To maximize the energy conversion efficiency of their battery, the team had to innovate elsewhere. The semiconductor, a central element of the device, consists of titanium dioxide-a material commonly used in solar cells-sensitized with a coloring based on ruthenium. To reinforce the interface between these two components, the researchers applied a treatment with citric acid.
When the beta rays from carbon-14 collide with the ruthenium coloring, they trigger a phenomenon baptized ” avalanche effect ». This energy excites the electrons, which can then move and interact with other atoms of the dye, these interactions then lead to a cascade of electron transfers. Titanium dioxide effectively captures these generated electrons which cross an external circuit to produce usable electricity.
The radiocarbon is present not only in the cathode, but also in the anode sensitized by the dye, which increases the density of products products produced while reducing the energy losses linked to the distance between the electrodes. The results are quite convincing: energy conversion efficiency jumped 0.48 % to 2.86 %.
How could we use this type of battery? They could be located in heart stimulators, remote sensing equipment or environmental sensors. Use little energy, because there is a (big) hic.
Current betaultaic technology only converts a minimal fraction of the Radioactive Disintegration Energy into usable electricity: their output power is therefore very low. Impossible to use them to supply smartphones or even less electric vehicles. Professor in still identified two improvement areas: optimize the geometric shape of beta rays transmitters and develop more efficient absorbers to increase the overall yield of the system.
In the current state of technology, beta -televoltaic batteries are still not the miracle solution to depare us from our lithium dependence. They are not a solution adapted to the short term, but a promising research path for the future if we manage to improve them. Be that as it may, these works were presented at the American Chemical Society congress held from March 23 to 27, 2025, among more than 12,000 other scientific communications.