On electrochemical tritium production

This paper reports tritium formed in LiOD-D2O solutions in which Pd cathodes are used to evolve D2. Electrolysis was carried out for up to 4 1/2 months. Excess heat has been observed from 5 electrodes out of 28, tritium in 15 out of 53 but 9 out of 13 if the electrodes are limited to 1 mm diameter. Steady state tritium concentrations were 104-107 disintegrations min-1 ml-1. A weak correlation may exist between heat observed and tritium produced. The rate of production of tritium was ca 1010 atoms cm-2 s-1. The branching ratio of tritium to neutrons was ∼108. A theoretical dendrite enhanced fusion model is suggested. Growing gas layer breakdown occurs at sufficiently high surface potential dendrite tips and correspondingly fusion reactions occur. The model gives quantitative consistence with experiment, especially the sporadic nature and the observed branching ratio. (author)