Scientists from the University of Manchester (UK) have adapted ancient Chinese technology for making mortar for use on Mars. One of the main problems for the development of this planet is the lack of building materials for the construction of buildings. The Martian soil itself is of little use for this, but the missing components can be taken from the bodies of the colonists themselves.
Pig's blood and lime mortar are considered one of the most effective combinations used by builders in ancient China. Blood regulates the formation of calcium carbonate crystals and, according to some experts, this is what opened the way to complex architectural objects for the architects of that time. The use of organics as a binding material in mortars is also known to other nations. In Russia, for example, raw eggs were used for this purpose.
British researchers have taken imitators of lunar regolith and Martian soil and began experimenting with different fluids of the human body. It turned out that our body is an excellent donor - to create solutions can be used and sweat, and tears, and urine. But the best result is given by serum albumin, contained in blood, which is almost an ideal binding material for the "Martian concrete".
It is estimated that if you meticulously collect all possible fluid from the body of the colonist, then in two years you can produce up to 500 kg of material, which is called AstroCrete. With proper diligence, that amount could be used to build a one-person capsule room. That is, simply by donating blood and other fluids, the colonist doubles the living space in two years, and can invite another person, and so on.
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