Randy Mills, hydrinos, hydrogen, cold fusion, lenr, cmns, nuclear fusion

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299) Nuclear or Exotic-Chemical Reactions?

Ludwik Kowalski; 6/6/2006
Department of Mathematical Sciences
Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ, 07043

Introduction:
This morning someone e-mailed me two audio files containing a recent interview with Randy Mills. Randy was a cold fusion researcher. Then he developed a theory according to which excess heat, usually attributed to cold fusion of atomic nuclei, is supposed to be due to chemical reactions involving unusual hydrogen atoms. These atoms were named “hydrinos.” A company, BlackLight. Inc., has been created by Dr. Mills in New Jersey. The mission of that company is to conduct hydrino research and to promote hydrino technology.

The 20-minutes interview, conducted by the energy analyst and consultant, Alan M. Lammey, took place on May 6, 2006. (Energy Week, FM Radio News Channel 97.5 Houston, TX). The files sent to me can be downloaded from (www.FmNewsChannel975.com) AND (www.HoustonEnergyAnalyst.com)

Unfortunately, the focus was on speculations about possible future applications of BlackLight technologies, and on social issues of acceptance. I would prefer more emphasis on experimentally confirmed facts and on their significance. The files were e-mailed to me by John Neergaard. Some of his messages on the CMNS list made me aware that he is well qualified to describe scientific findings of Mills. Therefore I asked him for an essay on that topic.

After seeing his rough draft (several hours later) I replied: “My general comment is that the essay is too theoretical (which does not mean too mathematical). What experimental fact are being explained by his theory? How well are these facts established? My impression was that hydrogen states with negative ‘excitation[‘ energies, described by fractional quantum numbers, play the central role in Mills’ explanations. Am I wrong? I will let you to decide how well your description matches the essence of Mills’ findings. I know practically nothing about his experimental work. The size of the essay is about right and I will post it in the form you send it to me next time. Thanks for being prompt.”

John modified his essay and sent me the new version. It is better organized and less theoretical, as you can see below.

Randall Mills as an Innovative Chemist

John Neergaard (BS ChE, PhD Ph)

Appended on 6/12/06:

After seeing the above Mike Carrell wrote: “There are a number of serious problems here. First, Mills is not, and never has been, a "cold fusion" researcher. He has been at great pains to distance himself from the cold fusion world since his earliest work. There is an early patent which alludes to cold fusion, and a number of people who look at the Mills and CF worlds have tried to find links and associations which are not made by Mills, inplying that Mills' results are "really" CF resultes.

Neergaard has tried to 'explain' Mills' reactions and reactor setups in a 'chemical' interpretation and creates unnecessary confusion. He does correctly state that very unusual phenomena occur in the Mills reactors, and the contextual theoretical edifice is audacious in the extreme.

Mills has recently been very active in applying his theory to the calculation of the structure of conventional chemical compounds. His method gives accurate results using simple closed-form equations. I understand that this aspect of his work has attracted intense interest from some quarters, although it does not relate to energy production or the shrunken 'hydrino' state of hydrogen resulting from the strongly exothermic catalytic reactions discovered by Mills. If Ludwik is interested, I can prepare a short essay on Mills & BlackLight Power for his website.”

My reply was short: -- “I would be happy to append a short essay about the idea that excess heat in Mizuno-type experiments might be the same thing as excess heat measured by Mills. Arguments for or against this idea would be equally welcome.” The first version of Mike’s essay came at once. Carrell wrote: I will here respond to X comments and provide a compact statement of Mills' Blacklight Power (BLP) reactions, based an years of close observation of his published work and public statements." I posted that version. Another version was received next day. What follows is that second version. Mike prefers it to be a set of comments inserted into John’s essay. John’s essay is in black and Mike’s comments are in blue. Yes, this created some repetitions. But that is OK with me.

Introduction
The principles of Randal Mills experiments can be understood by considering a vacuum containing a wire into which system is injected H₂. Voltage is then applied to the wire to carry current. During the time when each atom in the wire is missing an electron, it is an ion with a stronger electric field than the atom. The heat from the wire disassociates the H₂ near it. The hydrogen is then attracted to the ions at the surface of the wire. One then lets the experiment progress for an adequate time, turns the current off, examines the system, and finds absolutely no change. Did anything happen? There is no end product to examine. Each element has returned to its original state.

Only in the thermally driven experimental cells is a heated wire in a hydrogen atmosphere a starting point. Hot tungsten wire functions as a dissociator to split H₂ molecules from a supply source into two H atoms which can participate in the BlackLight Power (BLP) reactions. The proper starting point for understanding is an isolated H atom in a gas at about 1 Torr with catalyst ions also present.

The statement that there is no end product to examine is false. An end product, shrunken H atoms, called hydrinos, is produced, detectable by signature lines in the UV emission spectra from the reactor, and by mass spectrometry of gases from certain specially designed experiments.

Chemistry reactions are analyzed in terns of an end product. If H₂ reacts with O₂, then H₂O can be found and measured to determine how much H₂ and O₂ reacted. The water is the end product, also known as chemical ash. Randall Mills, predominantly, works with ashless chemistry, simply studying behavior of H in the presence a catalyst ION. What is observed before he turns the current off, before the catalyst ion returns to its atomic state, coming from a location away from the wire, coming from the location where H leaving the wire would mix with H not exposed to the wire, is previously unknown light and heat in significant excess of the energy supplied to the wire. All this returns to its original form after the current is removed, albeit it does persist for a time without the catalyst. There is no permanent ash. (There are minimum ion states for success.)

It is not true that Mills works with "ashless" chemistry, if "ash" is understood to be the tangible end product of a chemical reaction. The 'resonant transfer' reaction between an H atom and a catalyst ion changes the H atom to a lower energy state, called a hydrino. Hydrinos have been detected by diffusion through a thin walled cathode in an electrolytic cell into a vacuum system coupled to a mass spectrometer. With gas-phase cells, the exit gases when condensed in a liquid nitrogen trap contain atoms chemically identifiable as hydrogen, but with other abnormal characteristics identifiable as hydrinos.

When he forms a reaction product from a similar circumstance, by injecting a third element into a system similar to this, the end product, the ash, is completely new, never before seen in a chemistry lab. The hydrogen in this ash has properties never before seen in the lab. Other than in these synthesis conditions, the fuel, hydrogen or the catalyst ion, is not consumed.

The abstracts cited below include experiments in which hydrino hydride compounds are formed with other elements. These exist in macroscopic quantities and have been shown in photographs [I have seen these in Mills' conference room]. The statement that otherwise the hydrogen fuel is not consumed is not correct. H atoms are transformed to the hydrino state and are so "consumed" as H but conserved as hydrinos. The proton and electron count remains unchanged.

Randall Mills claims that the energy from this process can be 1000 x the typical energy of normal hydrogen reactions. Since the per event energy from such is still similar to chemistry reactions, tens of eV (or perhaps this x10 in some cases), one expects that this includes development such as driving the process, accelerating the reaction process, perhaps by returning the catalyst to neutrality, freeing the hydrogen more quickly than would be expected under dc conditions in the above wire.

The phrase "in the above wire" indicates a serious misconception of the BLP reactions. Neergaard appears to still be thinking of BLP reactions like CF reactions occurring in the solid state. They do not. Preferentially, the gas state is used, at about 1 Torr. Examination of the hydrogen alpha line in a typical BLP reactor shows H atom energies in the tens of eV, equivalent to temperatures in the range of 100,000 K. As I have stated elsewhere, water bath calorimetry of a gas-phase reaction between H and He+ [as catalyst] shows 'excess heat' energy release 100 X that of combustion. Other observed reactions indicate still higher ratios, but these have not yet been demonstrated in calorimeters.

One can imagine the rejection which chemistry would normally experience for such claims. Even now, knowing what I know, I am reluctant to discuss the radical claims of Randall Mills. Unless one runs such experiments for himself, even though the Mills lab is open for inspection of experiments and results, only illuminata can be expected. The Novelties? There are three new properties for this odd hydrogen.

1. Previously unknown photons are found.

I am not sure what is meant by 'unknown photons', unless he is referring to novel spectral lines seen from BLP reators.

2. The new H can generate a self starting plasma with previously unknown heat and light when interacting with normal H,

I am not sure what he refers to. In the thermal reactor a high energy plasma is produced when the right conditions are present, where normal chemistry would not produce a plasma at all. It is not self-starting, it has to be heated, along with the hot tungsten dissociator.

3. The new H appears to gain the ability to bond twice.

Again, I am not sure what is meant. Hydrinos can gain an electron and become hydrides. Hydrinos can form diatomic molecules as well.

The Experimental Facts
www.blacklightpower.com/theory/theory papers/PhysicalSolutions032306.pdf and other.

Unknown photons
Experiments 108-112 in http://www.blacklightpower.com/Abstracts.pdf describe methods used to find the new photons. They are quite real and can be observed in any lab which runs the experiments using many different techniques. They occur when the, let's call it 'new H', when the new H makes contact with H. These photons, usually (there are H energies which do not), follow an inverse Bohr model. Bohr photon energies are proportional to 1/n. The Mills photon energies are proportional to 1/1/n = n. They are said to be 2 x 13.6eV, 3 x 13.6eV, etc. There are photons which do follow this model into the ultraviolet range, not consistent with, and opposite to, normal atomic photon emissions. The photons in this energy scheme are real. There is something profoundly new involved in this emission circumstance.

This is quite correct. I am accustomed to thinking in terms of emission lines, but the photon terminology is also correct.

Self starting plasma
Look at http://www.iop.org/EJ/abstract/0963-0252/12/3/312 . This abstract describes the consequences of heating a wire coated with K₂CO₃ in the presence of hydrogen. It is one reference of the 'capable of generating its own plasma' remark in the audio file interview. The iR heat of the wire ionizes the K atom in K₂CO₃ . Subsequently, there is a glow apart from the wire. The photon emissions are arising from the interaction of H, after it has bonded with the K ion and departed, with 'normal' hydrogen separated from the wire. There is no known explanation of this property within existing text hydrogen literature. Thus, this odd property exists and is available for viewing reproducibly on demand in his lab or any lab which runs the experiment. It is a reasonably simple experiment to run for those who have vacuum equipment which allows current carrying wire access. The temperature for this K ionization is ~ 600 - 700C.

This is the Conrads paper, an important independent confirmation of the BLP thermal reactor. Neergaard does not have the experimental structure quite right. Hot tungsten dissociates H₂ to 2H. K₂ CO₃ crystals are coated on a titanium sleeve, which when heated dissociates the K₂CO₃ , releasing K+++ which is a BLP catalyst with the H atoms. Conrads substitutes halogen lamps for the bare tungsten wire, and the plasma does not appear until the lamps are wrapped with tungsten wire, which when heated dissociates the H₂ to 2H. He removes the titanium sleeve and no plasma. He substitute Na2CO3, and no plasma; Na is not a catalyst.

Hot Hydrogen
This is as close to isolation of the beastie as Mills has, to the best of my knowledge. He ionizes inert gases in the presence of H₂. Hydrogen is detected with excess energy, as 'hot', with unexplained energy throughout the system. It's a spread out variation of the clustered plasma above. The experiment was run to exclude various objections to the conversion of H being the source of the energy.

The input to the reactor is He, Ar, plus H₂, or simply H₂O. Microwave energy ionizes the gases except H, with He+, Ar+ and O++ becoming catalysts. Critics have cited field acceleration as the source of 'hot' hydrogen observed in glow discharge cells; the microwave cells do not have high field acceleration regions.

Extreme Ultraviolet Spectroscopy of He - Hydrogen plasma
See in http://www.iop.org/EJ/abstract/0022-3727/36/13/316

New Compounds
Mills statement with respect to the odd H compounds is that ' the H appears to gain the ability to bond twice'. The compounds include various compounds of the KHI form and apparently an inorganic mer group. The compound KHI illustrates the point. This compound can be synthesized in any appropriate lab although the introduction timing of the Iodine is not specifically given. The K is ionized at a given T in the presence of H, apparently followed by the introduction of Iodine. This is mostly an efficiency of reaction concern. In principle the H must bond with K (ION) before I dominates the K. These compounds are illustrated by 'Synthesis and Characterization of Lithium

Chloro Hydride', #44
Look at http://www.blacklightpower.com/pdf/REFERENCES%20042006.pdf
Such compounds exist on the shelf in his lab. Many other reproducible on demand experiments for these properties exist. http://www.blacklightpower.com/techpapers.shtml

A Fundamental Question of Theory
[L.K. wrote ]'My impression was that energy states with negative "excitation" energies, described by fractional quantum numbers, play the central role in Mill's explanations. Am I wrong?' No. That's exactly what he uses. In order to account for the photons, the sequence, the photon energies, and their 'relative quantities', he assumes the new beast is a hydrogen atom, extends QM from principle quantum number n to 1/n. He does this by imposing boundary conditions on Maxwell's equation. He calls such a hydrogen atom a hydrino. However, he goes significantly beyond that with non proven ideas that just boggle the mind.

The whole theoretical edifice is indeed mind-boggling. It is important to separate the body of experimental evidence from the novel structure of the electron and the rest of Mills theory. Hydrinos have physical reality, the chemistry of hydrinos with other elements is largely unexplored. The high energy produced by the BLP reactions is real. Mills appears to be better positioned to move ahead into commercial development of energy sources than the CF world.

In philosophical terms the math of the theory is nothing more than a shorthand method of remembering the emission scheme. It contains no new epistemologically certain knowledge. This is also a criticism of QM. Further criticism exists. Further, the theory does not address the implied charge on the H in compounds such as KHI. The odd H charge has never been studied (in public) in isolation. The new photons have not been observed to arise from a true H = p + e atom. All the H did was contact a catalyst ion. What is the cause of any newness? If it is in a shrunken orbital, why does contact with an ion do that? Or what is it that contact with an apropos ion really does?

Criticism of Mills' theoretical edifice will continue. What happens in the "resonant transfer" reaction between the H atom and catalyst is not clear and may be the object of years of study. Mills points out that a non-radiative energy transfer between atoms is known in certain phosphors, for example. This is truly new territory, as in a way what happens in a CF reaction is also new territory. As Ludwik states, the perfect must not be the enemy of the good. So if parts of Mills work appears paradoxical, this should be regarded as an invitation to deeper understanding.

For example, the implied charge on the new H can imply new H = p + e+. This hypothesis leads into cold nuclear fusion, in part because two of the three above properties, and possibly the third, are present in the conditions of the excess producing Mizuno plasma. (Discussed elsewhere on this site to produce some transmutation.) Isolating the new H for a simple charge check would distinguish and might attract huge interest depending on the result.

My understanding is that hydrinos are electrically neutral, as are normal H atoms, but that they can weakly bond and extra electron, forming hydrides, which can then form chemical compounds with unusual properties. There is no thread leading to fusion reactions.

In short, the shrunken orbitals can be used to describe the photons but the premise / assumption has not been empirically verified, and does not explain KHI, inter alia. The new H empirically exists with the above properties with or without explanation. Thus one can employ the empirical properties for prediction to better use than the theory. That is, the conditions in which new chemistry arises in Mills' lab will produce new chemistry effects in other experiments also with or without a theory.

Indeed, with or without a theory. Theories are useful in predicting what to try next.

There are many other reasons for being wary of Mills as a theorist /physicist. (On the physics side, he does produce uses for Maxwell's equation under his terms which have not been used before.) He is a very legitimate pioneer in the chemistry lab, a future chemistry Nobel prize winner, assuming he is not ostracized forever for producing 'impossible' results, as the cold nuclear fusion community also presently is.

In all fairness to John, I must acknowledge his generally positive report on Mills' work and recognition of its seminal nature. I had reservations, based on a quick first reading. There are some errors and terminology I am not accustomed to, but the shape and thrust of his essay is in the right direction.

P.S.
What are the odds that two such anathema experimental circumstances, Mills and CF, are unrelated? The experiments of Mills and those of cold fusion relate to the original disagreement between Bohr and Einstein regarding (Einstein's phrase) the 'missing causal substratum'. (Bohr's rules are actually independent of v, meaning c can substitute for it with no change other than mental interpretation.) At the time, and to this day, Physics had no ultimate causal understanding of charge behavior in the bond between p and e, a particle, charge, unified field theory deficiency. (Thus, Physics must either choose Bohr and Schroedinger or stand in complete public atomic theoretical ignorance for nearly a century. They chose B & S. The inability of Mills experiments and cold fusion experiments to be explained by existing theoretical material exposes this ultimate deficiency from the past. )

My take on all this is that the BLP world and the CF world are two aspects of a new physics to painfully emerge. At some point they may be seen as complimentary, but it may be wise not to force the issue; rather, pursue both to their depths and see what is found. Mills claims to have found a theory consistent over 85 orders of magnitude, including an estimate of the period of an oscillatory universe. Mike Carrell

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