Development from China
Nuclear power in smartphones: A new nuclear battery promises a lifespan of 50 years
According to manufacturer Betavolt, the nuclear battery is smaller than a coin
© Betavolot Technology / PR
Longer battery life is one of the most desired features for smartphones. A new battery technology developed in China is now intended to abolish charging entirely – by relying on nuclear energy.
According to the company, the betavoltaic battery, which is currently in the pilot phase, will supply devices with power for up to 50 years, so charging would simply no longer be necessary. In addition to smartphones, the square battery the size of a coin could also be used in drones and – if approved – in medical devices, Betavolt said in a press release. The advantages are obvious: smartphones no longer need to be charged, drones could fly continuously without breaks.
Battery made of diamonds and nuclear material
The battery developed by Betavolt is made up of several layers. Radioactive nickel-63 is used as an energy source. When the isotope decays, in addition to the by-product copper, beta radiation is also produced, which is then converted into electricity using an artificial diamond layer that serves as a converter. According to the company, 100 microwatts can currently be delivered, and by next year they want to produce batteries with an output of one watt.
There should be no danger from radiation, emphasizes Betavolt. Beta radiation can be contained much more effectively than is the case with dangerous gamma radiation. As long as the battery is not damaged, no radiation should be able to escape – which would also be a prerequisite for use in medical devices.
Lots of open questions
Whether the technology can become established quickly is another matter. The power of one watt is not even reached, but it would still be far too low to operate modern smartphones. The chips of the current iPhone generation are considered to be very energy-saving and consume up to 6.9 watts alone. And then the real battery guzzlers like the display and mobile phone unit are still missing. So there is still a lot missing in terms of performance alone.
The risks of radiation should not be underestimated either. Even if no radiation actually comes out during everyday use, there would still be a risk of damage to the device. Over the long runtime, even the smallest radiation emissions could become problematic. And of course that of disposal: just because the battery lasts so long, most people wouldn’t use a smartphone for 50 years.
Old technology without breakthrough
The numerous challenges are also the reason why the technology has so far only been used in exceptional scenarios. The first commercial nuclear batteries existed in the 1960s and were used in early pacemakers. However, because of the dangers, this is now avoided.
Today, batteries are actually only used when charging is extremely difficult or even impossible, for example in various use scenarios in space research or the military. The Mars rover Discovery runs on a nuclear battery, albeit a much larger one that also uses plutonium.
Source:Betavolt