Impurity Measurements by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis on Palladium, Nickel and Copper Thin Films

Nowadays, the main cold fusion experiments are performed during electrolysis processes onto palladium, nickel and copper thin films. In studies devoted to verify the nuclei formation during these tests, a specific research activity has been developed at ENEA Research Centers: different experiments were set up for verifying and testing the data present in literature. Each step of the procedure has been analyzed and deeply investigated: the materials such as electrolysis equipments, electrolytic solutions, electrodes, etc. were preliminarily analyzed by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) for identifying and reducing all the pollution sources. Successively, different experiments were performed using films of palladium, nickel and copper as electrodes. At the end of each test, all the materials and the electrolytic solutions used and the blank as well, were analyzed by INAA for checking and measuring the presence of nuclei originating from nuclear transmutations.