A team of researchers has achieved a remarkable feat by developing a catalyst using materials found on Mars. The need to produce oxygen on Mars is essential for human survival, and a catalyst is a primary requirement for this process. Transporting large equipment to Mars is costly and time-consuming, so manufacturing necessary devices on Mars using available materials is the best solution.
A Chinese research team from Hefei has successfully created a catalyst under laboratory conditions using artificial intelligence (AI). This AI was specially trained for the task and performed all necessary steps with minimal human involvement. It developed a catalyst formula, pre-treated the ore, synthesized the catalyst, and tested it after completion.
The researchers estimate that the automated process saved over 2,000 years of human labor. This figure is based on the extraordinary results of their tests. Initially, the team developed an AI chemist robot capable of performing these tasks. This robot was based on previous AI chemists with limited abilities to read synthetic chemistry literature and assess the effectiveness of various chemical compounds for different tasks. Once the model was created, it was fed with additional data.
The researchers selected five different rocks from the Martian surface, estimating about 3.8 million possible combinations of elements present in these rocks. The AI was tasked with choosing the best combination, supported by 30,000 theoretical datasets and results from 243 experiments. The outcome was a “polymetallic” material composed of manganese, iron, nickel, magnesium, aluminum, and calcium.
The AI then created a prototype of the catalyst using a robotic arm to handle physical samples of meteorites dissolved in hydrochloric acid. The synthesis involved extreme procedures like centrifuging samples at 7,500 g for five minutes to separate the required materials. The resulting material was then dried.
Once part of the material was synthesized, the research team conducted the reduction process under Mars-like conditions. The material demonstrated excellent performance similar to existing catalysts. The most astonishing aspect of this process is that it was carried out with almost no human involvement, showcasing the effectiveness of AI today.
Whether the developed catalyst will be used in the future remains to be seen. However, the proof that AI can solve complex technical challenges and even exhibit inventiveness is impressive enough.