Printable, functional components with actuatable function and sensing, for CO2 uptake in reduced gravity environments

Abstract

Space research continues to progress allowing us to envision activities in an off-world context. Such activities include for instance the additive manufacturing of products using in- situ resources. Additive manufacturing in this context would need to be adapted to a micro- or zero-gravity environment. This change in environment is accompanied by a change in materials properties and therefore it poses an interesting research opportunity to explore the effect of micro-gravity on the printing of objects. In this thesis, I explored a part of this topic and used state-of-the-art additive manufacturing technologies to prototype printable functions into devices under both terrestrial and micro gravities. Specifically, I focused on the manufacturing of a particular unit of the Environmental Control and Life Support System, namely the Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA). I developed a zeolite-based ink with embedded a thermally conductive component to produce, upon printing, a soldi CO2 sorbent which could be heated via application of a voltage to trigger desorption of CO2. Printing experimental campaigns were carried out initially in a terrestrial environment and subsequently in a micro-gravity environment during a parabolic flight simulating Martian, Lunar and zero gravities. The main findings of the work can be summarized as follows: ● A multi-function, conductive-carbon ink was developed that was capable of both self- heating under electrical bias, as well as intrinsic uptake of CO2 through its sorbent properties. ● A multi-material deposition approach was implemented to enable the printing of embedded, conductive/sorbent composites, thermal actuators, and sensors, within bulk sorbent devices. ● The implementing of this printing technology was demonstrated in reduced gravitational environments. 2 ● The integration of digital data acquisition systems through a basic computer vision was also validated. Overall, this work provides the initial stages of validating an approach of manufacturing life- support systems on the lunar surface.