Polymerisation of composite materials in space environment for development of a Moon base Original Research Article

Deployment of light construction on the Moon surface after landing is a real way to create a Moon base. The construction has to be soft at deployment and hard at exploitation. A number of methods for solidification of deployed constructions in space was proposed, but the best way is a chemical reaction which leads to formation of the hard frame of space construction. The technology of large-size Moon module for industrial and scientific applications is developed by the way of the polymerisation process in composite material with liquid polymer matrix. Experiments with chemical reactions of polymerisation in composite materials under high vacuum, ion beam and plasma discharge have shown a possibility to use the liquid polymer matrix of composite materials under space conditions without hermetic coating. Epoxy resins with thermal initiation system of polymerisation were studied. The effects of initiation of the polymerisation reaction under simulated space factors were observed. Structure and mechanical properties of cured composite under simulated space conditions were analysed and compared with composite cured by usual ground technology. The proposed frame technology can be used for energetic, electronic and other industry building on the Moon.