Radioksi

Radioksi is a term used in speculative science to denote a hypothetical class of oxide-based compounds that form transiently under exposure to ionizing radiation. In theoretical discussions, radioksi species are imagined as highly reactive intermediates produced during radiolysis of metal oxides or oxide-containing liquids. The name combines the roots for radiation and oxide chemistry.

They are described as short-lived, with redox-active centers, capable of initiating secondary oxidative or reductive processes. In some models, radioksi would exhibit distinct spectroscopic signatures, including transient absorption bands in the ultraviolet-visible range, and could emit light upon relaxation (luminescence).

Predicted formation pathways include irradiation of oxide lattices, radiolytic decomposition of hydrated oxides, or electron beam-induced transitions in oxide films. Detection would rely on time-resolved spectroscopy, EPR, and mass spectrometry of radiolysis products, though no unambiguous experimental observation has yet been reported in peer-reviewed literature.

As a hypothetical construct, radioksi serves as a convenient model for studying fast oxidation dynamics under radiation. If realized, radioksi could influence understanding of material degradation in nuclear reactors, space electronics, or radiopharmaceuticals, and might inform dosimetry or radiation detectors.

Radioksi remains speculative; some researchers view it as a useful fiction for constructive theory, while others caution about overinterpreting limited data.

See also: radiolysis, oxide, radiation chemistry.

References: none.