A Chinese company called Betavolt Technology has started working on nuclear batteries, and if this turns into something that actually works, you can say goodbye to smartphone charging. Based on the information we have received, the company is working on batteries across several devices.
The nuclear batteries are able to hold a charge for 50 years. Yes, you have heard this right. If this technology ever sees the light of day and hits the mainstream, it is safe to say that our smartphone batteries will outlive many of us.
Nuclear batteries could mark the end of smartphone charging as they could last upwards of 50 years
The company has talked about how they have pioneered the “miniaturization of atomic energy batteries.” Betavolt Technology managed to stuff 63 nuclear isotopes in a modular that is smaller than a coin. The model is called BV100, and it is capable of producing 100 microwatts of electricity, which should be more than enough when it comes to a smartphone.
Another interesting thing to note here is that this nuclear battery will be able to provide a voltage of 3V, and in terms of size, it measures just 15 x 15 x 5mm. The company claims that you can even join these batteries together in case you are running a device that requires more than just a single battery.
Now, for those who are wondering how these nuclear batteries work - they use radioactive decay to generate electricity, and the technology is similar to the one that we find in spacecraft as well as pacemakers. Companies have stayed away from this technology for some time mainly because of the fact that plutonium is used in such a technology.
However, Betavolt built a version of this battery with a diamond semiconductor layer and a decaying nickel isotope. The company even claims that there is no radiation leaking out of the battery, and there are also no toxic elements that are found in the mix. On paper, this means that these batteries will not explode, and they can also function in extreme temperatures ranging from -60 to 120 degrees Celsius.
The company is certainly ambitious about these nuclear batteries and is hoping that these batteries would be more than enough to make the concept of charging obsolete. It certainly is a big step towards progress, but we are not sure just when we are going to see these batteries in smartphones. The company's battery is currently in the pilot stage and will be hitting mass production soon, so if that does pan out, we will see something truly unique.
News Sources: Lenr Forum, Yahoo
