Phoron
| Property | value | units |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 162 | (-) |
| Molar Mass | 405 | g/mol |
| Heat Capacity | 200 | j/(molK) |
| Reactivity | Acts as a reducing agent | - |
| Solubility | Miscible with strong acids | |
| Colour | Purple |
The miracle material that had changed the course of human (and others') history with its discovery in their respective histories. Humanity in particular had discovered phoron within the Oort cloud at the turn of the 22nd century, transforming the fledgling system-restricted species into the incredible diaspora of increasingly varied factions by enabling travel at speeds faster than light.
Phoron, by all intents and purposes of 21st century physics, should not exist. It is an elemental particle composed of 162 protons - but rather than neutrons, some of its neutral sub-atomic particles are inexplicably replaced by the once-theoretical Alden-Sarasprova particles, thus offering a convenient means of obtaining them without expensive and dangerous particle accelerators.
Known Applications
Beyond its irreplaceable role in enabling Faster Than Light travel through Stutter Drives and Bluespace Gates, communication through Bluespace Ansibles, Phoron offers unique chemical properties enabling a variety of other uses.
Phoron as a coolant
With a heat capacity of 200 J/(mol*K) and a molar mass of 0.405 kg/mol, phoron is the experienced Engineer's choice for absorbing an immense amount of heat with a minimal change in temperature. Although more dangerous if mismanaged than Nitrogen or Carbon Dioxide cooling, it conversely can absorb operator error the safer gases could not. Of course, this only works if properly restricted to piping.
Phoron as a combustion fuel
While the exact chemical reaction for the combustion of phoron remains a trade secret, it finds itself producing carbon dioxide and oxygen without any hint of the heavier element nor detectable radiation. While some might consider this a waste of precious FTL fuel and pharmaceutical precursor, phoron-based combustion engines both portable and stationary make for a reliable way to produce power in a pinch.
Phoron as an explosive
Owing to its excellence within combustion engines, proper manipulation of oxygen and phoron in Tank-Transfer Devices to produce a clean burn can be used to create incredibly devastating low-mass explosives. Dirty burning variants, leaking hot phoron into the atmosphere of ecologically vulnerable habitats has been banned as a violation of Admiralty Law.
Phoron as a Medical Precursor
Vey-med and NanoTrasen alike keep a strict control of scientific information pertaining to the structure, synthesis and metabolites of phoron-derived medicine leaving them as essentially miracle drugs for even the companies' lower researchers.
Despite this secrecy, their potency is hard to argue against - indeed, rapid growth of biological tissue from minimal biological samples to enable first flash cloning, and later Resleeving has saved numerous lives either in form of organ transplants, or a brand new body. Furthermore, the toxic gas's affinity for oxygen has almost ironically made it an excellent intravenous drug to aid with chronic hypoxia induced by either lack of adequate haemoglobin or even the complete lack of functioning lungs. Beyond these life-saving treatments, phoron sees use in a number of cosmetic medical interventions to reconstruct scar tissue or even treat gender dysphoria.
Phoron as a catalyst
Even without activating (and thus expending) the Alden-Sarasprova particles contained within, incorporation of phoron into bluespace warping technologies has helped well-funded projects and wealthy individuals to solve common issues with limited space. Within manufacturing, this local alteration of the fabric of space-time can help otherwise impossible chemical reactions to finally occur. Some have argued this very capability might contribute to disorders such as Space Sleep Disorder and the severe burns exposure brings despite the lack of combustion.
Phoron as a power source
Phoron is an integral part of all NanoTrasen-employed experimental power generators, from the Tesla's Ball Generator to the fabled Supermatter itself!
Supermatter
Despite best efforts to keep the exact nature of Supermatter a trade secret - as all trade secrets eventually do when not properly protected by patents - it ended up leaking. Thankfully for NanoTrasen, even if competitors know how to make supermatter - it is quite unlikely they will have the resources necessary to achieve the appropriate transmutations at a competitive scale.
It is said that supermatter starts with phoron in an incredibly proton-rich, solvated environment exposed to intense ionizing radiation while cooled to near absolute zero to stop particle motion - and at this critical point, brought to a metastable crystalline state by intense exposure of UV-Vis light. This crystal is then further refined at solar-atmospheric conditions while coated in raw phoron to produce supermatter.
Many who have tried to bypass NanoTrasen's monopoly had ran into material difficulties from the company refusing to supply them with the sufficient quantities, to horrific workplace incidents from failure to contain the solar conditions.
Material Safety
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