THE COLD FUSION PHENOMENON: A HYPOTHESIS

摘要

There exists corroborating evidence of a "cold fusion phenomenon". There also exists corroborating evidence that heavy water electrolysis with palladium cathodes does not induce fusion. These two facts seem to imply the following. Cold fusion is supported by certain molecules in the palladium composed of trace impurities. These molecules are decomposed by the energy released when fusion occurs—thus making occasional corroboration possible. (Similar ideas have been proposed by others.) A possible mechanism would be that the cold fusion molecules are like "boxes", with shells semi-permeable to deuterium. Thus, deuterium penetrates the shell of a "molecule sized box" and then cannot escape. When sufficient deuterium has entered, due to their proximity to one another, fusion occurs, energy is released, and the box is decomposed.