Search for neutrons from deuterated palladium subject to high electrical currents

摘要

Tritium has been detected evolving from samples of deuteriated palladium wires and powders subject to pulsed high voltage at Los Alamos. They wanted to measure whether these samples were emitting neutrons. The idea of pulsing current through the wires and powders was to drive the deuterium in and out by rapid electrical heating. With promising tritium results in hand, the experiments were prepared at Los Alamos, and then taken to BYU and run in the neutron detector located in a tunnel in Provo canyon under 35 m of rock and dirt overburden. The neutrons detector and sample setup are described. Results including total neutron counts, time distributions, and an indication of the energy distributions are discussed. The results do not provide compelling evidence of neutron production, but are not inconsistent with earlier measurements of neutrons and tritium. Difficulties in explaining the difference in tritium and neutron measurements are also discussed. Plans for further work are presented.