Investigations of the Deuterium-Deuterium Fusion Reaction in Cast Annealed, and Cold-Rolled Palladium

A search was conducted for neutrons, protons, tritons, ³He ions, gamma rays, and ion-induced X rays from deuterium-deuterium (D-D) fusion in cast (36-g), annealed (4-g), and cold-rolled (16-g) palladium specimens and a palladium hydrogen thermal valve (11 g) electrochemically charged with deuterium. The palladium cathodes were charged in an electrolytic cell [0.1 M LiOD (99.8% deuterium), platinum anode] at a current density of 25 mA/cm² from 20 to 140 h. One unique aspect of the experiment was the radiation detection system, consisting of a CR-39 track-etch detector, bare for proton detection (sensitivity limit 4.8 × 10⁻² fusion/s), combined with a polyethylene fast neutron radiator (0.95 fusion/s), a boron thermal neutron radiator (26 fusion/s), a BD-100 bubble damage polymer detector (5.2 fusion/s), an array of six ³He proportional counters (126 fusion/s), a CaF₂ thermoluminescent dosimeter (11.4 fusion/s), and a germanium semiconductor spectrometer (17 fusion/s). The D-D fusion rate in cast, annealed, and cold-rolled palladium is <3 × 10⁻²², <7.8 × 10⁻²¹ and <1.2 × 10⁻²¹ (D-Dn) fusion/D-D pair·s⁻¹, respectively. In the palladium hydrogen thermal valve, this value was <1.1 × 10⁻²³ (D-Dp) fusion/D-D pair·s⁻¹ and <2.3 × 10⁻²² (D-Dn) fusion/DD pair·s⁻¹.