Chinese scientists are leveraging americium, which has usually been written off as nuclear waste, as part of a reaction breakthrough that could work in space, at sea, and elsewhere, according to a story on the innovation from New Scientist.
The linchpin to the innovation developed by researchers at Soochow University and colleagues is that electricity is generated from americium's decay instead of typical chemical reactions. The new nuclear battery is astoundingly 8,000 times more efficient than previous iterations of the tech, bringing it closer to fruition than ever before, according to the New Scientist report.
The result could be unlikely settings for nuclear reaction power.
"Ideally, we envision our micronuclear battery being used to power miniature sensors in remote or challenging environments where traditional power sources are impractical, like deep-sea exploration, space missions, or remote monitoring stations," Soochow researcher Shuao Wang said in the story.
New Scientist described what must have been an impressive scene in the lab when the research team unlocked americium's potential.
The element radiates energy-abundant alpha particles, which quickly dissipate.
"So the researchers embedded americium into a polymer crystal that converted this energy into a sustained and stable green glow," New Scientist wrote.
The experts added photovoltaic cells that convert the green light into electricity. It's all packed into a unit that's a fraction of an inch in size. The battery worked efficiently for more than 200 hours and should last for decades. Eventually, radiation will break down the parts, per New Scientist, Interesting Engineering, and an abstract published by Nature.
The invention continues advanced progress in nuclear energy. Researchers are getting closer to stabilizing game-changing fusion reactions. Small modular reactors are touted as versatile units that can work in remote places. Shipping experts are even studying how to power ships with the air pollution-free energy source.
It's all part of the transition to cleaner energy production, reducing harmful, planet-warming fumes that can increase risks for lung, heart, and other diseases, as noted by the World Health Organization. Other options include solar panels, non-nuclear batteries, and some simple DIY hacks that can lower household power costs as an added perk.
For nuclear's part, radioactive waste and safety remain concerns at power plants. Physicist Amory Lovins, co-founder of Colorado's RMI, recently told The Cool Down that nuclear power is increasingly expensive. He was talking about grid-level electricity supply. He added that renewable wind and solar are typically more economical to develop. RMI is a nonprofit that works on clean energy projects.
Morgan State University's Michael Spencer told New Scientist that more progress needs to be marked for the Soochow-led invention to be used. As it is, it would take 40 billion of the devices to power a 60-watt light bulb, per the report.
The research has "much improved overall conversion efficiencies and output power" compared to past designs, the expert from the Maryland university said in the New Scientist story.
If successfully developed, the invention could soon join other recently announced power supply innovations designed to energize sensors and small-scale devices.
"The researchers are already working on improving their design's efficiency and power output. They also want to make it easier and safer to use, since it contains possibly dangerous radioactive materials," the New Scientist report detailed.
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