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First water-based nuclear battery can be used to generate electrical energy

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posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 08:24 PM
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www.sciencedaily.com...


om cell phones to cars and flashlights, batteries play an important role in everyday life. Scientists and technology companies constantly are seeking ways to improve battery life and efficiency. Now, for the first time using a water-based solution, researchers at the University of Missouri have created a long-lasting and more efficient nuclear battery that could be used for many applications such as a reliable energy source in automobiles and also in complicated applications such as space flight.


Awesome, but in my car? Say what?


"Betavoltaics, a battery technology that generates power from radiation, has been studied as an energy source since the 1950s," said Jae W. Kwon, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and nuclear engineering in the College of Engineering at MU. "Controlled nuclear technologies are not inherently dangerous. We already have many commercial uses of nuclear technologies in our lives including fire detectors in bedrooms and emergency exit signs in buildings."

The battery uses a radioactive isotope called strontium-90 that boosts electrochemcial energy in a water-based solution. A nanostructured titanium dioxide electrode (the common element found in sunscreens and UV blockers) with a platinum coating collects and effectively converts energy into electrons.

"Water acts as a buffer and surface plasmons created in the device turned out to be very useful in increasing its efficiency," Kwon said. "The ionic solution is not easily frozen at very low temperatures and could work in a wide variety of applications including car batteries and, if packaged properly, perhaps spacecraft."


Well, okay, I guess that makes me feel better, I trust ya Mr. Scientist.

Power cars and even spacecraft? If there's any future to this that would be awesome! Project Orion has come full circle finally!

How long before oil companies buy this technology? God knows what they already keep hidin' in the closet.

Related links,
MU Researchers Create Smaller and More Efficient Nuclear Battery

First Water-Based Nuclear Battery Developed by MU Researcher Can Be Used to Generate Electrical Energy

Long-lasting batt



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 08:45 PM
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a reply to: Swills

That's pretty cool. Between this and the battery that is made of rhubarb, we are on a roll (and in the right direction for the first time)



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 09:02 PM
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Interesting

What does this mean for Solar Energy ?

The batteries are a huge factor.

S&F



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 09:08 PM
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a reply to: Swills

Can we get a science person to explain how this deadly, deadly material is going to be real plus. Current car batteries at prices from $50-$150 (replacement costs every 3-5 years) seem to work just fine and are fairly safe.

"The battery uses a radioactive isotope called strontium-90"

(Calling it "water-based" is a lie in my opinion.)


edit on 16-9-2014 by Aliensun because: (no reason given)

edit on 16-9-2014 by Aliensun because: (no reason given)



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 09:11 PM
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Is this the one that was posted before which the Navy wanted to use because in their specific need it was more functional than current options (mostly due to logistics) but was pointless in any other practical sense?

Oh, and can we stop saying "gee whiz hope the oil companies don't find out about it" every single bloody post about energy tech in the science forum.

It's beyond cliche now.



Newsflash, charlatans all claim oil companies steal their magnifying-laser-induced-plasma-nucleontronic-power-amplyfying-energy-generators.... guess what? They are full of ____ and it never worked to begin with.



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 09:17 PM
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a reply to: boncho

So you're saying the oil companies have never bought tech? I've heard that since I was kid.



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 09:43 PM
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I will put radioactive materials in my car...for science. This is pretty cool. It seems that every other day I am reading about some cool new technology like this, and there are many of these interesting ideas, yet I cannot recall one that I've ever seen come to fruition on the market. It kind of gets frustrating, but I suppose I'm overlooking those innovations that have been adopted. I dunno.



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 09:51 PM
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originally posted by: Swills
a reply to: boncho

So you're saying the oil companies have never bought tech? I've heard that since I was kid.


You also heard about Santa Clause. Do you have specific examples?


The possibility that oil companies would buy and shelve technology that threatened their market position is possible. The idea that this is a wide spread practice happening all the time with technology that is revolutionary is impossible. The market would not allow this to happen.

Components, or something, maybe a process they have a patent on which could be shelved due to a competing one, possible, maybe. But it gets very unlikely when you start talking about revolutionary discoveries.

For one, every discovery is not limited to a single corporation or a single person. Whatever is discovered by group A, you can assume will be discovered by b,c,d,e,f,g... and so on, in due time.

If a energy company (and remember the word, "energy company") has a new competing energy which is produced at lower cost means there is a larger margin for profit. Energy companies do not just sell oil. A gas company doesn't just sell gas. These companies are huge and usually have their fingers in the pool of multiple energy technologies.

If they can make (X) amount of dollars of petroleum, they will still want to make (X) dollars from gas, nuclear, etc. Whatever they are involved in. If they had the opportunity to make more money with a new technology they would be first ones to be able to exploit the technology. If you supply millions with one energy product, you are in the position to supply millions with a new product as you have manufacturing capability, distribution, etc, etc.

If I created a nuclear battery totally safe, that could power a car, house, etc. And Shell had it, they could have it to market in months. While a start up venture would take years to get it to market, without all the things needed to do it -Capital/Manufacturing capability/Distribution/Regulatory Law/Brand

If they could produce the same energy they sell for 1% of the cost of their current products (which is a common claim among backyard inventors "ooh hey I invented free energy magnet combobulator, it can power your house for 2 cents") they would sell you that energy at the current market price and their margins would explode.

PROFIT!!!
edit on 16-9-2014 by boncho because: (no reason given)



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 10:06 PM
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a reply to: Swills

Since cars crash and burn on a regular basis I'd never put anything remotely radioactive in these. But in space station/traveling spacecraft...maybe. Time will tell. But I still think Thorium reactor is what's next.

Thorium reactor

Interesting nevertheless!


edit on 2014 9 16 by LoveSolMoonDeath because: (no reason given)



posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 11:37 PM
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a reply to: Swills

They've finally found the missing piece to the Ford Nucleon!




posted on Sep, 16 2014 @ 11:49 PM
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Well, every wrist watch from the old days had nuclear power.........Remember those little hour markers on the watch face that lit up at night? That was luminous Radium.

The current Mars rover has a "Nuclear Battery" that will last for 2 years and doesnt need charging......where did that technology come from?

Imagine how cheap they would be if they made Millions of them for home use.....use for 2 years, then recycle and buy a new one...in addition to wind and solar power.



posted on Sep, 17 2014 @ 06:41 AM
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a reply to: Swills

if packaged properly, perhaps spacecraft.


How exactly do you package the liquid phase in space I wonder?



posted on Sep, 17 2014 @ 07:32 AM
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originally posted by: gort51
Well, every wrist watch from the old days had nuclear power.........Remember those little hour markers on the watch face that lit up at night? That was luminous Radium.

The current Mars rover has a "Nuclear Battery" that will last for 2 years and doesnt need charging......where did that technology come from?

Imagine how cheap they would be if they made Millions of them for home use.....use for 2 years, then recycle and buy a new one...in addition to wind and solar power.


Do you know that those watches eventually were deemed dangerous and withdrawn and that many of the women that painted the dials got cancer? I remember as a kid there were rings that contained radiation elements. You could get under a bed or in a dark room, peer into the little tube on the ring and see "sparks" of light. I wonder, was there an unrecognized, inherent danger in those simple toys? Certainly, you don't hear about any such things these days.




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