A Chinese company called Betavolt Technology announced that it is developing new batteries based on nuclear energy for use in various electronic devices such as smartphones.
The company said it has developed a prototype called the BB100, which is a cell with dimensions of 15 x 15 x 5 mm that can deliver 100 microwatts of power.
Over the next two years, the company wants to develop its technology to create small batteries that can produce up to a watt of power, potentially combining them to power more powerful devices.
These batteries rely on the radioactive decay of radioactive materials to generate energy, a technology that is not yet widely used. Due to the danger of radioactive materials, they are not suitable for use in consumer devices. In addition, these batteries are often too large or do not provide enough power.
Betavolt claims to be developing the battery using a layer of synthetic diamond and decomposed nickel isotopes, and says the design will not leak radiation or produce toxic chemicals because the nickel 63 decomposes into copper.
The Chinese company says that the batteries can operate for up to 50 years without the need for replacement or recharging, and they can also operate at extreme temperatures ranging from -60 to 120 degrees.
Nuclear batteries are already being used on a small scale, especially in some pacemakers and spacecraft.
Observers say that the successful development of such batteries in the future could help move away from traditional lithium batteries that require recharging and whose lifespan becomes shorter over time.