damaging and fracturing due to hydrogen atoms penetrating into the lattice structure and forcing it, during the gas loading. Hydrogen effects are largely studied especially in metal alloys where the hydrogen absorption is particularly high. The hydrogen atoms generate an internal stress that lowers the fracture resistance of the metal, so that brittle crack growth can occur with a hydrogen partial pressure below 1 atm [41, 42]. Some experimental evidence shows that neutron emissions may be strictly correlated to fracture of non-radioactive or inert materials. From this point of view, anomalous nuclear emissions and heat generation had been verified during fracture in fissile materials [2–4] and in deuterated solids [5, 8, 30]. The experiments recently carried out by Carpinteri et al. [36–39] represent the first evidence of neutron emissions from piezonuclear fissions occurring during the failure of inert, stable, and non-radioactive solids under compression, as well as from non-radioactive liquids under ultrasound cavitation [37, 38]. In the present paper, we analyze neutron and alpha particle emissions during tests conducted on an electrolytic cell, where the electrolysis is obtained using Ni-Fe and Pd electrodes in aqueous potassium carbonate solution. Voltage, current intensity, solution conductivity, temperature, alpha and neutron emissions were monitored. The compositions of the electrodes were analyzed both before and after the tests. Strong evidences suggest that the so-called Cold Nuclear Fusion, interpreted under the light of hydrogen embrittlement, may be explained by piezonuclear fission reactions occurring in the host metal, rather than by nuclear fusions of hydrogen isotopes adsorbed in the lattice. These results give an important confirmation about the hypothesis proposed by the authors and reported in previous papers on electrolysis with Ni-Fe and Cr-Co electrodes [43, 44]. 5.2 Experimental Set Up Over the last 10 years, specific experiments have been conducted on an electrolytic reactor (owners: Mr. A. Goi et al.). The aim was to investigate whether the anomalous heat generation may be correlated to a new type of nuclear reactions during electrolysis phenomena. The reactor was built in order to be appropriately filled with a salt solution of water and Potassium Carbonate (K2CO3). The electrolytic phenomenon was obtained using two metal electrodes immersed in the aqueous solution. The solution container, named also reaction chamber in the following, is a cylinder-shaped element of 100 mm diameter, 150 mm high, and 5 mm thick. For the reaction chamber Inox AISI 316 L steel was used. The two metallic electrodes were connected to a source of direct current: a Ni-Fe-based electrode as the positive pole (anode), and a Pd-based electrode as the negative pole (cathode). The reaction chamber base consists of a ceramic plate preventing the direct contact between liquid solution and Teflon lid. Two threaded holes host the electrodes, which are screwed to the bottom of the chamber successively filled with the solution. A valve at the top of the cell allows the vapor to escape from the reactor and condense in an external collector. Externally, two circular Inox steel flanges, fastened by means of four threaded ties, hold the Teflon layers. The inferior steel flange of the reactor is connected to four supports isolated from the ground by means of rubber-based material. As mentioned before, a direct current passes through the anode and the cathode electrodes, provided by a power circuit connected to the power grid through an electric socket. The components of the circuit are an isolating transformer, an electronic variable transformer (Variac), and a diode bridge linked in series. Electric current and voltage probes were positioned in different parts of the circuit. The voltage measurements were performed by a differential voltage probe of 100 MHz with a maximum rated voltage of 1,400 V. The current was measured by a Fluke I 310S probe with a maximum rated current of 30 A. Current intensity and voltage measurements were also taken by means of a multimeter positioned at the input line. From the turning on to the switching off of the electrolytic cell, current and voltage were found to vary in a range from 3 to 5 A and from 20 to 120 V, respectively. For an accurate neutron emission evaluation, a He3 proportional counter was employed (Xeram, France) with preamplification, amplification, and discrimination electronics directly connected to the detector tube. The detector is supplied by a high voltage power (about 1.3 kV) via NIM (Nuclear Instrument Module). The logic output producing the TTL (transistor–transistor logic) pulses is connected to a NIM counter. The logic output of the detector is enabled for analog signals exceeding 300 mV. This discrimination threshold is a consequence of the sensitivity of the He3 detector to the gamma rays ensuing neutron emission in ordinary nuclear processes. This value has been determined by measuring the analog signal of the detector by means of a Co-60 gamma source. The detector is also calibrated at the factory for the measurement of thermal neutrons; its sensitivity is 65 cps/nthermal ( 10 % declared by the factory), i.e., the flux of thermal neutrons is one thermal neutron/s cm2, corresponding to a count rate of 65 cps. Finally, before and after the experiments, Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy has been performed in order to recognise possible direct evidence of piezonuclear reactions that can take place during the electrolysis. The elemental analyses were performed by a ZEISS Auriga field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) equipped with an Oxford INCA energy-dispersive X-ray detector (EDX) with a resolution of 124 eV @ MnKa. The energy used for the analyses was 18 KeV. 38 A. Carpinteri et al.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTMzNzEzMQ==