More Sufficiently Advanced Chemistry

Following this earlier post, but going back to an earlier Cracked article,  here are some more inspirations for adventure-game wonders based on real chemistry.

Ferrofluids: Suspensions of iron particles in a liquid that form shapes when magnetic fields are applied.

• An iron door that is solid only through the grace of magnetism; turning off the field collapses it.
• Over here is a jug of some black oily material. Over there is a statue holding a detachable hilt that exudes an invisible magnetic field (going near, you feel the pull on your iron weapons and armor). Pour the jug on the hilt for a real Liquid Sword.
• Flicking the switch means that the slimy liquid at the bottom of the pit rises up and forms nasty spikes.

Aerogel: Translucent, super-strong material that's mostly air.

• Cloudy glassteel pane: you can kind of see through it to all that treasure on display, but not break it.
• Or you can break it - but there's an angry air elemental inside.

Perfluorocarbons: Breathable fluids imbued with oxygen.

• It's a pool with ... a manticore at the bottom?
• I stashed my treasure under water at the end of this long tunnel. Suicide to try and swim, but only I know the water is breathable.
• Potion of water breathing - but you have summon up the guts to inhale it right into your lungs.

Elastic conductor: Material that expands and becomes rigid when current is applied.

• Wizard's bridge over a chasm. You need to cast a lightning bolt to extend it all the way, but hurry - it only stays that way for a round.
• Curtains that part for anyone except the electric shock monster being held captive.
• Gloves that enhance a shocking grasp spell with a floppy ribbon that turns into a blade, adding stabby injury to shocking injury.

Non-Newtonian fluid: "A liquid that turns solid when sufficient stress is applied."

• "It's only a ten-foot drop, I'll just dive into this ... AAAGHHH"
• You find a strange leather suit, that seems to be made of two layers with a little valve. Elsewhere you find a bottle of the fluid. It gives full mobility, works as plate mail against blows of all kinds, and can only be pierced by small soft scratches.
• The giant can walk on this water, but you little guys just fall through.
• Lair feature of a Great Old One wishing to outdo Cthulhu's non-Euclidean geometry.

Transparent alumina: See-through (if slightly cloudy) metal.

• See above under glassteel doors and windows.
• Metal bikinis and codpieces just got more interesting.

Carbon nanotubes: Nano-scale fibers made of carbon: incredibly strong, electrically conductive, and yeah, the Cracked writer gets overwhelmed by the Cracked style guide at this point and just gets stuck on "bur bur bur awesome mind-blowing bur bur bur" so here's the website of a company that makes them, and the wiki article.

• +3 armor that looks like just a shirt and pants. Nanotubes.
• The beast with nanotube fur ... equivalent to plate mail.
• A sword with an invisible blade. It's just one nanotube.
• The wizard installed some looong nanotube wiring in her castle to deliver fire and lightning damage to those below.