Surprising Findings and New Directions
The Fleischmann-Pons announcement in 1989 regarding low-energy nuclear reactions (LENRs) significantly influenced his research direction. Dr. Kasagi described this period as crucial, saying, “It was very important for me... We nuclear physicists did experiment so much, but nobody knows what kind of reaction does occur inside metal at very low energies. Is there any influence of metal surroundings on the reaction?”
His experiments in the early '90s led to surprising findings. “When I was bombarding a 100 keV D+ beam on Ti foil, we saw some very funny spectra, like proton emissions from the D-D-Dreaction,” he recalled. These observations challenged the established understanding of nuclear reactions in metals and propelled him further into the field.
Dr. Kasagi’s research evolved over time, focusing on various materials and environments, including palladium oxide and liquid metals, to study electron screening effects. He explained that “the screening effect is that if you have two positive charges, electrons inside the metal, the positive charge attracts negative charge electrons around a positive charge.”
A significant aspect of Dr. Kasagi's work has been his collaboration with organizations like Clean Planet. This partnership highlights the importance of bringing together diverse expertise to advance clean energy research. Working with Clean Planet, Dr. Kasagi has contributed his extensive knowledge in nuclear physics to innovative projects aimed at developing practical and sustainable energy solutions. His involvement with such collaborations underscores the critical role of interdisciplinary approaches in tackling complex global challenges like clean energy.