Unusual nuclear transmutation reactions have been reported by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). In their experiment, D2 gas permeates through a Pd complexes, which consists of a thin Pd layer, alternating CaO and Pd layers and bulk Pd.1 When they used sample Pd complexes with additional Cs on the surface, Pr emerged on the surface while Cs decreased after the sample was subjected to D2 gas permeation at 343 K and 1 atm for about one week. The elemental analysis was performed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). This phenomenon was reproduced qualitatively in the present replication experiment.
We performed D-permeation experiments similar to the MHI?s experiment1 three times, and we confirmed the production of Pr. Pd complex samples were provided to us by MHI. The surface was electrolytically cleaned to remove hydrocarbons before depositing Cs. D2 gas was permeated through the Pd complexes at 343 K and 1 atm for about 5 days. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) was performed to analyze the existence of the elements (Cs and Pr) and the mass distribution. The results showed the existence of Pr. And we also confirmed the existence of Pr by using fast Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) in Fusion Neutronics Source (FNS) of Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI).
As a result, we confirmed that the nuclear transmutation reaction, from 133Cs to 141Pr, was occurred. This transmutation suggests that the mass numbers and atomic numbers increase 8 and 4, respectively. The model of multi-body resonance fusion of deuterons proposed by A. Takahashi2 can explain this mass-8-and-charge-4 increased transmutation.
