Working with simple chemistry suitable for an early Martian settlement, a team of researchers in Singapore has demonstrated that Martian biolith using chitosan derived from shrimp, with minimal energy requirements, could be used for rapid manufacturing of objects ranging from basic tools to rigid shelters. Ng Shiwei, Stylianos Dritsas, and Javier G. Fernandez publish their results in a paper in PLOS ONE.
Chitosan is chemically derived from chitin, the organic matrix produced by biological organisms incorporating calcium carbonate into rigid structures. Chitin would be a byproduct of food production in a closed-loop life support system on Mars.
Chitosan can form transparent objects similar in appearance and mechanical properties to plastic, which would be lacking in early stage Mars settlements. When processed with Martian regolith, the resulting Chitosan biolith produces a material with good mechanical properties and general utility for manufacturing on Mars.
