Scientists from Northwest University in Lanzhou, Gansu Province, announced the creation of a nuclear battery using the isotope carbon-14 (¹4C). The battery is designed for 50 years of operation without reducing the output voltage and can be used to power pacemakers, spacecraft and devices operating in extreme conditions.
The developers say that this is the first battery made in China using the isotope ¹4C, and it can significantly change the situation in the field of autonomous power supply in the world. Until recently, China imported carbon-14 from Canada, South Africa, Australia and Russia. However, last year, Chinese researchers created their own production of this isotope in one of the local reactors, which will allow them to abandon expensive purchases from abroad.
The maximum output power of the battery reaches 433 nanonewtons. During the radioactive decay of ¹4C, electrons and positrons are formed. The electrons are captured by semiconductor compounds at the interface with the radioactive material, which leads to the creation of an electric current.
The isotope carbon-14 accumulates in dead organic matter and is widely used for radiocarbon dating. Its half-life is 5,730 years. According to calculations, a Chinese battery at ¹4C will lose only 5% of its capacity over 50 years of operation. This means that theoretically it will be able to continuously power autonomous devices for 100 years or more, which is especially important for deep space missions.
In laboratory conditions, scientists tested the battery's performance when cooled to -100 °C and heated to 200 °C. In all cases, the nuclear battery provided the rated current level and worked without failure. During the tests, the battery continuously powered an LED lamp for more than four months.
In developing the atomic battery, the scientists were assisted by specialists from Beita Pharmatech, a company that uses carbon-14 to produce scientific and medical drugs. Based on the experience gained, the university's employees plan to create a robotic line for the industrial production of atomic batteries.
The isotope carbon-14 is relatively safe for humans. Atomic batteries based on it can power implants and pacemakers for a lifetime, while modern energy sources are designed for only 15 years of operation. Chinese scientists are not the only ones who want to use ¹4C in such developments. At the end of 2024, information appeared about a similar project by British researchers.