Scientists create next-generation battery for 'smartphones to operate indefinitely'

The battery is nuclear-powered, smaller than coin, can run for 50 years without needing to be recharged, and can be used for devices such as a smartphone allowing it to operate indefinitely.

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The new battery is designed by Beijin-based start-up Betavolt Technology, which currently has a prototype device that uses nuclear isotopes along with semiconductors to convert energy into electrical power. The researchers behind the project also boast about the safety of the battery, saying in an article from Science and Technology Daily that it works safely between temperatures 120 to -60°C.

The company also states the battery is resistant to punctures or gunfire that many would think result in it catching on fire or exploding. The new battery is officially called BV100 and is only 15mm x 15mm x 5mm. It has a maximum output of 100 microwatts and 3 volts, and the company behind it has announced it plans to make a 1-watt version next year after it mass produces the 100 microwatt model. The battery technology captures the energy from the nuclear decay of radioactive elements.

"The battery could enable devices like smartphones to operate indefinitely without recharging or drones to fly without landing," the company states on its website

The BV100 uses nickel-63 as its radiation source, which has a half-life of above 100 years.

"The battery's energy conversion efficiency currently stands at 8.8 per cent, with potential improvements using higher purity nickel-63 radiation sources," the company said on its website