Scientists are turning nuclear waste into batteries that could last for centuries

The idea of a battery that can last for centuries sounds like science fiction. But researchers are increasingly exploring whether radioactive waste can be turned into ultra-long-life power sources for specialised devices. While referred to on the Internet as a “1,000-year battery,” the invention cannot be regarded as something like a battery for a cell phone or electric car. What researchers are working on is actually a micro-nuclear reactor that can produce a relatively weak electric current for years and even decades.

The main point is that the concept originates from a specific practical challenge: radioactive waste management.

According to the US Energy Information Administration, nuclear power plants generate spent fuel and radioactive waste that must be safely managed over very long periods. Researchers are now asking whether some of that material can be repurposed before final storage.

Turning waste into usable energy
According to a recent review published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry A, micronuclear batteries represent a new type of device that may help transform radioactive waste into a source of power generation. The review mentions such materials as spent nuclear graphite and isotopes like carbon-14 and nickel-63.

Nevertheless, one should remember that this area is still in its early stages and poses significant engineering challenges regarding efficiency, materials, and longevity.

The difference is crucial since many of the headlines about this innovation tend to be more sensational than the state of affairs is. First of all, it needs to be noted that such batteries will never compete with regular lithium-ion ones applied to charge phones and cars. They will only become an advanced source of energy for those machines that consume small amounts of power for decades.

The diamond battery concept
Perhaps one of the more commonly cited instances is that of the "diamond battery" researched at the University of Bristol in the UK. The basic idea here is to utilize carbon-14 obtained by irradiating graphite blocks produced as a waste material by nuclear power plants. The carbon-14 would be placed inside man-made diamond batteries that can produce electricity due to the radioactivity of the element.

Since this design doesn’t incorporate any moving parts, it has been theorized to run for a very long period with little maintenance required.

In a 2020 university update, it was noted that such batteries could eventually be useful in situations where replacing a power source is difficult or dangerous. The university pointed to applications such as pacemakers, satellites, spacecraft, and remote drones. The emphasis, researchers noted, is not on high output but on reliability and longevity.

Why the lifespan claims sound extraordinary
Unlike other batteries, where chemical processes occur to generate energy, nuclear batteries harness energy through radioactive decay. Research about silicon strontium-90 betavoltaic power source clarified that betavoltaics generate electricity using the energy from beta decay. Additionally, it was indicated in the paper that betavoltaics can suffer less device damage compared to alpha counterparts, possibly leading to more longevity.

Nonetheless, it is important to remember that longevity does not equate to practicality, according to experts. According to research, improving energy conversion efficiency would be the key challenge. In simple terms, while the radioactive material may last for an extremely long period, using its poor energy source to produce electricity is difficult.

This explains why these types of batteries are currently considered niche products meant for extremely low-power applications rather than consumer products.

A solution, but not a complete one
It is also noteworthy that such technology has gained traction by viewing the radioactive waste as a source of raw material as opposed to just waste. However, the specialists assert that the problem of nuclear waste has not changed much.

According to a study, there is a need to have spent nuclear fuel in safe storage conditions and handle it properly. The creation of battery packs out of some radioactive material is not sufficient in addressing the larger issue at hand. Also, research emphasises the necessity to associate the problem of reducing waste with research on sustainable energy sources.

Where these batteries could matter most
At present, however, research suggests that one of its most promising uses may be in situations when replacing a battery would be too expensive, too dangerous, or simply impossible. Commonly mentioned examples include medical implants, equipment used on expeditions into outer space, satellites, and remote monitoring devices. In all these cases, reliability trumps power production.

It may even be possible that this practical constraint explains why this technology keeps receiving so much attention from the general public. Its potential may be less about providing power to entire cities or charging smartphones quickly, but about building a maintenance-free source of power that can work for an extremely long time.

Science, so far, suggests only a specific but perhaps important path forward. Nuclear waste-powered batteries will likely not make their way to regular consumer products anytime soon.