The latest development by South Korean scientists is a hybrid nuclear battery that uses a radioactive source and perovskite for long-lasting and stable energy—ideal for space, medical, and military applications, according to SciTechDaily.

Researchers at the Korea Institute of Advanced Science and Technology (DGIST) have developed the first practical battery of the new "betavoltaic" generation. This revolutionary nuclear battery was produced using technology that utilizes an electrode with the radioactive isotope carbon-14, which is directly connected to an absorbing layer of perovskite, an advanced material known for its high energy conversion efficiency.

The team incorporated carbon-14-based quantum dots into the electrode and improved the crystal structure of the perovskite with additives such as MACl and CsCl, achieving high stability and exceptional energy conversion efficiency. According to the study published in the journal Chemical Communications, the new cell achieves up to 56,000 times higher electron mobility compared to existing systems.

Beta voltaic cells generate electricity using beta particles produced during natural radioactive decay. Although theoretically capable of operating for decades without maintenance, they have been limited by issues with the safe handling of radioactive materials and component stability. However, the new hybrid cell overcomes these challenges and offers stable power even under extreme conditions, making it ideal for space missions, medical implants, and military equipment.

During testing, the cell maintained stable power output during continuous operation for nine hours. Professor Su-Il In, head of the research, says that this is the first real demonstration of the practical application of beta voltaic cells and that their commercialization and further miniaturization are planned. |BGNES