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Scientists made diamond batteries from nuclear waste that last thousands of years

Scientists hope that the batteries will help in the disposal of radioactive waste.

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Diamonds can be used to lock in radioactive charge, resulting in virtually everlasting batteries.
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A team of scientists from the University of Bristol have developed a diamond-based battery that is completely powered by radioactive waste.The device could not only reduce nuclear waste but could also have numerous applications in areas that require a constant energy source. 

Most nuclear power plants operate on the principle  of nuclear fission where uranium is broken down on a molecular level in nuclear power plants to generate enormous amounts of heat that converts water into steam. The steam is then used to move turbines that generate electricity. The byproduct of the process is nuclear waste that is stored within a graphite core. This waste is extremely radioactive and could take anywhere from several decades to thousands of years to completely decay before it can be deemed safe again.

Scientists have now discovered that heating this graphite core converts the radioactive waste into a gaseous state. This gas is an allotrope of Carbon -- known as Carbon-14 -- which can then be converted into an artificial diamond by subjecting it through a series of high temperature and pressure operations. These radioactive diamonds are found to have the property of generating an electric charge on their own. As a safety precaution, a regular diamond is placed on top of the radioactive one to absorb any dangerous emissions.

Scientists claim that the battery will take approximately 5,730 years to reach 50 percent of its capacity. However, they will not have the same charge as conventional batteries. “There are no moving parts involved, no emissions generated and no maintenance required, just direct electricity generation, by encapsulating radioactive material inside diamonds, we turn a long-term problem of nuclear waste into a nuclear-powered battery and a long-term supply of clean energy,” said Professor of Materials Tom Scott, Professor in Materials in the University’s Interface Analysis Centre and a member of the Cabot Institute.

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