In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers from the Chinese mainland have identified natural few-layer graphene in lunar soil samples returned by the Chang'e-5 mission. Published in the National Science Review, the study was a collaborative effort among Jilin University, the Institute of Metal Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China's deep space exploration laboratory, and the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space Administration.
This finding offers fresh insights into the Moon's geological activities and evolutionary history, enhancing our understanding of its complex mineral composition. The presence of few-layer graphene and graphite carbon suggests that these materials may have formed through a mineral catalysis process influenced by solar wind and early volcanic eruptions on the Moon.
Moreover, the discovery paves the way for the in-situ utilization of lunar resources, providing crucial information and clues that could benefit future lunar exploration and settlement efforts.
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Chinese researchers discover first natural few-layer graphene on moon
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