Cold fusion tritium

It has been claimed that the D-D fusion reaction occurs when D2O is electroly2ed with a metal cathode, preferably palladium, at ambient temperatures. This claim for a cold nuclear fusion reaction that evolves heat has created great interest, and has engendered a voluminous titerature filled with claims for and against. The proponents of cold fusion report the formation of tritium and neutrons by electrolysis of D2O, the expected stigmata of a nuclear reaction. Some workers have even claimed to observe cold fusion by electrolysis of ordinary water (see, for example. Ref. 91). The claim has also been made for the formation of tritium by electrolysis of water (92). On the other hand, there are many experimental results that cast serious doubts on the reahty of cold fusion (93—96). Theoretical calculations indicate that cold fusions of D may indeed occur, but at the vanishingly small rate of 10 events per second (97). As of this writing the cold fusion controversy has not been entirely resolved. 

Another result of the cold-fusion epopee that was positive for electrochemistry are the advances in the experimental investigation and interpretation of isotope effects in electrochemical kinetics. Additional smdies of isotope effects were conducted in the protium-deuterium-tritium system, which had received a great deal of attention previously now these effects have become an even more powerful tool for work directed at determining the mechanisms of electrode reactions, including work at the molecular level. Strong procedural advances have been possible not only in electrochemistry but also in the other areas. 

Fusion - [SIZE ENLARGEMENT] (Vol 22) -cold [FUSION ENERGY] (Vol 12) -deuterium [DEUTERIUM AND TRITIUM - DEUTERIUM] (Vol 8) -dye intermediates from [DYES AND DYE INTERMEDIATES] (Vol 8) -of tritium [DEUTERIUM AND TRITIUM - TRITIUM] (Vol 8) -vanadium m reactors [VANADIUM AND VANADIUM ALLOYS] (Vol 24)... 

These workers observed the generation of neutrons and tritium from electrochemically compressed D+ in a Pd cathode. Their study has stimulated a variety of calorimetric and nuclear measurements. However, the occurrence of the phenomena is sporadic and appears unreproducible on a consistent basis. Therefore a pessimistic view of cold fusion must be taken with respect to the possibility of future energy production. 

The unusual interaction of hydrogen with palladium-based membrane materials opens up the possibility of oxidative hydrogen pump for tritium recovery from breeder blankets. The feasibility for this potential commercial application hinges on the hot-fusion and cold-fusion technology under development [Saracco and Specchia, 1994]. At first, Yoshida et al. [1983] suggested membrane separation of this radioactive isotope of hydrogen followed by its oxidation to form water. Subsequently, Hsu and Bauxbaum [1986] and Drioli et al. [1990] successfully tested the concept of combining the separation and reaction steps into a membrane reactor operation. 

There exist many reliable reports of tritium production in cold fusion experiments for the Pd/D system [3-5]. However, the amounts of tritium production are always too small... 

Transmutation continues to be an active area of study for the Pd/D system [3], but because of possible contamination and molecular ion interferences this area is even more controversial than the excess heat found in cold fusion experiments. Among the leading contributors to transmutation results is the team at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan, led by Iwamura [45], Transmutation results generally report the detection of new elements such as copper or zinc that were not initially present in the system [3]. Occasionally, these are reported with non-natural isotope distributions, but technical challenges make these results less certain than the heat, helium, and tritium results. 

Recent experiments on the electrolysis of LiOD in D2O on a palladium cathode has been claimed to result in cold fusion. The detection of helium, neutrons, and even tritium has been reported. However, there is considerable doubt about the validity of the claims and cold fusion, like polywater will soon be buried and its obituary published. 

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