Frictional heat generated by mechanisms that take service on celestial bodies such as the moon does not dissipate easily owing to the vacuum environment and the low thermal conductivity of celestial soil. Consequently, the temperature of these mechanisms increases significantly. The wear resistance of liquid lubricants at high temperatures degenerates rapidly because the oil film thins out and the oil decomposes. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and the soap fiber thickeners of lubricants are susceptible to phase transitions and agglomeration. The wear resistance and thermal stability of lubricants must be improved for mechanisms operating on celestial bodies. The lubricating properties at high temperatures and the thermal stability of fluorinated graphite are excellent. The wear resistance of liquid lubricants for space mechanisms can be improved using fluorinated graphite. In this study, fluorinated-graphite-modified perfluoropolyether (PFPE) greases are prepared using fluorinated graphite with different fluorine-to-carbon ratios and particle sizes, PTFE powders, and D-type PFPE base oil. The thermal behaviors of the materials are characterized using thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. Electron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction are used to determine the fluorine-to-carbon ratios and the structures of three types of fluorinated graphite. The effects of different fluorinated graphites on the rheological and tribological properties of the greases are evaluated at 25 degrees C in atmospheric and vacuum environments, as well as at 200 degrees C in a high-temperature vacuum environment. The results show that the decomposition temperature of the three types of fluorinated graphites are higher than 595 degrees C , whereas that of the D-type PFPE base oil is 450 degrees C . The fluorine-to-carbon ratios of C2FJ1002, CFT10, and CF500 fluorinated graphites are 0.92, 0.88, and 1.04, respectively. Among them, the fluorine-to-carbon ratio of the nanoscale fluorinated graphite, CFT10, is the lowest. The (001) reflection of this nanofluorinated graphite is higher than the others; therefore, its (CF)n is greater than those of the others. The nanoscale fluorinated graphite exhibits the most significant thickening effect on grease at room temperature under low shear owing to its larger specific surface area. However, under high-shear and high-temperature conditions, the thickening effects of the three types of fluorinated graphites are almost uniform At high temperatures, the increased interlayer spacing of fluorinated graphite results in more PFPE oil molecules being absorbed, thus resulting in an increase in the shear viscosity of the grease at a shear rate of 10-15 s(-1). The wear-scar diameter of the grease modified by the abovementioned three types of fluorinated graphites under a 25 degrees C vacuum environment decreases by 7.7%, 11.7%, and 13.2%, respectively. The CF500 fluorinated graphite with the highest fluorine-to-carbon ratio demonstrates the best wear resistance in grease. Additionally, it exhibits a decreasing worn function under a 200 degrees C vacuum environment. The C 1s core-level spectra of the wear scars lubricated by the PFPE grease suggest the formation of amorphous carbon on the wear scar due to the degradation of PFPE. However, the C 1s core-level spectra of the wear scars lubricated with grease, which are modified by the CF500 fluorinated graphite, do not suggest the formation of amorphous carbon. The CF500 fluorinated graphite can shield the tribological surface and mitigate the degradation of the PFPE base oil. The higher the fluorine content, the more prominent is the reduction in wear of the PFPE grease in both vacuum and high-temperature vacuum environments. This is primarily attributed to its higher thermal stability and adsorption capacity for PFPE oil molecules, which reduces the chain breakage and carbonization of PFPE. However, reducing the particle size does not significantly reduce wear.

In the exploration of the moon and outer space, our preliminary mission lies in the construction of lunar base. To make lunar concrete with local materials on the moon becomes the key technology to promote the construction of lunar bases. In order to further study the feasibility of using lunar in-situ resources to prepare concrete and build a lunar base, the environment and resources on the lunar surface are analyzed, and the severe challenges brought by extreme environment to concrete preparation and the prerequisites of in-situ resources are clarified. In this paper, the research progress of lunar concrete is summarized from the aspects of raw material acquisition, concrete preparation methods and performance, and the comparative analysis of cement concrete, sulfur concrete, geopolymer concrete and polymer concrete is carried out. Existing studies have shown that in the acquisition of raw materials, sulfur concrete has more advantages, cement concrete and geopolymer concrete are also feasible, but polymer, as a scarce resource on the moon, is difficult to obtain. In terms of preparation methods, cement concrete and geopolymer concrete are more suitable for the production of prefabricated components in artificial environment due to the limitation of external environment and the demand of water circulation, while the in-situ preparation methods represented by sulfur concrete and polymer concrete can be used for the connection and node reinforcement of prefabricated components on the moon. In terms of performance, the mechanical properties of the four kinds of concrete all meet the basic requirements, but the service performance in the harsh environment of the moon needs to be further studied. Meanwhile, the key location characteristics for lunar base construction in different regions are analyzed in terms of topography, environment and in-situ resources. Finally, the future exploration direction of the construction of the lunar bases is proposed.

Understanding how microbial communities adapt to environmental stresses is critical for interpreting ecological patterns and microbial diversity. In the case of the Gobi Desert, little is known on the environmental factors that explain hypolithic colonization under quartz stones. By analyzing nine hypolithic communities across an arid gradient and the effects of the season of the year in the Hexi Corridor of this desert, we found a significant decrease in hypolithic colonization rates (from 47.24 to 15.73%) with the increasing drought gradient and found two distinct communities in Hot and Cold samples, which survived or proliferated after a hot or a cold period. While Cold communities showed a greater species diversity and a predominance of Cyanobacteria, Hot communities showed a predominance of members of the Proteobacteria and the Firmicutes. In comparison, Cold communities also possessed stronger functions in the photosynthesis and carbon metabolism. Based on the findings of this study, we proposed that the hypolithic communities of the Hexi Corridor of the Gobi Desert might follow a seasonal developmental cycle in which temperature play an important role. Thus after a critical thermal threshold is crossed, heterotrophic microorganisms predominate in the hot period, while Cyanobacteria predominate in the cold period.