One of the biggest challenges of our time relies on a technology, that of batteries. If the 20th century was that of (energy) production, the 21st is undoubtedly that of conservation. In order to answer this central question, researchers from the University of Bristol and the British Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) have just created the first carbon 14 diamond battery.
According to scientists’ calculations, such a battery could work for thousands of years. It draws its energy from the disintegration of carbon-14, a radioactive isotope known in the archaeological world for its dating powers.
A low power battery
To have such a long life, the diamond battery cannot provide crazy energy output. The decay of carbon 14, stable for 5,700 years, can only provide a few microwatts. We are talking about barely 15 days per day. Or 0.004 167 Wh/day. For comparison, a light bulb consumes 54 kJ in one hour.
There is particular talk of using these batteries of the future in implants. Pacemakers or insulin pumps don’t need a lot of power to operate, so a diamond battery would suffice just fine. The same goes for space exploration missions, like Voyager 1.
To keep the on-board computer alive, the probe only needs a few watts, energy that a diamond battery could provide. This would extend the lifespan of its mission by several millennia!
A more environmentally friendly solution?
But the creation of this new battery could have other advantages. In fact, scientists assure that its design is more environmentally friendly. And for good reason: although it takes a lot of energy to build a diamond battery, it does not need to extract rare metals, such as lithium. Simply based on carbon (present absolutely everywhere), this battery would therefore be good news for the planet.
The only obstacle to its expansion, in addition to its very limited power, would be its price. Built in a laboratory by trapping carbon 14 in a synthetic diamond, this battery is very expensive to develop.
Some people also worry about the risks in the event of an explosion or too violent shock to the battery. If the diamond were to break, it could release a particularly dangerous radioactive isotope. It will therefore be necessary to monitor the development of these technologies very closely in the coming months.
