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One of the specs that we all are concerned when looking for a laptop or any gadget is its battery life. Samsung introduced fuel cells (currently in development) that would provide 40 hours of continuous power supply. However the experts at airforce have come up with a new technology that could change the way we look at batteries. They are called Betavoltaic batteries and can power your laptop for 30 years with one single charge. Read more to find out how?These  batteries are made of semiconductors and use radioisotopes as the source of energy. As the radioactive material decays it emits beta particles that transform into electric power capable of fueling an electrical device like a laptop for years. Sounds nuclear huh? Don’t worry they are not, and hence your laptop battery will not blow up the entire neighbourhood. Now for the technical stuff!

“Betavoltaics generate power when an electron strikes a particular interface between two layers of material. The Process uses beta electron emissions that occur when a neutron decays into a proton which causes a forward bias in the semiconductor. This makes the betavoltaic cell a forward bias diode of sorts, similar in some respects to a photovoltaic (solar) cell. Electrons scatter out of their normal orbits in the semiconductor and into the circuit creating a usable electric current.”

The batteries can be made quite thin and generates less heat as it is non thermal unlike the traditional lithium-ion batteries.The good news is when the battery runs out of juice (i.e.) after 25 – 30 years it becomes inert and non toxic. If all goes well, these batteries could hit the shelves in 3-4 years. The future looks bright…

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