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Peer-reviewedCC BYBiogeotechnics

3D printing lunar regolith simulant with microbial-carbonated magnesium oxide

  • Hanlong Liu1
  • Yang Xiao2
  • Jinquan Shi3
  • Baofeng Cao2
  • Junbo Sun4
4 affiliations
  1. 1School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China; Institute for Smart City of Chongqing University in Liyang, Chongqing University, Liyang 213300, China
  2. 2School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
  3. 3Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong 999077, China; Corresponding author.
  4. 4Institute for Smart City of Chongqing University in Liyang, Chongqing University, Liyang 213300, China
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Abstract

Lunar construction is important and a challenge for building space habitation. Several technology routines using in-situ lunar regolith as the base material for making lunar bricks have been proposed but they are still waiting in the list of verification. In this study, a new additive manufacturing method for making lunar regolith structures with biocarbonated magnesium oxide (MgO) was proposed. A lunar regolith simulant (LRS) was prepared. The effects of microbial-based prehydrolyzed urea solution, additives, and aggregates, on the properties of 3D printing mortars were investigated. The compressive strength and microscopic images of 3D printed specimens were analyzed. The test results showed that the microbial-based mortar has significantly different flowability and buildability compared with water-based mortar. The compressive strength of 3D printed specimens can be improved several times with the biocarbonated method. Microscopic images showed that the printed biocarbonated specimens show denser structure and more magnesium carbonate hydrate, causing the improvement of mechanical behavior. Complex LRS-based structures were printed with the biocarbonated magnesium oxide method, which can bear a certain of loads.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{liu2026printing,
  title = {{3D printing lunar regolith simulant with microbial-carbonated magnesium oxide}},
  author = {Hanlong Liu and Yang Xiao and Jinquan Shi and Baofeng Cao and Junbo Sun},
  journal = {Biogeotechnics},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1016/j.bgtech.2025.100197},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bgtech.2025.100197},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - 3D printing lunar regolith simulant with microbial-carbonated magnesium oxide
AU  - Hanlong Liu
AU  - Yang Xiao
AU  - Jinquan Shi
AU  - Baofeng Cao
AU  - Junbo Sun
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/30
JO  - Biogeotechnics
DO  - 10.1016/j.bgtech.2025.100197
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bgtech.2025.100197
AB  - Lunar construction is important and a challenge for building space habitation. Several technology routines using in-situ lunar regolith as the base material for making lunar bricks have been proposed but they are still waiting in the list of verification. In this study, a new additive manufacturing method for making lunar regolith structures with biocarbonated magnesium oxide (MgO) was proposed. A lunar regolith simulant (LRS) was prepared. The effects of microbial-based prehydrolyzed urea solution, additives, and aggregates, on the properties of 3D printing mortars were investigated. The compressive strength and microscopic images of 3D printed specimens were analyzed. The test results showed that the microbial-based mortar has significantly different flowability and buildability compared with water-based mortar. The compressive strength of 3D printed specimens can be improved several times with the biocarbonated method. Microscopic images showed that the printed biocarbonated specimens show denser structure and more magnesium carbonate hydrate, causing the improvement of mechanical behavior. Complex LRS-based structures were printed with the biocarbonated magnesium oxide method, which can bear a certain of loads.
SN  - 2949-9291
ER  -