Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. An electrolytic method of loading hydrogen into a cathode comprising:placing the cathode and an anode in an electrochemical reaction vessel filled with a solvent;mixing a DC component and an AC component to produce an electrolytic current such that the electrolytic current comprises a DC biased waveform wherein an AC waveform is superimposed onto a DC waveform;applying the electrolytic current to the cathode, wherein a first voltage and a second voltage applied to the cathode relative to the anode that load hydrogen onto the cathode are negative,wherein the DC component includes cycling between:the first voltage applied to the cathode for a first period of time;the second voltage applied to the cathode for a second period time;wherein the first voltage is more negative than the second voltage, andwherein the second period of time is shorter than the first period of time; andwherein the AC component has a frequency between about 1 Hz and about 100 kHz; andwherein the peak sum of the voltages supplied by the DC component and AC component is higher than the dissociation voltage of the solvent. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:performing an initial loading comprising:mixing an initial DC component and an initial AC component to produce an initial electrolytic current such that the initial electrolytic current comprises a DC biased waveform wherein an AC waveform is superimposed onto a DC waveform;applying the initial electrolytic current to the cathode, wherein a third voltage and a fourth voltage applied to the cathode relative to the anode that load hydrogen onto the cathode are negative,wherein the initial DC component includes cycling between:the third voltage applied to the cathode for a third period of time;the fourth voltage applied to the cathode for a fourth period time;wherein the fourth voltage is higher than the third voltage;wherein the third period of time and the fourth period of time are approximately the same; andwherein the third voltage is lower than the first voltage and the fourth voltage is lower than the second voltage; andwherein the initial AC component has a frequency between about 1 Hz and about 100 kHz. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising sealing the electrochemical reaction vessel. 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising flushing the electrochemical reaction vessel with a reductive gas prior to sealing the electrochemical vessel. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a magnetic field to the electrochemical reaction vessel. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the frequency of the AC component is dynamically adjusted. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the DC component and AC component of the electrolytic current is mixed with a DC bias. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the cathode is comprised of at least one of palladium or a palladium alloy. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the cathode has a hydrogen diffusion rate greater than about 0.1 cm3/cm2/s. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the cathode has a hydrogen diffusion rate greater than about 1.4 cm3/cm2/s. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the solvent is a solution containing LiOH. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the solvent is a solution containing LiOD. 13. A system for electrolytic loading of hydrogen into a cathode comprising:an electrochemical reaction vessel filled with a solvent;a cathode and an anode disposed within the electrochemical reaction vessel;an electrolytic current source connected to the cathode, wherein the electrolytic current source is programmed to apply an electrolytic current to the cathode, wherein a first voltage and a second voltage applied to the cathode relative to the anode that load hydrogen onto the cathode are negative, and wherein the electrolytic current comprises:a DC component, wherein the DC component cycles between:the first voltage applied to the cathode for a first period of time;the second voltage applied to the cathode for a second period time;wherein the first voltage is more negative than the second voltage, andwherein the second period of time is shorter than the first period of time; anda AC component with a frequency between about 1 Hz and about 100 kHz;wherein the peak sum of the voltages supplied by the DC component and AC component is higher than the dissociation voltage of the solvent andwherein the DC component and the AC component are mixed such that the electrolytic current comprises a DC biased waveform wherein an AC waveform is superimposed onto a DC waveform. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the electrochemical reaction vessel is sealed. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the electrochemical reaction vessel is flushed with a reductive gas prior to sealing. 16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a magnetic field applied to the electro chemical reaction vessel. 17. The system of claim 13, wherein the frequency of the AC component is dynamically adjusted. 18. The system of claim 13, further comprising a mixer, wherein the mixer mixes the DC component and AC component of the electrolytic current with a DC bias. 19. The system of claim 13, wherein the cathode is comprised of at least one of palladium or a palladium alloy. 20. The system of claim 13, wherein the cathode has a hydrogen diffusion rate greater than about 0.1 cm3/cm2/s. 21. The system of claim 13, wherein the cathode has a hydrogen diffusion rate greater than about 1.4 cm3/cm2/s. 22. The system of claim 13, wherein the solvent is a solution containing LiOH. 23. The system of claim 13, wherein the solvent is a solution containing LiOD.