Researchers have produced a strong, high-performance material for 3D printing by mixing crushed simulated Martian rocks with titanium alloy. The researchers were able to 3D print using as little as per cent to as much as 100 per cent of the simulated Martian regolith. While the parts with 5 per cent Martian regolith were strong, the ones with 100 per cent Martian regolith were brittle and cracked easily. Corresponding author of the study, Amit Bandyopadhyay says, "In space, 3D printing is something that has to happen if we want to think of a manned mission because we really cannot carry everything from here. And if we forgot something, we cannot come back to get it."

It takes about $54,000 to ferry a one kilogram payload into Earth orbit, which gives an idea of just how critical freeing up space on missions is. Technology that can produce spare parts, tools and other equipment on Mars, using the locally sourced material, can help free up considerable space on missions. Additionally, if there is a malfunction, the astronauts can fix it on Mars itself. The researchers first demonstrated the idea back in 2011 by 3D printing from crushed simulated Moon rocks. The space agency has since then embraced the technology, with a 3D printer available on the International Space Station as well.

The mixture of the titanium allow and simulated Martian regolith were first heated to temperatures of over 2,000°C using a high power laser. The molten mix flowed into a moving platform, where they were moulded into different sizes and shapes. Once they had cooled down, the material was tested for strength and durability. Even the cracked material that used 100 per cent regolith are useful in some contexts, such as use in radiation shields, where the cracks do not matter. The mixture that used 5 per cent regolith however, proved to be very strong. Bandyopadhyay says, "It gives you a better, higher strength and hardness material, so that can perform significantly better in some applications. This establishes that it is possible, and maybe we should think in this direction because it's not just making plastic parts which are weak but metal-ceramic composite parts which are strong and can be used for any kind of structural parts."

A paper describing the findings has been published in the International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology.

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