Electrolysis heavy water generated

No doubt Chadwick and Rutherford would have been quick to pronounce similarly on the experiments of Pons and Fleischmann, a who announced on 23 March 1989 that they had observed I sustained nuclear fusion from the electrolysis of heavy water using palladium electrodes. Deuterium is absorbed by palladium in the same way as hydrogen, but its fusion into helium does not require such extreme conditions (see page 109). All the same, these conditions have long proved impossible to sustain in physicists attempts to harness nuclear fusion for energy generation. Now two chemists were claiming that these massively expensive fusion projects could be abandoned all you needed was a test tube and two strips of palladium. 

The cost of hydrogen production by both electrolysis and SMR is dominated by the cost of their energy inputs. Around 300 /t H2 is associated with capital costs and operation of an SMR while electrolysis cells costing 300 /kW require produce capital costs of about 400 /t H2. Electricity from Generation 111+ nuclear reactors (such as Westinghouse s AP-1000, AECL s ACR-1000 , or the European EPR) is expected to cost 3 to 5 e/kW.h - 1 500 to 2 500 /t H2. This is without credits for co-production of oxygen (300 /t H2) and heavy water (120 /t H2 net of production costs). On this basis, the total cost of electrolytic hydrogen would be comparable to that from an SMR. 

Fleischmann, M., Pons, S., Anderson, M.W. et al. (1990) Calorimetry of the paUadium-deuterium-heavy water system. Journal of Electrvanalytical Chemistry, 287, 293. Fleischmann, M. and Pons, S. (1991) The calorimetry of electrode reactions and measurements of excess enthalpy generation in the electrolysis of heavy water using palladium based cathodes. Proceedings, Itahan Physics Society Conference, vol. 33, p. 349. 

Kunimatsu, K., Hasegawa, N., Kubota, A. et al. (1993) Deuterium loading ratio and excess heat generation during electrolysis of heavy water by a palladium cathode in a closed cell using a partially immersed fuel cell anode, in Frontiers of Cold Fusion (ed. H. Ikegami), Universal Academy Press, Tokyo, pp. 31-45. 

Electrolysis has numerous useful applications in addition to the generation of chemical substances. The process can also be used to purify metals from ores, coat surfaces with metal, and purify contaminated water. The applications range from the world of art to the world of heavy industry. 

The electric current generates at the electrodes several products that can dramatically affect the electrokinetic treatment. The effect of water electrolysis is well known, but any type of enhancements by the addition of other chemicals should consider its potential for the generation of harmful/hazardous by-products. Byproducts can also be formed by certain undesirable reactions of the metal species with naturally occurring ions. Therefore, the selection of any chemical for pH control or for heavy metal complexing must consider the possible reactions upon the electrodes and into the soil with the pollutant or other components of the soil. 

---