Nitrium

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Nitrium is fictional metal in the Star Trek television series. The fictional element is distinct from the real element, nitrogen.

Despite being a ubiquious metallic element in the Star Trek technology, it is only mentioned once in Star Trek: The Next Generation in the episode, "The Cost of Living" ^[1], which guest starred Majel Barrett, a regular on the original Star Trek television series and the wife of the Star Trek creator and producer, the late Gene Roddenberry

1 Source
2 Functional Properties
3 Vulnerabilities
4 External links
5 References

[edit] Source

The element is a naturally occuring metal ^[2] prevalent in asteroids. There has been no mention to the presence or absence of the substance on Earth.

[edit] Functional Properties

It is widely used in the construction of Federation starships, notably on the Galaxy-class starships. The metal is used in a variety of areas, including in the interior construction of starships ^[3], life support systems, computers, and engines. ^[4]

Nitrium is also present in dilithium chambers, the energy source for starships ^[5].

The property that contributes to the metal's usefulness is its capability to shield radiation. As a result it is used in damping field generators, power transfer conduits, and the matter/antimatter reaction chamber. ^[6] In real life, lead shielding is effective against gamma rays and x-rays due to its high atomic number. There are no sources to indicate whether or not nitrium similarly has a high atomic number.

No elemental symbol, atomic number, or atomic mass has been assigned to this element as it is fictious.

[edit] Vulnerabilities

There are parasites which consume nitrium. This threatened the USS Enterprise-D in 2368 when the parasitic infection risked the ship's integrity. ^[7]