A radiation battery that lasts for years on a single charge

 Scientists have said that an early prototype of a small nuclear battery powered by a radioactive type of carbon has been developed that can safely power various devices for decades, and possibly the entire life of the user, on a single charge.

The researchers say that a pacemaker, for example, if powered by such a battery could work for a person’s entire life, eliminating the need for frequent battery replacements through surgery.

However, the scientists also say that more research is still needed to improve this battery to improve its energy-generating ability.

In modern times, mobile phones and many other devices use lithium-ion batteries, which usually last from a few hours to a few days on a single charge.

However, the scientists note that these batteries weaken with use and need to be recharged frequently.

Lithium mining is also environmentally damaging because it requires a lot of energy and requires a lot of water. That’s why researchers are looking at developing safer nuclear batteries that don’t need to be recharged frequently as an alternative to lithium.

“Lithium-ion batteries are almost at their limit in terms of efficiency,” says lead researcher Sol In, from the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea.

These batteries use high-energy particles emitted from safe radioactive materials to generate energy. These materials emit radiation, which can be blocked by special shielding materials.

For example, beta rays, i.e. fast electrons, can only be blocked by a thin sheet of aluminum, making betavoltaics a safe choice for nuclear batteries.

In new research recently presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society, researchers have presented a prototype beta-voltaic battery powered by carbon-14 (an unstable and radioactive form of carbon).

This type of carbon emits only beta rays, which can be easily blocked by a sheet of metal, and is also “readily available” as a byproduct in nuclear power plants, the scientists say.

“I chose a radioactive isotope of carbon because it only produces beta rays,” says Dr. In.

In this battery, when beta particles hit a titanium dioxide-based semiconductor, “a process of continuous electron transfer begins, which becomes the source of electricity.” During the introductory use of the battery, the researchers observed that when beta rays are emitted from the radiocarbon on both electrodes, they create a stream of electrons that pass through an external circuit and generate usable electricity.

Since radiocarbon decays very slowly, the researchers say that as a concept, this battery could last a person’s entire life.

“We can incorporate safe nuclear energy into devices the size of a finger,” said Dr. Sol In.

He added that these batteries could be particularly effective for medical devices.