Ingredient X
- Ingredient X is an uncreatively named substance in the Generation 1 continuity family.
There is no ingredient X to be found - anywhere. Anywhere.
If Ingredient X is a previously-unknown element, it certainly would have a very high <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/atomic_number" class="extiw" title="wikipedia:atomic_number">atomic number</a> and weight, and would most likely be <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/radioactive" class="extiw" title="wikipedia:radioactive">radioactive</a>, with a very short <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/half-life" class="extiw" title="wikipedia:half-life">half-life</a>. This may account for its rarity.
Nothing is known about the physical or chemical properties of Ingredient X, except that it has something to do with corrostop.
Fiction
Generation 1 cartoon
Corrostop could not be produced without Ingredient X. The reason is not clear. Perceptor referred to it as a key <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/alloy" class="extiw" title="wikipedia:alloy">alloy</a> element - which would imply it is a metal, and is used up in forming corrostop. Optimus Prime, however, called it a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/catalyst" class="extiw" title="wikipedia:catalyst">catalyst</a>, without being contradicted by his friendly neighborhood science-bot. This would imply it was NOT used up in forming corrostop, but was lost in the reaction in some other way. One thing is certain: Cosmos and Blaster could not find any more of it, anywhere...leaving Earth the richest source of the substance in the universe. Cosmic Rust


