It doesn't clone, the deut expands under heat.
Well, it doesnt go black, only sometimes, when it goes grey might be the more common one, it takes a while tho, try it with water.
Ok, get some exot and just place it, as much as you want but you should add quite alot, then add neut untill the exot goes black and you cant see it but it is still there, then add the element you want to clone touching the black exot and it clones it. This worked for me!
Iv seen this before when i have used exot, it also clones other things.