In brief: Researchers from the University of Bristol and the UK Atomic Energy Authority have created the world's first-ever diamond battery powered by radioactive carbon-14. The invention could prove to be a true game changer, allowing electronics to run for thousands of years without a battery swap.
To achieve this feat, they used the incredible properties of carbon-14, which is the same isotope typically used for carbon dating archaeological finds and fossils. The isotope decays into nitrogen-14 through a process called beta decay over thousands of years. This process generates a tiny but virtually endless trickle of electrons that can be used to power miniature electronics.
In fact, carbon-14 has an extraordinarily long half-life of 5,700 years, which means that half of the original amount in a sample will decay into nitrogen-14 over that time. This means a single carbon-14 diamond battery could theoretically run for over 10,000 years before dropping below 50% charge capacity.
With theory out of the way, the researchers encased small amounts of the isotope in diamond for safety. They built a specialized plasma rig to manufacture the diamond batteries by basically 3D-printing artificial diamond crystals seeded with trace amounts of carbon-14 obtained from nuclear facilities. This is where the term "diamond battery" comes from.
It's worth mentioning that the University of Bristol first proposed the concept of diamond batteries way back in 2016 at an annual lecture. Now, nearly a decade later it's become reality.
Scientists and engineers from the UK Atomic Energy Authority (@UKAEAofficial) and the University of Bristol (@BristolUni) have successfully created the world's first carbon-14 diamond battery.
– UK Atomic Energy Authority (@UKAEAofficial) December 4, 2024
This new type of battery has the potential to power devices for thousands of years,… pic.twitter.com/Kquxpn1PHA
"Diamond batteries offer a safe, sustainable way to provide continuous microwatt levels of power. They are an emerging technology that use a manufactured diamond to safely encase small amounts of carbon-14," said Sarah Clark, Director of Tritium Fuel Cycle at UKAEA.
Such batteries offer a range of tantalizing applications. For starters, they could power incredibly long-lasting medical implants like pacemakers, ocular implants, or hearing aids without subjecting patients to risky battery swap surgeries every few years.
They'd also be perfect for powering electronics in extreme environments where replacing batteries is impractical – like buried sensors, deep-sea or space exploration equipment, or isolated monitoring stations.
Another proposed use case is powering tracking tags and transmitters to monitor spacecraft, orbital debris, maritime vessels, or anything else that needs to last for multiple decades without humans constantly swapping out batteries.
"Our micropower technology can support a whole range of important applications from space technologies and security devices through to medical implants. We're excited to be able to explore all of these possibilities, working with partners in industry and research, over the next few years," said Professor Tom Scott from the University of Bristol materials science team.
After years of incremental battery improvements, this represents a significant innovation in energy storage. Hopefully, the breakthrough is actually commercially viable this time.
Scientists develop battery with 5,000+ year lifespan by encasing radioactive carbon in diamond
