Burst neutron emission and tritium generation from palladium cathode electrolytically loaded with deuterium (Paper No. A7)

Using a palladium ring cathode in the form of a hollow ring surrounded on both sides by platinum gauze anodes, 0.1 mol dm-3 LiOD in heavy water (99.86 per cent purity) was electrolysed in a quartz cell with a gas tight nylon cap. Palladium ring was pretreated by vacuum degassing. The cell was run for 32 days at a current density of 60 mA/cm2. A large burst emission of neutrons (signal/background ratio as high as 2000) was observed. Tritium was found in the electrolyte as well as in the water reformed from the absorbed gas recovered from the cathode. A total of 1011 fusion events leading to tritium generation were observed while neutron channel accounted for 108 fusion events. This indicates that in cold fusion the tritium channel is favoured over the neutron channel. No significant heat output over Joule heating was observed. (M.G.B.). 5 refs., 1 tab., 3 fig