Chinese Researchers Make Significant Progress in Mars Colonization Efforts

Until now, the main solution envisaged to produce oxygen on Mars was Moxie (Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment), a device tested by NASA on board the Rover Perseverance. Moxie works by extracting CO₂ oxygen thanks to a high temperature electrolysis process. However, this method consumes a lot of energy and produces carbon monoxide as a by-product, which still makes it imperfect.

The device developed by Chinese researchers offers a radically different and more effective approach: an electrochemical reaction using lithium and an advanced catalyst based on ruthenium and cobalt.

A revolutionary electrochemical process

This technology works in two essential steps.

At first, carbon dioxide is captured and transformed into a solid compound. When introduced into the system, it reacts with lithium to form lithium carbonate (li₂co₃). This first phase makes it possible to fix the CO₂ in a stable form before proceeding with its decomposition.

In a second step, an oxidation reaction is triggered to transform this carbonate into lithium (Li₂o) and elementary carbon oxide. Lithium oxide is then recycled in the system, while pure oxygen is released as by-product.

The main advantage of this method lies in its exceptional yield of 98.6 %, a figure much higher than that of other technologies explored so far. This level of efficiency opens the way to a production of reliable and durable oxygen, a major asset for spatial exploration and other applications in extreme environments.

A giant step for the missions inhabited on Mars

The most obvious application of this advance is the autonomous production of oxygen for astronauts. Thanks to this process, future Martian bases could generate the oxygen necessary for the survival of crews, thus eliminating the need to transport from the earth.

But that's not all. Oxygen is not only used for breathing: it is also a key component of fuel from the rockets. For a crew to return to earth, a rocket will have to take off since March. Currently, the only possible solution is to produce fuel on site. This technology could thus provide the necessary oxygen to supply the engines of the Martian rockets and allow a safe return.

The researchers have already tested their device under conditions simulating the Martian atmosphere, with very promising results. If this technology is validated on a large scale, it could be integrated into the infrastructures of future inhabited missions, considerably reducing the costs and complexity of human exploration of Mars.

A step forward that exceeds spatial exploration

Although this discovery represents a major progress for the exploration of March, it could also have significant applications on earth.

One of its potential uses concerns survival systems in confined environments. This technology could be deployed aboard submarines, underwater bases or even space stations in order to renew air and effectively recycle CO₂. By offering an autonomous means of producing oxygen, it would guarantee increased autonomy in environments where fresh air supply is limited.

Another area of ​​application concerns the reduction of industrial CO₂ emissions. This innovative process could make it possible to directly capture and transform carbon dioxide into oxygen and solid carbon, thus contributing to efforts to combat climate change. By integrating into existing infrastructure, this technology would offer a promising alternative to reduce the carbon footprint of heavy industries and power plants.

Towards a future where man can breathe on Mars

Thanks to this major innovation, the obstacles that seemed insurmountable for the human exploration of Mars begin to fade. Being able to produce oxygen on site, from Martian natural resources, opens up unprecedented perspectives and brings humanity closer to a dream that once seemed impossible: to live on another planet.

If this technology is perfected and integrated into future missions, it could well be the key which will one day allow the first settlers of Mars to breathe freely under the red sky of the red planet.

Source: Angewandte Chemie