Toward a LENR Reference Experiment

ARPA-E LENR Workshop, MIT ^ | October 21-22, 2021 | Florian Metzler, PhD

[Kevmo]

ARPA-E LENR Workshop October 21, 2021

Toward a LENR Reference Experiment Florian Metzler, PhD Research Scientist, MIT fmetzler@mit.edu

Some of the slides he used during this presentation.

They have very intriguing diagrams of the lattice structure and the nuclear reactions within the lattice, explaining various nuclear products and even the ABSENCE of certain nuclear products.

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Common denominator at the nano level

Metal‐hydrogen lattice with some form of dynamical stimulation (energy in)

Based on Kirchheim, R., & Pundt, A. (2014). 25—Hydrogen in Metals. In D. E. Laughlin & K. Hono (Eds.), Physical Metallurgy (Fifth Edition) (pp. 2597–2705). Elsevier.

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Common denominator at the nano level

Metal‐hydrogen lattice with some form of dynamical stimulation (energy in)

Lattice composition

Lattice morphology

Breakage of Chemical Bonds

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Common denominator at the nano level

Metal‐hydrogen lattice with some form of dynamical stimulation (energy in)

Kinetic energy in

Kinetic energy added

e.g. via energetic photon

Nuclear potential energy E = mc2

Atomic potential energy

Energy balance sheet Epotential (chemical)

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Conceivable energy release modes

Metal‐hydrogen lattice with some form of nuclear energy release (energy out)

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Conceivable energy release modes

Metal‐hydrogen lattice with some form of nuclear energy release (energy out)

Neutral energetic particles

e.g. a 24 MeV photon

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Conceivable energy release modes

Metal‐hydrogen lattice with some form of nuclear energy release (energy out)

Charged energetic particles

e.g. 1 MeV alphas

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Conceivable energy release modes

Metal‐hydrogen lattice with some form of nuclear energy release (energy out)

Triggering secondary nuclear reactions

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Experimental setup: View of target sample during 28 MeV charged particle counts from bombarded Ti foil vacuum chamber with low‐energy deuteron bombardment beam on foil target

Forbes, S. (2019). Initial report on low-energy ion beam experiments with various metal targets [Conference Presentation]. ICCF22, Assisi, Italy. 54

Characterization mode: composition changes Example: He-4 production from loaded Pd foil

Anomalous Neutron Emission

Measured He‐4 (top) and excess heat Experimental setup: similarity (bottom) appearing correlated to Fleischmann‐Pons cell

Gozzi, D., et al (1998). X-ray, heat excess and 4He in the D/Pd system. J. Electroanal. Chem, 452. 55 Characterization mode: composition & morphology changes Example: Possible fission products from gas loaded Pd

Biberian, J.-P. (2020, November 21). Transmutation induced by laser irradiation. RNBE 2020 Conference by French Society for Nuclear Science in Condensed Matter (SFSNMC), Paris.

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Characterization mode: composition & morphology changes CPS Example: Possible fission products from gas loaded Pd (2) Pd 400 CPS

Fralick, G. C., Hendricks, R. C., Jennings, W. D., Benyo, T. L., VanKeuls, F. W., Ellis, D. L., Steinetz, B. M., Forsley, L. P., & Sandifer, C. E. (2020). Transmutations observed from pressure keV cycling palladium silver metals with deuterium gas. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 45(56), 32320–32330.

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Hagelstein, P. L., et al (2010). Terahertz difference frequency response of pdd in two-laser experiments. MIT Dspace. https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/71612 Rowe, J. M., et al (1974). Lattice Dynamics of a Single Crystal of Pd D 0.63. Physical Review Letters, 33, 1297.

Characterization modes

What can we learn from reviewing the LENR literature from this perspective?

Two main lessons

Lesson I: relevant to Lesson II: relevant to the irrefutability challenge the reproducibility challenge peaks

Lesson II: relevant to the reproducibility challenge

Too many question marks Too many uncontrolled/uncharacterized variables

Need to characterize and/or control lattice and stimulation characteristics of experiments that show effects more comprehensively.

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C. Implications for future research Implications

What do these lessons mean for future research?

We propose a two‐pronged approach to respond to these lessons and to address the irrefutability challenge and the reproducibility challenge.

Top‐down: Focus on a small number of experiments and conduct comprehensive characterizations. Bottom‐up: Design hypothesis‐driven experiments with simple, highly controlled samples predicted to exhibit LENR effects. 69 Implications

What do these lessons mean for future research?

We propose a two‐pronged approach to respond to these lessons and to address the irrefutability challenge and the reproducibility challenge.

Top‐down: Focus on a small number of experiments and conduct comprehensive characterizations. Bottom‐up: Design hypothesis‐driven experiments with simple, highly controlled samples predicted to exhibit LENR effects. peaks 72 Implications

What do these lessons mean for future research?

We propose a two‐pronged approach to respond to these lessons and to address the irrefutability challenge and the reproducibility challenge.

Top‐down: Focus on a small number of experiments and conduct comprehensive characterizations. Bottom‐up: Design hypothesis‐driven experiments with simple, highly controlled samples predicted to exhibit LENR effects.

Bottom-up approach

Thinking about mechanisms

What is known and accepted in the wider literature about enhancing nuclear transitions:

• Atomic physics Want lattice with • Electrons can increase proximity between nuclei. high screening and • Vacancies allow for both close proximity and high electron close proximity density in the lattice.

• Quantum dynamics: • Photons, phonons, plasmons, etc. can cause couplings Want to externally between nuclei. induce weak couplings • Couplings can intensify with coherence. and enhance via • Strong couplings can change state transition and reaction superradiance parameters.

Prados-Estévez, F. M., Subashiev, A. V., & Nee, H. H. (2017). Strong screening by lattice confinement and resultant fusion reaction rates in fcc metals. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 407, 67–72. Terhune, J. H., & Baldwin, G. C. (1965). Nuclear Superradiance in Solids. Physical Review Letters, 14(15), 589–591.

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Combining screening and transition rate enhancement Start with an isolated D pair

Koonin, S. E., & Nauenberg, M. (1989). Calculated fusion rates in isotopic hydrogen molecules. Nature, 339(6227), 690. 75 Combining screening and transition rate enhancement Place D pair in a vacancy of a Pd lattice

Doped Pd lattice with vacancy hydrogen clusters: DD distance <100 pm Screening potential > 150 eV

Targosz-Ślȩczka, N., Czerski, K., Huke, A., Ruprecht, G., Weissbach, D., Martin, L., Kaczmarski, M., & Winter, H. (2013). Experiments on screening effect in deuteron fusion reactions at extremely low energies. The European Physical Journal Special Topics, 222(9), 2353–2359.

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Combining screening and transition rate enhancement Add resonant receiver nuclei as dopants

Add U‐238 doping

Doped Pd lattice with vacancy hydrogen clusters: DD distance <100 pm Screening potential > 150 eV

Stimulate with 10^‐10/s coherent photons at 10 THz

Hagelstein, P. L. (2020). Models based on phonon-nuclear coupling. In Cold Fusion (pp. 283–300). Elsevier. Hagelstein, P. L. (2018). Phonon-mediated Nuclear Excitation Transfer. J. Cond. Mat. Nucl. Sci, 27, 97–142.

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Combining screening and transition rate enhancement

kinetic energy (classical) ≙ state occupation probability (quantum)

Briggs, J. S., & Eisfeld, A. (2012). Coherent quantum states from classical oscillator amplitudes. Physical Review A, 85(5), 052111.

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Caution: This implies that in some configurations you would expect observable energetic particles ‐‐ and in others you would not!

Jones, S. E., Palmer, E. P., Czirr, J. B., Decker, D. L., Jensen, G. L., Thorne, J. M., Taylor, S. F., & Rafelski, J. (1990). Anomalous nuclear reactions in condensed matter: Recent results and open questions. Journal of Fusion Energy, 9(2), 199–208.

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Conclusions Conclusions

Key points

• A reference experiment needs to be both reproducible and unambiguous. • Historically, emphasis has been on characterization modes that leave too much room for alternative explanations (heat)  high ambiguity/low irrefutability. • Going forward, prioritize characterization modes that are intrinsically more unambiguous (e.g. Raman spectroscopy for lattice dynamics). • There are still too many uncharacterized/uncontrolled variables in any of the major experiments  low reproducibility. 92 Conclusions

Key points (2)

• In future research, employ a two‐pronged approach:

Top‐down: comprehensive characterization of a small number of legacy experiments (focus!)

Bottom‐up: simple experiments with precise specifications based on hypotheses about mechanism; connect with adjacent literatures on accelerated state transitions

[Kevmo]

Translating PDF to Text to HTML is very difficult, so the formatting is messed up.

[Kevmo]

The Cold Fusion/LENR Ping List

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/lenr/index?tab=articles

Keywords: ColdFusion; LENR; lanr; CMNS
chat—science

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http://lenr-canr.org/

Vortex-L
http://tinyurl.com/pxtqx3y

Acronyms:
LENR: Low Energy Nuclear Reactions. [Also Lattice Enabled Nuclear Reactions, but seldom used]
CANR: Chemical Assisted Nuclear Reactions [fallen into disuse along with LANR/Lattice Assisted Nuclear Reactions]
CMNS: Condensed Matter Nuclear Science
LCF: Lattice Confined Fusion [NASA’s term for it]
AHE: Anomolous Heating Effect. Also PFAHE, for the Pons-Fleischmann AHE.

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Best book to get started on this subject:
EXCESS HEAT
Why Cold Fusion Research Prevailed by Charles Beaudette

https://www.abebooks.com/9780967854809/Excess-Heat-Why-Cold-Fusion-0967854806/plp

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Updated No Internal Trolling Rules for FR per Jim Robinson

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3928396/posts

If someone says stop, then stop. Do not enter onto a thread on a topic you don’t like just to disrupt, rattle cages, poke sticks, insult the regulars, or engage in trolling activities, etc. ~Jim Robinson

The issue isn’t whether we allow skepticism, it is whether we allow hyperskeptics and skeptopaths to ruin the scientific dialog. Such FReepers who persist in polluting these threads have been asked to leave, and we are asking that they open their own threads if they have comments.

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This topic has a following, people who wish to learn and discuss the materials presented. Please refrain from posting anything that doesn’t legitimately address the issue. Something is going on in this segment of science. There are a considerable number of research groups studying the matter. ~ Sidebar Moderator https://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3977426/posts?page=19#19 —————————————————————————————————————

[kanawa]

bkmk

[Kevmo]

cold fusion/LENR ping

Still haven’t figured out what the problem is with the FR moderator on the ping list page. I have FReepmailed Jim Robinson about it.

[Jonty30]

Probably busy.

[Kevmo]

But not too busy to stop her from removing the ping list post for the 4th time in the last few LENR threads.

[Jonty30]

Ah, now I understand.
I thought they weren’t moderating.

[Kevmo]

Did you get the original ping?

[Jonty30]

I did get a ping, yes.

It’s how I knew you put up a LENR thread.

[algore]

I can understand some of this, and it looks ok and plausible on the surface, but could we try to use pt instead of pd cause I have lots of the former.

[telescope115]

Huh?
This is waaay over my head…..🙄

[Kevmo]

Boiled down:

Key points
• A reference experiment needs to be both reproducible and unambiguous.

[Kevmo]

There have been experiments using Platinum. Pd has the best combination of hydrogen absorption, H2-to-H1 splitting, and lattice cracking.

[Kevmo]

From what I can determine so far, the objection isn’t even what is posted, because someone ELSE posted exactly the same thing and it was not removed.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4038887/posts?page=21#21

So the objection seems to be that the mod wants someone other than ME to ping the list.

[The_Media_never_lie]

Does anyone on this thread have a reference on a simple update for a layman on this subject? I am interested but there is no point trying to explain too many details; I wouldn’t comprehend.

[Kevmo]

https://lenr-canr.org/

Then click on “Introduction”.
https://lenr-canr.org/wordpress/?page_id=263

[The_Media_never_lie]

Thanks Kevmo, for the links on LENR!

[Kevmo]

You’re welcome. Lots of resources at that website. Jed Rothwell is a FReeper.

[bert]

I think that the reason is gross ignorance that can’t grasp the concepts put forward on the threads

[Kevmo]

The problem’s been resolved. Post #2 was restored. So I don’t have to rebuild the ping list blurb from scratch.