New nuclear battery design provides high efficiency and sustainability
A research team led by Prof. Haisheng San from Xiamen University and Prof. dr. Xin Li from the China Institute of Atomic Energy has developed a new class of 90SR Radio Photovoltaic Cells (RPVC) that combine high power with long-term sustainability.
The innovation is based on a structure of a wave conductor concentration (WLC), which integrates multi-layered Gagg: CE scintillation wave guides with strontium-90 radio isotopes. Testing with electron rays and Krypton-85 sources confirmed that the wave conductor edges produce efficient radioluminescence, making the photovoltaic process more effective than traditional designs.
A prototype RPVC reached 48.9 microwatt maximum output power with a record of 2.96 percent conversion -efficiency. A version with several module scaled the performance to 3.17 milliwatts and produced 2.23 Milliamps short-circuit current and 2.14 Volt open-circuit voltage.
Sustainability tests simulated five decades of exposure, with results that only a reduction in optical performance by 13.8 percent, which emphasizes the resilience of the technology under persistent radiation. This robustness makes RPVCs well suited for extreme environments where conventional batteries fail.
The researchers noted that the WLC architecture tripled efficiency compared to previous RPVC designs. “We designed and manufactured an RPVC that achieves a balance between efficiency and stability,” the team said. “Although large-scale production remains challenged by the costs and availability of 90SR isotopes, our results are a substantial step towards real nuclear battery applications.”
Research report:Highly efficient 90SR Radio Photovoltaic Cells based on wave-conducting light concentration structure
