Chinese firm develops 'nuclear battery' capable of producing power for 50 years without charging

China-based startup Betavolt has developed a battery which has the capability to produce power or electricity for 50 years without any charging or maintenance.

Placing 63 nuclear isotopes into a module smaller than a coin, the battery developed by Betavolt is a "nuclear" battery. A nuclear battery converts radioisotope energy into electrical energy, and has an advantage over other types of batteries due to its high energy density. Such batteries use energy from the decay of a radioactive isotope to generate electricity. 

Betavolt claims that it is the world's first battery to achieve the miniaturization of atomic energy production, challenging traditional notions associated with nuclear technology.

The company claimed that its first nuclear battery could deliver 100 microwatts of power and a voltage of 3V while being15x15x5 cubic millimetres in size.

Betavolt is also planning to produce a battery with 1 watt of power by 2025.

“This new energy innovation will help China gain a leading edge in the new round of the AI technological revolution. Betavolt atomic energy batteries can meet the needs of long-lasting power supply in multiple scenarios, such as aerospace, AI equipment, medical equipment, microprocessors, advanced sensors, small drones and micro-robots,” The Independent quoted the excerpts from the release shared by the Betavolt.

The company claimed that the invention is a next-generation battery, and that their project has already entered the pilot-testing stage. The company has plans for the battery prototype to be eventually mass-produced for commercial applications, like phone or drone batteries.

Nevertheless, the newly developed nuclear battery has a layered structure which apparently makes it fire resistant and jerk proof — which means it is not likely to explode when there's a sudden external force applied on the device running a nuclear battery. The battery is also said to be capable of working in temperatures ranging from -60 degrees Celsius to 120 degrees Celsius.