On Mar 12, 2010, at 1:51 PM, Abd ul-Rahman Lomax wrote:
Really poorly reported. The patent implies that it's just nickel
and hydrogen, under pressure and heat. However, it also specifies
Nickel 62, which is under 3% natural abundance. But that's for
reasons of avoiding radiation. The paper says "The system on which
we operate consists of Ni, in H atmosphere and in the presence of
additives placed in a sealed container and heated by a current
passing through a resistor."
Additives? What additives? It's tempting to say "magic pixie dust."
But I don't believe that they are necessarily making this up, I'm
just noticing that, like a long line before them, they aren't
disclosing what are quite likely critical details. It's not like
nobody tried pressurizing and heating nickel and hydrogen before!
I'll get excited when someone completely independent replicates
this. Until then, well, we've been burned too many times. Or not-
burned, as the case was. Not even hot enough to burn.
If there is a failure to fully disclose the invention, especially
additives that are essential to the operation of the device, then the
patent is not enforceable. Further, if someone discovers what
additional essential ingredients are required then they are free to
obtain a patent that includes those ingredients.
Best regards,
Horace Heffner
http://www.mtaonline.net/~hheffner/