Wikipedia talk:Requests for mediation/Cold fusion/draft
Cold fusion is a name given to a controversial field of research which investigates the possibility of nuclear reactions at conditions near room temperature and atmospheric pressure.
The first report of such an experiment was published by M. Fleischmann and S. Pons from the University of Utah in 1989 [1]. In their publication, Fleischmann and Pons reported the observation of anomalous heating ("excess heat") of an electrolytic cell during electrolysis of heavy water (D2O). Lacking a simple explanation for the source of such anomalous heat, they proposed the hypothesis, without supporting evidence, that the source of the heat is nuclear fusion of deuterium.
Cold fusion gained a reputation as a pathological science after other scientists failed to replicate the results. [2] A review panel organized by the US Department of Energy (DOE) in 1989 did not find the evidence persuasive, and said that such nuclear fusion at room temperature would be contrary to all understanding gained of nuclear reactions in the last half century; it would require the invention of an entirely new nuclear process.[3]
Since then, other reports of anomalous heat and tritium production [4] have been published in peer-reviewed journals,[5] and discussed at scientific conferences. [6][7] The scientific community, however, has met these reports with skepticism. [8] In 2004 the US DOE organized another review panel.[9] This panel, like the one in 1989, did not recommended a focused federally-funded program. The 2004 panel identified basic research areas that could be helpful in resolving some of the controversies in the field. They stated that the field would benefit from the peer-review processes associated with proposal submission to agencies and paper submission to archival journals.
Introduction edit
Excess-heat-by-electrolysis experiments edit
(Brief overview of general experimental setup, cell types, open cells, closed cells, and calorimetry)
The Fleischmann and Pons open-cell experiment edit
(showing excess heat)
The ??? closed-cell experiment edit
(showing no excess heat)
The Faraday-efficiency effect edit
(showing how excess heat has a simple chemical explanation)
Calorimetry edit
Reproducibility of the results edit
Possible errors in electrolysis experiments edit
Other experiments edit
Excess-heat experiments edit
Nuclear experiments edit
Possible errors in experiments edit
Theoretical considerations edit
Theories in favor of cold nuclear fusion edit
Theories against the possibility of cold nuclear fusion edit
History of events and developments edit
Early work edit
Events leading to the original announcement edit
Reactions to the original announcement edit
Overview of post-announcement research edit
The controversy edit
The politics of cold-fusion research edit
References edit
Books edit
Further information edit
Reports and reviews edit
Journals and publications edit
Repositories edit
Websites edit
Video edit
News edit
- ^ "Electrochemically induced nuclear fusion of deuterium," M. Fleischmann and S. Pons, Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry vol. 261, p. 301 (1989).
- ^ Browne, M. (May 3, 1989). ""Physicists Debunk Claim Of a New Kind of Fusion"". New York Times.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ 1989 DoE report
- ^ Nearly 200 reports of anomalous heat production and over 60 of anomaous tritium production are listed in several publications, including Storms, Edmund (2007). The Science of Low Energy Nuclear Reaction. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing. pp. pp 52-61 and pp 79-81. ISBN 9789812706201.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help) - ^ For example those cited in the 2004 DoE review:
Y. Arata and Y-C Zhang, "Anomalous difference between reaction energies generated within D20-cell and H20 Cell", Jpn. J. Appl. Phys 37, L1274 (1998)
Iwamura, Y., M. Sakano, and T. Itoh, "Elemental Analysis of Pd Complexes: Effects of D2 Gas Permeation". Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. A, 2002. 41: p. 4642.
Other:
Mizuno, T., et al., "Production of Heat During Plasma Electrolysis in Liquid," Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 39 p. 6055, (2000)
M.H. Miles et al., "Correlation of excess power and helium production during D2O and H20 electrolysis using Palladium cathodes]", J. Electroanal. Chem. 346 (1993) 99
B.F. Bush et al, "Helium production during the electrolysis of D20 in cold fusion", J. Electroanal. Chem. 346 (1993) 99
Electrochemist Dr. Dieter Britz, who has remained neutral on the question of whether cold fusion exists, has compiled a cold fusion bibliography which includes 479 published scientific journal articles marked "res+" indicating positive research results. - ^ Van Noorden, R. (2007). "Cold fusion back on the menu". Chemistry World.
- ^ "2006 APS March Meeting Monday–Friday, March 13–17, 2006; Baltimore, MD Session W41: Cold Fusion".
- ^ http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/08/cold_fusion
- ^ 2004 DOE report