The concept of an “atomic battery” is not exactly new, so to speak. Its first prototypes emerged more than a hundred years ago, leading to advanced commercial developments from the 1950s onward. Pacemakers and spacecraft were among the first beneficiaries of this technology. Now, a new initiative from the University of Bristol proposes a design based on the carbon-14 isotope extracted from nuclear waste, which is then transformed into artificial diamonds that generate an electric current.
It is estimated that 20 percent of the world's nuclear reactors use graphite as a neutron moderator. Over time, this graphite becomes nuclear waste. Governments and companies alike must make great efforts to store it safely, but other options are always being explored. One of them comes from the University of Bristol. According to the official announcement, a new technology could enable the reuse of part of the graphite in the form of the carbon-14 isotope, and from there create the equivalent of a nuclear battery that generates energy simply by placing it in a radioactive field.
In simple terms, carbon-14 is found on the surface of discarded graphite blocks. This carbon-14 is separated from the blocks by applying heat and then boiling. The gas is collected and used as raw material for making artificial diamonds, which are, after all, an allotrope of carbon. The result is a series of nuclear batteries that activate within a radioactive field, but since they are radioactive themselves, they need to be covered with a layer of normal diamond. The “encapsulation” of the batteries absorbs almost completely the emissions hazardous to humans, while also improving efficiency.
The announcement does not specify the power of the batteries, though it does indicate that individually it is low. However, let's consider the benefits. By extracting carbon-14 from graphite blocks, the nuclear waste becomes less radioactive than before, and by extension, easier to store. Then we discover that the United Kingdom alone has 95,000 tons of graphite-based nuclear waste. Third, the half-life of carbon-14 is 5,730 years. That means the nuclear batteries would reach 50 percent of their charge in 57 centuries. These three factors open up a whole range of possibilities, starting with something as obvious as spacecraft and satellites.
