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WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF

Nuclear waste is normally buried beneath ground and left forever, this new breakthrough gives nuclear processing companies a new option and a new revenue stream.

 

Researchers at the University of Bristol have developed a method to turn radioactive graphite blocks, a waste product of nuclear reactors, into artificial diamonds that generate electricity. The diamonds produce a small current that could last for thousands of years and such long-lived diamond batteries could be used to power spacecraft, implants such as pacemakers, and in other areas where long battery life is crucial.

 

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Nuclear reactors generate heat from highly radioactive uranium rods which are placed in blocks of graphite to control the heat flow and nuclear reactions and after years of absorbing nuclear radiation, the graphite blocks become highly radioactive as well. So, when nuclear power plants are decommissioned, they have to dispose of the graphite blocks as well.

 

 

The researchers realized they could heat the carbon blocks, which causes the radioactive carbon to turn into a gas, this gas is then collected and compressed to form a diamond and it turned out that is had some cool properties. Because of its radioactive nature, it can generate a small electric current and no moving parts means no maintenance and, even better they can last for thousands of years without needing to be replaced.

While the current is too small to power your smartphone it could be used for small applications where it is difficult or impossible to replace a battery and with so many nuclear reactors out in the world there’d be a guaranteed supply for generations to come.

About author

Matthew Griffin

Matthew Griffin, described as “The Adviser behind the Advisers” and a “Young Kurzweil,” is the founder and CEO of the World Futures Forum and the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures consultancy working between the dates of 2020 to 2070, and is an award winning futurist, and author of “Codex of the Future” series. Regularly featured in the global media, including AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, RT, Viacom, and WIRED, Matthew’s ability to identify, track, and explain the impacts of hundreds of revolutionary emerging technologies on global culture, industry and society, is unparalleled. Recognised for the past six years as one of the world’s foremost futurists, innovation and strategy experts Matthew is an international speaker who helps governments, investors, multi-nationals and regulators around the world envision, build and lead an inclusive, sustainable future. A rare talent Matthew’s recent work includes mentoring Lunar XPrize teams, re-envisioning global education and training with the G20, and helping the world’s largest organisations envision and ideate the future of their products and services, industries, and countries. Matthew's clients include three Prime Ministers and several governments, including the G7, Accenture, Aon, Bain & Co, BCG, Credit Suisse, Dell EMC, Dentons, Deloitte, E&Y, GEMS, Huawei, JPMorgan Chase, KPMG, Lego, McKinsey, PWC, Qualcomm, SAP, Samsung, Sopra Steria, T-Mobile, and many more.

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