Forget charging cords and power banks – a Chinese startup claims to have cracked the code for long-lasting power with a groundbreaking innovation: the nuclear battery.
Beijing-based Betavolt has unveiled a battery smaller than a coin yet packed with 63 nuclear isotopes. This miniature marvel, they say, can generate electricity for 50 years without recharging or maintenance, marking a potential world-first in atomic energy miniaturization.
Beyond Smartphones and Drones:
While the first prototype delivers 100 microwatts, Betavolt plans to boost it to 1 watt by 2025. This opens up a world of possibilities beyond just charging your smartphone or keeping your drone airborne. Think pacemakers with unfaltering power, AI sensors collecting data for decades, tiny robots exploring harsh environments – the applications are vast and futuristic.
Safe and Sustainable:
But is it safe? Betavolt assures us the radiation levels are negligible, making the battery safe for even medical devices. And when its long life comes to an end, the isotopes simply morph into stable, non-radioactive copper, posing no environmental threat.
From Lab to Life:
Currently in testing, these atomic batteries are gearing up for mass production. China’s ambitious Five-Year Plan has actively supported this technology, and with successful testing and necessary clearances, Betavolt’s revolutionary creation could soon be fueling a future where “charging anxiety” becomes a relic of the past.
Battery Dimensions
The nuclear battery’s dimensions are 15 x 15 x 5 millimeters, constructed from wafer-thin layers of nuclear isotopes and diamond semiconductors, according to information from Futurism. Currently, the nuclear battery produces 100 microwatts of power at 3 volts. However, Betavolt aims to achieve a 1-watt power output by the year 2025.
