Oxylite - How do you think it's formed?

[eggsvbacon]

Hello there,

How does everyone think Oxylite forms naturally in the environment?

[Whispershade]

Why do you assume the environment in which dupes inhabit is natural?

Also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerogel

 

 

[NurdRage]

By whatever sorcery makes wheezeworts delete heat without a thermodynamic penalty!

 

Oxylite is just a crutch since the first three cycles would be way too hard for the unknowing newb player to get through. You can literally say God (the devs) put it into the environment for the dupes.

 

If you want some real life analogue then it *might* be something like solid oxygen which evaporates cleanly leaving no residue. That would be excessively cold though. It might occur naturally in an asteroid but the rest of the asteroid would have be frigid.

Another possibility is a mixture of chlorates and iron filings that set on fire. this is called an "oxygen candle" or chemical oxygen generator and is used in some spacecraft to generate oxygen. This leaves a residue of chlorides and oxides so it's not a perfect analogue. 

It could be a potassium superoxide which spontaneously converts carbon dioxide and moisture in the air into oxygen. It has limited capacity though and also leaves a residue

Another possibility is oxygen embedded in a zeolite material. Zeolites can store gases if pressurized and cooled. The effect is nowhere near as good as the above mentioned substances though. But it has the advantage in that it can be engineered to be pressure sensitive. So it'll maintain an atmosphere rather than over pressurize it. 

The in-game chemical "Ir3O2" doesn't exist in real life. It's closest analogue is is iridium (III) oxide in real life which has the formula Ir2O3. It doesn't emit oxygen though.