Duranium
Duranium is a new type of metal that was found once Corneria had the
technology to actually explore other planets. It was first found in the
asteroid belt that seperates Corneria from the Lylatian core by Duran
Metallurgy, Inc., one of the companies that had begun to mine the
planetoids for iron and titanium. In its raw form, duranium is very
similar to raw iron; it is approximately the same hardness, is magnetic
and conducts electricity (although it does not react to form oxides).
It has a very high melting point and is a solid at room temperature.
Refining duranium is very difficult and costly, as it requires the use
of free electron lasers in order to produce the necessary heat.
Refined duranium is considered a wonder metal. It is lighter than steel
and stronger than titanium. It is electrically conductive but is
non-magnetic and non-ferrous. Once it has been refined, it becomes
extremely resistant to heat, remaining very solid up to 9,000 degrees
Celsius and actually melting at 10,984.3 degrees Celsius. It can be
alloyed and often is. When mixed with iron and carbon, the resulting
"durasteel" becomes the perfect armor plating. While depleted uranium
is actually better, that metal is both extremely heavy and very
radioactive, so the more expensive durasteel is prefered for outer and
inner plating, often with layers of lead and a thin DU sheet in
between. When duranium is properly mixed with silica, a material
commonly called "glasteel" is produced. Glasteel is naturally
transparent like glass but has a hardness closer to cast iron without
being brittle, and will crack and break instead of shattering. It is
used in starships and military vehicles for this reason.
This information was not written by JWolfman.