A team of Chinese scientists has built a nuclear battery that could keep a tiny device running for thousands of years without a single recharge. The battery, powered by the radioactive decay of carbon-14, produces just a few microwatts of electricity. But its lifespan is measured not in hours or decades, but in millennia.
A battery that runs on diamond and radioactive carbon
Researchers at the Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology in Xi’an, China, developed the battery using carbon-14, a radioactive isotope with a half-life of 5,730 years. They embedded the carbon-14 into a synthetic diamond, which acts as both a semiconductor and a protective shell. When the carbon-14 decays, it releases beta particles that strike the diamond lattice and generate a small electric current. The device is essentially a tiny, solid-state generator with no moving parts.
The team reported that their prototype achieved a power output in the microwatt range. That is enough to run a microchip or a small sensor, but not a phone or a light bulb. The battery is also safe to handle, the researchers said, because the diamond casing absorbs all radiation and prevents any leakage.
Why local scientists and officials took notice
China has invested heavily in nuclear battery research as part of a broader push for self-reliance in critical technologies. The country currently imports most of its carbon-14, which is used in medical imaging, drug testing, and now battery research. But the team at the Northwest Institute used carbon-14 produced domestically from a reactor at the China National Nuclear Corporation. That marks a step toward independence from foreign suppliers.
For local researchers, the battery represents a proof of concept that long-lasting, maintenance-free power is possible. The technology could eventually be used in pacemakers, space probes, deep-sea sensors, or remote monitoring stations where changing a battery is impossible. The team acknowledged that the current power output is low, but said the design can be scaled up by stacking multiple units.
A power source that outlasts its users
The significance of this battery is not in what it can power today, but in what it promises for the future. A device that runs for thousands of years changes the way engineers think about energy, maintenance, and design. It also raises questions about waste and disposal, though the diamond casing and long half-life reduce some of those concerns. For now, the battery sits in a lab in Xi’an, quietly producing microwatts, waiting for the world to catch up.
