It is well known that some transition metals are able to absorb hydrogen accepting it into the interstices of their crystalline lattice and that this process is triggered spontaneously when the temperature exceeds a threshold which depends on the type of metal. Once the hydrogen has been absorbed by the hot metal, if the temperature is lowered, it remains trapped (hydrogen occlusion) and can not escape even if the high vacuum is applied. The only way to release the absorbed hydrogen is by the heating at a sufficiently high temperature. The entrance into the metal can be explained by the increase in kinetic energy of gaseous hydrogen at the moment of the impact with the surface of the metal due to the temperature increase.
Since the existence of an electrical conduction in a gas allows to accelerate its ions through the action of the voltage existing between the two electrodes, this is equivalent to the heating of a part of the gas which will then have sufficient energy to enter into the metal. Note that with a 1mV voltage the temperature difference is about 7°C (for more info have a look at the post titled “Hot nuclear fusion or cold nuclear fusion?”).
If the number of hydrogen atoms that have an impact in the metal is sufficiently low to allow the metal to dissipate the energy received by the incident gas, its temperature will change moderately and it may trap the accidents hydrogen atoms. Assuming that the anomalous thermal phenomena are bound to the overcoming of a certain concentration of hydrogen in the metal (a threshold process), this mechanism provides a method for obtaining the hydrogen loading in the metal in an efficient and controlled way.
Since the existence of an electrical conduction in a gas allows to accelerate its ions through the action of the voltage existing between the two electrodes, this is equivalent to the heating of a part of the gas which will then have sufficient energy to enter into the metal. Note that with a 1mV voltage the temperature difference is about 7°C (for more info have a look at the post titled “Hot nuclear fusion or cold nuclear fusion?”).
If the number of hydrogen atoms that have an impact in the metal is sufficiently low to allow the metal to dissipate the energy received by the incident gas, its temperature will change moderately and it may trap the accidents hydrogen atoms. Assuming that the anomalous thermal phenomena are bound to the overcoming of a certain concentration of hydrogen in the metal (a threshold process), this mechanism provides a method for obtaining the hydrogen loading in the metal in an efficient and controlled way.
