The creation of miniaturized nuclear batteries could fundamentally change the approach to energy sources // Photo: shutterstock.com.
The claimed battery type can continuously supply electricity for 50 years. The breakthrough of Chinese developers was reported by the resource BGR.
“NPP in miniature”
Beijing Betavolt noted that the development team created a compact nuclear battery using nickel-63 isotope. They also created a thin diamond semiconductor to facilitate the process of generating electricity from the isotope’s natural decay process.
The longevity of the batteries comes from the fact that nuclear isotopes release energy as they decay and the semiconductor converters utilize it into electricity. Chinese developers have recreated the process of electricity generation at nuclear power plants in miniature.
If the company has managed to achieve what it claims, it has actually created a long-lasting battery that can provide power for decades. This kind of battery could have a wide range of applications, from AI to aerospace.
The Americans are ahead of the curve
Earlier, US company Infinity Power reported that it had developed a nuclear battery with the support of the Pentagon. The company claimed to have taken a special high-efficiency approach to energy conversion. It was claimed that the tiny pill-shaped battery could provide tens of milliwatts of energy over the course of a century. The overall efficiency of the nuclear power source exceeded 60 percent, whereas the efficiency of all previously created nuclear batteries was a fraction of a percent.
