REDUCTION OF LUNAR BASALT 70035 - OXYGEN YIELD AND REACTION-PRODUCT ANALYSIS

Oxygen production from a lunar rock has been experimentally demonstrat ed for the first time. A 10 g sample of high-Ti basalt 70035 was reduc ed with hydrogen in seven experiments at temperatures of 900-1050-degr ees-C and pressures of 14.7-150 psia. In all experiments, water evolut ion began almost immediately and was essentially complete in tens of m inutes. Oxygen yields ranged from 2.93 to 4.61% of the starting sample weight, and showed weak dependence on temperature and pressure. Analy sis of the solid samples demonstrated total reduction of Fe2+ in ilmen ite and small degrees of reduction in olivine and pyroxene. TiO2 Was a lso partially reduced to one or more suboxides. Data from these experi ments provide a basis for predicting the yield of oxygen from lunar ba salt as well as new constraints on natural reduction in the lunar rego lith.