[NewCandle] odd flotsam and jetsom

[Nick Reiter]

Hi all,

Segue into a related topic (aluminum, transmutation,
etc)

I recently sampled some aluminum foil surfaces from
the "Pixie 7" hydrolysis bucket run - this one using
LiCl + 10ml/4liter D2O, along with the standard 600
ft2 roll area of Al foil.

Fairly unexciting.  Hints of some boron content I
can't really assay from system inputs, similar to what
cropped up in NaCl and KCl runs in the past.  But
unlike NaCl and KCl salt reaction buckets, no
tantalizing hints of other elements such as Ce, Si,
"too much" Fe, or F.

However darned if I haven't found an oddity that I
cannot find an accounting for in my EDS literature...
at first I thought it was an anomaly occuring after
the rolled foil hydrolysis with KCl as a salt.  But
no, its not.

I had tried looking at some grains of KCl with the
EDS, to see if any transmutational species would show
up post-hydrolysis.  The cubic gummy crystals showed K
and Cl of course, and nothing much else of metallic
note.  However, there appeared, at 10, 20, and 30kV,
and at various spot sizes as well, a peculiar and
apparently "real" spectral peak at .88 keV  Thing is,
the X-ray library on-board the EDS says the only full
match-up is...neon...Ne.  Could I have been generating
Neon by some exotic process?  I then loaded up some
virgin KCl, from my source bottle.  Same line.  No
idea.  Its an artifact I guess, but a very queer one I
really can't explain.  yet.

Now as an added attraction, I found also that when I
took the SEM stub back out of the scope, the raster of
the electron beam on the KCl crystal produced a region
where the crystal turned from clear to an intense
amethyst purple.  Electron beam induced color centers?

I'd be interested to know if any of the
crystallographers out there have run into this.  I got
a couple of optical microscope photos that show the
effect very beautifully.  Will send them along at some
point over the upcoming time holiday weekend.

Always wonder to be had, any old season!

nr

The Holy Grail 'neath ancient Roslin waits.
The blade and chalice guarding o'er Her gates. 
Adorned in the masters' loving art, She lies;
She rests at last beneath the starry skies.