According to the recent news by sciencenet.cn [1], it is known that the Northwest Normal University (西北師範大學）in China is exploring related technologies using the rare isotope carbon-14, especially in the development of nuclear batteries.
燭龍一號 Zhulong No. 1
Development of Carbon-14 Nuclear Batteries
1. Technological Breakthrough: Northwest Normal University, in collaboration with Wuxi Beita Pharmatech, has successfully developed the country's first prototype of a carbon-14 nuclear battery, 'Zhulong No. 1'. This technology signifies a major advancement for China in the field of micro nuclear batteries.
2. Advantages of Carbon-14: Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5,730 years, capable of providing continuous and stable energy, making it particularly suitable for long-term power supply to micro-power devices. The beta radiation emitted has low energy, high safety, and does not release gamma rays, reducing protective difficulties.
3. Performance Characteristics: This nuclear battery is designed to operate stably in extreme environmental conditions ranging from -100°C to 200°C, with an ultra-high energy density 2200mWh/g and a performance degradation rate of less than 5% over its 50-year design life.
4. Application Prospects: The potential application range of carbon-14 nuclear batteries is wide, including medical devices (such as pacemakers), Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and extreme environmental detection (such as in the Antarctic, Moon, and Mars).
Theoretical review [6,7]
1. Nuclear batteries generate power by harnessing high-energy particles emitted by radioactive materials. Not all radioactive elements emit radiation that’s damaging to living organisms, and some radiation can be blocked by certain materials. For example, β particles or β rays can be shielded with a thin sheet of aluminum, making betavoltaics a potentially safe choice for nuclear batteries.
2. Beta Battery Technology: Carbon-14 nuclear batteries are typically designed as beta batteries, which utilize β particles to impact semiconductor materials (such as titanium oxide TiO2) to generate current. When β particles interact with the semiconductor material, they create electron-hole pairs, which can then be collected and converted into electrical energy.
3. Energy Conversion Efficiency: Researchers are exploring methods to improve the energy conversion efficiency of carbon-14 nuclear batteries. For example, using dye-sensitized semiconductor materials can enhance the interaction between beta particles and the semiconductor, thereby improving the performance of the battery.
Reference:
- 首款超長壽命碳-14核電池（燭龍一號）研製成功, ScienceNet
- ‘Diamond-age’ of power generation as nuclear batteries developed
- The race to commercialise nuclear-powered batteries - Chemistry World
- 西北師範大學：我國首款超長壽命碳-14核電池（燭龍一號）研發成功
- Nuclear battery that could last for 100 years created in China using radioactive carbon - Interesting Engineering
- A safe nuclear battery that could last a lifetime, ACS
- Multiple-year battery based on highly efficient and stable dual-site radioactive isotope dye-sensitized betavoltaic cell, Hong Soo Kim el at
