2002/10/15 by R.A. Oriani, John C. Fisher · 2 citations
Physics and Astronomy · Health Professions · #Nuclear Physics and Applications #Radioactivity and Radon Measurements #Radiation Detection and Scintillator Technologies
paper · doi:10.1143/jjap.41.6180
openalex publication_date 2002/10/15 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
We show that energetic charged particles are produced during electrolysis of a D 2 O solution of Li 2 SO 4 in a cell with a platinum anode and a palladium cathode. CR-39 plastic detectors, designed for recording alpha particles from radon decay, were immersed in the electrolyte during electrolysis. They recorded significantly larger numbers of energetic particle tracks than were recorded by control detectors not subject to electrolysis. Statistical analysis shows only a 3 × 10 -6 probability that the electrolysis tracks and the control tracks could have arisen from a common population. We conclude that there is a causal relationship between electrolysis and the production of energetic charged particles. Because track formation requires particle energies substantially greater than thermal or electrochemical energies it seems inescapable that a nuclear reaction was responsible.