Successfully miniaturized nuclear battery that can last for 50 years without charging

Chinese company Betavolt Technology claims to have successfully miniaturized a nuclear battery measuring 15 x 15 x 5mm, smaller than a coin, super durable and safe.

This compact nuclear battery uses 63 nuclear isotopes to produce 100 microwatts and 3V voltage through radioactive decay.

Thu nhỏ thành công pin hạt nhân dùng trong 50 năm không sạc

Nuclear battery smaller than a coin. (Source: BETAVOLT)

Infinite source of energy

According to British technology news site Techradar, the battery is currently in the testing phase and Betavolt plans to mass produce it for use in commercial devices such as phones and drones.

Additionally, this nuclear battery can be used for aerospace equipment, AI, medical devices, sensors and micro-robots, according to the company.

Betavolt claims to have taken inspiration from nuclear-powered devices such as pacemakers and satellites.

Betavolt is also planning to ramp up its technology to produce 1-watt batteries by 2025.

This technology could revolutionize electronics, by completely eliminating the use of portable chargers and creating devices that run continuously for 50 years without degradation in capacity.

It also makes it safer for users, as the battery does not catch fire or explode in the event of an accident.

How does the battery work?

To create the nuclear battery, Betavolt scientists used nickel-63, a radioactive element, as the power source and then diamond semiconductors as the power converter.

The team grew a single-crystal diamond semiconductor just 10 microns thick, then placed a 2-micron-thick nickel-63 plate between two diamond semiconductor transducers.

The decay energy of the radioactive source is then converted into electric current.

Betavolt claims the advantages of nuclear power batteries are that they are lightweight, have a long life and high energy density, and can operate normally in extreme temperatures from -60 to 120⁰C.

Are nuclear batteries harmful to health?

Betavolt claims that nuclear batteries are safe because they have no external radiation. Currently, medical devices inside the human body such as pacemakers and cochlear implants also use a type of nuclear battery.

Betavolt says that after the battery decomposes, the 63 nuclear isotopes will become copper, which is non-radioactive and does not pose any threat to health or the environment.

( according to Tuoi Tre )

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