Nano-Diamond Battery – the future of Betavoltaics?

In a world where even with a 120-watt power adapter, a colossal battery and wireless charging technology, we cannot go two days straight without putting our phone down to charge; it is almost impossible to think of a battery that will last our lifetime. Well, it’s happening. Not just a lifetime, thousands of years, 28 thousand to be exact. And it’s not only possible; it’s happening as we speak.

California-based company NDB is developing a battery that will last 28,000 years without needing to recharge or any replacement of parts. They are calling it Nano-Diamond Battery and it’s not a gimmick. This type of battery is not new and are being used in aerospace, space exploration and military technology for quite a while now.

This class of batteries is known as Betavoltaics, which uses Beta emitting radioactive material to produce current. The Nano Diamond Battery (NDB) is a variation of Radioactive Diamond Battery that uses Diamond as the beta-emitting substance.

 

 

Even though Betavoltaic batteries have been in operation for some time now, the day-to-day consumer-grade applications were halted due to radiation-related safety concerns despite being safer than its predecessor, Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator or RTG.

RTG, like NDB is also a nuclear battery, but unlike the modern Nuclear Diamond batteries, RTGs use heat from radioactivity, which is much riskier compared to Diamond battery’s beta emission harnessing current generation.

The US startup company, NDB, promised to bring the batteries to commercial agencies and consumers by 2023. They claim that their Diamond Nuclear Voltaic technology will revolutionize aerospace, medical implant technology, electric cars as well as consumer electronics.

 

 

Their claim does sound promising as Betavoltaics are far safer, smaller and last longer than typical lithium-ion batteries or even RTGs. Using them in medical implants will imply that pacemakers and hearing aids won’t need a change of battery ever. One battery will power the implants for the lifetime of the patient.

These batteries will also impact deep space missions, as using these Betavoltaic devices will eliminate the need to rely on solar-powered batteries or much riskier RTGs. Space probes and Mars Rover-like autonomous robots will be powered for as long as it takes for the radioactive substance to decay, which is basically centuries to millenniums.

 

 

As for consumer use, these batteries will change mobile technology and electric appliances space for good. Users won’t be needing a travel adapter to juice up their smartphone tablet or laptop on the go. Home sensors like smoke detectors, Carbon Monoxide detectors will just need to be installed once and then forgotten as changing batteries will be obsolete.

Apart from its widespread use in all sectors, Nuclear physicists are particularly excited about the beta-emitting materials that’ll be used in these batteries.

NDB and other Radioactive Diamond Battery manufacturers will use nuclear waste to create diamonds in the lab. The diamonds, in turn, will produce an electric current which is a huge milestone for nuclear waste recycling.

If this technology is safely harnessed, mankind will get a new Green and seemingly unlimited source of energy while taking care of the nuclear waste from hundreds of nuclear plants across the world, a win-win situation for everyone.

 

 

However, people are still skeptical about its mass production and its mass use, as they should be. NDB, either could be the future of Betavoltaics or one of those too-good-to-be-true techs of the future that can never find its present.