This nuclear-fueled battery can power devices for thousands of years
What's the story
A team of researchers from the University of Bristol and the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has successfully developed the world's first carbon-14 diamond battery.
The groundbreaking energy source could power devices for thousands of years, providing a sustainable and efficient solution.
Additionally, the remarkable versatility of the carbon-14 diamond battery makes it ideal for a wide range of applications.
Functionality
How does the carbon-14 diamond battery work?
The innovative battery works by harnessing the radioactive decay of carbon-14, a commonly used isotope in radiocarbon dating, to generate electricity.
The process is similar to solar panels converting light into power, but instead, it uses fast-moving electrons from radioactive decay.
The battery's core is encased in diamond, one of the hardest known materials, which safely traps radiation and converts it into power.
This unique design ensures safety while producing low levels of electricity over an extended period.
Durability
Impressive lifespan and safety
The carbon-14 diamond battery has an incredible lifespan, thanks to the half-life of carbon-14 being 5,700 years. This implies that even after thousands of years, the battery will have half of its power.
Sarah Clark, UKAEA's Director of Tritium Fuel Cycle, emphasized the innovation's sustainability and safety.
She said "diamond batteries offer a safe, sustainable way to provide continuous microwatt levels of power. They are an emerging technology that uses a manufactured diamond to safely encase small amounts of carbon-14."
Uses
Potential applications in healthcare and space
The carbon-14 diamond battery has a wide range of potential applications, especially in sectors where traditional power sources are impractical.
In the healthcare sector, it could revolutionize medical implants like pacemakers, hearing aids, ocular devices by eliminating the need for frequent replacements.
The batteries are also ideal for space missions and remote Earth locations as they can power spacecrafts, satellites, and even radio frequency (RF) tags for decades.
Waste management
A sustainable solution to nuclear waste
The carbon-14 in these batteries comes from graphite blocks, a byproduct of nuclear fission reactors.
This novel method not only offers a practical application for radioactive waste but also minimizes the cost and difficulty of safe storage.
The UK alone has almost 95,000 tons of graphite blocks.
The team from UKAEA and the University of Bristol uses a plasma deposition rig, a specialized device, to grow the diamond structure.