Scientists Invent 30 Year Continuous Power Laptop Battery

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Your next laptop could have a continuous power battery that lasts for 30 years without a single recharge thanks to work being funded by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. The breakthrough betavoltaic power cells are constructed from semiconductors and use radioisotopes as the energy source. As the radioactive material decays it emits beta particles that transform into electric power capable of fueling an electrical device like a laptop for years.

Although betavoltaic batteries sound Nuclear they’re not, they’re neither use fission/fusion or chemical processes to produce energy and so (do not produce any radioactive or hazardous waste). Betavoltaics generate power when an electron strikes a particular interface between two layers of material. The Process uses beta electron emissions that occur when a neutron decays into a proton which causes a forward bias in the semiconductor. This makes the betavoltaic cell a forward bias diode of sorts, similar in some respects to a photovoltaic (solar) cell. Electrons scatter out of their normal orbits in the semiconductor and into the circuit creating a usable electric current.

The profile of the batteries can be quite small and thin, a porous silicon material is used to collect the hydrogen isotope tritium which is generated in the process. The reaction is non-thermal which means laptops and other small devices like mobile phones will run much cooler than with traditional lithium-ion power batteries. The reason the battery lasts so long is that neutron beta-decay into protons is the world's most concentrated source of electricity, truly demonstrating Einstein’s theory E=MC2.

The best part about these cells are when they eventually run out of power they are totally inert and non-toxic, so environmentalists need not fear these high tech scientific wonder batteries. If all goes well plans are for these cells to reach store shelves in about 2 to 3 years.

http://www.nextenergynews.com/news1/next-e...ltaic-10.1.html

Edited October 2, 2007 by Mister Fancypants

[Jamie76 0]

I don't understand...they use radioisotopes, yet they are not radioactive. Radioisotopes are by definition radioactive.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I don't understand...they use radioisotopes, yet they are not radioactive. Radioisotopes are by definition radioactive.

I don't know...I hope it's not bogus. One of the guys here at work forward me the link.

[Jasman0717 9]

There has to be a catch

[GaryC 7]

There has to be a catch

Really, if not you could ramp up the size and power a car for 30 years on it. Now that would be cool!

[Dan J 277]

There has to be a catch

Really, if not you could ramp up the size and power a car for 30 years on it. Now that would be cool!

A laptop takes between 70-100 watts

1 horsepower = 745.699872 watts

A car engine is around 200-300 horse power. If this is able to scale, i doubt it would be small, and of course, the battery itself would add more weight which would mean you need more power to move it.

Would be cool, but the trick is getting it to scale and be small enough.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I don't understand...they use radioisotopes, yet they are not radioactive. Radioisotopes are by definition radioactive.

It's radioactive. It's just not through fission or fusion (duh). It can use tritium, which is radioactive.

http://medgadget.com/archives/2005/05/new_nuclear_bat.html

[Jasman0717 9]

There has to be a catch

Really, if not you could ramp up the size and power a car for 30 years on it. Now that would be cool!

It will probably cost more than a Benz

[Fandango 1,439]

There has to be a catch

Really, if not you could ramp up the size and power a car for 30 years on it. Now that would be cool!

It will probably cost more than a Benz

Doubtful

Who cares about 30 years? I have a Toshiba that can't last a fricken day!

[Dan J 277]

And why its too good to be true:

http://community.zdnet.co.uk/blog/0,100000...0331777b,00.htm

[one...two...tree 2,762]

And why its too good to be true:

http://community.zdnet.co.uk/blog/0,100000...0331777b,00.htm

Aha! Another too good to be true idea. Good research, Dan.

[Jasman0717 9]

And why its too good to be true:

http://community.zdnet.co.uk/blog/0,100000...0331777b,00.htm

Aha! Another too good to be true idea. Good research, Dan.

Yep