Description of Pd/D Co-deposition Experiment

ARPA-E Workshop on Low-Energy Nuclear Reactions ^ | October 2021 | P.A. Mosier-Boss, L.P. Forsley

[Kevmo]

Description of Pd/D Co-deposition Experiment

P.A. Mosier-Boss, L.P. Forsley

“Review of Pd/D co-deposition,” in Cold Fusion: Advances in Condensed Matter Nuclear Science, ed. J.-P. Biberian,

Elsevier Science Publishing Co. Inc., United States. And references therein

Start off with a solution of PdCl2 and LiCl in D2O

As current is applied, Pd is deposited on the cathode in the presence of evolving deuterium gas.

The resulting deposit exhibits a highly expanded surface consisting of small spherical nodules (built in vacancies).

Cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic pulsing experiments indicate that, by using the co-deposition technique, a high degree of deuterium loading (with an atomic ratio D/Pd>1) is obtained within seconds. Szpak et al., J. Electroanal. Chem. 379 ; (1994) 121-127.

Several researchers have, independently, used the Pd/D co-deposition technique

The experiment is very flexible. Different calorimeters, plating solutions, and cell configurations have been used.

Besides heat, the following nuclear emanations have been detected over a thirty year period of research: gamma/X-ray emissions, tritium production, transmutation, and energetic particle emissions.

Pd/D co-deposition has proven to be a reliable means to generate LENR. It has also been repeatable and reproducible.

The results of many of these experiments have been published in peer-reviewed journals.

because high energy charged particles do not travel far through the Pd deposit and water layer

Nuclear tracks are dark when focused on the surface. Focusing deeper inside shows bright points of light.

Triple tracks are diagnostic of 14.1 MeV neutrons.

Mylar spacer simulation experiments indicate that the majority of the particles have energies ≤ 1 MeV when they impact the detector. These conclusions are supported by computer modeling of the tracks using the TRACK_TEST code developed by Nikezic and Yu

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Summary of Control Experiments

For Ag, Au, or Pt wire cathodes, tracks were obtained in the CR-39 in both the presence and absence of an external E/B field. Pd/D co-deposition on Ni screen behaved differently.

In the absence of a field, no tracks were observed, just see the impression of the Ni screen. Tracks observed when either the experiment is conducted in the presence of an E/B field or when Au was first plated on the Ni screen prior to Pd/D co-deposition. These observations suggested an experiment to rule out chemical, mechanical, and thermal sources for the tracks

Use a composite cathode (Au was plated on half of the Ni screen). Perform the experiment in the absence of an external E/B field

Both halves of the cathode experience the same chemical/electrochemical environment at the same time

Provides evidence that the tracks are not due to chemical, thermal, or mechanical damage 1000x

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Assessment of Needs

Pd/D co-deposition experiments have been piecemeal. Some scientists have focused on heat while others have looked for nuclear products. There have been very few experiments that have done both at the same time. In order to gain acceptance by the scientific community, both are needed.

A Pd/D co-deposition experiment is proposed that does both calorimetry and nuclear diagnostics (both real time and integrating). Such an approach can be used to test other cathodes (e.g. other sources of bulk Pd and Pd alloys with B, Ce, and Ag). The nuclear nature of the phenomenon must be understood before scale up can be done to make a practical energy source.

Need a sensitive calorimeter (precision ≤ 1%, sensitivity ≤ 10 mW) that uses a closed cell. Cell should be

designed to measure gas for 4He during the experiment when heat production occurs. This will require a mass spectrometer capable of measuring 4He in the presence of any unrecombined D2 gas and a 0.1 ppb detection limit.

Material assays of cell and electrolyte components should be done before and after. This includes measurements of tritium and elemental analysis. Analysis of the cathode needs to be done when the experiment is completed. Isotopic composition of the elements needs to be determined. Equipment needed include ICP-MS, liquid scintillator, and SEM-EDX.

Nuclear diagnostics to monitor running cells and background. These include ≥30% HPGe detectors with Be window for γ/X-ray measurements down to 13 keV (Compton suppression improves S/N), neutron scintillation spectrometer, bubble detectors for neutrons, and CR-39. Appropriate shielding also needed.

Explore other diagnostics to detect LENR-generated products in real time that can be coupled to the cathode and immersed in electrolyte (e.g. YAP:Ce for charged particles, scintillation fiber optics for neutrons, thermoluminescent dosimeter for radiation, piezoelectrics for heat and pressure, …)

Explore means of triggering (important for control and enhancing the effect)

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How Should Such a Program be Structured?

The goals of a program are to gain acceptance of the phenomenon by the scientific community and to establish control for scaling which will lead to a practical LENR-based device

A multidisciplinary approach is needed involving physicists, chemists, metallurgists, materials scientists, and engineers who are open-minded and can work together

• The program should engage scientists who have experience in conducting LENR experiments

• Too many efforts have not built on what was done previously by others. This wastes time and resources.

• There should be open lines of communication between the various groups working on the effort

• Too many multi-group efforts have prevented communication between the groups involved

• Results of the effort need to be published in peer-reviewed journals

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Summary of Pd/D Co-deposition Experiments

Szpak et al.: chloride complex of Pd; open cells; external E/B fields; measured heat

(thermometry, IR imaging), tritium, γ/X-rays, transmutation, energetic charged particles, and neutrons. KEY RESULTS: cathode is the heat source, detected triple tracks due to 14.1 MeV neutrons, production of tritium and γ/X-ray emissions were sporadic and occurred in bursts

Miles: ammonia complex of Pd; open cells; measured heat (isoperibolic calorimeter), tritium, and radiation. KEY RESULTS: heat produced was comparable to that seen with bulk Pd, observed the positive feedback effect, heat could not be explained by shuttle reactions

Cravens and Letts: chloride complex with Pd; closed cells; explored means of stimulation

(heat pulses, Rf, magnetic field, and laser); and chemical additives; measured heat

(isoperibolic calorimeter) KEY RESULTS: magnitude of heat production could be increased by the stimulation applied

Letts and Hagelstein: chloride complex with Pd; closed cells; magnetic fields; measured heat (Seebek calorimeter) KEY RESULTS: slow co-dep produced no heat, fast co-dep did; ran an experiment that produced 20 kJ of excess heat when 10 kJ would have exceeded any known chemistry

DeChairo et al.: chloride complex with Pd; open cells; magnetic fields; measured heat (Seebek calorimeter) and transmutation. KEY RESULTS: transmutation products seen were dependent upon the orientation of magnetic field

Dash and Ambadkar: using Pd as the anode, plated Pd on Pt; closed cells; measured heat

(Seebek envelope calorimeter) and transmutation. KEY RESULT: deposit showed presence of Ag and Cd not originally present in the cell

Swartz: co-dep done on a spiral Pd cathode; open cells; measured heat (multiring thermal

spectroscopy with joule controls)

Tanzella et al.: co-deposited PdH(D)x on highly loaded stabilized PdH(D)x and NiH(D)x wires; open system; measured heat (exploding wires, cryogenic calorimeter)

Bockris et al.: chloride complex with Pd; open cells; measured tritium in gas and electrolyte. KEY RESULT: tritium produced when low tritiated D2O was used but consumed when highly tritiated D2O was used

Lee et al.: chloride and ethylenediamine complexes with Pd; closed system; measured tritium in electrolyte. KEY RESULT: same as Bockris observed

Tanzella et al.: chloride complex with Pd; open cells, magnetic fields; measured energetic particles (used CR-39; detectors subjected to microscopic analysis, scanning with LET analysis, and sequential etching). KEY RESULTS: detected 3 MeV p, 12 and 16 MeV α, and 2.5 MeV neutrons

NASA Glenn: chloride complex with Pd; open cells, magnetic fields; measured energetic particles (CR-39 and bubble detectors)

UCSD Chemical Engineering students: chloride complex with Pd; open cells, magnetic fields; measured energetic particles (CR-39 detectors)

Tracks have been observed on the backsides of the 1 mm thick CR39 detectors used in co-dep.

Only ≥ 43 MeV alphas, ≥ 10 MeV protons, or neutrons can go through the detector

Neutrons can scatter producing recoil protons, carbons, or oxygen nuclei inside the CR-39

Tracks on the backside are similar to those observed when a detector is exposed to a neutron source

Sequential etching shows that 2.5 MeV neutrons are produced reaction mechanisms:

n + 12C → n′ + α + (8Be → 2α)

n + 12C → α + (9Be → n′+ (8Be → 2α))

n + 12C → α + (9Be → α + (5He → n′+ α))

n + 12C → (8Be → 2α) + (5He → n′+ α)

n + 12C → n′ + α + α + α

[Kevmo]

Significant findings:

by using the co-deposition technique, a high degree of deuterium loading (with an atomic ratio D/Pd>1) is obtained within seconds. [It took Pons & Fleischmann several weeks to get the D/Pd loading greater than 1]

Neutrons mean that this is a nuclear process.

[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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[algore]

[Fai Mao]

Is there a surplus of power created?

Is it sustainable?

[refermech]

I like Articles like this, but in no way can i understand them. LOL

[Kevmo]

Is there a surplus of power created?
***Yes.

Is it sustainable?
***Not yet, because the anomalous effect is difficult to attain. There’s no prevailing theory behind it, just like with high temperature superconductors.

[Kevmo]

There are ways to fly at 40,000 feet.

With experiments like this, the key is they're observing NEUTRONs, which means it HAS to be a nuclear process. When you see triple tracks in CR-39, they're a signature of Neutrons.

You don't have to keep up with the theory because there are DOZENs of theories. Even mine: Vibrating 1 Dimensional Luttinger Liquid Bose-Einstein Condensate Theory [V1DLLBEC] https://www.lenr-forum.com/forum/thread/5859-1-dimensional-lenr-theories/ You can read LENR articles at your leisure at www.lenr-canr.org, click on "introduction".