Chinese start-up working on a tiny nuclear battery that lasts 50 years without charging

Imagine a battery that could run for 50 years? Well, imagine no more. A Chinese start-up is about to produce a coin sized nuclear battery that can keep your devices charged for decades.

This would mean never having to charge your smartphone, laptop or tablet and being able to fly a drone for long as you want.

Betavolt, based in Beijing, has come up with the battery that can deliver 100 microwatts of power and 3V despite being 15 millimetres long and 5mm thick.

The company plans to release a 1W battery by 2025.

And because the battery is so small it would allow multiple units to be connected to increase the power output.

According to Cosmos Magazine, Betavolt was granted $2.3 million in 2022 with the goal of producing ultra-long life batteries for the Department of Defence and is now looking at the larger consumer market with a battery can be used to power mobile phones, laptop computers, cameras and drones.

The Economic Times says The nuclear battery acts like a miniature nuclear reactor and utilises 63 nuclear isotopes arranged within a space smaller than a coin.

The energy is created by converting energy released from decaying isotopes into electricity.

“Our battery energies can provide enduring power in diverse scenarios such as aerospace, AI equipment, medical devices, microprocessors, advanced sensors, small drones and micro robots,” Betavolt said in a statement.

But there is one slight concern – radiation.

Betavolt says their battery is safe, but it may give off beta radiation.

Beta radiation can’t travel as far as an X ray but can be easily shielded to provide a level of protection where it would not pose a health risk.

The company goes as far as to say it is safe enough to use in medical devices inside the human body like pacemakers and cochlear implant.

The potential of this battery technology is enormous.

In a world driven by consumer electronics including smartphones, tablets, laptops another device is – removing the burden of charging would be an absolute game changer.

And think of the potential with the development of larger batteries that could power electric vehicles and keep them on the road without charging for weeks at a time.