Tritium generation from the interaction of a glow discharge plasma with metals and with a magnetic field

We present results of our research on tritium generation through the bombardment of the surface of various metals by accelerated ions of hydrogen isotopes from a glow discharge plasma, with and without a magnetic field. The introduction of a magnetic field perpendicular to the sample surface results in an increase in the tritium activity, and in the tritium generation rate, of almost two orders of magnitude as compared to similar experiments run with no magnetic field. The largest tritium generation rates observed were obtained with the glow discharge operating in a magnetic field, and were in the range 10(9)-10(10) atom/s. This is higher than our background by three to four orders of magnitude. The use of a magnetic field has resulted in good reproducibility, and the development of a reliable tritium generation rate of about 10(10) atom/s for tantalum, tungsten, and platinum. A new technique for the generation and measurement of excess heat is presented based on the transfusion of hydrogen isotopes through the metal wall of a hollow sample electrode toward the glow discharge. In the case of a vanadium cathode, the maximum excess thermal power is about 30% of the absorbed power. The generation of excess power is found to be maximized in the temperature 600-700K for relative power, and 800-1000K for absolute power. The results of measurements support a nuclear origin for the tritium generation, as opposed to a conventional thermal activation explanation. Mass spectroscopic measurements show an increase in species with deuterium in discharge experiments with hydrogen gas and with deuterium gas. The tritium generation rate is found to increase with the addition of deuterium, but by an amount not commensurate with the amount of deuterium added. Measurements of the gamma spectrum indicate that positrons are not generated in the course of tritium generation. These observations allow us to assert that modified versions of p+p and p+d reactions are responsible for the production of deuterium and tritium; where the reactions in these experiments proceed through electronic catalysis, as p+e+p and p+e+d. The production of excess heat at the level of I kW through this reaction mechanism (and under these discharge conditions with hydrogen isotopes) would be associated with a tritium generation rate of about 10(12) atom/s.