Adamantium

Adamantium is an incredibly dense, artificial, iron-based alloy that is the strongest material known to Earth science. Adamantium is virtually indestructible. A sufficient amount is capable of surviving multiple nuclear explosions with no damage. When sharpened, it is thought to be able to cut through almost anything.

Creating even a small amount of Adamantium is astronomically expensive to create and only a few people have knowledge of the complete formula. Adamantium is created by mixing certain chemical resins together. The exact composition of these resins is a closely guarded secret of the United States government. For approximately eight minutes after the resins are mixed, the Adamantium, which is in a liquefied form, can be molded into a particular shape if it is kept at a temperature of 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. After this brief process, Adamantium is actually created. After eight minutes, Adamantium cannot be molded further due to it's extremely stable molecular structure, even if the temperature is high enough to keep it in it's liquified state. Once Adamantium hardens, it's shape can only be altered by precise molecular rearrangement. There are few forces in the universe capable of rearranging Adamantium's molecular structure.

Secondary Adamantium

As True Adamantium is extremely difficult and expensive to create or manipulate, some parties found a way to duplicate it on a larger and more cost-effective scale, but at the expense of quality and durability. For all practical purposes, Secondary Adamantium is indestructible. Conventional weapons, such as ballistic missiles, have no effect on it; it is far stronger than any type of steel. However, extraordinary blunt force (such as a punch from a character with vast superhuman strength) can warp or break it. Unconventional or alien forms of energy discharges have also been known to warp or damage Secondary Adamantium.

Adamantium Beta

Adamantium Beta is created as a side-effect of the process of bonding True Adamantium to a skeleton. Wolverine's Healing Factor not only allowed him to survive the process, but it also induced a molecular change in the metal. Adamantium Beta functions identically to True Adamantium, but it does not inhibit the biological processes of bone.

Users

Over the years the following Marvel characters have used Adamantium weapons or been artificially enhanced with Adamantium implants:

• Wolverine's claws and skeleton (True Adamantium)
  
• Battlestar's shield
• Bullseye's spinal column/partial skeleton (True Adamantium)
  
• Sabretooth's claws and skeleton (True Adamantium)
  
• Lady Deathstrike's claws and skeleton (True Adamantium)
  
• Several of Ultron's bodies have had their outer skin composed of True Adamantium.
• Cyber's skin and claws (True Adamantium)
  
• A unique set of Doctor Octopus arms (destroyed by molecular rearrangement).
• Tess-One
• X-23's claws (True Adamantium)
• Stilt-Man

Adamantium in the Ultimate Universe

Adamantium is still regarded as an extremely tough metal. Hulk (Ultimate) has been able to destroy it.

References

• Adamantium at Wikipedia