Kimurium

Introduced in YE 46, Kimurium is a Diamonoid/Metal-Matrix Composite comprised primarily of Cobalt developed by Ryu Heavy Industries. While it can be used as armor, its primary purpose to serve as a structural material where high demand for stiffness and ductility is required.

¹⁾

Kimurium was conceptualized and developed under the leadership of metallurgist Benson Kimura at Ryu Heavy Industries, a subsidiary of the expansive Ryu Keiretsu. The development of Kimurium was driven by the need for materials stronger than Osmiridium that could be used as the material for superstructure of ships and other high demand purposes. It was accidentally discovered in mid-YE 45 when an intern from Fujiko University used diamond nanoparticles and cobalt in an attempt to make jewelry to sell as a side hustle. While not nearly as strong as the final form of Kimurium, the intern was not fired due to the near perfect order of the material.

Kimurium is requires a combination of artificial gravity and nanites to perfectly blend a single continuous super adamantine super cystalline diamond into a metal-matrix composite made of Cobalt, Aluminum, Molybdenum, and Niobium [Co₃(Al,Mo,Nb)]. Ryu Keiretsu employs a form of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with elemental plasma (and artificial gravity generated pressure for the diamonoid) employed to form the precursor nanoparticles required to form Kimurium. Once formed, they are used by nanites to “grow” the composite into its final form. This is the most simple form of synthesis used. More advanced forms of synthesis such as Star Army Fabrication Chamber, Type 39 can also be used to manufacture the composite.

Kimurium has a density of 8.47 g/cm³. osmium is a possible replacement for an even stronger version of Kimurium, but it is less reactive and samples thus far have not been much more impressive than the cobalt variety.

• Armor class: Heavy (1.0 base SP)
• Designer: Ryu Keiretsu
• Original Producers: Ryu Keiretsu
• Licensed Producers: N/A
• Cost: Expensive

Kimurium exhibits a distinctive lustrous, silver metallic sheen. The surface is remarkably smooth and uniform with noticable absence of imperfections. The composite's appearance can be tailored during the production phase to meet specific aesthetic requirements without compromising its structural integrity.

Due to its nanoengineered nature, density, presence of a perfectly blended diamonoid reinforcing it, and lack of grains within the composite; kirmurium is very resistant to deformation caused by kinetic strikes. The diamonoid reinforcing kimurium also makes it resistant to melting due to energy/particle based weaponry that cause thermal damage due to distributing the heat within the material. In the presence of intense thermal activity (up to 2500 degrees Celsius), the material will slowly degrade to prevent immediate catastrophic failure.

Kimurium can be made into various degrees of transparency by varying the degree of diamonoid and arrangement of nanoparticles within the block. Stiffness and ductility is maintained, though levels of resistance against kinetic weapons maybe be affected.

Demibear created this article on 2024/05/06 10:07.

Approval Thread: https://stararmy.com/roleplay-forum/threads/drake-class-heavy-corvette.71977/