Hemhaarhenze

Hemhaarhenze is a fictional material described in speculative science and worldbuilding literature. It is depicted as a biohybrid polymer that combines heme-like iron-porphyrin centers with fibrous, hair-like polymer chains to create a tough fiber with unique light-absorbing and conductive properties.

The name signals a portmanteau of heme, hair, and a fictional suffix, and it is not recognized by real-world scientific authorities.

In the fictional model, the core consists of a porphyrin ring coordinating an iron ion, covalently bonded to keratin-like chains. The resulting network yields high tensile strength, anisotropic electrical conductivity when doped, and a color that can range from deep red to bronze.

Synthesis is described as a laboratory-scale biofabrication process that combines enzymatic porphyrin assembly with fiber-spinning in bioreactors. In the narrative, engineered microbes or cell-free systems produce the porphyrin-keratin conjugates, which are then spun into fibers. There is no natural occurrence in reality.

Proposed applications include durable smart textiles, photovoltaic-inspired light harvesting, and radiation shielding for aerospace or medical devices. Debates in fictional settings address biocompatibility, ecological impact, and the governance of synthetic biohybrid materials.

Related concepts include porphyrins, keratin-based materials, and other biohybrid polymers.