Krivit has put up the abstract for Takahashi's paper at the JCF-12 meeting. In it he proposes a WL-like electron capture by a proton. He claims the energy threshold for this reaction is 272 keV, and that it is exceeded by 600 keV electrons in his magic lattice.
Could someone explain how they get a threshold for electron capture by a proton to be 272 keV. The Q-value is clearly ((p + e) - n)) = -782 keV. The difference is the mass of the electron (511 keV), so it seems as if they're counting the mass of the electron twice (1022 keV), but I don't see justification for that. Check any chart of the nuclides or decay scheme to see the Q-value for the spontaneous reverse reaction (n --> p + e) is 782 keV. And even Widom and Larsen give the required mass of the electron as 2.53 times the rest mass, meaning it needs an additional kinetic energy of 1.53*.511 keV = 782 keV. Secondly, why, if it is possible to give electrons 600 keV in ordinary matter near room temperature, shouldn't it be much easier to give deuterons 100 keV to enable ordinary fusion?
