LUNAR REGOLITH

Lunar dust or regolith, the Moon's surface soil, is primarily composed of rock and mineral fragments, impact-generated glasses, and agglutinates, which are unique lunar dust particles. Lunar regolith, is primarily composed of silicate minerals, with significant amounts of oxygen, silicon, and iron. 

The major components are Oxygen (41-45%), Silicon (Si), Aluminum (Al), Calcium (Ca), Iron (Fe), Magnesium (Mg), and Titanium (Ti). 

RADIATION  ATTENUATION

In the absence of a global magnetic field and atmosphere, radiation levels  on the surface of the Moon are approx. 200x higher than on Earth. Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) and Solar Energetic Particles (SEP) collide with the lunar surface (regolith) to create secondary particles, including neutrons and gamma rays. 

Of the various forms of radiation known to man, neutrons are considered to be the most severe and dangerous radiation to the body. Radiation shielding simply means having some material between the source of radiation and you (or some device) that will absorb the radiation and protect you or a device, from its harmful effects. 

Scientific studies unanimously show, that radiation shielding with nanoparticles is much more effective than with microparticles. As the nanoparticle size decreases, its radiation shielding capacity becomes significantly enhanced. When such superfine (<< 20 nm size) nanoparticles are infused in an epoxy, coating, grout or (micro)cement prior to coating on a surface, a layer as thin as 1 µm, is sufficient to shield thermal neutrons.

Pores in construction materials (e.g. cement and concrete) without nanoparticles create decrease the mechanical strength, density, as well as the ability of cement/concrete to attenuate radiation. When the pores in cement/concrete are filled with NANOARC QUANTCRETE systems for radiation attenuation the mechanical strength, density and radiation attenuation capacity of the cement/concrete system increases substantially. With the cement/concrete mixture performance maximized by virtue of such radiation-attenuating nanoparticles (< 20 nm), it achieves enhanced radiation shielding goal simultaneously with a higher heat and embrittlement resistance, which is necessary for the radiation exposure and rapid thermal fluctuations on the lunar surface.

ATOMIC-SCALE CONCRETE REPAIR & REINFORCEMENT: With an ultra-high blaine of 1,486,400 cm²/g and particle dimensions of ~ 1.4nm (0.001 μm), it is capable of surgically penetrating deep level cracks and fractured sites within concrete, more than any material prior. At a quantum particle size of 1.4 nm, it is close to the size domain of atoms the size of a hydrogen atom (0.11 nm). 

CORROSION PREVENTION: With strong corrosion resistance, good chemical and thermal stability and a pH of ~ 11.7, it and a size closer to the atomic scale, it provides a more surgical interaction with corrosive agents like chlorine ions (~ 0.167 nm), water molecules (0.275 nm) and sulphate ions (0.242 nm) to prohibit chemical damage in concrete.

EARLY-AGE CEMENT HYDRATION & DENSIFIER: Once in contact with water, in a concrete mix, it increases the heat of hydration of Portland cement, yielding rapid and high early stage compressive strength gain while simultaneously acting as a cement nucleation site to densify concrete, reducing porosity and the probability of crack formation. This enables the production of lighter precast concrete with higher strength and better durability. The increased heat of hydration benefits construction in extremely cold areas (e.g Mars, the surface of the moon) and in warmer environments, less Portland cement usage is possible. It is beneficial for systems like of ground-granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS or GGBFS) where is acts as an early activator to enhance concrete strength gain. 

ANTI-STATIC SURFACES: It serves as an anti-static agent, useful in applications requiring low electrostatic charge and dissipative surface.

QUANTCRETET​M MARINE

APPLICATIONS 

Accelerated hydration of concrete and early strength gain. Antibiofilm and corrosion resistant nanoadditive for concrete and cement used in marine environments. Mechanical reinforcement of lightweight Concrete, repair of perforations and cracks via autogenous healing when mixed in cement and concrete, filler material, impact resistance, antimicrobial, non-toxic flame retardant, corrosion inhibitor.

It offers offers anti-biofilm as well as anti-fungal protection and corrosion resistance to minimise or prevent damage from salinity and unsilgtly stains within lunar habitat walls as a result of human activity.

NUCLEAR & RADIOACTIVE SITE PROTECTION: Blended into mortar, within and on concrete surfaces, QuantCrete MARINE  helps in reducing the need for decommissioning of existing infrastructure exposed to nuclear radiation. It can also be coated on hardened cement paste blocks. 

QuantCrete MARINE adhesion is efficient on rough surfaces and its presence enables a uniformly thin but dense nanocoating for the protection of concrete infrastructure from radiological contamination, works as a barrier layer to prevent radioactive contaminants such as Uranium (U) and Strontium (Sr) ingression into underlying cement substrates. Particularly, into new and out of pre-existing concrete infrastructure.

NUCLEAR WASTE MANAGEMENT : It is effective in the removal of U, Cs, Sr and I, alongside other radionuclides such as Np, Am, Pu and Co. It exhibits higher reactivity to Uranium (U) than granulated carbon-based sorbents.

QUANTCRETET​M  S-CORE+

APPLICATIONS : It acts as a hydrogen release nanocatalyst to foster chemically-bonded water formation within lunar concrete for effective hydration and strength gain.

It significantly increases the compressive strength, thermal conductivity, freeze and thaw resistance and reduces the shrinkage rate of concrete. It enhances the microstructure of concrete, increases density as well as fire resistance, and decreases concrete deformations and is useful for bulletproof and blast protection composites.

QUANTCRETET​M  THERM

APPLICATIONS : High thermal mass material for concrete insulation, High density concrete is efficient in heat retention than standard concrete. This enables it to be used retard  hold in solar heat from exteriors (high heat exposure) or retard solar heat loss from interiors (cold shadow environments) or as a high emissivity coating to release heat to the environment, when surrounding temperatures drop or fluctuate rapidly. 

Gamma ray shielding, Flexural aggregate in high density concrete for radiation shielding in high radiation and exposed X-ray environments.

QUANTCRETET​M NEUTRON 

APPLICATIONS : Nano-Pore Filler, Halogen-Free Flame-Retardant, Neutron attenuator in high density, lighterweight concrete for lunar habitats.

QUANTCRETET​M  SUBSEAL

APPLICATIONS : Variations of radon and polonium outgassing on the moon and Mars has been detected. Porosity minimisation to substantially to limit Air loss from within and permeability  from without can mitigate the probability of Radon penetration in foundation structures, sub-surface levels in direct contact with the lunar soil. 

The nanoadditive increases compressive Strength reinforcement in concrete, Improved workability, Corrosion-resistance, Reduced Alkaline Reactivity, Water Repellant.

Helps in the consolidation of unsound formations, repairing casing leaks in squeeze operations, particularly “tight” leaks that are inaccessible to microfine and conventional slurries due to their larger particle size and limited penetrability.