Phones Never Running Out of Battery? Chinese Startup Develops Nuclear Battery to Last 50 Years on a Single Charge

The anxiety of our phone’s battery running out could become a thing of the past as a Chinese startup claims to have developed a nuclear battery that could power smartphones for up to 50 years without the need for charging. The company, Betavolt, assures that this groundbreaking battery poses no threat to humans or the environment.

One of the worst feelings is when we can’t rely on our portable electronic devices at crucial moments due to their batteries running out. While life existed before these gadgets, the fear of a phone or laptop running out of battery has turned into a genuine phobia in our technology-dependent daily lives.

However, this fear might soon vanish, thanks to a nuclear battery developed by a Beijing-based startup named Betavolt. According to the company, their battery is the world’s first to achieve nuclear energy miniaturization by placing nuclear nickel-63 isotopes in a module smaller than a coin. The battery works by converting the energy released by decaying isotopes into electrical current.

The next-generation battery

The development of the next-generation battery has already entered the experimental testing phase, and soon it could be mass-produced for commercial devices, including phones and drones.

Betavolt’s nuclear batteries could meet the long-term power supply needs for various devices, such as airplanes, medical equipment, microprocessors, advanced sensors, small drones, and microrobots. This new energy innovation also positions China at the forefront of the latest chapter in the artificial intelligence revolution, as per the company’s statement cited by the Independent.

The first nuclear battery from Betavolt can deliver 100 microwatts of power and 3 volts. It has dimensions of 15 × 15 × 5 cubic millimeters. However, the company plans to manufacture a 1-watt power battery by 2025. The compact size allows these batteries to be used in series for higher power output. Betavolt envisions mobile phones that never need charging and drones that can fly indefinitely. The layered structure of the battery also means it won’t catch fire or explode with sudden force, and it can operate in temperatures ranging from minus 60 to plus 120 degrees Celsius.

Safe for Humans and the Environment

Concerns about the dangers of nuclear energy often revolve around potential harm to humans and the environment, but Betavolt claims their new battery eliminates these risks. The company assures that their developed battery is entirely safe, with no external radiation. This makes it suitable for use in medical devices implanted in the human body, such as pacemakers or artificial hearts.

Moreover, the decay of the battery poses no threat to humans or wildlife, making it an environmentally friendly application of nuclear energy. After the decay period, nickel-63 transforms into the stable isotope of copper, which is non-radioactive and does not pose a threat or pollution to the environment, according to the company’s statement.

source: index.hu