Limits on the emission of neutrons, γ-rays, electrons and protons from Pons/Fleischmann electrolytic cells

Neutron flux limits: d(d, Neutrons from the d(d, n)3He fusion channel have an initial kinetic energy of 2.45 MeV and a mean free path in water of 4.9 cm, which decreases to -0.4 cm as the neutron thermalizes. Because each cell is surrounded by several inches of water, most neutrons emitted would the...

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Published inNature (London) Vol. 344; no. 6265; pp. 401 - 405
Main Authors Salamon, M. H, Wrenn, M. E, Bergeson, H. E, Crawford, H. C, Delaney, W. H, Henderson, C. L, Li, Y. Q, Rusho, J. A, Sandquist, G. M, Seltzer, S. M
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London Nature Publishing Group 29.03.1990
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Summary:Neutron flux limits: d(d, Neutrons from the d(d, n)3He fusion channel have an initial kinetic energy of 2.45 MeV and a mean free path in water of 4.9 cm, which decreases to -0.4 cm as the neutron thermalizes. Because each cell is surrounded by several inches of water, most neutrons emitted would thermalize in the surrounding water bath and generate a 2.22-MeV 7-ray from the n(p, d)y reaction; Monte Carlo calculations show for a point source of 2.45-MeV neutrons located at cell 2-1 that 62% of the emitted neutrons would be captured by hydrogen in the water bath. Proton flux limits: d(d, p)t. The fusion channel d(d, p)t (Q = 4.03 MeV) has been a leading candidate for the cold-fusion process, both because of reports of excess tritium production5 and because its reaction products come to rest within the palladium electrode (the range of a 3-MeV proton in palladium is ~30 pm; ref. 8), thereby presumably avoiding the paradox of watts of fusion power being generated without observed particle emissions. [...]a strong and distinct 7-ray signature exists for this reaction: the 3.02-MeV protons cause Coulomb excitation of the even-even isotopes of Pd, whose radiative de-excitations, between 0.37 and 0.56 MeV, are detectable by the Nal detector with efficiencies p given in Table 1. (The track registration threshold of Lexan is such that the numerous a particles produced by the 238U component of the U foils do not produce visible tracks.) The absolute neutron detection efficiency was measured with a 252Cf source in a large water tank, with foil sandwiches placed relative to the source identically to those in Pons' laboratory, and was found to be 1.3 x 10"5 fission tracks per emitted neutron for a foil with no Cd cover; for those foils with Cd covers, the efficiency was a factor of about three lower.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/344401a0