Russia received isotope nickel-63 for "nuclear batteries"

For the first time in history, Russian nuclear scientists, using gas centrifuges, enriched the radioactive isotope Nickel-63, which can be used to create so-called "nuclear batteries." This is reported by the leading Russian news agency TASS. The press service of Rosatom fuel company TVEL informs:

"For the first time in the history of the nuclear industry, the Electrochemical Plant in the city of Zelenogorsk, Krasnoyarsk Territory, made the gas centrifuge method of the radioactive nickel-63 isotope to a level of more than 69%."

A non-naturally occurring nickel-63 radioisotope has the unique properties of soft beta radiation without dangerous gamma radiation.

A high level of enrichment in the Nickel-63 isotope is necessary for the development of long-term energy sources, the production of which Rosatom plans to organize at one of its enterprises. Compact "atomic batteries" with a service life of up to 50 years are extremely in demand in devices and systems where the replacement of power sources is difficult, costly, or unsafe. Potential applications of such batteries are space technology, medicine, telecommunications equipment, products of the military-industrial complex, industrial facilities and infrastructure.

“In 2019, specialists of JSC ECP, as part of their research and development, plan to achieve an enrichment of the nickel-63 isotope at more than 80%. The initial nickel-62 for these works is currently being irradiated in the RBMK-1000 power reactor at Leningrad NPP" .

The fuel company Rosatom TVEL is the only supplier of nuclear fuel for Russian NPPs and provides 72 power reactors in 14 countries with nuclear fuel, research reactors in eight countries of the world, and also transport reactors of the Russian nuclear fleet.

a reply to: RussianTroll

I really hope this works they way they are claiming. And that they share the tech freely.

Better batteries will bring a huge change to the world.

Humanity needs better energy storage.

The holy grail would be a battery that can power any device for years without running out of juice.

Beta radiation is still dangerous.

Sure, it's less worst, but it's still not good for you. It'll still mess up things.

Beta particles are a type of ionizing radiation and for radiation protection purposes are regarded as being less ionising than alpha particles, but more ionising than gamma rays. The higher the ionising effect, the greater the damage to living tissue.

en.m.wikipedia.org...

a reply to: scraedtosleep

Just to be very clear here.

This involves irradiating Nickel-62 in a nuclear reactor then using a gas centrifuge to extract the radioactive Nickel-63. The Nickel-63 is then used as a "battery", since it's constantly emitting beta radiation.

Each decay is 0.0669 MeV.
The specific activity of Nickel-63 is 60 Ci/g. Note that 60 Ci/g is equal to 2.22 trillion decays per second.

Therefore if you had 1 kg of Nickel enriched to 80% Nickel-63, then the total decay power would be 19 W. Of course, you would then need to convert that into electrical energy, which in Radioisotope thermoelectric generators is typically 3-7% efficient. At 7% (noting that such a device would be hot and require external cooling), that gives this proposed device a specific power density of 1.3 W/kg. Note that a Lithium Ion battery has a specific power density one thousand times greater and 1 kg of this stuff probably couldn't run a mobile phone.

Whilst it doesn't emit significant portions of gamma radiation so it's safe if it's properly handled, ingesting it will cause the beta irradiation to harm you, and it has a half life of approximately 100 years. If you had 1 gram of Nickel-63 in your body for one day, it would emit about 2 kJ of energy. Since the average adult american man weighs 89 kg, this is a whole body dose of 23 Sieverts. Or, 5-6 times the radiation dose required to kill 50% of people within about 30 days.

This. Is. Nasty. Stuff.

Note that nuclear reactors used for irradiating substances for isotope production are often the same that are used to produce Plutonium-239 for nuclear weapons. Indeed the reactor which is being used for research and development of these so called "batteries" is a RBMK-1000, which was designed to produce material for nuclear weapons, and was also the type of reactor that was involved in the Chernobyl disaster which irradiated much of Europe, killing thousands. The gas centrifuges which are used to "enrich" the Nickel are likely the same kind of gas centrifuges that are used to "enrich" Uranium, for use in nuclear weapons.

So whilst I admit this may have some use in certain industries, like the space industry for space probes, let's keep in mind that:

- This is an extremely hazardous material, that requires extreme care to handle properly.
- This is created using a dangerous type of nuclear reactor (RBMK-1000).
- This is created using the same technology as nuclear weapons.
- The batteries have abysmal performance.
- Can you imagine how much this stuff costs to produce?

We all know Russia has a lot to answer for, but why is Russia creating the worlds most toxic, most dangerous, most expensive batteries? Then we have Russians coming here claiming that Russia is the moral leader of the world. As the 6th Jordan Peterson rule states, "set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world".

a reply to: C0bzz

I live in the province of Russia. In Saratov, the concentration of military and nuclear industries. We have 2 regiments of strategic intercontinental missiles, a division of strategic bombers flying to Venezuela, a nuclear power plant and many more classified military industries. Ecology in the city is above average in Russia. This is a serious indicator.

a reply to: RussianTroll

Sounds good, but i wonder if the Nickel-63 could be repurposed for the likes of a dirty bomb?

Because if it can it may somewhat dangerous to use said batteries for anything other than military purpose or in well-guarded facilities/locations.

Dependant on power output and size all the same, but I'm thinking nuclear battery powered tanks or even man-portable beam weaponry could be on the horizon if the technology is taken to its logical conclusion.

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: RussianTroll

Sounds good, but i wonder if the Nickel-63 could be repurposed for the likes of a dirty bomb?

Because if it can it may somewhat dangerous to use said batteries for anything other than military purpose or in well-guarded facilities/locations.

Dependant on power output and size all the same, but I'm thinking nuclear battery powered tanks or even man-portable beam weaponry could be on the horizon if the technology is taken to its logical conclusion.

Leave military use. What is an inexhaustible source of energy for many civilian human projects? Very many, you can not list all.

a reply to: RussianTroll

Unfortunately mate, most new technologies we create find their way into military grade products before commercial grade products soon after they are invented.

Half the time they are designed for military-specific purpose in the first place.

Take our mobile phones for instance 95% of the technology in them came from military communication technologies or targeting systems.

And it's not exactly an inexhaustible source of energy, there are plenty of potential drawbacks and dangers to consider before commercial applications could be considered.

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: RussianTroll

Unfortunately mate, most new technologies we create find their way into military grade products before commercial grade products soon after they are invented.

Half the time they are designed for military-specific purpose in the first place.

Take our mobile phones for instance 95% of the technology in them came from military communication technologies or targeting systems.

And it's not exactly an inexhaustible source of energy, there are plenty of potential drawbacks and dangers to consider before commercial applications could be considered.

My friend, in Russia it is called dual-use products. But war is the unnatural state of humanity. We need to think not about how to more effectively and creatively destroy each other. And how to help and live in harmony and happiness. Remember The Beatles - All You Need Is Love. Perhaps I am an idealist. But I know for sure - the future is not in war.

a reply to: RussianTroll

"But war is the unnatural state of humanity."

As much as i would love to agree with that statement, i have to ask when in recorded history has that ever been the case?

Loving your optimism all the same.

Merry Christmas when it comes.

a reply to: andy06shake

Merry Christmas, my friend. My Christmas will come on January 7th, before this is a strict fast. But this is not important. The main thing is the state of the heart. To wish all people what you wish for yourself. Happiness and inner harmony. And, of course, peace on our little Earth)))

I don't know if you could technically call them "batteries", but hasn't Russia (and others) been using Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTG's) for powering things like remote lighthouses and space probes for decades?

I guess I'm wondering what is so novel with this new concept? Size maybe?

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

The part that would worry me is that RTG require containment of the radioisotope fuel long after the productive life of the unit.

So that probably equates to more radioactive waste to deal with should these things ever become widespread or mainstream.

What is the halflife of isotope Nickel-63?

originally posted by: RussianTroll
a reply to: andy06shake

Merry Christmas, my friend. My Christmas will come on January 7th, before this is a strict fast. But this is not important. The main thing is the state of the heart. To wish all people what you wish for yourself. Happiness and inner harmony. And, of course, peace on our little Earth)))

С Рождеством

I don't practice any religion but i assume you Orthodox?

Прощай, as i noticed you are around at the time me leaving for some long while

Read some of your threads, so nice. Wish i had time to ask a few things from you now but have to avoid

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Заря́

a reply to: BoneSay

Thank. I am always open to communication and happy to new friends. Although sometimes I am too ironic)))