Scientists turn nuclear waste into electricity through new microdesign

Researchers at Ohio State University have developed a new type of battery that uses gamma radiation, commonly considered a hazardous waste product, to generate available electricity. The prototype device is about the size of a sugar cube, which may eventually contribute to power sensors in nuclear facilities or deep space missions.

The study, published this month in Optical Materials:X, demonstrates how scintillator crystals paired with solar cells convert strong radiation fields into electricity, reaching outputs of up to 1.5 microdatts and potentially have potentially small sensors.

“We are harvesting what is considered waste and essentially trying to turn it into treasure,” said Raymond Cao, the study’s lead author and director of the Ohio State University nuclear reactor laboratory.

Unlike traditional batteries that have decreased over time, these “nuclear photovoltaic cells” can theoretically provide stable power in difficult or impossible environments to maintain. The design provides creative solutions for environments that are already affected by radiation, such as nuclear waste storage facilities or space exploration tools.

The battery runs through a two-step conversion process. First, a high-density crystal called scintillators absorbs gamma radiation and converts it into visible light. A photovoltaic cell then captures this light and generates electricity – similar to how solar panels work, but uses radiation instead of sunlight as energy.

The researchers tested its prototype using two different radiation sources from the Ohio Nuclear Reactor Laboratory. When exposed to 137 cesarean section, the battery produces 288 nanowatts. With stronger sources of cobalt-60, the power output increases to 1.5 microwatts.

Although these power levels seem significant compared to the kilowatts required for household electronics, they have made significant progress in collecting energy from nuclear waste. The output was normalized to 15 microns per 100 krad/h radiation exposure.

The team compared two different scintillator materials: GAGG (GADOLIUM aluminum plated grenade) and Lyso (Lutetium-Yttrium yttrium oxyorthosilicate) crystals. Although the volume increased by only six times, the GAGG crystal produced 25 times the power that Lyso produced when exposed to the same radiation.

“These are breakthrough results in power output. This two-step process is still in its initial stages,” said Ibrahim Oksuz, research assistant research assistant at Ohio State University. But the next step involves generating larger watts by enlarging the structure.”

The researchers stress that these devices are not intended for public use, but are deployed in environments that are already exposed to high radiation, such as nuclear waste storage pools or space nuclear systems. Importantly, while the battery uses gamma radiation, it does not contain the radioactive material itself and therefore can be handled safely.

Nuclear power generates about 20% of electricity in the United States, with the lowest greenhouse gas emissions, but managing the generated radioactive waste has been a challenge. Technology that can leverage this waste can provide additional value from the materials that would otherwise require expensive long-term storage.

The team found that even the geometry of the scintillator crystal could affect the power output. Larger crystals absorb more radiation and convert more energy into light, while larger surface areas help photovoltaic cells generate more electricity.

The widespread application of this technology faces economic obstacles. “Unless these batteries can be reliably manufactured, it is expensive to expand the technology,” Cao said. Additional research is needed to determine the life and durability of these devices in high-radiation environments.

Oksuz is optimistic about the potential of technology: “The nuclear battery concept is very promising. There is still a lot of room for improvement, but I believe in the future this approach will bring important space to itself in the energy production and sensor industry.”

For environments where traditional batteries degrade and maintain rapidly, it is nearly impossible, such as deep space missions, underwater monitoring stations or sealed nuclear waste repositories, these radiation-powered devices can provide long-term, maintenance-free power solutions.

The study was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Safety Administration and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and collaborators at the University of Toledo contributed to the study.

With global interest in nuclear energy growing during the climate change concern, innovations that address waste management challenges may become increasingly important. The technology is still in early development, showing how creative engineering approaches can turn hazardous waste streams into valuable resources.