Researchers turn nuclear waste into diamond batteries

If developed and the costs driven down, nuclear waste could one day act as extremely long-lasting batteries for electronics.  Image INQUIRER.net Stock Photo

Nuclear technology is hailed as a means of producing clean energy. However, while the waste products from nuclear plants aren’t immediately visible, they still get produced in the form of dangerously radioactive materials. While scientists still struggle to find ways to safely dispose of harmful nuclear waste, one study has allowed researchers to create diamond batteries from highly radioactive materials.

Engadget reports that radioactive material, in this case radioactive graphite from nuclear reactor cores, is encapsulated in a man-made diamond that blocks excess radiation and at the same time generates a small electric charge.

These diamond batteries don’t generate a lot of power, but this is offset by their longevity. Researchers estimate that a battery can last up to 5,730 years after generating just 50% of its total power potential. With such longevity, it’s easy to see applications in unmanned spacecraft, pacemakers, high-altitude drones and other devices where changing batteries is next to impossible or extremely difficult.

Any practical application is still a long way off because, for one thing, diamonds are very expensive, including even the man-made ones, because of the difficult process. But the technology does raise hope with regards to the safe disposal of nuclear waste.  Alfred Bayle

Watch the video below for more scientific details: