Nuclear Battery:
Chinese startup Betavolt has developed a “nuclear battery” that can produce power for 50 years without charge.
- The battery, which is smaller than a coin, contains 63 nuclear isotopes and converts radioisotope energy into electrical energy.
- Betavolt claims it is the world’s first battery to achieve miniaturization of atomic energy production, challenging traditional notions of nuclear technology.
- Such batteries use energy from the decay of a radioactive isotope (Like nickel-63) to generate electricity. Unlike nuclear reactors, they do not rely upon nuclear fission for power generation.
- The company plans to produce batteries with 1 watt of power by 2025 and sees applications in aerospace, AI equipment, medical devices, microprocessors, sensors, drones, and micro-robots.
- The nuclear battery is fire-resistant, jerk-proof, and operational in temperatures from -60°C to 120°C.