carbide grinding wheels.[2] However, since carbide requires scarce carbon it will probably not be used much for grinding on Luna. Corundum would be a better choice. Bricks can be ground flat and square simply by rubbing the bricks together in pairs with local grit put between them. More complex shapes than rectangular solids will require grinding wheels that should be produced from local materials. They need to contain a considerable proportion of grit harder than basalt.
It may be possible to join cast basalt bricks with lunar cement if the structure being made is not for the purpose of containing oxygen, water, or water vapor.
