On Dec 18, 2011, at 2:31 PM, MJ wrote:
http://io9.com/5868883/mysterious-white-webs-found-growing-on-
nuclear-waste
This reminds me of a weak Ni sulfate solution codeposition on
aluminum electrodes CF experiment I did years ago. Ni filaments
formed in solution - massive amounts, that looked like cob webs.
When a filament path formed between anode and cathode, a bright flash
disintegrated the filament. It was like a miniature lightning bolt.
The really weird thing about it was this happened at a fast rate, yet
it was completely silent. It was like a storm in a beaker. There
was no cavitation sound. There was no clear indication of excess
heat, so I didn't follow up on it. That was an experiment that should
have been followed up on for heavy element transmutation. I don't
have the tools available for that.
It is remotely possible the radiation, charged particle flux through
the fuel rod cladding, or thermal stress, induces nickel or tin metal
whiskers to grow to arbitrary lengths.
See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whisker_(metallurgy)
This article has some great photos of tin whiskers:
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1742110show=html
Google (tin whiskers).
Just wild speculation.
Best regards,
Horace Heffner
http://www.mtaonline.net/~hheffner/
