L3-GEN-DNA-ENCAP
CRITICAL
PRESERVATION
Level 3 · hardware
DNA Silica Encapsulation
Silica Nanosphere DNA Encapsulation and Stabilization
Silica encapsulation of DNA for maximum long-term stability at any temperature
Purpose
Silica encapsulation of DNA for maximum long-term stability at any temperature
Context
Child of L2-GEN-DNA
Principles
- ▸Silica glass encapsulation protects DNA from hydrolysis and oxidation
- ▸DNA adsorbed onto silica nanospheres then coated with additional silica layers
- ▸Encapsulated DNA stable for >2000 years at 9.4C (extrapolated), millennia at -196C
- ▸Decapsulation by fluoride etching releases intact DNA for sequencing or use
Typical implementations
- ▸ETH Zurich (Robert Grass group) silica-encapsulated DNA technology
- ▸Arch Mission Foundation Lunar Library DNA preservation
- ▸Imagene DNAgard DNA stabilization technology
Lunar considerations
- ▸Silica-encapsulated DNA may be the most durable form of genetic information
- ▸Encapsulation process must be completed on Earth pre-launch
- ▸Reading encapsulated DNA requires specific decapsulation chemistry (HF etching)
Specifications
Functional
| primary function | Silica encapsulation of DNA for maximum long-term stability at any temperature |
Physical
| materials | Silica nanospheres, TEOS (tetraethyl orthosilicate), Ammonium fluoride decapsulation reagent |
Interfaces
Provides
- Silica-encapsulated DNA for long-term storage
Requires
- Purified DNA for encapsulation processing
Cite this entry
Lunar Ark Codex. "DNA Silica Encapsulation" (L3-GEN-DNA-ENCAP). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://lunarark.com/entry/L3-GEN-DNA-ENCAP
Licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0. You may reuse and adapt this entry with attribution, under the same licence.