Plasma conversion of CO2 from the Martian atmosphere
Publications
Article in Plasma Sources Science and TechnologyThe case for in situ resource utilisation for oxygen production on Mars by non-equilibrium plasmas "Herein, it is argued that Mars has nearly ideal conditions for CO2 decomposition by non-equilibrium plasmas. It is shown that the pressure
and temperature ranges in the ~ 96% CO2 Martian atmosphere favour the vibrational excitation and subsequent up-pumping of the asymmetric
stretching mode, which is believed to be a key factor for an efficient plasma dissociation, at the expense of the excitation of the other modes.
Therefore, gas discharges operating at atmospheric pressure on Mars are extremely strong candidates to produce O2 efficiently from the locally
available resources."
Plasma Sources Science and Technology, Volume 26, Number 11, 18 Oct 2017
Feature article in Europhysics NewsLiving on mars: how to produce oxygen and fuel to get home "Sending a manned mission to Mars is one of the next major steps in space exploration. Creating a
breathable environment, however, is a substantial challenge. A sustainable oxygen supply on the
red planet can be achieved by converting carbon dioxide directly from the Martian atmosphere. A
new solution to do so is on the way: plasma technology."
Europhysics News, Volume 49, Number 3, pp. 15-18, May-June 2018
