Feel free to take the following comments as fully uninformed! I
don't have references handy, and this is off the top of my head.
Corrections expected!
On Jan 10, 2006, at 7:58 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
When deuterium is loaded into the Pd lattice during electrolysis is
it in the atomic or molecular state?
The best answer is neither. The hydrogen state fluctuates as
diffusion occurs between lattice sites, and the probability of a
given state varies with the degree of loading. Loaded hydrogen was
at one time generally considered to be in an ionic state, but that is
not a complete answer either. The ionic state is one in which the
proton migrates freely and an associated electron is dragged along
with it in the conduction bands. However, single protons or
deuterons in the atomic state do not fit in the Pd lattice.
Therefore, they have to either be in a H2 or D2 molecular state,
which is possible in one position in the lattice with only a few
percent increase in lattice size (which occurs) or in a partial
orbital state, which also causes lattice size increase if it is
highly loaded. The partial orbital state is one in which sub-
orbitals exist in the vicinity of the hydrogen nucleus. The
associated electron in such a state has a two fold existence, with
mixed probabilities of being found in either the conduction band or
in the orbital. The probability of being in the conduction band
increases with higher loading, as does the pressure the partial
orbital puts on the lattice. The partial orbital can transmit force
just like a full orbital that is stressed, but the force is larger.
The approximate lattice structure of various prospective cathode
materials, based on some simple geometry, not QM modeling, was
described in <http://mtaonline.net/~hheffner/AtomicExpansion.pdf>.
Assuming atomic, is the radius for atomic deuterium different from
atomic protium?
The orbitals (orbital clouds) for the two differ close up to the
nucleus due to differing magnetic effects. Hydrogen and deuterium
have differing orbital mechanics, which can be seen chemically in the
way they affect protein structures, for example. The radius is not
significantly different with regard to diffusion.
Does the presence of the neutron in deuterium somehow weaken the
coloumb barrier?
On the contrary, the extra neutron reduces the probability of
tunneling at a given internuclear distance. The deBroglie wavelength
is reduced in size. However, for momentum based reactions the
doubled mass of the deuterium helps to get it closer and to stay
closer longer to a given reaction distance at a given initial
relative velocity.
In other words, why does deuterium fuse in Pd but not protium?
One of the best answers to this is the cross section of the p + p
reaction is very small because it requires (a) a weak reaction which
always has a very small probability and (b) transmutation of a proton
to a neutron, which requires extra energy.
Further, if we assume the P + P reaction is due to electron
catalysis, thus creating a de-energized product, what experiment is
going to see the reaction product? There will be no clearly visible
energy signature, and the ash, D2, will be hard to find. D2 in water
is just hay in haystack.
I hope these comments are useful, at least as food for thought.
Horace Heffner
