Hydrydy

Hydrydy is a term used in speculative chemistry and science fiction to describe a proposed class of hydrogen-rich compounds or clusters. In this usage, hydrydy materials are imagined to contain large amounts of hydrogen within a host lattice or as part of covalently bonded networks, yielding high hydrogen storage density and potential novel physical properties. The concept is theoretical, and no material called hydrydy has been confirmed in experiments to date.

The word is sometimes treated as a generic name for hydrogen-dominated species, derived from hydrogen and a suffix used in fictional chemistry lexicons. In theoretical discussions, hydrydy encompasses both discrete molecules with high hydrogen-to-host ratios and extended hydrydy networks where hydrogen forms a dominant framework.

Two broad forms are commonly described: (1) discrete hydrydy molecules with elevated H content, and (2) extended hydrydy lattices in which hydrogen participates in a network alongside a metallic or covalent framework. Predicted properties include high hydrogen storage capacity and, under extreme pressure, possible changes in electronic structure, including metallic or superconducting tendencies in some models. Stabilization mechanisms proposed in speculative work include pressure-induced bonding, orbital hybridization, and templating by guest atoms.

As a real-world term, hydrydy remains unproven; researchers often place it within the broader context of polyhydrides and metal hydrides when discussing hydrogen-rich materials. In fiction, hydrydy are depicted as energy carriers or exotic materials enabling advanced technologies.

See also: hydrogen storage, metal hydrides, polyhydrides.