Ohio State researchers have designed a novel battery that transforms nuclear waste into electricity. This innovation could revolutionize the handling of radioactive materials and pave the way for new energy sources.
In a landmark study, researchers led by The Ohio State University have developed a battery capable of converting nuclear waste into electricity. The study, published in the journal Optical Materials: X, offers a promising solution to the longstanding problem of safely managing radioactive materials.
Nuclear power plants provide approximately 20% of the United States’ electricity and emit negligible greenhouse gases. However, they produce significant amounts of radioactive waste, posing serious disposal challenges.
The newly developed battery, which utilizes a combination of scintillator crystals and solar cells, aims to turn this hazardous waste into a valuable energy source.
The scintillator crystals, renowned for their dense composition, emit light when they absorb radiation. This light can then be captured by solar cells to generate electricity.
The Ohio State research team demonstrated the battery’s potential by harnessing ambient gamma radiation to produce sufficient electricity to power microelectronics.
To validate their prototype, roughly the size of a small cube (4 cubic centimeters), the researchers tested it with two primary radioactive sources, cesium-137 and cobalt-60. Their experiments, conducted at Ohio State’s Nuclear Reactor Laboratory, revealed that the battery produced 288 nanowatts using cesium-137. With the more potent cobalt-60 isotope, the output soared to 1.5 microwatts, enough to switch on a tiny sensor.
Lead author Raymond Cao, a professor in mechanical and aerospace engineering at Ohio State, emphasized the potential of scaling up this technology.
“With the right power source, such devices could be scaled up to target applications at or beyond the watts level,” Cao said in a news release.
While the immediate power outputs are measured in microwatts, the implications are significant, suggesting that larger devices could lead to watt-level applications. The research indicates that these batteries could be particularly useful near nuclear waste production sites, such as storage pools or in specialized environments like space and deep-sea exploration.
Fortunately, despite harnessing gamma radiation — which is much more penetrative than typical X-rays — these batteries do not incorporate dangerous radioactive materials directly and are safe to handle. This makes them desirable for use in remote and high-radiation environments, where they can operate without regular maintenance.
“We’re harvesting something considered as waste and by nature, trying to turn it into treasure,” added Cao, who also directs Ohio State’s Nuclear Reactor Lab.
Co-author Ibrahim Oksuz, a research associate in mechanical and aerospace engineering at Ohio State, lauded the preliminary results.
“These are breakthrough results in terms of power output,” Oksuz said in the news release. “This two-step process is still in its preliminary stages, but the next step involves generating greater watts with scale-up constructs.”
The prototype’s efficiency partially stemmed from the scintillator crystal’s material and configuration, with larger crystals capturing and converting more radiation into light, thereby enhancing the electrical output.
Despite the high promise, scaling the technology presents challenges. The manufacturing process would need to be reliable and cost-effective. Continuous research is essential to understand the battery’s longevity and practical limits once deployed, Oksuz added.
Supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration and Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, this breakthrough could redefine how we handle nuclear waste.
“The nuclear battery concept is very promising,” added Oksuz. “There’s still lots of room for improvement, but I believe in the future, this approach will carve an important space for itself in both the energy production and sensors industry.”
This transformative battery prototype champions the idea of turning hazardous waste into a sustainable energy solution, paving the way for greener and safer nuclear waste management.
Source: The Ohio State University