{"id":115,"date":"2025-10-24T20:35:37","date_gmt":"2025-10-24T20:35:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/astronomynews.site\/?p=115"},"modified":"2025-10-24T20:35:37","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T20:35:37","slug":"china-unveils-coin-sized-nuclear-battery-that-may-power-devices-for-decades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/astronomynews.site\/?p=115","title":{"rendered":"China Unveils Coin-Sized Nuclear Battery That May Power Devices for Decades"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"02eb8743c28d6c1e6f2b405980996749\" data-index=\"1\" style=\"float: none; margin:10px 0 10px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : 'c8310ef23effe95e5309c38cfaf056e0',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 250,\r\n    'width' : 300,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/passivealexis.com\/c8310ef23effe95e5309c38cfaf056e0\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p>In a breakthrough that edges us closer to a true \u201cset-it-and-forget-it\u201d power era, Chinese researchers and companies have introduced a miniature nuclear battery the size of a coin that promises years\u2014and even decades\u2014of continuous output without ever needing a recharge.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The device, developed by firms including Betavolt and a research team at Northwest Normal University in collaboration with Wuxi Beita Pharmatech Co., Ltd., uses radioactive isotopes (such as nickel-63 or carbon-14) paired with advanced semiconductors to convert radiation directly into electricity.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>According to the companies and published reports, the battery can:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Generate a steady output of around 100 microwatts at 3 volts for the first generation model.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Last for up to 50 years (in some projections even up to 100 years) without maintenance or recharging.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Operate in extreme temperature ranges (\u2212100 \u00b0C to +200 \u00b0C) and offer much higher energy density compared to many conventional lithium-ion cells (in the order of 10\u00d7 in some claims) for particular use-cases.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Be manufactured in a modular \u201ccoin\u2010cell\u201d style size (approx. 15 \u00d7 15 \u00d7 1.5 mm in early prototype versions) making it compact enough for miniaturised devices.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>How it works<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Rather than generating heat (as in traditional nuclear reactors), this battery uses betavoltaic conversion\u2014beta particles (electrons) emitted by a slowly decaying radioactive isotope strike a semiconductor absorber and produce electricity.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>For example:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In the BV100 model by Betavolt, nickel-63 is the emitter, sandwiched between ultra-thin diamond or silicon-carbide semiconductor layers.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In the \u201cZhulong\u20101\u201d model from Wuxi Beita &amp; Northwest Normal University, a carbon-14 emitter is paired with silicon-carbide semiconductor.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Because the decay process is extremely slow and controlled, and because the beta particles are easily shielded (for example a thin sheet of aluminium can contain them), the developers claim the technology is safe for many applications.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Why it matters<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Longevity: Devices that now rely on frequent battery replacements\u2014such as remote sensors, implanted medical devices, or satellites\u2014could instead run maintenance-free for decades.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Reliability in harsh environments: Extreme cold or heat, deep sea, polar regions or space\u2014all these settings challenge conventional batteries. This technology offers robust performance where change or recharging is impractical.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Miniaturisation of power: By condensing long-term power into a tiny footprint, new applications become feasible\u2014micro-robots, wireless sensor nodes, smart dust, implanted electronics, etc.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Reduced \u201ccharging fatigue\u201d: For consumer electronics (in the long run) this could shift the paradigm from \u201cplug in and recharge\u201d to \u201cinstall and forget\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>What are the limitations (and what to watch)?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>While the promise is huge, there are important caveats to keep in mind:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Power output is very low: The early coin-sized versions produce only ~100 \u00b5W at 3 V\u2014enough for very low-power devices (like sensors or implants), but far below what a smartphone or standard laptop requires.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Scalability and cost: To power higher-demand devices, many cells would need to be stacked or combined, which may raise cost, size, and complexity.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Regulation &amp; safety: Although shielding is claimed to be effective, public acceptance, regulatory approval, and safe end-of-life disposal remain non-trivial.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Commercial readiness: Some versions are already in pilot or initial production stages, but widespread consumer adoption will take time and further engineering.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s next?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>According to the developers:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Betavolt plans a higher-power version (~1 watt) later in 2025, which would open up more mainstream-device applications.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Wuxi Beita and Northwest Normal University are working on \u201cZhulong-2\u201d which will be smaller (coin-sized) and aim to reduce production cost and size.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The technology is expected to expand into sectors such as medical implants (pacemakers, brain-computer interfaces), Internet of Things networks, aerospace and space exploration.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Conclusion<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>China has clearly marked a bold milestone in power-technology by introducing a coin-sized nuclear battery promising decades of continuous output without recharging. While it won\u2019t replace your everyday phone charger tomorrow, the implications for long-life, maintenance-free, compact power sources are profound.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>For now, this battery is set to transform niche applications\u2014remote sensors, implants, extreme-environment systems\u2014but if and when the technology scales, we may one day live in a world where our gadgets simply \u201crun forever\u201d. The age of charging cables may be closer than we thought.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"font-size: 0px; height: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0; clear: both;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a breakthrough that edges us closer to a true \u201cset-it-and-forget-it\u201d power era, Chinese researchers and companies have introduced a miniature nuclear battery the size of a coin that promises years\u2014and even decades\u2014of continuous output without ever needing a recharge. &nbsp; The device, developed by firms including Betavolt and a research team at Northwest Normal\u2026 <span class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/astronomynews.site\/?p=115\">Read More: China Unveils Coin-Sized Nuclear Battery That May Power Devices for\u2026 &raquo;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":117,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-115","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/astronomynews.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/astronomynews.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/astronomynews.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/astronomynews.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/astronomynews.site\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=115"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/astronomynews.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":118,"href":"https:\/\/astronomynews.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115\/revisions\/118"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/astronomynews.site\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/astronomynews.site\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=115"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/astronomynews.site\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=115"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/astronomynews.site\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=115"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}