Functionally graded, in-situ manufacturable energetics and methods for heating

Abstract

A functionally-graded regolith-based energetic fuel and methods for powering heating systems to help humans and equipment operate in harsh lunar conditions are disclosed. A muti-functionally graded material includes energetic particles comprising a metallic fuel and a regolith-based oxidizer. The energetic particles and the regolith-based oxidizer are mixed to form an energetic material. A regolith-based combustible material is disclosed comprising: micro-magnesium in 20%, 30% or 40% w/w; and a regolith-based oxidizer, wherein the material is ball milled for up to 5 hours.

1 . A muti-functionally graded material comprising:
 energetic particles comprising a metallic fuel; and   a regolith-based oxidizer;   wherein the energetic particles and the regolith-based oxidizer are mixed to form an energetic material.   
     
     
         2 . The muti-functionally graded material  claim 1 , wherein the energetic particles comprise:
 micro-magnesium in 20% to 40% w/w,   wherein the material is ball milled for up to 5 hours.   
     
     
         3 . The muti-functionally graded material of  claim 1 , shaped into at least one of: pellets or independent measured units of energetic materials. 
     
     
         4 . The muti-functionally graded material of  claim 1 , shaped into multi-dimensional structures. 
     
     
         5 . The muti-functionally graded material of  claim 1 , wherein the regolith-based oxidizer is a regolith simulant. 
     
     
         6 . A method for heating using multi-functionally graded energetic material comprising:
 providing energetic particles comprising metallic fuels and a regolith-based oxidizer mixed into an energetic material; and   energizing the energetic material using an energy source.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the energy source is a multi-source heating assembly. 
     
     
         8 . A method for manufacturing a multi-functional graded energetic material comprising:
 adding micro-magnesium and a regolith-based oxidizer to a ball mill, wherein the micro-magnesium is in 20% to 40% w/w;   forming the energetic material by ball milling the micro-magnesium and the regolith-based oxidizer for up to 5 hours; and   heating the energetic material until ignition.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein igniting the energetic material comprises igniting the energetic material in a vacuum. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising shaping the energetic material into pellets. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the energetic material comprises one or more of: microthermites and nanothermites. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising exposing the energetic material to at least one of the following: lasers, masers, microwaves, mm-wave, infrared or other electromagnetic radiation. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein heating the energetic material comprises inductive heating using magnets and/or electromagnets. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein heating the energetic material comprises non-radiative heating. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the regolith-based oxidizer is a regolith simulant. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising collecting post-combustion by-products. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising in-situ harvesting the regolith-based oxidizer from a lunar source. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising in-situ harvesting the regolith-based oxidizer from at least one of the following: mars, asteroids, and a source in space. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising harvesting energetic materials from space debris, and other materials from human activity. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising passing the energetic material through a connected network of a plurality of channels for cycling energetic materials.