A miniature battery that can last 100 years without recharging has been unveiled in the U.S.
The American company NRD, LLC has unveiled a unique power source capable of operating for over 100 years without recharging or maintenance. The new product in the NBV series uses the energy from the radioactive decay of the nickel-63 isotope and is designed for autonomous devices where battery replacement is practically impossible.
Unlike conventional batteries, which rely on chemical reactions, the new power source operates on the principle of betavoltaics.
Energy is generated by beta particles emitted during the natural decay of nickel-63.
Nickel-63 gradually transforms into stable copper, and a special semiconductor converts the radiation into an electric current. The design is entirely solid-state and contains no moving parts.
Its long service life is due to the physical properties of the isotope itself. The half-life of nickel-63 is about 101 years, so the power source gradually loses power but does not stop working.
In a hundred years, the battery will still retain about half of its initial power and continue to generate electricity.
Despite its impressive lifespan, the battery’s power output remains extremely low.
According to the manufacturer, the cell produces between 5 and 500 nanowatts, which is tens of thousands of times less than what is needed to power even a standard LED.
That is why such a battery cannot charge smartphones, laptops, or electric vehicles.
The developers see the main application of the technology in devices that operate in hard-to-reach places and do not require a large amount of energy.
Potential applications include:
- industrial equipment monitoring sensors;
- data collection and transmission systems;
- environmental and meteorological sensors;
- security systems;
- long-term medical monitors;
- autonomous robotic complexes and artificial intelligence systems.
The technology may be particularly valuable for equipment installed on the seabed, in remote areas, or inside sealed industrial systems, where replacing a battery costs significantly more than the device itself.
Experts note that such power sources have existed for decades. In particular, NASA has been using radioisotope generators on spacecraft and rovers since the 1970s.
However, the new battery from NRD differs significantly from space power systems. It does not produce high power, but instead provides extremely long-lasting and stable power without requiring maintenance.
So far, the company has not announced the cost of the new product or the timeline for mass production. Independent tests have also not yet confirmed all the claimed specifications.
At the same time, the physical principles behind the battery’s operation are well-known to science, so the concept of a power source capable of operating for over a century without recharging seems entirely realistic.
Although such a battery is unlikely to appear in smartphones or household appliances, it could be a real breakthrough for autonomous sensors, industrial systems, and scientific equipment designed to operate for decades without human intervention.
This is reported by AutoNocion.
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