Carbon-14 Diamond Battery: Nuclear Power
- Sylvia Rose
- Apr 5
- 5 min read
The world's first carbon-14 diamond battery comes from the UK. Purported to last for thousands of years, it presents a hope for environmental future and the potential death of many energy-sucking ion batteries.
Researchers at the University of Bristol, in partnership with UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), create the world’s first carbon-14 diamond battery in Dec 2024. It revolutionizes concepts of world energy power.
Carbon-14 diamond batteries can power devices for thousands of years without frequent battery changes. Carbon-14 (14C) is a radioactive isotope of carbon.
It forms naturally in the upper atmosphere as cosmic rays interact with nitrogen atoms, creating neutrons. These collide with nitrogen-14, transforming it to carbon-14.
It's then incorporated into the Earth's carbon cycle through plants and animals. A low-energy beta emitter, it has no known harmful effects on humans.
Lithium-ion batteries rely on chemical reactions. Carbon diamond batteries use energy released from carbon-14, a radioactive isotope of carbon. Carbon-14 is usually associated with radiocarbon dating in archaeology.
Radiocarbon dating, or carbon-14 dating can accurately determine the age of organic materials as old as 60,000 years. Carbon 14 even occurs in naturally created diamonds.
Diamonds have traces of carbon-14 (C-14) because the Earth's atmosphere, where C-14 is continuously generated, is a carbon source. The carbon is integrated into carbon-rich fluids creating diamonds deep inside the Earth.
Nuclear power plants have advanced safety features so a crisis like Chernobyl is unlikely to recur. The looming specter of nuclear war continues to sway opinions.
Public fears of disaster impair deployment of this energy source. Untapped nuclear power resources in Ukraine, which the US hopes to acquire along with mineral rights, attest to nuclear stigma and concurrent values. They can produce fissile fuel for nuclear weapons.
However, nuclear has many different applications. Even large quantities of the carbon-14 isotope pose minimal risk, as beta radiation hardly passes through the body's dead skin layer, the outermost part of the epidermis.
Compare this to sunlight. Sunlight penetration varies based on wavelength. UVB rays are largely absorbed in the epidermis, the outer layer of skin. UVA rays go about 4-5 mm into the dermis.
UVA rays, a type of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, make up 95% of the UV radiation reaching the Earth's surface. Deeper penetration into the skin causes the body to form a protective barrier of melanin ie a tan.
UVA rays are also associated with premature aging and some types of skin cancer. Thus carbon-14 is safer than sunlight.
Its slow and steady decay creates an ideal source of low-power electricity.
By embedding carbon-14 in a diamond structure, radiation emitted during carbon-14’s decay turns to usable electricity.
It has a half-life of 5,730 years. This reduces need for replacements, with less waste and resource consumption.
How it Works: Radioactive Decay & Diamond Strength
Carbon-14 is embedded within a synthetic diamond. Diamonds are renowned for hardness and durability and provide a barrier against energy leakage.
The diamond is a semiconductor. Beta radiation (electrons) from carbon-14 decay interact with the diamond lattice to generate an electric current. The beta particles, with an average energy of 50 keV, collide with carbon atoms.
This generates electron-hole pairs contributing to an electric current. The energy is low power, unsuited for high-demand devices like cars or phones. Longevity and low maintenance needs are perfect for other applications.
In healthcare, carbon diamond batteries can power life-saving devices like pacemakers and insulin pumps. They eliminate frequent battery replacements and contribute to patient comfort.
In space exploration, satellites currently rely on solar panels or radioisotope thermoelectric generators. Carbon-14 diamond batteries enable advanced scientific instruments to function without interruption.
In current satellite missions, many low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites operate on batteries lasting 5-15 years. They're replaced or the craft is abandoned, contributing to growing accumulation of space junk. It's often de-orbited.
Spacecraft like de-orbited satellites burn up in the atmosphere and/or are directed to land in the Pacific Ocean spacecraft graveyard. Both have environmental consequences.
Carbon-14 diamond batteries extend battery lifespan dramatically. They enable continuous operation without challenges of deployment or replacement.
Traditional batteries often contain toxic materials and disposal causes ongoing problems. In contrast, carbon-14 batteries produce negligible waste from the carbon-14 decay process.
The global battery market is expected to grow by over 30% in the next five years. Incorporating carbon-14 batteries into this growth can result in significant reduction in environmental risks associated with battery disposal.
Uses
Medical Implants: Pacemakers, cochlear implants, and other life-saving medical devices can operate for decades without needing replacement, reducing risk of surgery and improving patient quality of life.
Low-Power Electronics: Niche applications like low-power sensors, wearable devices, and even some embedded systems can benefit from the consistent, long-lasting power.
RF tags: Diamond batteries can power active radio frequency (RF) tags to identify and track devices on Earth or space, like spacecraft or payloads, for many decades. This lowers costs and increases operational lifespan.
Problems
Manufacturing synthetic diamonds is expensive. Research and development seek ways to optimize production processes and reduce costs to make the batteries commercially viable.
Remote Sensors: Environmental monitoring in harsh environments, such as deep-sea exploration or Arctic research, can be powered for extended periods without need of regular battery changes.
Space Exploration: Diamond batteries can power remote sensors and scientific instruments on long-duration space missions, where battery replacement is impossible.
Public perception of radioactive materials can be detrimental. Despite diamond encapsulation, minimal risk of carbon-14 harm and its current use in radiocarbon dating, public acceptance of this technology can be limited.
Regulatory approval processes can delay the product's entry into the marketplace. Comprehensive safety assessments are required to address any possible environmental and health concerns.
In the world of commerce, nothing is supposed to endure a long time. If a product functions indefinitely, the company loses a lot of money.
For instance, electric appliances once touted as lasting a lifetime are now designed to die at 10-15 years. These include washers, driers, fridges and stoves.
On the other hand, today's makers of electronic vehicles claim to pursue development of an everlasting battery. Current lithium-ion batteries have the high energy density needed for an electric car.
The average EV lithium ion battery is mandated to last 8 years or 160,000 km (100,000 mi), except in California. There, EV batteries must last 10 years or 150,000 miles.
Despite a few problems, carbon-14 diamond batteries are a major step in sustainable lasting power sources. They're are a strong solution for devices needing long-term low-power electricity.
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