(dr) University of Bristol
Diamond Battery Prototype
Researchers announced the development of the first battery made from carbon-14 encapsulated in diamond.
For several years now, the duration of small batteries that equip electronics has become an industry attraction. The latest technology, already called “eternal battery“, would be able to replace traditional batteries made with lithium ions.
According to , the device, developed by scientists at the University of Bristol and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, has a useful life of 5,700 years and uses encapsulated carbon-14 in a diamond casing to supply the energy.
Carbon-14 is a radioactive and therefore unstable isotope of carbon, produced in the atmosphere as a result of the interaction between cosmic rays and atmospheric nitrogen.
What differentiates it from “normal” carbon is that carbon-14 has two additional neutrons at its core. The presence of these two nuclei is responsible for its instability and causes its decay to be very slow. In fact, its half-life is precisely 5,700 years.
As long as carbon-14 atoms do not adopt a stable configuration, they continue to emit radiation in the form of particles. Now, what British scientists have done is harness these particles to transform their energy into electricity.
The concept of carbon-14 encapsulated in diamonds is related to a technique in which carbon-14 is incorporated into a diamond structure, a crystalline form of carbon that is extremely stable and resistant to chemical or physical changes.
When carbon-14 is encapsulated in this way, it becomes protected from degradation and interaction with the external environment, increasing its durability.
Even though the electricity supply capacity is limited, in the microwatt range, this device could, in theory, be used to power medical implants, such as pacemakers or hearing aids.
Furthermore, it can help treat radioactive waste from nuclear power plants, be used in space applications, such as small satellites, and even in radio frequency tags.
