Fictional chemical substance

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A fictional chemical substance is a chemical element, isotope, compound or mineral that exists only in works of fiction (usually fantasy or science fiction). It should be noted that no actual periodic elements end in '-ite', though many minerals have names with this suffix. Some of the materials listed below may indeed be minerals, alloys, or other such combinations instead of being pure elements, but fictional works are often vague on such distinctions. Grouping is done by what seems most likely. This page was originally several different pages, the largest being fictional elements, which were merged together and moved when the boundries between them began to blur.

Fictional elements

Name Source Description Uses
Adamantium Marvel Comics, Samurai Jack, some fantasy role-playing games The strongest metal known in the universe of Marvel Comics. Once cast, it cannot be bent, blunted, or broken. Weapons, notably Wolverine's claws and various robots.
Balthorium Dr. Strangelove Unknown An isotope, Balthorium G, has a radioactive halflife of 93 years. It is used in a doomsday machine which will release it into the atmosphere if triggered. Not related to real-life thorium.
Cavorite H. G. Wells' The First Men in the Moon; also used in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Cavorite is impervious to gravity, and can shield other material from its effects Used to shield a craft from Earth's pull, it allows easy flight.
Dilithium Star Trek A reddish-orange crystal that is unreactive with both matter and antimatter Used in the matter/antimatter reactors of Federation starships, a key system of faster-than-light warp drives. The related element (isotope?) Trilithium has various uses as a weapon.
Kryptonite DC Comics Usually a green crystal, sometimes other colours. Most Kryptonite was created during the destruction of Superman's home planet Krypton, exposure to it is highly detrimental to Kryptonians (prolonged exposure can also harm Earth-humans). Can be used as a power source or ornament, but is more frequently used as a weapon against Kryptonians.
Mithril Middle-earth A light, silvery metal that is as strong as steel, but very light and easy to work. While mithril has properties similar to those of titanium or aluminium alloy, the fact that it was mined in native form in Moria suggests it has no direct real-world analogue. Used for making superb chain-mail armour and other primitive means of protection.
Octiron Discworld A dense black metal that is a large part of the Discworld's crust. It is highly magical with a melting point above the range of metal forges. Few uses. The gates of Unseen University are made out of it, which is rather ruined by the fact that most people go 'round the back. At one point a wizard made a staff out of it, although the fact that he was borderline sane raises questions.
Tiberium Command and Conquer Highly valuable crystal in the Command and Conquer series, Usually green, sometimes blue. Extremely toxic and mutagenic to terrestrial life-forms. Tiberium is used as a resource for mining.
Unknown Element from The Colour out of Space H. P. Lovecraft's horror tale The Colour out of Space First identified in a meteorite that lands in a farmer's field, it has a distinctive, unnatural colour not found in nature. Highly toxic and somewhat mutagenic. None.
Unobtainium The Core, many thought experiments This is an informal name for an improbably strong material found in works of science fiction, only used explicitly in The Core. Unobtainium possesses properties that are unlikely or impossible for any real material to possess and is hence unobtainable. Typically used to fill a plot hole, allowing characters to do things that may not be physically possible even in principle.

Name	Source	Description	Uses
Adamantium	Marvel Comics, Samurai Jack, some fantasy role-playing games	The strongest metal known in the universe of Marvel Comics. Once cast, it cannot be bent, blunted, or broken.	Weapons, notably Wolverine's claws and various robots.
Balthorium	Dr. Strangelove	Unknown	An isotope, Balthorium G, has a radioactive halflife of 93 years. It is used in a doomsday machine which will release it into the atmosphere if triggered. Not related to real-life thorium.
Cavorite	H. G. Wells' The First Men in the Moon; also used in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen	Cavorite is impervious to gravity, and can shield other material from its effects	Used to shield a craft from Earth's pull, it allows easy flight.
Dilithium	Star Trek	A reddish-orange crystal that is unreactive with both matter and antimatter	Used in the matter/antimatter reactors of Federation starships, a key system of faster-than-light warp drives. The related element (isotope?) Trilithium has various uses as a weapon.
Kryptonite	DC Comics	Usually a green crystal, sometimes other colours. Most Kryptonite was created during the destruction of Superman's home planet Krypton, exposure to it is highly detrimental to Kryptonians (prolonged exposure can also harm Earth-humans).	Can be used as a power source or ornament, but is more frequently used as a weapon against Kryptonians.
Mithril	Middle-earth	A light, silvery metal that is as strong as steel, but very light and easy to work. While mithril has properties similar to those of titanium or aluminium alloy, the fact that it was mined in native form in Moria suggests it has no direct real-world analogue.	Used for making superb chain-mail armour and other primitive means of protection.
Octiron	Discworld	A dense black metal that is a large part of the Discworld's crust. It is highly magical with a melting point above the range of metal forges.	Few uses. The gates of Unseen University are made out of it, which is rather ruined by the fact that most people go 'round the back. At one point a wizard made a staff out of it, although the fact that he was borderline sane raises questions.
Tiberium	Command and Conquer	Highly valuable crystal in the Command and Conquer series, Usually green, sometimes blue. Extremely toxic and mutagenic to terrestrial life-forms.	Tiberium is used as a resource for mining.
Unknown Element from The Colour out of Space	H. P. Lovecraft's horror tale The Colour out of Space	First identified in a meteorite that lands in a farmer's field, it has a distinctive, unnatural colour not found in nature. Highly toxic and somewhat mutagenic.	None.
Unobtainium	The Core, many thought experiments	This is an informal name for an improbably strong material found in works of science fiction, only used explicitly in The Core. Unobtainium possesses properties that are unlikely or impossible for any real material to possess and is hence unobtainable.	Typically used to fill a plot hole, allowing characters to do things that may not be physically possible even in principle.

Fictional isotopes

Name Isotope of Source Description Uses
Quadium Hydrogen The Mouse that Roared Unknown, presumably clear, like normal hydrogen. Common hydrogen has one proton, one electron, and no neutrons. Deuterium and Tritium have, respecitively, one and two neutrons per atom, and are used for hydrogen bombs. Quadium, following logic, must have four neutrons, and is, in the story, capable of blasting an entire continent off the face of the Earth.

Name	Isotope of	Source	Description	Uses
Quadium	Hydrogen	The Mouse that Roared	Unknown, presumably clear, like normal hydrogen.	Common hydrogen has one proton, one electron, and no neutrons. Deuterium and Tritium have, respecitively, one and two neutrons per atom, and are used for hydrogen bombs. Quadium, following logic, must have four neutrons, and is, in the story, capable of blasting an entire continent off the face of the Earth.

Real elements given fictional properties

Name Source Uses
Iron Discworld, The Boggart, et cetera. Is completely and totally immune to magic, in much the same way as lead is resistant to radiation.
Ununpentium (a.k.a. Elerium-115) Urban myths, UFO conspiracy theory culture, Dark Reign, The Core This material, as-yet unsynthesized in laboratories but given a slot on the periodic table, has all sorts of lore around it, as a Google search reveals

Name	Source	Uses
Iron	Discworld, The Boggart, et cetera.	Is completely and totally immune to magic, in much the same way as lead is resistant to radiation.
Ununpentium (a.k.a. Elerium-115)	Urban myths, UFO conspiracy theory culture, Dark Reign, The Core	This material, as-yet unsynthesized in laboratories but given a slot on the periodic table, has all sorts of lore around it, as a Google search reveals

Fictional compounds & alloys

Name Source Uses
Darksteel A type of metal that is, for all intents and purposes, indestructible. Used in various robots, machines, artifacts, and equipment.
Ice Nine Cat's Cradle Has a melting point of 114 degrees Fahrenheit, and turns all water it comes into contact with into Ice Nine. Not related to the real-world ice-IX.
Plasteel The Dune books Hard yet moldable; used frequently as armor.
Transparent Aluminum Star Trek Building material.

Name	Source	Uses
Darksteel		A type of metal that is, for all intents and purposes, indestructible. Used in various robots, machines, artifacts, and equipment.
Ice Nine	Cat's Cradle	Has a melting point of 114 degrees Fahrenheit, and turns all water it comes into contact with into Ice Nine. Not related to the real-world ice-IX.
Plasteel	The Dune books	Hard yet moldable; used frequently as armor.
Transparent Aluminum	Star Trek	Building material.

To be added

Elements:

Jumbonium from Futurama, each atom of this element is large enough to be easily visible to the naked eye, with marble-sized nucleons and electrons.
Narrativium from
Phosilite from Tintin, (After spelling is checked)

Minerals, compounds and alloys:

adamant, a stone of impenetrable hardness.
arenak, dagal, inoson, conceived by E. E. Smith for ship armor in the Skylark of Space series
biphase carbide, conceived by Steve Jackson as fighting vehicle armor in the Ogre game
Blackrock, a magical stone from the Ultima CRPG series
Duranium, Tritanium, construction materials in the Star Trek universe
dureum, conceived by E. E. Smith in the Lensman series
herculite, conceived by Theodore Sturgeon for the windows of Seaview
Latinum, the unit of currency in Star Trek
Naquadria
Naquida
Nth Metal (or Ninth Metal), the alien anti-gravity substance that allows DC Comics' Hawkman to fly.
scrith, conceived by Larry Niven for the base structure of the Ringworld
Vibranium, a sound-absorbing metal in the Marvel Universe
Voidstone, a material from the Negative Energy Plane in Dungeons and Dragons

See also: Archive of fictional things