Scientists from the University of Bristol and the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) have successfully developed the world’s first carbon-14 diamond battery.
This revolutionary energy source has the potential to power devices for thousands of years, offering a sustainable and efficient solution for a wide range of applications.
The carbon-14 diamond battery leverages the radioactive decay of carbon-14, a radioactive isotope commonly used in radiocarbon dating, to generate electricity. Encased in a diamond, which is one of the hardest materials known, the battery safely captures radiation to produce power.\
Carbon-14 emits short-range radiation, which is absorbed by the diamond casing, ensuring safety while generating low levels of electricity. The battery operates similarly to solar panels, but instead of converting light into electricity, it uses fast-moving electrons from radioactive decay.
The result is a long-lasting, reliable power source with an impressive lifespan. Since carbon-14 has a half-life of 5,700 years, the battery will retain half of its power even after thousands of years.
Sarah Clark, Director of Tritium Fuel Cycle at UKAEA, emphasized the sustainability and safety of this innovation, saying, “Diamond batteries offer a safe, sustainable way to provide continuous microwatt levels of power. They are an emerging technology that uses a manufactured diamond to safely encase small amounts of carbon-14.”
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