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| Iron: Number One Lunar Metal |
| Lunar regolith-12% iron Bridges, buildings, etc. made of iron. Iron holds up just fine in low lunar gravity and rust free vacuum. No wind=no flexure for iron skyscrapers. Moonquakes are so weak you'd barely feel them. Wrought iron is almost pure iron. m.p. 2700-2900 F. sp.g. 7.7 tensile strength 50,000 psi Iron/silicon alloy (~14% Si) for water pipes, water tanks, pump rotors, acid handling equipment, agitators, crucibles, kettles, anodes, plumbing in chemical labs, etc. whenever corrosion resistance is desired Iron/chromium alloy ( 25-28% Cr) for mono rails, rock crushers, shovel blades, etc. whenever hi-temp service, hardness and abrasion resistance is desired. Terrestrial iron alloys contain some carbon. Lunar alloys based on pure iron may have somewhat different compositions, but they will need some carbon in them. High Alloy White Irons <http://www.key-to-steel.com/Articles/Art92.htm> High Silicon Cast Iron Anode <http://www.titanindia.com/high%20silicon%20cast%20iron%20anode.htm> Sankar Sastri " Iron and Alloys of Iron" http://www.belmont.k12.ca.us/ralston/programs/itech/SpaceSettlement/spaceresvol3/iaaoi1.htm See: The Damascus Project. |
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