Although other atomic batteries exist, this one stands apart—at least theoretically. In mid-January, Betavolt Technology, a Chinese company specializing in semiconductor manufacturing, announced that it had developed a consumer-grade battery powered by atomic energy. At its core is a radioactive isotope, nickel-63, which decays into a stable isotope of copper and has a half-life of about 100 years.
According to its creators, this battery has a 50-year lifespan. It can power devices including smart sensors, small drones, robots, medical equipment, aerospace systems, and smartphones. While impressive, it pales in comparison to a new battery from the UK.
A Safe, Sustainable, and Revolutionary Innovation
Scientists at the University of Bristol and the UK Atomic Energy Authority have developed a battery with a 5,700-year lifespan. The battery relies on carbon-14 encapsulated in a diamond shell to generate energy. Carbon-14 plays a critical role in this design, just as nickel-63 does in Betavolt Technology’s atomic pile.
Carbon-14 is a radioactive and, therefore, unstable isotope of carbon. It’s produced primarily in the atmosphere when cosmic rays interact with atmospheric nitrogen. Unlike stable carbon isotopes, carbon-14 has two extra neutrons in its nucleus, making it unstable and causing it to decay very slowly. Its half-life is approximately 5,700 years.
Carbon-14 is produced primarily in the atmosphere when cosmic rays interact with atmospheric nitrogen.
As long as the carbon-14 atoms don’t adopt a completely stable configuration, they’ll continue to emit radiation in the form of particles. The British scientists harnessed these particles to convert their energy into electricity. The diamond shell plays a fundamental role, capturing the radiation and safely producing electricity.
Carbon-14 emits short-range radiation, and the diamond shell absorbs it effectively, generating small amounts of electricity. An interesting detail: The average time it takes for an unstable atom to decay is known as its half-life. This is the time required for half the nuclei in a radioactive material to decay.
The most obvious implication is that this atomic battery will retain half its initial capacity even after several millennia. Its power output is limited—on the order of microwatts—but it could theoretically power medical implants such as pacemakers or hearing aids. It may also have applications in space, including powering small satellites and radio frequency tags. Another notable advantage is its ability to help manage radioactive waste from nuclear power plants. The carbon-14 is extracted from graphite blocks used as moderators in fission reactions and as structural materials, providing a sustainable solution for disposing of this waste.
Image | University of Bristol
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