The battery remains the weak point of smartphones and other modern smart devices. It is the only component that deteriorates significantly with use for the average user, and which generally determines the lifespan of the device; No matter how much the user takes care of the battery, it is inevitable that it will lose capacity and performance as the months go by.
This inconvenience has been particularly visible in recent years, as new mobile phones and operating systems are designed to last longer than ever; The new Google Pixel 8, for example, promises seven years of Android updates, but it’s inevitable that user needs to change the battery at least once during this period (depending on usage, maybe more), with the cost and hassle that entails.
To this must be added the task that all smartphone users must accomplish: recharge the battery, in most cases, every day. Although new technologies such as wireless charging make the process much easier, it is still something to take into account if we do not want to run out of battery at the worst possible moment.
Safe and radiation-free
Although there are several projects and potential solutions to this problem, the latest one from China is the most impactful of all, as it is based on nuclear energy; Indeed, the idea is that we have the same energy as a miniature nuclear reactorand the main advantage is obvious: you will never run out of battery.
The project was revealed by the Beijing-based startup Betavolt, which claims to have taken a big step forward in the miniaturization of the components necessary for such an innovation. To do this, she combined the radioactive isotope nickel 63 with the first semiconductor made in China based on diamond. The battery is made up of several layers of these components in a box measuring just 15mm x 15mmending in electrical contacts to connect the device that requires power.
Internal diagram of the nuclear battery
According to Betavolt, this prototype nuclear battery is capable of producing electricity itself in a stable manner. over a period of 50 years; Since it relies on the radioactive isotope for its energy, it does not need to be recharged or maintained for decades. The battery is capable of providing a voltage of 3 volts during this entire period and is capable of producing 100 microwatts of electricity. Obviously, this is not enough to operate a modern cell phone, but in this case the important thing was to take the first step towards a nuclear battery. In addition, it has the advantage of being able to operate in a wide temperature range, between -60C and 120C.
At Betavolt they are aware of the fears related to nuclear energy, but they claim that their battery is “totally safe and without external radiation”, and could even be used in medical devices such as pacemakers and artificial hearts. Regarding the ecological question, he responds that once the nickel isotope 63 decays, it becomes a stable isotope of copper which is not radioactive and poses no risk to life or the environment. They also ensure that it does not explode or ignite if penetrated, unlike current lithium-ion batteries.
In addition to medical devices, their creators propose their use in smartphones and even talk about drones capable of continuous flight and without needing to stop after 15 minutes like current models. These batteries are modular, so they can be joined together in groups of dozens or even hundreds, in series and parallel, to create larger, higher capacity batteries.
Project with political connotation
In reality, it is by no means the first nuclear battery, and the concept is almost as old as nuclear power itself. The Soviets and Americans had already developed their own devices during the Cold War, seeking a solution to the growing reliance on electronic devices in places or situations without access to the power grid. In fact, some thermonuclear batteries have been used in the aerospace sector for years; However, It is not a technology accessible to the consumerboth for safety and for associated costs.
Betavolt believes that the future, especially that of China, lies in the use of nuclear batteries that allow the constant use of electronic devices without time limits. The startup enthusiastically associates its project with the objectives of the Chinese government, in particular the “14th five-year plan” presented in 2021 to accelerate the economic and technological development of the country; Among the proposed steps is “civilize” nuclear energy making it more accessible and the development of versatile nuclear technologies.
The announcement also comes at a time when the U.S. government has imposed serious limitations on tech companies doing business in China, aiming to prevent the Asian giant from gaining an advantage in new technologies such as artificial intelligence. . In response, Betavolt presents its nuclear battery as proof that China can lead the next AI revolutionwith devices that would have the power to run it locally.
The next step in Betavolt’s project will be to create a nuclear battery reaching 1 W of power by 2025, which could be sufficient for certain low-consumption electronic devices.
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