Sulfur Concrete: A Viable Alternative for Lunar Construction

The development of permanent lunar bases is constrained by the performance of construction materials and availability of in-situ resources. Concrete seems a suitable construction material for the lunar environment, but water, one of its major components, is an extremely scarce resource on the Moon. Cement would eventually have to be manufactured in situ through high-temperature processing of the lunar regolith. A possible alternative is to replace the binding mix of concrete (cement and water) with sulfur, the most abundant volatile on the lunar surface. Sulfur can be extracted from lunar soils by heating, demanding only moderate temperatures; it is also a by-product of oxygen extraction reactions. The economic viability and properties of sulfur-based concrete make it a suitable material for the first lunar construction activities, with a wide range of applications. The possible use of sulfur concrete imposes new constraints to the first base site selection.