Carbon-14 diamond battery could work ‘forever’

The battery uses the radioactive isotope carbon-14 – known for its role in carbon dating – to generate small amounts of electricity through radioactive decay. With a half-life of 5,700 years, the isotope could potentially power low-wattage devices almost indefinitely. 

Possible applications include biocompatible batteries for medical devices like ocular implants and pacemakers, eliminating the need for surgical intervention when batteries reach end-of-life. Carbon-14 diamond batteries could also be used in extreme environments, for example in radio tags to track payloads in deep space.

The battery was developed via a collaboration of Bristol University with the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA). Harnessing UKAEA’s fusion research, scientists and engineers from both organisations worked together to build a plasma deposition rig, a specialised apparatus used for growing the diamond at UKAEA’s Culham Campus.

“Diamond batteries offer a safe, sustainable way to provide continuous microwatt levels of power,” said Sarah Clark, director of Tritium Fuel Cycle at UKAEA.