Neonlys

Neonlys are a fictional class of crystalline materials described in speculative chemistry and science fiction in which neon atoms are arranged within a solid lattice to form neon-rich solids. The term blends neon with a plural-sounding suffix to denote multiple possible materials and is not used in established chemical practice.

Proposed structure and properties: In these imaginings, neon atoms occupy regular lattice sites, bound by weak van der Waals interactions or unconventional bonding stabilized at extreme pressures and cryogenic temperatures. Because neon is chemically inert, neonlys would be expected to show minimal chemical reactivity, very low electrical conductivity, and high optical transparency. Some depictions also assign luminescent or scintillating behavior when excited by radiation, drawing on neon’s glow in gas discharge, though such effects are speculative for a solid state.

Synthesis and detection (hypothetical): No experimental neonlys are known. Formation would theoretically require extreme pressures, potentially in the gigapascal range, and low temperatures. Researchers in high-pressure physics might explore neon-containing lattices using diamond-anvil cell experiments and computational modeling. Detection would rely on X-ray diffraction to reveal crystal structure and spectroscopic methods to probe electronic and optical responses.

Context and reception: Neonlys function as a narrative and theoretical tool to explore ideas about noble-gas chemistry, crystallography, and the behavior of matter under extreme conditions. They are not recognized as real materials in established chemistry or physics, but they illustrate how high-pressure environments might yield unexpected solid phases.

See also: Neon, noble gases, high-pressure physics, crystal lattice, solid-state chemistry.