Titanium Deuteration with Neutron Emission Through Electrical Discharges

To search for the absorption of deuterium gas in titanium plates and the neutron emission from this process, electrical discharges between two titanium electrodes in a deuterium atmosphere have been performed. During the discharges, a temperature >300 °C on the surface of the electrodes was measured. A typical characteristic of the phenomenon observed was the deuteration of the electrodes. Pressure reduction was notorious when the chamber was previously cooled with liquid air. Deuterium absorption seemed to be present in all experiments whether or not liquid air was added on the deuteration chamber. Sheets of CR39 plastic detectors, a Bonner sphere, and a fission chamber were used to look for neutron emission.