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DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY

237th ACS National Meeting

Salt Lake City, Utah

March 22-26, 2009 

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

New Energy Technology

Low Energy Nuclear Transmutation

 
J. Marwan, Organizer, Presiding

1:30 —15. Composition of particles in heavy water electrolyte after electrolysis. J. Dash, Q. Wang 
 
1:55 —16. Transmutation with glow discharge. I. B. Savvatimova, J. Dash 
 
2:20 —17. Reproducible generation of nuclear particles during electrolysis. R. A. Oriani 
 
2:45 —18. Nuclear transmutation of isotopes in biological systems: History, models, experiments and perspectives. V. Vysotskii, A. Kornilova 
 
3:10 —19. Nano-nuclear reactions in condensed matter. L. Forsley, F. E. Gordon, P. A. Mosier-Boss 
 
3:35 —20. Isotopic changes of elements caused by various conditions of electrolysis. T. Mizuno 
 
4:00 —21. Characterization of distinctive materials with which to generate nuclear transmutation. H. Kozima 
 
4:25 —22. Effect of hydrogen stoichiometry (x) on the lattice expansion in metal-Hx systems. N. Amanet 
 
4:50 —23. Understanding the palladium–hydrogen (deuterium) electrochemistry as crucial step to approach low energy nuclear reactions. J. Marwan
 
 

 

ABSTRACTS 
 

ENVR 15

Composition of particles in heavy water electrolyte after electrolysis

John Dash, dashj@pdx.edu and Qiongshu Wang, qoingshu@pdx.edu, Low Energy Nuclear Laboratory, Portland State University, P.O. Box 751, Portland, OR 97207, Fax: 503-725-2815

A cell with a palladium cathode was electrolyzed in series with an identical cell. The electrolyte for both contained heavy water and sulfuric acid. After electrolysis solid particles were collected from the surface of the electrolyte and analyzed with a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer. The morphology and composition of some of the particles was observed to change with time.

 
ENVR 16

Transmutation with glow discharge

Irina B. Savvatimova, isavvatim@mail.ru, FSUE SRI SIA "Luch", Zhelezhnodorozhnaya, Podolsk, Moscow Region 142116, Russia, and John Dash, dashj@pdx.edu, Department of Physics & Chemistry, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97207-0751

The different mass-spectrometry and gamma spectrometry methods show, that low-energy nuclear reactions may be achieved by glow discharge (GD) support that leads to: numerous increase of additional elements from 10 to 1,000 times; shift of isotopic ratios; element transmutation and deviation from natural isotopic abundance during and after the GD experimental support within a timeframe of 3-5 months; weak gamma/X-ray emission after the experiment; alpha-, beta- and gamma emission enhanced when exposing the system to GD; heat effects were observed too. Gamma/X-ray spectrometry and thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) confirmed the decay of heavy isotopes (W, Ta) into the same but lighter isotopes for the same deuterium GD experiments. It allows the assumption that heavy isotopes decay in the process of low-energy nuclear reactions supported by glow discharge.

 

 

ENVR 17

Reproducible generation of nuclear particles during electrolysis

Richard A. Oriani, orian001@umn.edu, Department of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, University of Minnesota, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Past research in this laboratory with CR39 plastic detectors has shown that electrolysis of solutions of lithium salts in either D2O or H2O can be accompanied by the generation of nuclear particles within the electrolyte and in the vapor phase above the electrolyte. However, not every electrolysis experiment yielded nuclear particles; reliable reproducibility was not attained. A different technique has now been developed which has successfully demonstrated the production of nuclear particles in each of 25 consecutive electrolysis experiments. Concurrent blank, or control, experiments have negated the possibility that radioactive contamination could have been responsible for the effects observed. Thus, a relatively simple and transparent technique has demonstrated that a nuclear process of an as-yet not understood mechanism can accompany a simple chemical reaction. This paradigm-breaking phenomenon poses a formidable challenge to theoreticians for elucidation of mechanism.

 
ENVR 18

Nuclear transmutation of isotopes in biological systems: History, models, experiments and perspectives

Vladimir Vysotskii, Radiophysical Department, Kiev National Shevchenko University, Vladimirskaya Str. 64, 01033, Kiev, Ukraine, and Alla Kornilova, Moscow State University

The issue of low-energy nuclear synthesis and transmutation of stable and radioactive isotopes in living biological cells together with the experimental investigation of these processes is discussed in detail. This report reviews our experimental findings obtained when studying the anomalous characteristics of nuclear transmutation observed in biological cells (including numerous Kervran's experiments evidencing the nuclear transmutation of chemical elements in animals and plants). This study presents the results of those experiments in which the nuclear transmutation of stable isotopes such as 55Mn+d2=57Fe, 23Na+31P=54Fe in microbiological clean cultures (Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and microbe syntrophin assemblies can be shown. This report gives evidence for the transmutation process of radioactive isotopes (including decontamination and accelerated deactivation of 137Cs reactor isotope systems) in growing microbe syntrophin assemblies. At optimal conditions, the accelerated decay was found to be 32 times faster in comparison with the natural decay (30 years)! A plausible mechanism with the focus on biological and physical aspects of the nuclear transmutation process that occurs in different isotopes in growing biological systems is suggested and discussed in detail.

 
ENVR 19

Nano-nuclear reactions in condensed matter

Lawrence Forsley, JWK International Corporation, 7617 Little River Turnpike, Suite 1000, Annandale, VA 22003, Frank E. Gordon, Code 71000, SPAWAR System Center Pacific, San Diego, CA 92152, and Pamela A. Mosier-Boss, bossp@spawar.navy.mil, Code D363, SPAWAR Systems Center San Diego, San Diego, CA 92152-5001

Since the March, 1989 announcement by Fleischmann and Pons of anomalous heat observed during heavy water electrolysis, there has been considerable controversy as to whether or not the observed nuclear reaction products are commensurate with the thermal measurements. Although heat is one of the reaction products, it is an unsatisfactory probe due to the thermal diffusion time delay between the reaction and its detection. Similarly, many reactions may be exothermic, but excess enthalpy doesn't identify the mechanism. Consequently, we have concentrated upon observing, and when possible, temporally, spatially and spectrally resolving, nuclear reaction products occurring with the Pd:D co-deposition system loaded to near unit stoichiometry. We have monitored cathodes incorporating various witness materials that respond to these nuclear emanations, including neutron-induced reactions. SEM microphotographs have shown a range of structures, from larger than 10 microns to smaller than 1 micron. The structure's size relates to the nuclear channels activated.

 
ENVR 20

Isotopic changes of elements caused by various conditions of electrolysis

Tadahiko Mizuno, mizuno@qe.eng.hokudai.ac.jp, Department of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku Kita13 Nishi 8, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan, Fax: 81-11-706-7835

Palladium cathodes were subjected to electrolysis for prolonged periods of time in a heavy water solution at high pressure, temperature, and current density of 0.2 A cm-2. Many elements were then found and detected on the palladium surface and confirmed using several different analytical methods. These are apparently reaction products, several elements ranging from hydrogen to lead with mass numbers up to 208. The isotopic abundance of selected elements detected after long term electrolysis was found to be drastically different to the natural isotopic abundance. This phenomenon was confirmed eight times with good reproducibility. All sources of contamination have been carefully eliminated by repeated pretreatments of the sample and the electrolysis system. From the results obtained, our conclusion is that a nuclear reaction took place during the electrolysis.

 
ENVR 21

Characterisation of distinctive materials with which to generate nuclear transmutation

Hideo Kozima, hjrfq930@yahoo.com, Director, Cold Fusion Research Laboratory, 597-16 Yatsu, Aoi, 421-1202 Shizuoka, Japan, Fax: 81-54-277-2376

Low energy nuclear reactions (LENR) as part of condensed matter nuclear science (CMNS) and as one of the most controversial topics in science recently attracted widespread attention when it had come to the decision to re evaluate the almost forgotten experimental data generated over many years starting in 1989 with the Pons-Fleischmann experiment. However, the current status of this research does not allow an unambiguous explanation in giving the reasoning for D-D collisions at room temperature, at least, not on the basis of conventional knowledge. Therefore, in this presentation we attempt to briefly outline a new approach with which to explain the physics of LENR, and here, in discussing this issue, we distinguish between three kinds of materials with which LENR effects may be likely to be observed: 1) transition-metal hydrides/deuterides, 2) hydrocarbons, and 3) biological cells. We present an extensive phenomenological investigation on LENR effects describing, based on TNCF and ND models, the most crucial factors, to our mind, responsible to achieve D-D collisions. The most interesting common factor can be seen in the physical characteristics of the host nuclei that stays in strong interaction with the deuterons absorbed and placed within interstitial sites of the host lattice.

 
ENVR 22

Effect of hydrogen stoichiometry (x) on the lattice expansion in metal-Hx systems

Nicolas Amanet, armanetnicolas@hotmail.com, HERA (Hydrogen Energy Research Agency), Corso della Repubblica 448, Velletri 00049, Italy, Fax: 40-21-4930047

In this work we study the influence of hydrogen loading in different metal wires such as palladium, nickel and others, on the electrical resistance of the wire, its elongation and its metallurgical properties. Thermal investigations are also made. Loading is generated by electrolysis of light water with various electrolytes. Hydrogen concentration is indirectly determined by means of relative electrical resistance. Resistance is measured by passing an AC current in parallel to the DC current used for electrolysis. Thermal studies are obtained by mass flow calorimetry.

 

ENVR 23

Understanding the palladium–hydrogen (deuterium) electrochemistry as crucial step to approach low energy nuclear reactions

Jan Marwan, info@marwan-chemie.fta-berlin.de, Research and Development, Dr Marwan Chemie, Rudower Chaussee 29, Berlin 12489, Germany, Fax: 49-30-63922566

Electrochemical deposition of metals from hexagonal lyotropic liquid crystalline phases produces metal films with a unique ordered nanostructure in which the cylindrical pores of 1.7 to 3.5 nm running through the film are arranged in hexagonal arrays. Nanostructured Pd films were deposited electrochemically from the hexagonal template mixture. Electrochemical studies showed that the metal films have a high electroactive surface area with the specific surface area of the order of 91 m2/g. These values together with the TEM and X-ray data are consistent with the expected H1 nanostructure. The hydrogen region of nanostructured Pd in the cyclic voltammetry in 1 M sulphuric acid was more resolved than that of plain Pd because of the thin walls of the nanostructure and the high surface area. We could distinguish the hydrogen adsorption and absorption processes. The permeation of hydrogen (deuterium) into the Pd metal lattice occurs with fast kinetics when the Pd surface is blocked by either crystal violet or Pt. We believe that the hydrogen absorption process takes place without passing through the adsorbed state so that hydrogen diffuses directly into the Pd bulk. This process speeds up when the formation of adsorbed hydrogen is suppressed by the coverage of poisons. We think that the detailed investigation of the Pd-H(D) electrochemistry using the nanostructure might be an important issue to approach low energy nuclear reactions.