Deuterated liquid scintillator (NE230) as a fast neutron detector for cold-fusion and other research

Unlike conventional liquid scintillators (e.g. NE213) deuterated scintillators (NE230) can provide, without time-of-flight, usable neutron energy spectra for neutrons En ≥ 1 MeV. In this paper, the authors assemble and calibrate several of these detectors and have used them in experiments searching for d + d fusion-neutron emission (En doteq 2.5 MeV) in Pd + D2O electrolysis and Ti + D2 adsorption at LN temperatures. The detectors yield direct fusion-neutron spectra and set limits in the Pd + D and Ti + D experiments of < 7 x 10-24 fusion n/s/dd pair and < 3 x 10-24 fusion n/s/dd pair respectively. In addition, these detectors have been used for in-beam accelerator experiments requiring coincidence between fast neutrons and scattered ions