#723 Bóc Phốt Pin Hạt Nhân 50 Năm Của Trung Quốc!

Summary

This video script delves into the announcement by a Chinese startup, Betav, about their groundbreaking nuclear battery, capable of generating electricity for 50 years without recharging. Highlighting the novelty of miniaturizing atomic energy by incorporating radioactive Nickel-63 into a module smaller than a coin, the video explores the technology's reality, its historical context, and potential for commercialization. While addressing the excitement around such innovations, it critically examines the practicality and challenges of nuclear batteries, including their low power output and high costs, compared to conventional batteries. The script navigates through the scientific principles behind nuclear decay and the operational mechanisms of nuclear batteries, questioning the feasibility of their widespread application in everyday devices.

Takeaways

• 😀 Nuclear batteries convert nuclear energy into electricity through radioactive decay, not nuclear fission.
• 🤔 They provide power for decades but have low power output compared to chemical batteries.
• 😮‍💨 Heat-based nuclear batteries use thermocouples to convert radioactive heat into electricity.
• 🧐 Direct conversion batteries capture electrons emitted during radioactive beta decay.
• 🤓 Nickel-63 is a common radioactive isotope used in nuclear batteries.
• 😊 Betav's nickel-63 microbattery can power devices for 50 years.
• 🙁 But it is currently too big and expensive for most applications.
• 😥 Nuclear batteries may one day power pacemakers and spacecraft.
• 🤔 Their low power density limits usage in phones and drones.
• 😌 Widespread commercial use of nuclear batteries faces many challenges.

Q & A

What is a nuclear battery?

A nuclear battery, also called an atomic battery, is a power source that uses the heat or radiation energy from the natural decay of radioactive isotopes to generate electricity.

How does a nuclear battery work?

A nuclear battery works similar to a nuclear reactor, except it does not use a controlled nuclear chain reaction. The heat or radiation from the natural radioactive decay is converted directly into electricity.

Can a nuclear battery be recharged?

No, nuclear batteries cannot be recharged. Unlike chemical batteries, there are no reversible chemical reactions occurring inside that can restore the energy.

What are the two main types of nuclear batteries?

The two main types are thermionic batteries that convert heat into electricity, and betavoltaic batteries that convert beta particle radiation directly into electricity.

What are the advantages of nuclear batteries?

Nuclear batteries have very long lifespans up to decades, provide steady and reliable power without maintenance, and can operate in extreme environments unsuitable for chemical batteries.

What are the disadvantages of nuclear batteries?

The main disadvantages are their very low power output, high initial costs, and the risk of radioactive material leakage or regulatory burdens around radioactive materials.

How small can a nuclear battery be?

In 2018, Russian scientists built an experimental nuclear battery just a few millimeters in size using thin layers of nickel-63 between diamond sheets.

Could nuclear batteries power smartphones forever?

Unlikely anytime soon. While the technology has shrunk, current nuclear microbatteries still only output around 1 microwatt of power which is insufficient for powering energy-hungry mobile devices.

What are the likely applications for nuclear batteries?

Nuclear batteries are best suited for low-power situations that need steady, long-term power supplies, like pacemakers, spacecraft, remote weather stations, and miniature sensors.

When were nuclear batteries first conceptualized?

The principles of nuclear batteries have been known since the early 1910s, but practical development and applications only began in the 1950s with the dawn of the space age.