K. R. Czerwinski

Gas phase chromatography of halides of elements 104 and 105

On-line isothermal gas phase chromatography was used to study halides of261104 (T1/2=65 s) and262,263105 (T1/2=34 s and 27 s) produced an atom-at-a time via the reactions248Cm(18O, 5n) and249Bk(18O, 5n, 4n), respectively. Using HBr and HCl gas as halogenating agents, we were able to produce volatile bromides and chlorides of the above mentioned elements and study their behavior compared to their lighter homologs in Groups 4 or 5 of the periodic table. Element 104 formed more volatile bromide than its homolog Hf. In contrast, element 105 bromides were found to be less volatile than the bromides of the group 5 elements Nb and Ta. Both 104 and Hf chlorides were observed to be more volatile than their respective bromides.

More searches for cold fusion

Following the announcement of cold nuclear fusion being observed in electrochemical cells by Fleischmann and Pons1 and by Jones,2 we have searched for the characteristic radiations of thed+d andp+d fusion reactions in cells similar to those described in Refs. 1 and 2. No fusion product neutrons or gamma rays have been observed from either palladium or titanium cathodes. From measured D/Pd ratios in the systems with the palladium cathodes, we set upper limits on the fusion rates for our systems.