Palladium Cathode Research Articles

Consistency of helium production with the excess power in the palladium-D2O electrochemical system

A new equation accurately relates the helium-four production with the excess power for the Pd-D2O electrochemical system based upon the assumption of 23.85 MeV per He-4 atom produced by cold fusion (also called LENR). This equation is He-4 (ppb) = 55.91 (PX / I), where PX is the excess power in Watts, and I is the cell current in Amperes. For our most accurate measurements of He-4, there was exact agreement for one study that would not likely be just a coincidence. Two other experiments were also reasonably close to agreement with this equation and even suggested small calorimetric errors which have been identified. These three studies indicate that the He-4 produced in these LENR experiments readily escapes from the palladium cathodes used. This is often not the case for other electrodes, especially for palladium alloys such as Pd-B that yield somewhat smaller amounts of He-4 than the theoretical calculations. Several other applications of this equation are also presented.

Experimental and theoretical validation for transmutation of palladium at electrochemical interfaces

Electrolysis of D2O may be used as a portable neutron source with numerous applications without the complexity of huge reactor operations. Herein, we report reproducible fast neutron generation by electrolysis of D2O using palladium cathode and platinum anode, which was detected with diamond detector, gas filled 3He detectors after thermalisation with high density polythene, as well as novel epoxy resin and CR-39 detectors. Notably, a highly reproducible neutron generation at electrochemical surfaces of palladium electrode was observed and signature transmutation via Pd (d, n) Ag was corroborated. This was further explained using a theoretical model based on second order quantum perturbation theory.

Tuning electrochemical environment enables unexpected C=O selectivity for cinnamaldehyde hydrogenation over self-standing palladium cathode

It is particularly challengeable to achieve C=O selectivity for Pd catalysts in thermal catalytic hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde (CAL). This work offers a new electrochemical strategy that enables an unexpected switch toward C=O bond for CAL hydrogenation, based on the specific interaction between CAL and electrolyte-modulated Pd surface. Under galvanostatic electrolysis, guanosine 5′-monophosphate-modulated Pd electrode affords a record cinnamyl alcohol (COL) selectivity of 90.3% in neutral catholyte with no sacrifice of CAL conversion, showing the faradaic efficiency of 68.2%. It is of great interest to find that the aromatic moiety of CAL determines the preferential activation toward C=O bond over Pd surface under electric field. It is reported for the first time that selective hydrogenation of α, β-unsaturated aldehydes can be altered by electrochemical environment located between Pd electrode and surrounding electrolyte involving alkali cation along with organic solvent.

Blocking Hydrogen Diffusion in Palladium Cathode i—Analyzed by Electrochemistry; ii—Analyzed by Chaos

Electrochemical chaos is caused when, during diffusion, hydrogen and, at worst, tritium is trapped in palladium after the formation of adsorbates. The mechanism leads to cracking corrosion, as seen by scanning electron microscopy. The instabilities were apprehended from voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in the active potential where the cathodic hydrogen is charged from two models of transients. Tests performed using an electrochemical chaos analyzer simplify the expertise of the palladium cathode in focusing on the blocking diffusion of hydrogen. A complex electrical circuit of chaos is considered for adsorption and the blocking diffusion. Depending on the active potential, distinct behavior such as the transformation of transients and limited diffusion can occur. Phase-space spectra are obtained, and synchronization has been developed to clarify the chaos leading to the cracking of palladium. By applying these different analytical tests for the restricted diffusion, it is possible to interpret the processes from the power spectra, autocorrelation function, or the divergence coefficient in the region of active potentials. Analyzers can detect flaws in this hydrogen diffusion process and suggest corrective measures.

Comparative study of dye-sensitized solar cell utilizing selenium and palladium cathode

This work is concerned with the comparative study of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) utilizing selenium (Se) and palladium (Pd) cathode. The influence of concentration of selenium dioxide (SeO2) and palladium chloride (PdCl2) on the performance of the device has been investigated. The Se and Pd cathode have been prepared via dip coating-based multilayer deposition technique. The device using Se cathode with seven layers possesses the highest performance in term of short-circuit current density (Jsc). The photovoltaic measurement results show that the device utilizing Pd cathode demonstrates higher power conversion efficiency (η) compared with that of the device using Se cathode. The highest η of the device with Se and Pd cathode are 0.071 and 0.169%, obtained at the 0.5 ​M SeO2 and 0.60 ​M PdCl2, respectively. The Pd cathode-based device prepared with 0.60 ​M PdCl2 owns the highest η due to the lowest sheet resistance (Rs). These photovoltaic results imply single material has potential to be modified into binary or ternary cathode material in order to improve the performance of DSSC.

Hydrogen and deuterium isotope effects beyond the electromagnetic force

A mechanism is presented concerning electrolysis of deuteriated water with a palladium cathode that is infused with deuterium (palladium deuteride) resulting in the formation of small amounts of radioactive tritium, excess energy (more than allowed by EMF chemistry alone) and the concomitant liberation of 4He. These net electron catalyzed nuclear chemical reactions (2H + 2H + e− → 4He + e− + heat) and (2H + 1H + e− → 3H + e−) appear to be a result of respectively four and three isotope effects acting in combination with each other in a non-linear (chaotic) fashion to produce a metastable nuclear isomer of hydrogen-4 or hydrogen-3. The four isotope effects begin with the influx of electrons into the –PdDPdD Bravais lattice conduction band and consequent preferred rupture of individual weak Pd-D bonds (over those of PdH) in the cathode liberating D2. This is followed by the newly freed deuterium capturing an electron yielding a di-neutron (onon). The onon then reacts with a deuterium or hydrogen (from protic impurity in the lattice) via phonon enforced quantum tunneling resulting in 4mH or 3H respectively. The 4mH quickly undergoes nuclear internal conversion to form 4He. These reactions involve the weak force (Feynman Diagrams are shown), but they take place in simple electrochemical systems that are normally thought of in terms of the electromagnetic forces only. The combined influence of the four isotope effects explains thousands of, what were considered, anomalous observations by top electrochemical researchers. The newly described mechanistic effects involve a very important and almost forgotten intermediate (the di-neutron) and may even involve unique safety concerns.

Atomistic understanding of hydrogen loading phenomenon into palladium cathode: A simple nanocluster approach and electrochemical evidence

The inherent potency of palladium to sorb hydrogen atoms was examined empirically and theoretically through various electrochemical methods and high-level quantum chemical calculations (HSE06) based on cluster model (CM) and density functional theory (DFT). The CM-DFT approach using QZVP/cc-PV6Z basis sets revealed a strong attraction between Pd nanoclusters and H atoms that generates some charged entities. This atomistically justifies why the electrochemical impedance of the system becomes less by the loading phenomenon. It is concluded that hydrogen atoms enter the palladium subsurface through hollow and bridge sites by diffusing as proton-like species and get loaded predominantly in the octahedral voids.

Review of Materials Science for Studying the Fleischmann and Pons Effect

Fleischmann and Pons effect (FPE) is the production of excess power during electrochemical loading of deuterium in palladium. This effect has the following features: (1) It is a threshold effect (loading D/Pd > 0.9). (2) It is unobserved when electrochemical loading is performed with hydrogen from light water. (3) It is unexplainable as a chemical effect. (4) It occurs only if the involved materials have specific characteristics. The present article will review aspects concerning the occurrence of FPE related to materials science, a field considered to be a key to define the effect and a research approach has been conceived to find correlations with the material status. Metallurgy, crystallographic orientation and surface morphology all together are the necessary conditions to observe the phenomenon. In general, these features affect the deuterium adsorption/absorption in palladium cathodes. On the other hand, crystal orientation seems not to be crucial for PdRh alloy. A preliminary study, based on galvanostatic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, has been carried out to investigate the status of the electrochemical interface during the effect. Results point in the direction of a significant change in the equivalent circuit at the electrode interface, as the electrode is active.

Why palladium cathodes can bear resistance to methanol but not platinum cathodes

Methanol crossover on the cathodes causes significant performance loss in direct methanol fuel cells, and the parasitic current induced by the electrochemical oxidation of methanol on the cathodes is believed to be the cause. Palladium cathodes are known to bear resistance to methanol but not platinum cathodes. By means of the density functional theory (DFT), the distorted molecular structure of the adsorbed methanol on platinum was revealed, and this distorted molecular structure indicates that platinum makes methanol has a tendency toward the elimination of the first hydrogen (involved in the first step of electrochemical oxidation of methanol) in electric neutrality, and loss of an electron can reinforce this tendency. However, palladium cannot distort the molecular structure of the adsorbed methanol, even in the loss of electron condition. The activation energies and the reaction energies calculated by means of DFT also show that after losing an electron, the elimination of the first hydrogen on platinum is more kinetically and thermodynamically favourable than that on palladium. These computational results can explain the experimental findings that no parasitic current is induced at palladium cathodes, but not at platinum cathodes; therefore, palladium cathodes have a methanol-resistance property.

Organically doped palladium: a highly efficient catalyst for electroreduction of CO2to methanol

Electrochemical reduction of CO2to methanol with 35% Faradaic efficiency on organically doped palladium cathode in aqueous solution.

Optimisation of electrocatalytic dechlorination of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid on a roughened silver–palladium cathode

Electrocatalytic hydrogenolysis (ECH) dechlorination of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in an aqueous solution was investigated at room temperature using a roughened silver–palladium cathode (Pd/Ag(r) cathode) in batch-mode electrolysis experiments. The Pd/Ag(r) cathode was prepared by galvanic replacement reaction (GRR) of a roughened silver (Ag(r)) electrode with PdCl2 solution. The effect of preparation conditions on the catalytic activity and stability of the Pd/Ag(r) cathode and of operating parameters on the rate and current efficiency (CE) of the ECH dechlorination reaction were evaluated. In particular, the ECH dechlorination mechanism of 2,4-D was analysed with regard to the dependence of dechlorination efficiency on the different operating parameters. Moreover, preliminary assessments of product selectivity and carbon mass balance of the dechlorination reaction were carried out. The results demonstrate that a moderate GRR time and GRR temperature favoured the catalytic activity and cathode stability and that a basic aqueous solution without ethanol, high 2,4-D concentration, and moderate current density had the most beneficial effects on the dechlorination process. Under the optimised conditions, 25mM of 2,4-D could be selectively dechlorinated to phenoxyacetic acid with 85% yield and 66% CE at 298K after 6h electrolysis. The only products generated during the electrolysis process were phenoxyacetic acid, 2-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, and 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid.

Changes of the breaking strain from content of tritium and cycling in a palladium cathode membrane

In this work, it is examined the breaking strain in the function of the tritide phases, of depth and surfaces of silver alloyed or not alloyed palladium cathode membrane in a sequential process for penetration of tritium. Examining the parameters, a mapping model is given. Firstly, the introduction of tritium in the membrane by electrolytic cracking of tritiated water with cycling leads to high constant breaking strain in the adsorption surface and an increase of the breaking strain in the desorption surface. The tendency towards numerous cracks formation on the two surfaces is indisputable. Secondly, a progressive decrease of breaking strain in the depth of membrane, independent of cycling, signifies decelerating cracks and fractures in the volume of palladium. Before shutdowns of electrolysis and temperature, tritium purging process is recommended to avoid inversion of phase in entry and exit surfaces then collapse to increase the life of the palladium membrane. Porous ceramic support prevails on the life of palladium membrane.

ChemInform Abstract: Helium Production During the Electrolysis of D2O in Cold Fusion Experiments.

We report the results of experiments designed to detect helium in the effluent gases from electrolysis reactions at palladium cathodes while rigorously excluding possible helium contamination from other sources

ChemInform Abstract: An Attempt to Detect Neutron and γ-Radiations in Heavy Water Electrolysis with a Palladium Cathode.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

The roughened silver–palladium cathode for electrocatalytic reductive dechlorination of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid

The roughened silver–palladium (Pd/Ag(r)) electrode was fabricated by a convenient metallic replacement reaction, and its electrocatalytic property towards reductive dechlorination of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in basic aqueous solution have been evaluated. Experimental evidence is presented that Pd/Ag(r) exhibited powerful electrocatalytic activity for dechlorination of 2,4-D. In addition, a new dechlorination mechanism of 2,4-D was proposed, in which the formation of adsorbed 2,4-D on Ag is a key step.

Possible production of atomic deuterium by palladium cathode

The authors have shown that palladium cathodes charged with deuterium release spontaneously the deuterium in the atomic state. The heating of the metal by the recombination of the deuterium atoms is discussed.

The one-electron cleavage and reductive homo-coupling of alkyl bromides at silver–palladium cathodes

We have previously demonstrated that “palladized” silver electrodes obtained by displacement reaction, thanks to an immersion in acidic Pd II-based solutions, display quite interesting capabilities in the cleavage of alkyl halides. Such chemically modified surfaces by an Ag–Pd alloy lead to large potential shifts compared to the use of glassy carbon or smooth silver cathodes as well. The present article now gives preliminary results focused on the particular electrochemical activity of primary and secondary alkyl bromides. Experimental data show that such electrodes may behave quite differently from smooth silver, especially, when acetonitrile and dimethylformamide are used as solvent. While smooth silver cathodes generally entail two-electron cleavage reactions, palladized silver interfaces always yield catalytic cleavages of C–Br bonds according to single one-electron reactions. The homo-coupling processes may generally occur with a rather high efficiency.

Enrichment of slightly concentrated tritiated water by electrolysis using a palladium cathode coated on ionic solid polymer membrane—Design and results

In nuclear installations, tritiated water is generally produced in the process of detritiation of air circulating in the glove boxes. The goal of this work concerns enrichment of this tritiated water at low concentration by electrolysis. The choice of this electrolyzer was dictated by the passivity of selected materials to the radiolysis in low-level tritiated water and the selectivity of the method avoiding further elimination of tritiated water and moisture before release in environment. According to the results, it is feasible to treat non-negligible volume of low-level tritiated water using a cathodic palladium membrane coated on an ionic solid polymer membrane. Presence of a palladium black deposit on the palladium membrane improves effectiveness. Enrichment in tritiated water depends on the isotopic separation factor, thereby the current and the permeability values.

Galvanostatic Transient Studies on Copper Coordination Polymer under Hydrogen Absorption

Abstract Hydrogen electrode reaction (HER) was investigated for a copper coordination polymer, catena-μ-N,N′-bis(hydroxyethyl)dithiooxamidatocopper(II) (CuCP) by galvanostatic transient measurements using a palladium cathode. Individual steps in the Volmer–Tafel reaction were successfully observed for the colloidal CuCP in alkaline solution under hydrogen absorption. The Volmer step was found to be promoted with CuCP and its hydrogen-absorbed polymer (CuCPH) from shorter decay times in transient curves and smaller overpotentials in Tafel plots. In contrast, the inhibition of the Tafel step was observed, which is due to the larger overpotentials. Difference in reducibility between the polymers and plausible reduction mechanisms is discussed.

The copper–palladium cathode to achieve pure one-electron cleavages: The case of alkyl bromides

The palladiated copper (Cu/Pd) interface employed as a new cathode in the field of bond cleavage reactions is presented. The chemical modification of copper by PdCl 2 and the use of this electrode in cathodic cleavage reactions of non-activated carbon–bromine bonds is reported. In particular the ease of cleavage of these C–Br bonds at such interface is underlined while neither copper nor palladium taken separately did not show any specific activity. Moreover, the shift of the cathodic potential proper to the overall cleavage process is so large that one-electron scissions are observed in all cases. Data relative to the cleavage of alkyl (primary, secondary and tertiary) bromides are given and aim to exemplify the large possibilities of this kind of interface in organic electrochemistry.