Researchers at the University of Missouri are currently in the developmental stage of engineering a battery that is smaller, lighter and more efficient than current nuclear batteries that have been on the market for years and have powered items such as pacemakers, satellites and underwater systems.
Nuclear batteries are unlike nuclear reactors that power our cities and towns as they do not use a chain reaction that is continuous. Nuclear batteries use emissions from radioactive isotopes to generate electricity, so there is no risk of a meltdown.
The battery is currently being developed by Jae Kwon, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Missouri University. What makes his battery innovative over existing nuclear batteries is that he is utilizing liquid semiconductor as opposed to a solid conductor. In the past, the radiation energy would damage the lattice structure of the solid semiconductor, by using a liquid semiconductor, Kwon hopes to minimize that problem.
No comments:
Post a Comment