Preliminary experimental studies on electrochemically induced fusion of deuterium

The results of experiment to confirm the findings of Fleischmann and Pons on the electrochemically induced cold fusion of deuterium carried out at IGCAR Kalpakkam (India) are presented. Since neutron measuring instruments are not available in the laboratory, a water bath is placed in front of the cell to absorb the neutrons emitted from the cell and the resultant gamma-rays are measured at an angle of 90deg and compared with the backgrounds. In one experiment a titanium cuboid is used as the cathode thermalisation of neutrons emitted, by inserting HDPE plates in between the cell and the water bath, has been found to increase the gamma count rates from 7 to 17%. This is an indirect evidence for the emission of neutrons at the cathode. From the excess energy data of Fleischmann and Pons, correlation has been derived. As the area/volume of the cathode is decreased, excess energy emitted increases for a given current density. This may probably be due to the reduced rate of release of deuterium from the surface of the cathode which is the fusion reactor. The studies have indicated that the exact experimental conditions employed by Fleishmann and Pons were not reproduced in the study. However sporadic neutron emission have been observed at the Pd cathode under the conditions of the present studies. It is suggested that by decreasing the area to volume ratio still further by employing appropriate design of the cathode the phenomenon of cold fusion may perhaps be achieved. (author). 3 figs., 4 tabs