Bolonium - Fictional Allotropes and Polymorphisms

Fictional Allotropes and Polymorphisms

Name Source Uses
Allotropic Iron Lensman series A fictional allotrope of iron, extremely dense and liquid at room temperature, used as a power source by the Nevians and (briefly) Terrans before being superseded by uranium.
Ekti Kevin J. Anderson in his novel Saga of Seven Suns A fictional allotrope of hydrogen which is used to power the Ildiran stardrive, the only feasible method of interstellar travel at the start of the series.
Ice-nine Kurt Vonnegut in his novel Cat's Cradle It is described as a more stable polymorph of water than common ice (Ice Ih) which instead of melting when above 0° Celsius (32° Fahrenheit), melts only when the temperature is 45.8°C (114.4°F). Therefore it will be frozen at room temperature. When ice-nine comes into contact with liquid water below 45.8°C, it acts as a crystal "seed", and causes the solidification (freezing) of the entire body of water as crystalline ice-nine.

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