The nuclear battery design uses a small sample of americium embedded in a polymer crystal, which was combined with a photovoltaic cell and then packaged within a quartz cell. The design is rumored to be 8,000 times more efficient than previous designs. (Image credit: Soochow University via Nature)
Researchers from China’s Soochow University have developed a tiny nuclear battery that’s purportedly 8,000 times more efficient in the conversion of radioactive nuclide decay energy to light energy. Micronuclear batteries harness energy from the decay of radioisotopes to generate electricity on a tiny level, such as those in the nanowatt or microwatt range. That decay is not influenced by environmental factors, such as temperature, pressure, or magnetic fields, making them long-lasting power sources that allow them to operate for decades.
The innovative design takes advantage of americium, an element that’s often referred to as nuclear waste, which is embedded into a polymer crystal that converts the radioactive decay into a green glowing light similar to the tritium found in some watches and compasses. That radioactive-doped crystal is then coupled with a photovoltaic cell that converts the emitted light energy into electrical and then packed into a quartz cell to contain the radiation, thus creating a tiny nuclear battery.
Despite the small electrical output, testing (200 hours’ worth) showed that the battery could run for several decades by tapping into that stable supply of energy. Although americium has a half-life of 7380 years, the material make-up of the battery will eventually be destroyed by radioactive decay after 30 or 40 years. The breakthrough has been recognized as significant by others in the field, including Dr. Michael Spencer, a professor from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Morgan State University in Maryland, who noted that the “much improved overall conversion efficiencies and output power” compared to past designs.
While impressive, it produces much less power than conventional batteries and would take 40 billion of them to power a 60-watt light bulb. That said, the researchers are looking to improve the energy conversion efficiency and power output of the nuclear battery while making it safer for use.
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