<img src="https://ib.adnxs.com/pixie?pi=1c655c6c-ec9d-4001-bf37-65ae7ccc6a05&amp;e=PageView&amp;script=0" width="1" height="1" style="display:none">

2 min read

Diamond Batteries: The Next Big Thing

288148580-diamond_1024.jpg

Energy storage has had a lot of press, lately. Affordable home battery backup options with great efficiency are finally on the market and people are looking to buy them. But batteries still have a ways to go until they achieve peak energy storage.

 

Enter the scientists at the University of Bristol. Originally concerned about the problem of nuclear waste, they developed a new type of battery that could change how we think of energy storage.

 

What’s so exciting about this battery? It’s a diamond structure that turns nuclear waste into nuclear energy.

 

“There are no moving parts involved, no emissions generated, and no maintenance required, just direct electricity generation,” said Tom Scott, Bristol’s Professor of Materials. “By encapsulating radioactive material inside diamonds, we turn a long-term problem of nuclear waste into a nuclear-powered battery and a long-term supply of clean energy.”

 

It Works Like This:

Nuclear waste is stored in graphite blocks. Graphite is another form of carbon, and when it becomes altered by the nuclear energy, it turns into the radioactive isotope “carbon-14”.

 

Carbon-14 will eventually turn back into normal carbon once its extra energy decays away, but it’s a lengthy process, as carbon-14 halves every 5,730 years.

 

To try and deal with the growing amount of carbon-14, the Bristol scientists heated these blocks, burning off and turning the radioactive carbon into gas, which they then collected. The remaining graphite blocks are still radioactive, but less-so, meaning they become less of a problem and less of a cost-constraint.

 

Using the collected gas, the scientists converted the radioactive carbon-14 into a diamond at low pressure and elevated temperatures.

 

These small, man-made diamonds are extremely unique. Made of radioactive carbon, they’re able to provide their own energy and generate a small electrical current. When placed in a radioactive field, they’re able to generate even more electricity.

diaomond-759.jpg

Nuclear-Powered Diamond Batteries

Because diamond batteries are made of the radioactive carbon-14, they are extremely efficient and can last a long time. To put their lifetime into perspective, they would use 50 percent of their power in the year 7746!

 

To be used safely, another non-radioactive diamond layer must be formed around the radioactive diamond. This encapsulates the dangerous radiation so that on its outside, a diamond battery would emit less radiation than that of a single banana. Plus, by absorbing the dangerous radiation, the outside layer is able to convert even more electricity, and becomes almost 100 percent efficient.

 

These diamond batteries would best be used in instances where it’s not feasible to charge or replace conventional batteries like in space exploration, satellites, or even pacemakers.

 

Interested in a home battery backup that you can get today? Give us a call at 407.331.9077 or contact us online to find out what options are available for you.

solar-options-costs-roi-superior-solar

Solar Source Makes the List Again as one of Solar Power World's 2023 Top Contractors, Marking it's 12th Year in a Row!

Solar Source Makes the List Again as one of Solar Power World's 2023 Top Contractors, Marking it's 12th Year in a Row!

As one of only a small handful of contractors in North America that has made the list every year, Solar Source is pleased to be featured as one of...

Read More
Your Home, Your Power: Why Are You Still Renting Electricity in a House You Own?

Your Home, Your Power: Why Are You Still Renting Electricity in a House You Own?

When you think about your home, what comes to mind? Maybe it's a place of comfort, where your family gathers for meals, celebrates birthdays, or...

Read More
June Storms Ahead: Here are Steps to Prepare Your Solar Panels Now

June Storms Ahead: Here are Steps to Prepare Your Solar Panels Now

As the month of June approaches, many regions are bracing for the onset of storm season, which can pose a threat to your solar panels if not properly...

Read More