A Search for Neutrons in Single-Phase Palladium-Deuterium

A palladium rod is charged to relatively high levels of deuterium without passing through the two-phase region of this system. This is accomplished by a combination of gaseous high-temperature-high-pressure initial charging followed by electrolytic charging to a final deuterium/palladium ratio of 0.88. Attempts to detect neutron production during low-temperature thermal cycling and room-temperature slow discharge of deuterium have yielded negative results. Data collected during more rapid discharge of deuterium are statistically unconvincing, but weakly suggestive of some possible neutron production.