Meet Brazil's First Nuclear Battery That Lasts 200 Years Without Recharging

Meet Brazil’s First Nuclear Battery That Lasts 200 Years Without Recharging

Written by Ruth Rodrigues

Published on 06/03/2024 at 22:35

Foto: Canva

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Brazilian Researchers Develop Unprecedented Nuclear Battery Capable of Lasting 200 Years with a Single Charge, Made with Americium-241.

Brazilian scientists from the Institute of Energy and Nuclear Research (IPEN-CNEN) have announced Brazil’s first nuclear battery. Based on americium-241, the battery promises over 200 years of lifespan without frequent recharges. Known as a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG), it generates energy safely, without nuclear fission, making it ideal for remote locations. The research still faces technical challenges, but the team hopes for an enhanced version with a power of 100 mW in the coming years.

Brazil’s First Nuclear Battery Developed by IPEN-CNEN Scientists

Scientists from the Institute of Energy and Nuclear Research (IPEN-CNEN) have achieved a new milestone in history by creating Brazil’s first nuclear battery, ensuring a highly powerful lifespan.

The new battery, based on americium-241, is standing out for its unique ability to provide energy for over 200 years without the need for frequent recharges.

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Known as a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG), the nuclear battery generates electricity by harnessing the heat emitted during the decomposition process of americium.

Additionally, the energy generation process does not involve nuclear fission, providing a safe and efficient source for the sector.

Researcher Maria Alice Morato Ribeiro, the project leader, highlights technical challenges, including improving the reliability of the thermoelectric pellets.

However, she emphasizes that the team aims to develop an enhanced version of the battery, to achieve a power output of 100 mW.

New Technology Developed with Americium-241 Aims for Greater Safety

Although the term “nuclear” may raise concerns, safety is a priority in the development of these batteries.

Measures such as efficient shielding and encapsulation of the radioactive material ensure its safe use.

Ribeiro recalls that, in the past, nuclear batteries were used in pacemakers, and they can be used to generate energy in various applications.

Another positive point highlighted by the scientists who created the new batteries is the possibility of producing them from the recycling of radioactive isotopes from used nuclear reactor fuels, including americium-241.

This not only contributes to sustainability but also efficiently manages nuclear waste.

Thus, with the new nuclear battery developed by scientists, Brazil can prepare for an even safer and cleaner form of energy generation in the future.

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Meet Brazil’s First Nuclear Battery That Lasts 200 Years Without Recharging

Brazilian Researchers Develop Unprecedented Nuclear Battery Capable of Lasting 200 Years with a Single Charge, Made with Americium-241.

Brazil’s First Nuclear Battery Developed by IPEN-CNEN Scientists

New Technology Developed with Americium-241 Aims for Greater Safety

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Meet Brazil’s First Nuclear Battery That Lasts 200 Years Without Recharging

Brazilian Researchers Develop Unprecedented Nuclear Battery Capable of Lasting 200 Years with a Single Charge, Made with Americium-241.

Brazil’s First Nuclear Battery Developed by IPEN-CNEN Scientists

New Technology Developed with Americium-241 Aims for Greater Safety

A giant printer called the “Ferrari” of concrete has landed in Latin America and can already build a 120-square-meter house in just 48 hours, making the traditional construction site look like something from the last century.

Brazil will harvest a record crop of up to 357 million tons of grains, but it does not have the capacity to store a large part of it. The storage deficit has reached the highest level in history and is equivalent to almost the entire production of Argentina.

Four times faster than the Concorde, capable of taking passengers from New York to London in less than an hour at Mach 5.5, and with an engine that switches from turbojet to ramjet mid-flight at Mach 3.5, the Hermeus Quarterhorse went from paper to its first flight in just 19 months.

Under nearly 2 kilometers of ice in Antarctica, scientists have discovered an ancient landscape sculpted by rivers up to 60 million years ago, the size of Wales, preserved as a time capsule that could help predict the advance of ice towards the ocean.

She started by collecting oyster shells from restaurants and today she has already accumulated more than 10 tons to restore reefs, recover coastal habitats, and demonstrate how a common waste can become a tool for ocean conservation.

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