Triboelectrification of dielectric material in the lunar environment

Abstract

China's lunar exploration, including Chang'e−6, aims for future manned missions and a research station. The lunar environment and human activity, such as friction between rovers, spacesuits, and lunar dust, pose serious charging hazards, potentially generating voltages in the kilovolt range. This paper investigates the frictional charging effects between materials and simulated lunar dust under vacuum, UV light, and varying temperatures. Experimental results show that Teflon can be charged to −375 V in vacuum, −200 V under UV light, and −39 V in the atmosphere. Triboelectrification at different temperatures reveals the most severe charging occurs at −50 °C, reaching −1975 V. These findings provide insights into potential charge and discharge risks for future lunar missions.