In today’s world, not a day passes by without the development of a new form of technology that makes life easier for us. Researchers at the University of Bristol have developed a new technique of converting Radioactive graphite blocks (a waste product of nuclear reactors) into artificial diamonds that generate electricity. In essence, when the diamonds are placed in a radioactive field, it will be capable of producing a certain amount of electric current. This innovation is sure to solve some problems of clean electricity generation, nuclear waste, and battery life. This is the birth of a diamond battery.

Nuclear reactors produce heat from highly radioactive uranium rods. The uranium rods are placed in graphite blocks to control the flow of heat as well as nuclear reactions. The blocks of graphite tend to become highly radioactive after years of absorbing nuclear radiation. After decommissioning the nuclear power plants, the graphite blocks have to be disposed of.

So what was discovered?

The team of physicists and chemists from the University of Bristol realized that they could heat the graphite blocks and this transforms the carbon into gas. The gas is then retrieved and compressed to form a diamond, and the best part is that the diamond has some unusual properties. The diamond will be able to generate small electric current due to its radioactive nature. Also, the process does not require maintenance or moving parts, and it can last for thousands of years without the need of replacement.

Professor in Materials in the University’s Interface Analysis Center and a member of the Cabot Institute, Tom Scott, explained: “There are no moving parts involved [in creating a diamond battery], no emissions generated and no maintenance required, just direct electricity generation. 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.”

The researchers have tested a prototype ‘diamond battery’ using Nickel-63 as the source of radiation. However, they are presently working to boost the efficiency by using carbon-14, which is a radioactive version of carbon. The radioactive version of carbon is generated in graphite blocks, and it is used to control the reaction in nuclear power plants. According to research by academics at the University of Bristol, radioactive carbon-14 is concentrated at the surface of these blocks, and this makes the removal of the majority of the radioactive material possible. The carbon- 14 that is extracted is then incorporated into a diamond to generate a nuclear-powered battery.

Dr. Neil Fox from the School of Chemistry added: “Carbon-14 was chosen as a source material because it emits a short-range radiation, which is quickly absorbed by any solid material. This would make it dangerous to ingest or touch with your naked skin, but safely held within the diamond, no short-range radiation can escape. In fact, diamond is the hardest substance known to man; there is literally nothing we could use that could offer more protection.”

Considering their low power, the lifespan of these diamond batteries could power certain devices for long periods. In fact, when one makes use of carbon- 14, the battery would take approximately 5,370 years to reach 50 percent power.

The application for a diamond battery

Professor Scott said: “We envision these batteries to be used in situations where it is not feasible to charge or replace conventional batteries. Obvious applications would be in low-power electrical devices where long life of the energy source is needed, such as pacemakers, satellites, high-altitude drones or even spacecraft.

“There are so many possible uses that we’re asking the public to come up with suggestions of how they would utilize this technology by using #diamondbattery.”

It is evident that these diamond-based batteries are way better than conventional batteries. As we know, traditional batteries require coils and wires to function, but the diamond-powered batteries only need to placed close to a radioactive source to start generating small electrical currents. As we mentioned earlier, the absence of moving parts makes the battery far more durable than its traditional counterparts.

The benefits are endless

Another great benefit to a diamond battery is that it could assist in the disposal of nuclear waste in a safe, permanent way, resulting in usable energy that does not generate or produce greenhouse gas emissions. Thanks to this new technology, the world can be a safer place to live in.

It has been reported that scientists at NASA are interested in utilizing the technology in space flight, while tech companies could integrate the batteries into smaller, internet-enabled gadgets.

The most exciting part of this discovery is that it could provide an important purpose for the massive amount of radioactive waste, in addition to providing amazing battery life to users.

Watch this video from the University of Bristol for more explanation: