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Materials
Topic Started: May 21 2008, 12:06 AM (266 Views)
Link the First
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These are some of the materials many advanced nations are heavily dependent on.

Durasteel: Possibly the most common industrial building material, durasteel is a strong metal alloy with similar properties to more conventional steel. However, it is somewhat lighter and far stronger. The material has found extremely widespread use throughout the galaxy for industrial purposes, from starship hulls to body armor. Durasteel can be made in a wide quality range, with higher quality metal containing less iron than lower quality versions, though these are also more expensive. Low iron durasteel is critical around massive electromagnets, a common component in starship hulls. All versions are very conductive and have a respectable specific heat capacity.

Transparisteel: A derivative of durasteel, transparisteel has similar properties with the obvious difference that it is fully transparent. The metal becomes slightly weaker in the process, but not by much. The fact that it is far stronger than more conventional alternatives, such as glass or plexiglass, has permitted the inner and outer hulls of some civilian ships to be made entirely of this metal. Other properties are practically identical to those of durasteel.

Trinium: Similar to durasteel, trinium is a multi-purpose, lightweight metal alloy which can be found in natural deposits but is very difficult to manufacture. Trinium is significantly stronger than durasteel and much lighter, however it is also very rare. Trinium also has the unique ability to easily combine with a variety of metals, often incorporating several key traits, such as a higher heat capacity or even greater strength. Basic trinium is an excellent conductor and has a moderate heat capacity.

Cortosis: Cortosis is a rare metal with very unique conductive properties. The unrefined, natural ore is typically highly charged; touching it will almost certainly result in nearly instant death by electrocution for most humanoid species. This can also cause the ore sample to lose its charge, though doing so in this manner will cause it to rapidly degrade and become useless as a metal. Once refined, cortosis has very unique conductive properties which allows it to withstand nearly any heat-based attack, including that of many varieties of plasma swords, such as lightsabers. This makes it ideal in the construction of the cheaper bladed weapons and guards designed to block lightsaber strikes. As a metal, however, it is relatively weak. Its unique conductive properties will remain even when combined with certain other metals, however, including trinium. Refined cortosis is also extremely difficult to work with; typically the object is constructed before the procedure takes place, though this also increases the cost of anything incorporating this material. Most synthesizer technology can not use it.

Adamantium: An incredibly strong alloy incorporating several extremely rare alloys, adamantium is one of the most expensive and durable materials in the known universe. Incredibly difficult to manufacture, adamantium is typically not actually stored, being formed on the spot by combining two distinct alloys in their liquid forms in the shape of whatever is being constructed. After combination there is no economically viable method for recycling adamantium due to its insane strength and heat capacity. It is extremely rigid once set, more so than most steel derivatives, and is far too rare for wide-spread commercial application by any faction.

Ferroconcrete: Derived from common concrete, this version reacts with water to form into a material with a strength comparable to that of a metal alloy. It is very strong but also heavier than most alloys and is commonly used to construct planetary buildings. Its relatively low strength to weight ratio prohibits its use in anything that flies, though this is obviously not an issue in buildings. More expensive varieties incorporate very little iron while cheaper versions incorporate enough to affect magnets. Compression strength is very high, though it is moderately brittle.

Naquadah: A superheavy, unstable element, naquadah is ideal for advanced fission reactors. Its properties are similar to those of uranium and plutonium, and a self-sustaining fission reaction can be easily generated in a sample of the element. This reaction is relatively easy to control, resulting in approximately ten percent of its total mass being converted into energy, making its energy output more than fourteen times that of deuterium fusion. However, if the reaction is not controlled it will often result in a massive nuclear explosion, releasing a large amount of radioactive particles as well. Naquadah's high energy output relative to other nuclear reactors as well as the reduced need for supporting hardware allow it to be used as a portable power supply. It is also useful as a weapon, again requiring relatively little supporting hardware. In either case, the heaviest component needed (aside from the naquadah core itself) is usually the radiation shielding. A naquadah-based nuclear explosion can trigger secondary explosions if more naquadah is present, though most other explosive types will not do this. Stable isotopes of naquadah do exist which are sometimes used to supplement armor plating in military vehicles.
Edited by Link the First, May 21 2008, 12:30 PM.
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