Rossi definitely did not use Raney Nickel. He has said so several times, and there is independent confirmation.
Rossi's patent: https://www.ecat.tech/sites/de…276050651-25-aug-2015.pdf says: group 10 element, for example nickel. And also goes on to say: porosity-enhanced nickel powder plus lithium powder plus lithium aluminium hydride powder.
However, there may perhaps also be some Oxygen, Oxide, H2O (or similar species) in there to help dissociate Hydrogen into H+ and H2O.H- Who knows? 
- It's a "catalyst"
- It's been treated for porosity
- Overall particle size does not seem to matter much
- It somehow "inherently" contains water
To me this always sounded like the description of Raney Nickel or similar Ni-based spongy/skeletal metallic catalysts that are often stored in water because of their pyrophoricity.
I am tempted to try out combining nickle silicon alloy and lithium hydroxide monohydrate.
Hi Guys. Well Rossi sure used Nickel. But early on he denied using Raney Ni or indeed filamentous Ni. In fact much of the Ni made in the early days of working with Focardi was made by a precipitation method at UoB.
methinks that if you could make a significant bomb out of nickel powder and H, it would be common knowledge by now
looking for feedback on reliable and accurate N detectors, and at what energy/flux should one become concerned about renegade neutrons ?
Hi Mike.
I am working with someone on a hack for a Geiger to make it capable of detecting Neutrons. As and when it is tested sufficiently I will make it public. Best (perhaps) affordable current methods of Neutron detection are passive - bubble tubes and CR-39 plastic sheets.
Personally, however, it is my opinion that Ni/Li/H LENR is aneutronic. Time will tell.
...it is my opinion that Ni/Li/H LENR is aneutronic. Time will tell.
I also think the reaction of high-energy protons with 7Lithium is aneutronic. However, the problem is that not all of the high-energy protons encounter 7Lithium. The MFMP seem to have experienced nuclear reaction(s) with the alumina (which includes 16Oxygen) in their Glow Stick reactor vessels and in the LiAlH4 fuel.
Alternatively, stainless steel reactor surfaces may also perhaps emit neutrons when bombarded with high-energy protons. There is also the question of what happens to the small amount (~1.5%) of 61Nickel (and other Ni isotopes) present in naturally sourced nickel powder when exposed to high-energy protons. Rossi seems to have been at pains to protect himself and his team from (a small yield of) neutrons - as well as all the radiation that he converts to heat.
Good point Been There Seen It about proton bombardment on other materials.
I suppose if this process is present and high energy protons are generated slowly the neutron yield would be low flux and similarly low rate over time. Its still very important to know about though. I think Me356 is 100% correct to make sure this aspect is well understood.
I hope the neutrons are generated at lower energy by some other process than bombardment perhaps on occasions as part of the interactions during a slower lower energy "proton capturing" process. If so it will be great if the energies of the neutrons or photon spectra emissions can give a window and help identify which of the ideas out there could be involved.
It would be really interesting if there are neutrons if we could determine their energy. It might give us a clue if they are generated by proton bombardment or some other lower energy means. Is there an easy way to do this or is an array of tuned detectors required?
Also it would be interesting if we can see the energy of any high energy protons.
I like Bob Greenyers Tracer idea to see what processes are present very clever.
I hope a cloud chamber can help to some degree too.
Was there a certain level of cleanliness, surface features, or hydrogen pressure that seemed to spark the runaways?
I am now at the point where I believe the number one issue we are missing is the characterization of the nickel powder.
The runaways occurred as per random (some weeks none at all, others 2 or 3 times) - that's why I reckon the trigger was perhaps a cosmic ray going through! As Ecco says above, nickel surface features do NOT seem to be absolutely critical - but macro-porosity AND cleanliness do appear to help achieve high COP. Latest Chinese experiments with reactor lagging also yield higher COP, predictably...
OTOH, the combination of pressure, temperature and EM stimulation required to reliably trigger the nickel "catalyzed" reaction of 1Hydrogen with 7Lithium to produce Alphas plus Gamma seems to still be a mystery (except to Piantelli, Rossi of course, and perhaps the Chinese team, and maybe @me356 as well)...
Me356 is using a triac with phase angle control. That seems to be working for him, as it does for Rossi. I think there are other ways too. Your intermittent trigger could even have been noise on the mains.
Alan,
thx for the feedback, have seen detectors on line, can't remember if eBay or not,
apparently with the right detector and some software you can pull the curtain back a bit
need to inform myself much better on cool neutrons, not sure what to make of anecdotal evidence of
"radiation poisoning" implied in some LENR reports/stories/myths
mw
