Beijing-based startup Betavolt has unveiled a groundbreaking nuclear battery, claimed to be the first of its kind globally, with the potential to generate electricity for an astonishing 50 years.
Currently in its pilot testing phase, this innovation is expected to eventually move into mass production, targeting devices like smartphones and drones.
Betavolt’s nuclear battery is designed to fulfill long-term power needs across various scenarios. It finds potential applications in aviation, AI technology, medical equipment, microprocessors, advanced sensors, small drones, and microrobots, as per the company’s announcement.
The battery functions by converting the energy released from decaying isotopes into electricity, a process first explored in the 20th century. While similar technologies were developed by Soviet and U.S. scientists for use in space crafts, submarines, and remote scientific stations, those thermoelectric batteries were both costly and cumbersome.
Betavolt’s inaugural nuclear battery, remarkably compact at 15x15x5 cubic millimeters, delivers 100 microwatts of power at 3 volts. The company aims to scale this up to 1 watt by 2025.
This technology could revolutionize mobile phones, enabling them to operate without needing to be recharged, and drones that could theoretically fly indefinitely.
Betavolt assures that its atomic energy battery is completely safe, with no external radiation, making it suitable even for medical devices such as pacemakers. Environmentally, the battery is deemed benign; after its decay period, its 63 isotopes transform into a stable, non-radioactive copper isotope, posing no environmental threat.