China creates nuclear battery that can last 50 years

Successfully tested, the Chinese nuclear battery can change the energy industry, boosting advances on the Internet of Things and Space Exploration

In the latest step towards clean energy technology, a Chinese company said it has developed an ultra-loner carbon-14 (C-14) nuclear battery prototype called Zhulong-1, making progress in the search for innovation of nuclear microbater. Wuxi Beita Pharmatech Co., Ltd., located in Jiangsu province, east of China, said it reached the achievement with Northwest Normal University in Gansu province in northwest China.

Nuclear batteries convert energy from radioactive decay into electricity, differing fundamentally from conventional chemical batteries. Wuxi Beita has established a full C-14 industrial chain system, covering C-14 labeling products and labeling technologies, establishing the base for the development of Zhulong-1, according to the company.

Zhang Guanghui, drum project leader, which is from Northwest Normal University, told Xinhua on Wednesday that Zhulong-1’s main innovation is in the use of C-14, a 5,730-year-old radioactive isotope, which is paired with a Silicon Carbide Semiconductor (SIC) to generate power. As the C-14 decay, it emits beta particles that interact with the semiconductor, producing a constant flow of electrons.

This approach addresses the main technical challenges, including the preparation of high-specific C-14 sources and the low energy conversion efficiency and stability of transducer devices, Zhang said.

In a live demonstration at Wuxi Beita’s lab, an LED fueled by Zhulong-1 perfectly operated for almost four months, supporting more than 35,000 pulsed flashes. The researchers further validated their usefulness by integrating the battery with a Bluetooth chip – which he transmitted and received wireless signs successfully.

The research team gave the drums the name of Zhulong, the mythical Chinese dragon deity that symbolizes eternal light and energy in the former Chinese text Shan Hai Jing, reflecting both the richness of Chinese culture and the lasting characteristics of battery power supply, Cai Dinglong, head of the battery project.

The battery can operate stablely in a temperature range of 100 degrees Celsius to 200 degrees Celsius, with a 10 -fold energy density than lithium -ion commercial batteries and a degradation rate of less than 5% over a 50 -year -old projected lifetime, he said.

The Institutes of Physical Sciences of Hefei, from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, led the battery tests.

Han Yuncheng, a researcher at the Institute of Nuclear Security Technology, told Xinhua that the tests indicate that the main technological indicators of Zhulong-1-including power levels, energy conversion efficiency and stability-are advanced.

As a new generation microenergy solution, C-14 nuclear batteries have a wide range of health applications, the Internet of Things and Space Exploration.

Notably, they can feed permanent implants such as brain-computing interfaces or heartfelt marks, and support networks of trillion sensors to the Internet of things, Zhang said.

In addition, in extreme environments, including the deep ocean, the Antarctica, the moon and Mars, these batteries can serve as continuous maintenance batteries – while allowing intended interstorers to operate, Zhang added.

The research team is already advancing in a second generation model, Zhulong-2. Cai said efforts will focus on reducing production costs and decreasing size.

“Zhulong-2 is expected to be launched later this year or early next year, measuring only the size of a coin,” he said.

With information from en.people.cn