A new kind of nuclear battery can operate three times more efficiently than current ones. The battery can provide power for as long as 50 years.
The battery was developed by Chinese researchers led by Professor Haisheng San of Xiamen University in China and Professor Xin Li of the Chinese Institute of Atomic Energy. The nuclear batteries contain strontium-90 (90Sr) radio-voltaic cells (RPVC) based on a waveguide-light concentration (WLC) structure. This design combines multilayer stacked GAGG:Ce scintillation waveguides with 90Sr radioisotopes.
Power for 50 years
The use of nuclear batteries offers several advantages. For instance, researchers say the battery offers three times the efficiency of existing batteries. In addition, the battery can provide power for as long as 50 years. In the process, cells in the battery produce light from radioactivity, which is then converted into electricity using photovoltaic cells.
This opens up opportunities for use in challenging locations, such as hard-to-reach places. Think of space or remote areas on Earth, where batteries need to operate autonomously for long periods without being able to perform maintenance, for example.
Higher efficiency
Researchers report that a prototype nuclear battery achieved a maximum output of 48.9 μW. In doing so, the battery managed to convert energy with an efficiency of 2.96%. This may sound low, but is higher than other available nuclear batteries.
A test was also conducted on this prototype in which the battery was exposed to an amount of electron beam irradiation equivalent to 50 years of use. Evaluation of the prototype shows that the battery's performance was degraded by only 13.8%. Based on this, the researchers conclude that WLC-based RPVCs can deliver higher output combined with high long-term stability.
'Balance between efficiency and stability'
"We have designed and manufactured an RPVC that achieves a balance between efficiency and stability. The WLC structure provides three times higher energy conversion efficiency compared to conventional RPVC structures. Irradiation equivalent to 50 years of use confirms that WLC-based RPVCs exhibit excellent long-term stability," state the researchers.
"Although large-scale production of RPVCs is still limited by challenges such as mass production and cost reduction of 90Sr radioisotopes, the current research results represent a significant step forward in developing applications for nuclear batteries."
The researchers describe their findings in a scientific paper published in Light: Science & Applications.
