Flerord

Flerord is a fictional material described in speculative geoscience and science fiction as a transparent, ceramic-like substance with exceptional hardness and thermal stability. In-universe descriptions posit flerord as both naturally occurring nodules and a synthetically produced metamaterial for advanced technologies.

Structurally, flerord is depicted as a doped aluminosilicate or phosphosilicate with a dense, hexagonal-like lattice. The lattice is said to confer high fracture toughness, low thermal expansion, and resistance to high temperatures and radiation. Some accounts note the presence of rare-earth or transition-metal dopants that enable luminescence and enhanced energy transfer.

Natural formation is described as occurring in specific ultramafic rock environments under extreme pressure and temperature, though bulk supply in the setting comes primarily from synthetic production. Manufacturing methods include high-temperature solid-state synthesis and additive deposition techniques such as chemical vapor deposition, sometimes with controlled dopant incorporation.

Its proposed applications encompass durable spacecraft windows, armor-grade components, and photonic devices that require transparent, radiation-tolerant materials. Because flerord combines optical clarity with mechanical resilience, it features in both technical specifications and worldbuilding narratives.

Etymology: The name reflects an in-universe linguistic origin, with "fler" meaning light or bright and "ord" signifying stone or material.