The scientists of University of Bristle, London have made a practical experiment to use a diamond battery composed of atomic waste that remained charged for 100 years.
This invention is unique in the sense that getting rid of atomic waste is a big nuisance. Currently, there is thousands of tons of atomic waste in the world and there is no low cost method to dispose of this waste due to which it has to be buried in vast depth of earth that costs a lot but this cost is even difficult for rich and progress nations.
Currently, there are 444 nuclear reactors in 30 countries while construction of 63 new reactors is underway in 15 countries which mean that atomic waste is increasing at a rapid speed.
In the radioactive battery (in which artificial diamond ‘nickel 63’ is used) prepared by scientists, can have dual advantage. It is not only a safe method for disposal of atomic waste but it is also helpful to achieve the increasing demand of energy. But the energy producing capacity of this diamond battery will reduce to half after 100 years.
The process of catabolism continues in nucleus of atomic atoms due to which they change themselves in non atomic substances. After some time, the number of atomic atoms in this substance remains half after some time which is called its ‘half life’. The half life of nickel 63 is 100 years.
But during this process, they emit decay heat also which becomes half after half life. It is the secret of this battery that remains charged for 100 years.
In order to take advantage of decay heat and protect from harmful effects of radioactivity, scientists decided to arrest small amount of atomic waste in artificial diamonds in order to retain its harmful rays inside the shell and only heat will pass. To judge its effect, the team selected ‘nickel 63’ and put it in artificial diamond which proved to be a successful experiment. But their next efforts will be to prepare batteries that can remain charged for thousands of years.
The half life of ‘carbon 14’ is 5730 years which means that batteries with this chemical will remain charged for 5730 years. Nuclear reactors have lot of ‘carbon 14’. Only in Britain, the weight of blocks of ‘carbon 14’ is 95000 tons and they are waiting for their safe disposal. No traditional battery can compete carbon 14 as only 1 g of it emits 1500 joules energy during its half life. It means that any battery with carbon 14 can provide energy to smaller substances for thousands of years. The next mission of scientists is to prepare such battery.
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