The new Chinese startup company called Betavolt Technology has invented a nuclear battery called BV100. The battery has said to be battery life of 50 years, means it can run for 150 years without recharge it again. Normal battery like Li-ion battery has to be recharge again like daily after it drains out. The normal battery produces electricity by chemical reactions. While the BV100 produces electricity by nuclear technology.
The earliest nuclear battery introduced was in 1970s, that time the nuclear battery is used in Human heart Pacemakers.As the battery inside a human heart can’t be changed often. The said battery said to run 88 year without charging and they are still working even now.
Problem in making Nuclear battery
Current BV100 Betavolt battery produces 3 volt, at 100 micro Amps. 3 Volt is good for many electronics devices but 100 micro Amps is very less. It would take 200 number of such battery to light a small 5 mm LED. And if one want to light a led bulb it would take a massive 3600 of Betavolt batteries. The company Betavolt Technology has said they would introduce 1 amps battery soon.
Current usage
Currently Nuclear battery has been used in spacecraft like NASA curiocity mission to Mars and China’s Lunar rover in 2013. These nuclear battery uses a different mechanism called Thermo Nuclear Battery. These battery uses thermal energy or heat produced by Plutonium. Plutonium decays in form of Alpha particle which is produces heat and heat difference is converted in electric energy. Similar technology is used by Russia of making a such battery. But again such thermo nuclear are big.
How New Betavolt battery works
Radioactive elements emites 3 type of particle called Alpha particle (or a helium nucleus), Beta particle or electron, Gamma particle. The new battery uses beta decay and beta or electron is emitted.
The betavolt battery contains a Nickel 63 element sandwiched between two diamond semiconductors. Nickel 63 is a radioactive element which means it continuesly emits radiation or electrons particles. Both diamond plates then captures the electron and produces electricity. Now the electricity produced is very less hence many these cells are stacked to produce 3V at 100 micro Ampear. Nickel-63 has half life of 100 years so the life battery will work for more than 50 years. Earlier during research, making Nuclear battery diamond semiconductors was tough and not efficient.
The Betavolt’s researchers researched a unique single-crystal diamond semiconductor, using a boron-doped diamond as a substrate and a plasma chemical vapour deposition method to create the diamond semiconductor converter.
The nuclear battery can operate in a vide range of temperature from -60 to +120 degree centigrade and size of battery is very small x 15 x 5mm (0.59 x 0.59 x 0.2 inches).
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