The scientists and engineers from the University of Bristol and UKAEA have developed the world’s first diamond battery, which could be a revolutionary energy source that can power devices for thousands of years.
This revolutionary battery is powered by carbon-14, a highly radioactive substance usually used in radiocarbon dating. It incorporates the element within a diamond structure, wherein the energy produced by the radioactive decay is captured.
It’s sort of similar to how solar panels work: it captures energy, just as the panels convert light to electricity, using fast-moving electrons from carbon-14 in place of photons.
The result is a durable power source that produces small, continuous amounts of energy. These “micropower” batteries are ideal for applications where changing batteries is difficult or impractical. This diamond battery has the potential to change the way we think about powering electronics in medicine, space, and extreme environments.
Such batteries could be used in medicine for devices such as pacemakers, hearing aids, and eye implants. Instead of traditional batteries that would need to be replaced after certain periods, diamond batteries may last the lifetime of a patient and eliminate the discomfort of many surgeries.
For space exploration, these batteries could power space crafts and tracking devices with no replacement for decades. This would also be of essential use on Earth in some of the most hostile areas, like deep-sea exploration or remote locations where human access is very limited.
“These batteries can power a range of critical technologies, from medical implants to space systems,” said Professor Tom Scott of the University of Bristol: “We’re excited to explore the possibilities with industry and research partners.”
The secret to the incredibly long life of the diamond battery is carbon-14, which boasts a half-life of 5,700 years. The radioactive material is safely enclosed in its diamond layer, making it a very durable and safe kind of battery.
Diamond batteries offer a safe and sustainable way to provide continuous power,” said Sarah Clark, Director of Tritium Fuel Cycle at UKAEA. “They are an emerging technology with potential for a wide range of uses.”
This discovery also relates to the advances made in fusion energy research since it was that expertise used in making the diamond battery. Construction of a special machine by the team was done in order to grow the layers at UKAEA’s Culham Campus.
The carbon-14 diamond battery could revolutionize energy storage, paving the way for technologies that will last for not years but centuries.
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