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Vacuum melting and mechanical testing of simulated lunar glassesLunar silicate glasses may possess superior mechanical properties compared to terrestrial glasses because the anhydrous lunar environment should prevent hydrolytic weakening of the strong Si-O bonds. This hypothesis was tested by melting, solidifying, and determining the fracture toughness of simulated mare and highlands composition glasses in a high vacuum chamber. The fracture toughness, K(IC), of the resulting glasses was obtained via microindentation techniques. K(IC) increased as the testing environment was changed from air to a vacuum of 10 exp -7 torr. However, this increase in toughness may not result solely from a reduction in the hydrolytic weakening effect; the vacuum-melting process produced both the formation of spinel crystallites on the surfaces of the glass samples and significant changes in the compositions which may have contributed to the improved K(IC).
Document ID
19930058084
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Carsley, J. E.
(Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton, United States)
Blacic, J. D.
(Los Alamos National Lab. NM, United States)
Pletka, B. J.
(Michigan Technological Univ. Houghton, United States)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1992
Publication Information
Publication: In: Engineering, construction, and operations in space III: Space '92; Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference, Denver, CO, May 31-June 4, 1992. Vol. 2 (A93-41976 17-12)
Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
93A42081
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NASW-4486
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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