Charging your phone could soon become passé thanks to radionuclide batteries

It’s quite annoying when the battery on your phone runs out at the worst possible time, such as when you’re stranded halfway home in the middle of the night or right in the middle of an extremely important call from the office. And, of course, not to mention frantically running around, looking for a socket, or having to carry bulky power banks with you. But a company in China called Betavolt Technology may have the solution to your woes – a radionuclide battery. Wondering how? Read on to find out more.

What radionuclide batteries are and how they work

First off, let’s start with what a radionuclide battery is. A radionuclide battery, in essence, uses radioactive decay to generate energy. They commonly use Plutonium for the same. Now, as novel as it may sound, it isn’t so either, since radionuclides have been used to power cardiac pacemakers for years now.

All you need to know about Betavolt’s new battery

Betavolt has already developed a radionuclide battery called the BB100. It measures 15x15x5mm and provides for up to 100 microwatts of energy. The battery is reportedly already powerful enough to meet the energy requirements of small devices such as sensors, small drones, and microrobots. Moreover, Betavolt also claims that its battery can stay charged for up to 50 years at a stretch, and can function effectively in temperatures ranging from anywhere between -60 and 120 degrees celsius.

The company says that in the next two years, it plans to make small batteries that deliver at least 1W of power, which can then be combined to make batteries with bigger capacities – such as the ones required for a smartphone.

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Now, a concern that often stems from radionuclide batteries, or anything nuclear for that matter, is radiation, and its harmful effects to the human body. However, Betavolt claims that a version of the same battery which is currently under development, uses a layer of artificial diamond and decaying nickel isotope, to trap any radiation or toxins that may escape from the battery otherwise.

However, what remains unknown is the battery’s resistance to drops, dents, and dings. Sure, it has been used in pacemakers for years now. And they do last. However, they’re never subjected to any potential damage from the elements, bearing in mind how they remain in the body. Whether the technology will, therefore, ever be deemed safe or viable enough to be launched on a large scale, remains to be seen as of yet.