I wonder if the nickel-iron crystals in meteorites (i.e., Thomson structures) inspired Dr. Rossi to add iron powder to the nickel powder that he uses in his E-Cats.
Iron causes the growth of very fine nickel whiskers, and that growth greatly increases the surface area of the nickel that is exposed to the hydrogen gas in an E-Cat.
In regard to Thomson structures, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widmanstätten_pattern