Never charge your devices AGAIN as UK scientists create battery that lasts 5,700 years using diamonds
Scientists have developed a radiation-powered diamond battery that can produce electricity for 5,700 years.
According to researchers at the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and the University of Bristol, the innovative energy source will eliminate the need for batteries in certain devices.
Carbon-14, a radioactive isotope found inside the diamond, has the ability to produce electricity as it decays.
A diamond structure, the hardest substance on Earth, binds the energy released by the isotope’s decaying decay in the form of radiation.
Carbon-14 may produce modest quantities of power for 5,700 years, which is its half-life.
The battery functions similarly to solar panels, but it employs fast-moving electrons from radioactive decay to generate electricity instead of sunlight.
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Director of Tritium Fuel Cycle at UKAEA Sarah Clark stated, “Diamond batteries provide a safe, sustainable way to provide continuous microwatt levels of power.”
“They are an emerging technology that use a manufactured diamond to safely encase small amounts of carbon-14.”
The uses for this new technology are a little more sophisticated, but it would be nice to never have to charge your laptop or phone again.
The mega-battery might power medical implants, security equipment, and space technology, according to Tom Scott, a professor of materials at the University of Bristol.
In harsh settings like space, where it is impractical to replenish traditional batteries, diamond batteries will prove helpful.
For decades, the batteries might power active radio frequency (RF) tags that track and identify satellites or other spacecraft or cargoes.
According to Scott and his team, bio-compatible diamond batteries can be utilized in pacemakers, hearing aids, and ocular implants.
By doing this, fewer replacements might be required.
“Over the next few years, we’re excited to be able to explore all of these possibilities, working with partners in industry and research,” he said.
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