Some recent results at ENEA

Recent research activity at ENEA, in the field of Condensed Matter Nuclear Science, has been oriented to material science and Laser triggering in order to increase the reproducibility of excess of power production during loading of palladium with deuterium. Isoperibolic calorimetry in gas phase, isoperibolic and flow calorimetry with electrochemical systems have been carried out. Nuclear ashes detection was done by means of high resolution and high sensitivity mass spectrometer. Material science studies allowed to obtain a palladium showing high solubility for hydrogen isotopes and giving deuterium concentration at equilibrium larger than 0.95 (as D/Pd atomic fraction) with a reproducibility larger than 90%. Excess of power production by using the above-mentioned material achieves a reproducibility up to 30% without triggering. Laser irradiation with a proper polarization seems to have a significant role in further increasing of the excess of power production reproducibility. Heat bursts exhibit an integrated energy at least 10 times greater than the sum of all possible chemical reactions within a closed cell. The energy gain calculated at the end of the experiments is observed with deuterium but not with hydrogen. Preliminary measurements give a 4He signal in reasonable agreement with the expected values by assuming a D+D=4He+heat (24 MeV for event) reaction. (author)