Diamonds Turned Into Batteries? How Nuclear Waste Can Generate Power For More Than 5,000 Years

Scientists claim to have found a way to turn nuclear waste into diamond batteries that may last for at least 5,000 years. Many countries use nuclear reactors for research, energy, and military purposes. But the major challenge they face is disposing nuclear waste.

Nuclear power plants use Uranium as fuel which is stored in graphite blocks. The graphite blocks enable nuclear fission process responsible in creating heat, which turns into steam, then operates the turbines, thus creating energy. But when a nuclear power plant is shut down, nuclear waste is contained and put away for thousands of years until such time that it ceases to be radioactive, a process that would take more than 5,000 years.

Scientists from Cabot Institute of University of Bristol discovered a way to form diamond batteries from radioactive carbon in nuclear waste. They turned the radioactive carbon-14 isotope into diamond, a form of carbon, using a number of processes. The man-made diamonds had an unexpected property - they can produce electricity within a radioactive area. Since the diamond batteries are converted from radioactive carbon they can generate their own energy to produce electrical current.

Given the radioactive nature of the carbon used to create diamond batteries, the scientists found a way to use the batteries safely. They added another layer to the diamond battery, a non-radioactive carbon layer, that absorbs the dangerous properties of radiation exposure.

The scientific breakthrough comes with caveats, however. The sample used by the scientists is nickel instead of the conceived carbon-14, but will work just as fine. Another is that the diamond battery will only be able to produce 15 joules per gram. In contrast, the typical AA battery generates around 700 joules per gram.

Since nuclear waste typically halves its radioactivity after 5,730 years, the diamond batteries will reach 50 percent power in 7746. Scientists perceive them to be used in industries where charging is inconvenient such as in space exploration and health devices like pacemakers. They are also seeking for more suggestions by using #diamondbattery.