Nuclear Battery:
A groundbreaking battery technology can now power a phone for 50 years without needing to be recharged or maintained. This innovation comes from the Chinese company Betavolt Technology.
According to Betavolt, and reported by the UK-based media Independent, their nuclear battery ensures that once a phone is charged, it will remain powered for up to 50 years. In fact, the phone may never need charging again. This revolutionary technology also enables drones to operate indefinitely without recharging.
This new battery could reshape the electronics industry by eliminating the need for chargers and portable power banks. Unlike conventional lithium batteries, it doesn’t degrade over time.
Betavolt claims their nuclear battery is the first viable step towards bringing the power of nuclear energy to consumers. Measuring only 15 x 15 x 5 mm, the battery is smaller than a coin. It works by converting energy from decaying isotopes into electricity.
While similar technologies have been used in spacecraft and remote systems by scientists in the U.S. and the former Soviet Union, those thermonuclear batteries generated excessive heat and were costly and heavy. Betavolt’s nuclear battery, however, is efficient, compact, and doesn’t produce heat.
How Betavolt Batteries Produce Electricity:
Betavolt batteries are relatively affordable and small. Multiple batteries can be combined to produce more energy. The key to this technology lies in using radioactive nickel-63 as the energy source, combined with diamond semiconductors for energy conversion. The semiconductor is 10 microns thick, and the nickel-63 sheet is just 2 microns thick. As nickel-63 decays, the energy is converted into electrical power.
The current version of this battery can generate 100 microwatts of power and 3 volts. Betavolt plans to release a more powerful version by 2025, capable of producing up to 1 watt of power. The battery is currently in the experimental phase and is expected to enter mass production soon, targeting phones, drones, and other commercial applications.
Betavolt stated that their nuclear batteries could serve as a sustainable energy source for various sectors, including aerospace, AI, medical equipment, microprocessors, advanced sensors, small drones, and micro-robots.
Potential Risks of Using Nuclear Batteries:
Many may be concerned about the risks of carrying a phone powered by a nuclear battery. Betavolt has addressed these concerns, assuring that the battery is safer than conventional batteries. It will not catch fire or explode, even if subjected to sudden shocks, impacts, or even a bullet. Additionally, it operates effectively in extreme temperatures ranging from -60°C to 120°C.
Betavolt asserts that their battery is environmentally friendly. After 50 years, the nickel-63 isotope decays into a stable copper isotope, with no residual radioactivity or environmental impact.
As part of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025), the production and marketing of nuclear batteries are prioritized. Research institutions in the U.S. and Europe are also developing similar technologies.