Abstract

A case is made for the fusion reactions apparently occurring in the original Fleischmann and Pons (F-P) experiments to be the result of free D+ ions formed at the anode during electrolysis colliding with deuterons trapped in the Pd lattice of the cathode, rather than trapped deuterons being squeezed together by the lattice. The data from the experiments show that the energy output of F-P cells was essentially proportional to the energy input, independent of the cathode size or the current strength, which implies that the cathode plays a passive role in the energy production. The number of D+ ions produced at the anode and their velocities are proportional to the current used in the cell, so that the number of D+ ions that survive the trip across the gap between the anode and the cathode is greater for greater currents. The larger numbers of D+ ions from the higher currents result in more collisions with trapped deuterons in the cathode producing more energy.