Forward-looking: As rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries power everything from smartphones to electric vehicles, their limitations are becoming increasingly evident. Frequent recharging and environmental concerns related to lithium mining and battery disposal have prompted researchers to seek alternatives.
A team led by Su-Il In, a professor at South Korea’s Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, is developing an innovative solution: radiocarbon-powered nuclear batteries that could last for decades without needing a recharge. Professor In presented his team’s findings at the American Chemical Society’s Spring 2025 meeting, held March 23 – 27. The conference featured approximately 12,000 presentations on scientific advancements.
The research addresses the growing demand for durable and sustainable power sources, as connected devices, data centers, and advanced technologies continue to push the capabilities of Li-ion batteries to their limits. “The performance of Li-ion batteries is almost saturated,” In said, explaining why his team turned to nuclear batteries as an alternative.
Radiocarbon offers several advantages over other radioactive materials: it is inexpensive, readily available as a by-product of nuclear power plants, and easy to recycle. Most importantly, it degrades extraordinarily slowly, with a half-life of 5,730 years.
Nuclear batteries generate electricity by harnessing high-energy particles emitted during the radioactive decay of certain materials. Unlike conventional nuclear energy sources such as uranium or plutonium – which em
