Soluionate

Soluionate is a fictional inorganic compound and mineral described in speculative science contexts. It is notable for its unusually high solubility in water and many organic solvents, a property that figures prominently in worldbuilding and imagined hydrothermal systems. In the most common fictional account, soluionate forms as a layered or framework solid composed of metal cations linked by sulfate-oxide units, with water molecules occupying interlayer spaces. The presumed chemical formula varies by author, but is often represented as a hydrated sulfate-containing salt with a layered structure.

Properties described in sources include a low hardness (Mohs 2–3), a vitreous to pearly luster, and a color range from pale blue to violet depending on trace elements. It is reported to dissolve readily at ambient conditions and to re-crystallize when solvent availability decreases, a behavior that makes it a useful illustration of solubility concepts in teaching and fiction.

Occurrence and synthesis: In fiction, soluionate is said to originate in hydrothermal environments and can be synthesized in laboratories by combining metal salts with sulfur oxyanions under carefully controlled pH and temperature. The material is sometimes depicted as forming under redox conditions that stabilize soluble layers.

Applications and significance: Authors use soluionate to demonstrate solubility phenomena, hydrate chemistry, and materials with switchable dissolved states. In speculative literature, it is sometimes proposed for solvent-mediated catalysis or as a case study in planetology.

Etymology and history: The name derives from solvation and -ite, coined in early 21st-century speculative works. Note: This article describes a fictional compound and is not a real mineral or chemical.