Chinese scientists first discovered natural fiberglass in Chang'e-5 lunar soil

On May 7, a reporter from the Science and Technology Daily learned from the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences that through systematic material science research on Chang'e-5 lunar soil samples, Chinese researchers have discovered various types of lunar glass substances of different origins. For the first time, natural glass fibers were found in lunar soil on the 5th. Relevant research results were published online in the National Science Review.

On the desolate and barren surface of the moon, there are abundant glass substances produced by volcanic eruptions, geological movements, meteorite impacts and other activities. Much of the moon's glass can exist stably for hundreds of millions of years. Lunar glass is an important material for exploring the mysteries of the moon. It not only preserves the ancient lunar materials, but also records the environmental information when it was formed.

This time, the researchers comprehensively analyzed the morphology, composition, microstructure and formation mechanism of glassy substances in the Chang'e-5 lunar soil samples. They found that there are multiple transformation paths of solid, liquid and gas on the surface of the moon. Glass origin. The frequent impacts of meteorites and micrometeorites on the surface of the moon lead to the melting and rapid cooling of minerals, resulting in various forms of glass materials, including spherical, ellipsoidal, dumbbell-shaped glass beads in rotating shapes, cementitious substances with pore structures, and fluid forms. sputtering etc.

What is particularly noteworthy is that researchers discovered natural glass fibers for the first time in the lunar soil of Chang'e 5. These glass fibers with ultra-high aspect ratios are derived from thermoplastic molding of viscous liquids during impact. Compared to low aspect ratio glass beads, the liquid from which these glass fibers are formed has a higher viscosity, which means correspondingly lower impact temperatures and lower impact velocities. This reflects the milder micro-impact events on the lunar surface.

"These natural glass fibers prove that the lunar soil has good glass-forming ability and excellent processing and molding characteristics, and affirms the feasibility of using lunar soil to process and produce glass building materials on the surface of the moon, which will provide important resources for the construction of future lunar bases. support." said Shen Laiquan, an associate researcher at the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.