China’s New Nuclear Phone Batteries Will Not Need Charging

Beijing-based startup Betavolt Technology is working on a new revolutionary type of nuclear battery for smartphones that would eliminate the need for charging. According to the latest reports, the Chinese company is working on nuclear technology for several types of batteries.

These batteries are said to hold charge for up to a mind-boggling 50 years. This means that if this technology ever becomes a reality, our smartphones could potentially outlive some of us.

How it Works

This technology works similarly to batteries found in spacecraft as well as pacemakers. Nuclear batteries can generate electricity using radioactive decay, but companies have been avoiding this technology since it makes use of plutonium, a highly radioactive metal.

Betavolt, on the other hand, developed a variation of this battery incorporating a diamond semiconductor layer and a decaying nickel isotope.

Remarkably, the company asserts that this battery doesn’t emit any radiation and lacks toxic elements typically found in conventional batteries. As a result, these batteries not only offer safety advantages by eliminating the risk of explosions but also demonstrate impressive resilience, operating effectively in extreme temperature conditions spanning from -60 to 120 degrees Celsius.

The Chinese startup has explained how it managed to achieve  the “miniaturization of atomic energy batteries.” The company successfully stuffed 63 nuclear isotopes inside a module smaller than a coin. Named BV100, this module can deliver a charge of up to 100 microwatts, which is more than sufficient for modern-day smartphones.

Despite its miniature size of just 15 x 15 x 5mm, the nuclear battery will be able to provide an astonishing voltage of 3V. For powering devices bigger than smartphones, two or more of these batteries can be combined to provide mode charge, according to Betavolt Technology.

The project is still in its early stages and the company hopes to start mass production soon. Regardless, it will probably be a long time before this technology officially makes its way to smartphones.