Dual-Functional Metallized Basalt Fiber with Exceptional Electromagnetic Interference Shielding and Joule Heating...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Extraterrestrial Construction
• In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU)

Background:

• Lunar mare regions offer basaltic materials for extraterrestrial construction via ISRU.
• Mismatched coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) between basalt fibers and metal coatings cause interfacial thermal stress and failure.
• Extreme temperature fluctuations on the Moon exacerbate CTE mismatch issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an ISRU-inspired metallized fiber composite for wide-temperature-range applications in lunar construction.
• To address the challenge of interfacial thermal stress concentration in metallized basalt fibers.
• To create a material with high electrical conductivity, EMI shielding, and joule heating performance resistant to thermal shock.

Main Methods:

• Sequential electroless nickel plating and copper electroplating on terrestrial basalt fibers to create BF@Ni@Cu.
• Fabrication of a nickel interlayer to create a CTE gradient transition.
• Annealing and PDMS encapsulation to regulate surface reflection.
• Cold-thermal shock cycle testing simulating lunar temperature variations (-196 to 130 °C).

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated BF@Ni@Cu with high electrical conductivity, EMI shielding (62.59 dB), and joule heating performance.
• The Ni interlayer effectively mitigated interfacial thermal stress, preventing coating peeling and structural failure.
• Material maintained structural integrity after 30 thermal shock cycles with only slight degradation in performance.
• Demonstrated excellent temperature shock resistance and overcoming interfacial thermal stress concentration.

Conclusions:

• The developed fiber metallization strategy provides high performance under extreme temperature alternations.
• The BF@Ni@Cu composite offers a potential pathway for multifunctional protection and thermal management in lunar base construction.
• The gradient interlayer design effectively controls thermal stress and failure modes for ISRU applications.