The preparation of palladium for cold fusion experiments

Abstract

Techniques have been established to prepare palladium specimens for cold fusion experiments using an ultra-high-vacuum, allmetal, high-temperature furnace to melt palladium metal in high purity alumina molds having a test tube shape. To date 6-mm and 15-mm cylinders have been fabricated, the latter being used to fabricate a sphere 12.5-mm in diameter. Techniques and facilities used for palladium-hydrogen isotope pressure-volume-temperature measurements1–4 have been used to anneal these palladium specimens after machining and, in some cases, to charge these specimens with deuterium to PdD0.63 stoichiometry prior to their use in electrochemical cells. The modeling of palladium-hydrogen isotope pressure-composition-temperature curves is described wherein existing data5,6 is used to derive models that accurately describe the existing data and that extrapolate to high compositions. Experiments for reacting6LiD with Pd rods at 700°C to 800°C, in an attempt to precharge6Li into the Pd rods, are being prepared.