ACKNOWLEDGMENT
There is no end to the persons I would like to thank.
First and foremost, I would like to thank my parents, for their unfathomable
patience and support. They truly have given me everything I am.
Next, I would like to thank David Icke, whose words set me free and gave me the
courage to face with enthusiasm the challenges of life.
My acknowledgement of John Dash goes also beyond the academic and the
professional into the personal. Working with him has been a learning experience at
all levels. Without his patience and support I would truly not have gone past
hooking up the first thermocouple.
I would like to thank too the endearing help and advice I have received from John
Warner, Hideo Kozima, Leroy Laush the Silicon God, Marc Nisenfeld, Steve
Kaplan, Brian O’Leary, and countless others I have met along the way. I am also
very thankful to Pavel Smejtek and Robert O’Brien for their invaluable comments
and suggestions.
This work was supported by the New York Community Trust.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................... vi
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................... viii
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 1
Historical overview........................................................................... 1
Previous experiments at PSU .......................................................... 6
The present project........................................................................ 12
MATERIALS AND METHODS ................................................................. 13
First experiment ............................................................................. 13
Second experiment........................................................................ 15
Post-experiment cathode
Characterization methods .............................................................. 21
RESULTS................................................................................................. 22
Thermal results .............................................................................. 22
First experiment .................................................................. 22
Second experiment ............................................................. 23
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Cathode characterization results ................................................... 25
Blank piece of unelectrolyzed palladium ............................. 25
Cathodes from first experiment ........................................... 27
H cell cathode .......................................................... 27
D cell cathode .......................................................... 29
Cathodes from second experiment ..................................... 30
H cell cathode .......................................................... 30
D cell cathode .......................................................... 33
DISCUSSION ........................................................................................... 38
Thermal factors.............................................................................. 38
Thermodynamic considerations .......................................... 38
Heat results......................................................................... 57
Chemical explanations .................................................................. 65
Nuclear explanations ..................................................................... 70
Related results that have been
Reported by other researchers ...................................................... 75
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ........................................................... 82
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Page
REFERENCES ......................................................................................... 84
APPENDIX A: CALIBRATION OF THE TEMPERATURE SENSORS
IN THE SECOND EXPERIMENT .................................................. 99
APPENDIX B: THERMAL EVOLUTION OF THE CELLS
IN THE FIRST EXPERIMENT ..................................................... 100
APPENDIX C: DETAILED FOLLOW-UP OF
SECOND EXPERIMENT ............................................................. 102
APPENDIX D: ADDITIONAL SPECTRA FROM
UNELECTROLYZED PALLADIUM.............................................. 132
APPENDIX E: ADDITIONAL SPECTRA FROM THE
H CELL CATHODE
OF THE FIRST EXPERIMENT AFTER ELECTROLYSIS ........... 138
APPENDIX F: ADDITIONAL SPECTRA FROM THE
D CELL CATHODE
OF THE FIRST EXPERIMENT AFTER ELECTROLYSIS ........... 142
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APPENDIX G: ADDITIONAL MICROGRAPHS AND SPECTRA
FROM THE H CELL CATHODE OF THE
SECOND EXPERIMENT AFTER ELECTROLYSIS .................... 148
APPENDIX H: ADDITIONAL MICROGRAPHS AND SPECTRA
FROM THE D CELL CATHODE OF THE
SECOND EXPERIMENT AFTER ELECTROLYSIS .................... 189
APPENDIX I: SUPPLIERS ..................................................................... 220
v
LIST OF TABLES
Page
Table 1: Cell component description and mass
at the start of the first experiment .................................................. 14
Table 2: Cell component description and mass
at the start of the second experiment ............................................ 16
Table 3: Results of elemental analysis from
X-ray Spectrum of FIG. 6 ............................................................... 26
Table 4: Analysis of X-ray spectrum of FIG. 6
for the metallic elements ................................................................ 26
Table 5: Analysis of X-ray Spectrum of FIG. 7
for all the elements ........................................................................ 28
Table 6: Analysis of X-ray Spectrum of FIG. 7
for the metallic elements ................................................................ 29
Table 7: Results of elemental analysis of spectrum of FIG. 11,
from selected area in FIG. 10 ........................................................ 32
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Page
Table 8: Results of analysis of spectrum of FIG. 11,
from selected area in FIG. 10, for the metallic elements .............. 33
Table 9: Results of elemental analysis of spectrum of FIG. 16,
from selected area in FIG. 15 ........................................................ 37
Table 10: Results of analysis of spectrum of FIG. 16,
from selected area in FIG. 15, (metallic elements) ........................ 37
Table 11: HEAT SUMMARY OF THE SECOND EXPERIMENT
(FROM CELL MASS LOSSES) ..................................................... 62
Table 12: HEAT SUMMARY OF THE SECOND EXPERIMENT
(FROM THE CURRENT) ............................................................... 64
vii
LIST OF FIGURES
Page
FIG. 1: Appearance of H and D cells at the start
of the second experiment .............................................................. 17
FIG. 2: Circuit diagram for the second experiment ................................... 18
FIG. 3: Photo of experimental setup for second experiment .................... 19
FIG. 4: Comparison of power inputs in the run of January 18, 2002 ........ 24
FIG. 5: Comparison of cell temperatures in the run
of January 18, 2002 ....................................................................... 24
FIG. 6: Spectrum from selected area on unelectrolyzed Pd ..................... 25
FIG. 7: Spectrum from 2.1 mm x 2.1 mm selected area
on H cell cathode, of the first experiment ...................................... 28
FIG. 8: H cell cathode before electrolysis,
side of the spotweld (facing the anode) ......................................... 30
FIG. 9: H cell cathode after electrolysis,
side of the spotweld (facing the anode) ......................................... 30
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Page
FIG. 10: 0.11 mm x 12 m fissure along edge of H cell cathode
after electrolysis............................................................................. 31
FIG. 11: X-ray spectrum from selected area in FIG. 10 ............................ 32
FIG. 12: D cell cathode of the second experiment
before electrolysis, side opposite the spotweld
(looking away from the anode) ...................................................... 34
FIG. 13: D cell cathode of the second experiment
after electrolysis, side opposite the spotweld
(looking away from the anode) ...................................................... 34
FIG. 14: Tip of D cell cathode of the second experiment
after electrolysis (edge-on view) .................................................... 35
FIG. 15: Tip of D cell cathode of the second experiment
after electrolysis............................................................................. 36
FIG. 16: X-ray spectrum from selected area in FIG. 15 ............................ 36
FIG. 17: Crystal unit cell of -PdHx (or -PdDx) ........................................ 52
FIG. 18: Phase diagram of PdHx (or PdDx) at 1 atm ................................. 53
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FIG. 19: General phase diagram of PdHx (or PdDx) ................................. 54
x