Scientists have developed a battery that will work for centuries without recharging
Kyiv • UNN
Bristol scientists have created a battery based on carbon-14 that can work for thousands of years. It is planned to be used to power medical implants and space probes.
Scientists have created a unique carbon-based battery that can supply microwatt power for hundreds of years. Researchers assure that the new technology will provide safe and continuous power for medical implants, remote sensors, and even space probes, where battery replacement is impractical. This is reported by UNN with reference to Earth.
Details
Scientists from the University of Bristol and UKAEA (United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority) have developed a unique carbon-14 based battery that can operate without recharging for millennia. Using a radioactive isotope with a half-life of about 5,700 years, engineers embed it in the structure of an artificial diamond and obtain a stable microwatt current for hundreds of generations.
Neil Fox, Professor of Materials for Energy at the University of Bristol, along with colleagues, is looking for ways to "repurpose radioactive materials for use in long-term energy sources".
It is from such graphite waste from nuclear reactors that valuable carbon-14 is extracted, and a thick layer of diamond reliably retains radiation inside the device, ensuring safe emissions outside the battery. The process of plasma-chemical deposition from the vapor phase is used to form the diamond shell.
Engineers from the Culham Campus of the University of Arizona and UKAEA have created a special plasma deposition unit to accurately create these diamond layers. This installation allowed controlled growth of diamond infused with carbon-14, safely securing the radioactive material in place and maximizing energy capture
Diamond batteries offer a safe and sustainable way to ensure a continuous level of power in the microwatt range. This is a new technology that uses artificial diamond to safely hold a small amount of carbon-14
Due to the fact that the decay of carbon-14 occurs constantly and without external interference, such an energy element is able to power tiny implants - hearing aids or pacemakers - as well as devices in conditions where battery replacement is practically impossible.
In the space industry, these batteries can power probes and beacons in deep space when solar panels are no longer effective. A slow but stable source of energy is also ideal for radio frequency (RF) tags that operate for decades.
Our microenergy technology can support a whole range of important applications, from space technology and security devices to medical implants
However, before such batteries appear in everyday life, it is necessary to complete a series of laboratory tests, establish control over radioactive materials and reduce the cost of diamond synthesis.
The key issues remain safety and public trust: even with minimal levels of radiation, the term "radioactive" can scare consumers.
In addition, regulators need to develop clear standards for the production, use and disposal of such batteries. So far, carbon-14 batteries remain a highly specialized technology for the aerospace, defense and medical fields.