an extremely dense material composed entirely of free neutrons
In SF, neutronium is typically conceived of as a solid. Astrophysical research suggests that the condensed neutron material present in neutron stars is predominantly in a superfluid state.
We're going to project a fourth-order force out to grab us some dense material, a pretty close approach to pure neutronium.
‘Neutronium? Pure mass?…I have been under the impression that it does not exist. Of what use can such a substance be to you?’ ‘Can’t get pure neutronium, of course…couldn’t use it if we could. What we need and are going to get is a material of about two and a half millionspecific gravity.’
Ten enormous supporting forces held the lens of neutronium immovable in the exact center of the upper end; at intervals down the shaft similar forces held variously-shaped lenses and prisms formed from zones of force; in the center of the bottom or floor of the towering structure was the double controlling system, with a universal visiplate facing each operator.
Thanks to her indestructible neutronium hull, the flier was not injured.
He'd explain the disintegration field, which collapses the electrons of hydrogen so that it rises in atomic weight to helium, and the helium to lithium, while the oxygen of the water is split literally into neutronium and pure force.
In the future, scientists will be able to isolate or control the element neutronium. Neutronium, composed of collapsed atoms, would weigh sixty million tons per cubic inch.
The first cities were of neutronium, like those of today, but it was necessary to stabilize the neutrons with fields of energy; at core temperature, as you know, neutronium is a gas.
The treaty of Draconis has hung like neutronium around our neck these twenty years.
An insulator. The terminal product or by-product of all energy research—neutronium.
It negates the force that holds the electrons to the nucleus. In effect, it collapses matter into neutronium.
The rocket motor would send the Skydiver crashing into eleven miles of neutronium.
Far down the slope of the hole, halfway to infinity, a tiny mass of neutronium that had been Lilo was orbiting at almost the speed of light, releasing energy as it was stressed to the limits of matter before it finally decayed into oblivion.
McCoy…timed about half his pieces out, preparing to dump them on her like a ton of neutronium in six very visible moves.
It wouldn’t be difficult to jury-rig a device—say an antimatter payload contained within a neutronium shell.
The relativistic projectile weapons were only slightly tardier, and reports of their success followed a few seconds later; spectacular stuttering pulses as the projectiles rained home, slugs of neutronium and antimatter slamming into the world.
antedating 1930
E.E. 'Doc' Smith, "Skylark Three"
Earliest cite in the OED: 1967
Updated in September 2003 with a new earliest date of 1935.
Last modified 2021-01-08 17:19:56
In the compilation of some
entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries
in OED.