With more powerful devices on the market, power consumption and demand for long-lasting batteries have also increased.
A Chinese company called Betavolt Technology can solve the problem using nuclear batteries, the same technology found in pacemakers (a small implantable device to monitor the heartbeat) and space components.
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- A Chinese company announced this week that it is developing a nuclear battery for mobile devices (cell phones, tablets, and laptops).
- The model is about the size of a small coin and uses the same technology that keeps pacemakers and components used in space working for decades without needing to be recharged.
- The battery promises to stay fully charged for at least 50 years.
The company already has its first model suitable for mobile devices: the BB100 – which measures 15 x 15 x 5 mm and delivers 100 microwatts of electricity.
By 2026, Betavolt plans to develop the technology and manufacture compact batteries that provide one watt of power and can be combined in a modular way to provide more power, according to information from WinFuture.
How does a nuclear battery work?
- These batteries operate using radioactive decay to generate energy. The same process that was created in the last century by Soviet and American scientists.
- This technology has not been used in other applications because it relies on dangerous and radioactive materials such as plutonium.
- They have been used in scientific stations and even spacecraft.
- There was also the problem of these batteries being too large or not providing enough power.
However, the company is developing a version that uses a layer of synthetic diamonds and decomposed nickel isotopes. Therefore, there is no risk of any radiation escaping from the system and no toxic chemicals are produced when nickel 63 decomposes into copper.
The Betavolt battery is said to meet the power requirements of devices such as sensors, small drones and even small robots. It is also said to be able to stay charged for 50 years and operates reliably from -60 to 120 degrees Celsius.
However, it is still rare to see these technologies released commercially. The thing in its favor is the fact that it can actually be used for other purposes.
