New Battery Harvests Energy From Radioactive Nuclear Waste

Unlike burning fossil fuels, nuclear power plants release very few greenhouse gases. They’re safer than they’ve ever been, and currently generate around a fifth of the U.S.’s electricity. However, nuclear power plants produce hazardous waste, and scientists are still searching for effective ways to manage this dangerous byproduct. What if we could do more than just store it—what if we could use it to create more energy? Inspired by this idea, researchers in Ohio have developed a small battery powered by nuclear waste. They exposed scintillator crystals—a material that emits light when it absorbs radiation—to gamma radiation, which is produced by nuclear waste. The crystals’ light then powered a solar battery. The study, published January 29 in the journal Optical Materials: X, demonstrates that background levels of gamma radiation could power small electronics, such as microchips. “We’re harvesting something considered as waste and by nature, trying to turn it into treasure,” lead au ... Read full article.