In search of cold D-D nuclear fusion, (1)

Since the success of 'Cold Nuclear Fusion by the Electrolysis of D2O' was reported in March, 1989, the experiments for confirming the phenomena have been carried out by the cooperative team of Departments of Chemistry, Physics, and Radioisotopes in JAERI. The following items have been studied; (i) The measurements of the neutron emission rate, neutron energy spectrum, tritium yield, and excess heat generation rate during the electrolysis of D2O using various palladium cathodes, (ii) The measurements of neutron emission rate from titanium sponge in pressurized D2 gas, and (iii) The structural analysis of palladium with deuterium loaded electrolytically by X-ray diffraction and neutron diffraction methods. The results so far proved are as follows; 1) The neutron emission rate is less than 0.1/sec in both the D2O-electrolysis and the gas-type experiment, 2) The excess heat generation is not observed, and 3) The β-phase is formed in the palladium by the D2O-electrolysis and the ratio of the β-phase increases with increasing electrolysis time. In the present report, the results so far obtained are summarized as a preliminary report and the future work of this study is also described. (author)