Resource molecule

This page is mainly about identifying and listing potential feedstock molecules / compound / materials for future gem-gum factories.

Resource molecule cartridges

Inside a macroscopic resource cartridge instead of an open liquid solution the solution inside could be micropackaged into locked together micro-capsules behaving like a solid.
This would change their risk profile regarding the expectable likelihood of and expectable damage level caused by eventual spills.

Microcapsules would also be a natural way to transport these resources via a global microcomponent redistribution system that is primarily meant for the recycling of microcomponents.

Resource molecule processing

The processing steps for resource molecules (aka moieties) in gem-gum factories are as follows:

• Decreasing impurities to for all practical purposes zero via a sequence of molecular sorting pumps.
• Final full positional constraint into a steric chamber that is fitting just this one resource molecule. That is: transfer into machine phase.
• Transfer into the internal PPV environment. The resource Molecule must stay in now half open chamber. Stay into the pocket.
• Transfer onto a reusable empty tooltip such that it is covalently bond.
• Removal of passivating hydrogen atoms.
• Transfer from the tooltip to the workpiece (a crystolecule under construction).

Special cases

• Acetylene – of particular interest due to it's already unsaturated bonds and it's low hydrogen content.
• Methane – a bit much hydrogen. This will mostly be burned to water.
• Ethanol – big molecule – lots of disassembly needed.
• Carbon Disulfide CS₂ – not environment friendly – water free solvent

Volatile elements right from the air

• Carbon dioxide CO₂ – as a source for carbon (energy devoid)
• Nitrogen N₂ – (energy devoid)
• Oxygen O₂
• Water H₂O – as source for hydrogen (energy devoid) – Related: Mechanosynthetic water splitting
• Argon – not really a building material but super abundant useful for stabilizing structures by pressurization.

Mundane nontoxic salts

• Salts of carbonic acid
• Salts of nitric acid

---

• Salts of silicic acid – silicates don't like to be in solution - only with sodium or potassium this works halfway decent (sodium and potassium salts don't like to be unsoluble)
• Salts of phosphoric acid – phosporic acid is quite mundane (is uses in food) – many other phosphor compounds can be quite toxic
• Salts of sulphuric acid – mundane

---

• Table Salt NaCl

The alkali elements in there (Na,K) that are just added to keep the solution PH neutral (not acidic) are less useful for structural materials. They do not like to form strong directed covalent bonds as they are needed in strong structural high performance materials. So they may remain largely unused. Remnant lye (NaOH, KOH) can be neutralized with actively collected atmospheric CO2.

A good place to look for resource molecules for various elements that
are as nontoxic as possible may be dietary supplements [1] for trace elements [2].

More toxic salts

• Salts of boric acid
• Sodium aluminates – There is no aluminic acid – just as slilicon aluminium also hates to go into solution

Other mundane small molecules that could serve as resource carrieres

• Urea – highly inert and nontoxic nitrogen carrier
• Dimethyl sulfide – sulfur carrier – strong smell (smell of the sea in low doses)

Basic resource molecules (older notes too integrate above)

For mechanosynthesis of diamond ethyne C₂H₂ methane CH₄ and traces of digermane Ge₂H₆ can be used. This has been toroughly analyzed.

Further molecules of prime interest are carbon dioxide CO₂ water H₂O and nitrogen gas N₂. The capability of handling those allows for tapping the air as a resource for products that (almost) exclusively contain diamondoid molecular elements out of hydrogen carbon oxygen and nitrogen (HCON).

From the metals Aluminum and Titanium would be of interest.

Potential resource molecules grouped by the element they supply

They should preferentially be non or at least low toxic and easy to handle.

• for boron: B₂H₆ diborane is toxic and reacts with water to
  B(OH)₃ boric acid which is pretty harmless and thus a better resource
• for fluorine: SF₆ sulfur hexafluoride very heavy pretty inert gas, soluble in ethanol
  the sulfur can be used or disposed as diluted sulfuric acid
• for aluminum: ?
• for silicon: silicic acid self polymerizes and is thus not suitable
  SiH₄ [3] seems better but it's quite toxic, higher silans tend to be explosive
• for chlorine: ammonium chloride (salmiak) - or diluted hydrochloric acid - dissolved table salt NaCl if theres use for sodium

Sources for silicon

The problem with silicon is that it's compounds usually do not like to go into solution.
Sodium Na and potassium K make the most soluble salts with any kind of anions.
The Na and K salts of silicic acid are called waterglass (sodium silicate and potassium silicate), but
even these are only halfway decently water soluble.
If concentrations get to high some polymerization is starting. Making it a sticky goo at macroscale and a tangle at the nanoscale.
High temperatures and low concentrations (reducing packing density) can prevent undesired polymerization.

Waterglass salts are non-toxic but slightly caustic.
Not a problem environmentally.

There are organosilicon compounds where silicon bonds are passivated with metyl groups or bigger organic molecules.
These are less prone to polymerization but these are also usually less nontoxic.

Sources for phosphorus

• for phosphorus: PH₃ phosphine seems too toxic
  H₃O₄P phosphoric acid seems good
• ammonium phosphate compounds - (wikipedia)

Organophosphorus compounds are often highly toxic.

Sources for sulfur

Good information resource for sulfur compounds: wikipedia

of main interest

• ammonium sulfate (NH₄)₂SO₄ (wikipedia) - pro: waste nitrogen can go to atmosphere, massively available - con: explosive in dry form
• methylsulfonylmethane C₂H₆O₂S- (wikipedia) - pro: non toxic - con: carries carbon too
• sulfuric acid H₂SO₄ (wikipedia) - pro: massively available - con: acidity

maybe interesting

• diallyl trisulfide C6H10S3 (wikipedia) - main component of garlic oil - con: carries lots of carbon and hydrogen
• syn-Propanethial-S-oxide C3H6OS (wikipedia) - irritant expelled by cut onions
• dimethyl trisulfide C2H6S3 (wikipedia)
• carbon disulfide CS₂ (wikipedia) - soluble in ethanol - pro: massively available - con: toxic
• carbonyl sulfide (wikipedia) - con: toxic, carries less sulfur than carbon disulfide
• hydrogen sulfide H2S, sulfur dioxide SO2, sulfur trioxide SO3 - all too dangerous and toxic
• thioacetic acid C2H4OS (wikipedia)
• methanesulfonic acid CH3SO3H (wikipedia), (wikipedia)

Notes

If the non metal element in question is poisonous or unstable with the bonds just capped with hydrogen the oxygen acids of the element may be a better choice. To reduce acidity but not introduce metal cations that would in many cases remain as waste the ammonium cation (wikipedia) can be used.

Silicon is troublesome since most of its compound tend to polymerize instead of staying as separate molecules.

Related

• Oddball compounds
• Molecule fragment

---

• Mechanosynthetic resource molecule splitting
• Mechanosynthetic carbon dioxide splitting
• Mechanosynthetic water splitting