A Chinese company has developed a miniature nuclear-powered battery that is claimed to be capable of storing electrical energy for up to 50 years without the need for recharging or maintenance. The startup company behind this innovation is Betavolt, which created the battery known as the BV100.

The Beijing-based company stated that the BV100 is the first nuclear battery to successfully miniaturize atomic energy into an extremely small form. The battery utilizes the nickel-63 isotope placed within a module measuring approximately 15 x 15 x 5 millimeters, making it even smaller than a coin.

According to Betavolt, the battery has already entered the testing phase and is planned to be mass-produced for commercial uses, including smartphones and drones.

The company explained that its atomic energy battery can provide long-lasting power supply for a wide range of applications, including aerospace technology, artificial intelligence devices, medical equipment, microprocessors, advanced sensors, small drones, and micro-robots, as reported by The Independent.

The company further added that this new energy innovation is expected to help China take the lead in the next phase of the artificial intelligence technological revolution.

Betavolt stated that the nuclear battery is capable of producing 100 microwatts of power with a voltage of 3 volts, while maintaining a compact size of only 15x15x5 cubic millimeters.

Because of its extremely small size, multiple batteries can be combined to generate a larger amount of energy.

In terms of durability and safety, Betavolt claims that the battery is not easily flammable or explosive. It is also capable of operating in extreme temperatures ranging from -60 to 120 degrees Celsius.

The company also emphasized that the atomic energy battery is completely safe because it does not produce external radiation, making it suitable for medical devices such as pacemakers, artificial hearts, and cochlear implants used inside the human body.

Additionally, the atomic energy battery is considered environmentally friendly. After the decay process is completed, the isotope 63 transforms into a stable copper isotope that is non-radioactive and does not pose any threat or cause environmental contamination.

Nuclear-powered batteries are actually not a completely new concept. Long before Betavolt introduced its version, scientists in the Soviet Union and the United States had already developed nuclear battery technology for use in spacecraft, underwater systems, and remote scientific stations. However, thermonuclear batteries at that time were extremely expensive and had very large sizes.