Imagine never having to charge your smartphone again. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, not anymore. A Chinese startup called Betavolt Technology has developed a nuclear battery that can power your smartphone for 50 years straight, with no charging pit stops needed.
The BV100, as the battery is called, is the world’s first to successfully miniaturize atomic energy, fitting 63 nuclear isotopes into a module smaller than a coin. The battery works by converting the energy released during the decay of isotopes into electricity, using a layer of artificial diamond that acts as a semiconductor. The company claims that the battery has an energy density over 10 times that of ternary lithium batteries and a capacity of storing 3,300 megawatts in just one gram without the risk of fire or explosion.
The battery also boasts a stable and consistent power generation, unaffected by harsh environments or varying loads, and suitable for various applications. The company says that the battery is safe for medical devices within the human body, such as pacemakers and cochlear implants, with no external radiation. The potential for parallel and series use of multiple batteries opens up diverse possibilities for future innovations.
Betavolt’s CEO, Zhang Wei, said in a press release that the BV100 marks a groundbreaking achievement as the world’s first mass-produced nuclear battery. He also revealed that the company is planning to launch a 1-watt battery by 2025, foreseeing a future where, if regulations allow, atomic batteries could power mobile phones indefinitely, transforming short-flight drones into continuous flyers.
The BV100 is currently in the pilot stage and the company is gearing up for full-scale production and market entry soon. The battery has already attracted attention and praise from the scientific community and the media, as well as interest and curiosity from smartphone users around the world. Betavolt’s nuclear battery could be a game-changer for the smartphone industry, as well as a catalyst for a sustainable, clean-energy
future.