Theoretical investigation of parallel 63NiO/GaP heterojunction nuclear battery with graphene layer and its time-related performance

Abstract Betavoltaic (BV) batteries are regarded as appealing power sources due to their high energy densities and long lifetimes. However, the low efficiency and maximum output power density of conventional BV batteries due to the self-absorption effect of radioactive sources, which consist of sepa...

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Main Authors: Yang Zhao, Xinxu Yuan, Jingbin Lu, Xiaoyi Li, Renzhou Zheng, Qiming Cui, Yu Zhang, Haolin Li, Xinrui Liu, Ke Zhang, Haoran Gu, Hongyi Tian, Chunmiao Han, Lei Liang, Wei Chen, Yugang Zeng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91929-6
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author Yang Zhao
Xinxu Yuan
Jingbin Lu
Xiaoyi Li
Renzhou Zheng
Qiming Cui
Yu Zhang
Haolin Li
Xinrui Liu
Ke Zhang
Haoran Gu
Hongyi Tian
Chunmiao Han
Lei Liang
Wei Chen
Yugang Zeng
author_facet Yang Zhao
Xinxu Yuan
Jingbin Lu
Xiaoyi Li
Renzhou Zheng
Qiming Cui
Yu Zhang
Haolin Li
Xinrui Liu
Ke Zhang
Haoran Gu
Hongyi Tian
Chunmiao Han
Lei Liang
Wei Chen
Yugang Zeng
author_sort Yang Zhao
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Betavoltaic (BV) batteries are regarded as appealing power sources due to their high energy densities and long lifetimes. However, the low efficiency and maximum output power density of conventional BV batteries due to the self-absorption effect of radioactive sources, which consist of separate beta-radioactive sources and semiconductor absorbers, limit their applications. In this work, we optimized and compared six 63NiO-related heterojunction nuclear batteries utilizing Monte Carlo software Geant4 and finite element analysis software COMSOL Multiphysics. The 63NiO-related heterojunction nuclear batteries integrate beta-radioactive sources and semiconductor absorbers to overcome the shortcomings of conventional BV batteries. Furthermore, we proposed a parallel connection structure utilizing graphene electrode layer to connect two 63NiO/GaP heterojunctions based on the optimal one from the six heterojunctions in order to maximize the maximum output power density. The total energy conversion efficiency is 2.68% and the maximum output power density is $$5236.2\hbox { nW}\cdot \hbox {cm}^{-2}$$ of the parallel connection nuclear battery. Finally, we investigated the time-related performance of the parallel connection structure nuclear battery within 200 years. It shows that the maximum output power density decreases from $$5236.2\hbox { nW}\cdot \hbox {cm}^{-2}$$ in the beginning to $$1330.5\hbox { nW}\cdot \hbox {cm}^{-2}$$ at 200 years.
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spelling doaj-art-2e7e59c4893e4875bb998a407e76f0fc2025-08-20T03:05:53ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-03-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-91929-6Theoretical investigation of parallel 63NiO/GaP heterojunction nuclear battery with graphene layer and its time-related performanceYang Zhao0Xinxu Yuan1Jingbin Lu2Xiaoyi Li3Renzhou Zheng4Qiming Cui5Yu Zhang6Haolin Li7Xinrui Liu8Ke Zhang9Haoran Gu10Hongyi Tian11Chunmiao Han12Lei Liang13Wei Chen14Yugang Zeng15College of Physics, Jilin UniversityCollege of Physics, Jilin UniversityCollege of Physics, Jilin UniversityCollege of Physics, Jilin UniversityState Key Laboratory of Transient Optics and Photonics, Xi’an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics, Chinese Academy of SciencesCollege of Physics, Jilin UniversityCollege of Physics, Jilin UniversityCollege of Physics, Jilin UniversityCollege of Physics, Jilin UniversityCollege of Physics, Jilin UniversityCollege of Physics, Jilin UniversityCollege of Physics, Jilin UniversitySchool of Physics, Changchun University of Science and TechnologyState Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesAbstract Betavoltaic (BV) batteries are regarded as appealing power sources due to their high energy densities and long lifetimes. However, the low efficiency and maximum output power density of conventional BV batteries due to the self-absorption effect of radioactive sources, which consist of separate beta-radioactive sources and semiconductor absorbers, limit their applications. In this work, we optimized and compared six 63NiO-related heterojunction nuclear batteries utilizing Monte Carlo software Geant4 and finite element analysis software COMSOL Multiphysics. The 63NiO-related heterojunction nuclear batteries integrate beta-radioactive sources and semiconductor absorbers to overcome the shortcomings of conventional BV batteries. Furthermore, we proposed a parallel connection structure utilizing graphene electrode layer to connect two 63NiO/GaP heterojunctions based on the optimal one from the six heterojunctions in order to maximize the maximum output power density. The total energy conversion efficiency is 2.68% and the maximum output power density is $$5236.2\hbox { nW}\cdot \hbox {cm}^{-2}$$ of the parallel connection nuclear battery. Finally, we investigated the time-related performance of the parallel connection structure nuclear battery within 200 years. It shows that the maximum output power density decreases from $$5236.2\hbox { nW}\cdot \hbox {cm}^{-2}$$ in the beginning to $$1330.5\hbox { nW}\cdot \hbox {cm}^{-2}$$ at 200 years.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91929-6
spellingShingle Yang Zhao
Xinxu Yuan
Jingbin Lu
Xiaoyi Li
Renzhou Zheng
Qiming Cui
Yu Zhang
Haolin Li
Xinrui Liu
Ke Zhang
Haoran Gu
Hongyi Tian
Chunmiao Han
Lei Liang
Wei Chen
Yugang Zeng
Theoretical investigation of parallel 63NiO/GaP heterojunction nuclear battery with graphene layer and its time-related performance
Scientific Reports
title Theoretical investigation of parallel 63NiO/GaP heterojunction nuclear battery with graphene layer and its time-related performance
title_full Theoretical investigation of parallel 63NiO/GaP heterojunction nuclear battery with graphene layer and its time-related performance
title_fullStr Theoretical investigation of parallel 63NiO/GaP heterojunction nuclear battery with graphene layer and its time-related performance
title_full_unstemmed Theoretical investigation of parallel 63NiO/GaP heterojunction nuclear battery with graphene layer and its time-related performance
title_short Theoretical investigation of parallel 63NiO/GaP heterojunction nuclear battery with graphene layer and its time-related performance
title_sort theoretical investigation of parallel 63nio gap heterojunction nuclear battery with graphene layer and its time related performance
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91929-6
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