Imagine a reality where you do not have to charge your phone or laptop for days, or better yet, even years. That is exactly what Chinese startup Betavolt aims to achieve by developing a groundbreaking miniature nuclear battery that it says can keep working for up to 50 years.
This innovative technology promises a world where phones, laptops, and drones can operate for extended periods, reaching up to years without the need for frequent charging or maintenance.
BV100: A game-changing Nuclear Battery
Beijing-based Betavolt New Energy Technology Company said that its miniature nuclear battery is the first in the world to realize the miniaturization of atomic energy, placing 63 nuclear isotopes into a module smaller than a coin. The company claims to have entered the pilot stage for the battery, which is smaller than a coin, and will soon put it into mass production.
Zhang Wei, Chairman and CEO of Betavolt, announced the BV100 is the world’s first nuclear battery ready for mass production. It has 100 microwatts of power, 3V voltage, and a volume smaller than a coin at 15 x 15 x 5 cubic millimeters.
This transformative technology marks China‘s disruptive leap in the high-tech realms of atomic energy batteries and fourth-generation diamond semiconductors, placing the country ahead of its Western counterparts. “This new energy innovation will help China gain a leading edge in the new round of the AI technological revolution,” the company claimed.
Zhang Wei emphasized that Betavolt’s core technology lies in the fourth-generation diamond semiconductor, a material considered the pinnacle in the global semiconductor field. “Betavolt is not only a new energy company, but also a fourth-generation semiconductor and ultra-long carbon nanotube new material company. Nuclear batteries, diamond semiconductors and supercapacitors are the three major technologies and materials that are linked and integrated to form Betavolt’s core technology and innovation capabilities.”
BV100 applications
Betavolt says its nuclear battery can meet the needs for long-lasting power supply in diverse sectors such as aerospace, AI devices, medical, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), advanced sensors, small drones, and robots.
The company anticipates the battery being used in robotics, smartphones, and drones. “If policies permit, atomic energy batteries can allow a mobile phone to never be charged, and drones that can only fly for 15 minutes can fly continuously,” Betavolt said.
How Betavolt’s 50-year lifespan battery works
While the United States and the Soviet Union explored this field in the 1960s, Betavolt’s breakthrough signifies a monumental shift towards miniaturization, modularization, and civilian applications.
To create the radioactive battery, Betavolt’s team of experts used nickel-63, which is a radioactive element, as the energy source and then diamond semiconductors as energy converters. The decay energy of the radioactive source is then converted into an electrical current.
Key Features of BV100 Nuclear Battery
Detailing the advantages of atomic energy batteries, Betavolt said these batteries are lightweight, and feature a long service life and high energy density.
- Betavolt’s nuclear battery can deliver 100 microwatts of power and a voltage of 3V while measuring 15x15x5 cubic millimeters.
- The company plans to launch the 1-watt version of its battery by 2025.
- The battery can work under extreme temperatures from -60 to 120 degrees Celcius.
- Its layered design also means it will not catch fire or explode in response to sudden force.
- The company says its nuclear battery is safe, has no external radiation, and is suitable for use in medical devices such as pacemakers, artificial hearts, and cochleas in the human body.
- Betavolt says its nuclear batteries are environmentally friendly as the nickel-63 isotope becomes a stable, non-radioactive isotope of copper after the decay period, which does not pose any threat or pollution to the environment.
Having registered a patent in Beijing, Betavolt is set to secure global PCT patents. Their recognition in the 2023 Innovation Competition by China National Nuclear Corporation attests to the significance of their atomic energy battery technology.
Understanding nuclear batteries
Nuclear batteries differ from conventional ones in cost, lifespan, applications, and operation. Unlike traditional batteries relying on electrochemical reactions, nuclear batteries harness the decay of radioactive particles (alpha, beta, and gamma) to generate a steady energy supply, inducing electron movement and current flow.
Atomic and nuclear batteries, also known as radioisotope batteries, function by harnessing the energy released through the decay of nuclear isotopes, converting it into electrical energy through semiconductor converters.
Nuclear batteries or Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) are generally used in situations where it is not feasible to charge or replace batteries such as pacemakers, satellites, spacecraft, Mars rovers, including NASA’s Perseverance rover, and underwater systems.
Nuclear batteries have an exceptionally long life, low maintenance, and application in remote environments. A nuclear battery boasts high-energy density, surpassing hydrogen fuel cells by tenfold and electrochemical batteries by a thousandfold, according to this research.
While nuclear batteries offer a powerful and efficient energy source for demanding applications in extreme environments, these are much more expensive than a traditional battery of the same size. Additionally, their use requires extensive research and consideration of the associated risks and challenges related to radioactive materials, waste disposal, and cost.
