Nuclear transmutation induced by light water electrolysis with gold electrode

Steady excess energy evolution ranging from 0.2 to 1 W, was observed during the electrolysis in neutral and alkaline solutions. At the same time, various unexpected elements, e.g. Hg, Os, Kr, Ni, Fe, Si, Mg, etc., were found to be produced in the electrodes after the electrolysis. The amounts of Fe reached some 10 /spl mu/g after the electrolysis for 20-30 days. The isotopic distributions of above elements were evidently deviated from their natural isotopic abundance. For example, in some cases, the isotopic content of /sup 57/Fe reached above 50%, exceeding 20 times its natural isotopic abundance. In addition, some 100 /spl mu/g of fine porous precipitates were obtained when electrolyzed at a current density of >0.2 A/cm/sup 2/. The major component was Au, however, several percents of Hg, Os, Fe, Si and Mg were contained. The appearance of the electrode surface after the electrolysis was very anomalous on which a lot of volcano-like micro craters were found. The structure of the outside wall of the craters was porous, very alike to the structure of the precipitates. In the inside wall, were layers of fine hexagonal crystallites suggesting Au (111). This shows the occurrence of the recrystallization of Au substrate, suggesting an extraordinarily elevated heat evolution. These craters were distributed along the scraped edge of the electrode material artificially made or the rim of the micro holes and cracks, from which it is deduced that lattice defects concentrated on the edge or grain boundary of the electrode material would serve to induce the nuclear transmutation reaction.