Scientists create a rechargeable battery using depleted uranium, converting nuclear byproduct into a valuable energy storage resource.
The Japan Atomic Energy Agency has developed the world’s first uranium-based rechargeable battery.“We successfully developed a rechargeable battery using uranium as an active material,” said the institute in a press release.
This could transform the management of nuclear waste and address the growing need for efficient energy storage capabilities.For this research, the team utilized uranium as an active material within the battery’s electrochemical processes. Typically, batteries rely on materials like lithium or lead to facilitate the flow of electrons and generate electricity.Utilizing depleted uranium as “active material”The research team successfully demonstrated the charging and discharging performance of a prototype battery utilizing uranium as an “active material” to initiate a chemical reaction and generate electricity.“Uranium has unique chemical properties and has long been recognized as a candidate for active materials in chemical batteries,” added the team.The uranium used in the study possesses the same chemical properties as depleted uranium , a byproduct of enriching natural uranium for nuclear fuel.Due to this research, this depleted uranium, which is currently considered a problematic waste product due to its limited applications, now presents a valuable resource.“These results are expected to provide a new resource value to depleted uranium,” highlighted the institute.The battery offers a promising solution for storing surplus electricity generated from renewable energy sources, addressing the inherent instability of solar and wind power.“The uranium-based rechargeable battery has the potential to be a power control for renewable energy generations such as mega-solar power plants, contributing to the realization of a decarbonized society,” noted the press release.Prototype nuclear battery shows impressive performanceThe prototype battery measures 10 centimeters wide and 5 centimeters tall. It employs a uranium-containing electrolyte for the negative electrode and an iron-containing electrolyte for the positive electrode. It achieved a voltage of 1.3V, closely approximating the 1.5V of a standard alkaline battery. “The battery was charged and discharged 10 times, and the performance of the battery was almost unchanged,” asserted the press release.This stability is a key indicator of its potential longevity and reliability, which are essential for real-world applications.Japan alone holds approximately 16,000 tons of depleted uranium, while the global stockpile is estimated at a staggering 1.6 million tons. If uranium rechargeable batteries can be successfully scaled up and commercialized, they could provide a viable pathway for utilizing this vast reserve of material.Future development includes ‘redox flow battery’To further enhance the battery’s capacity and performance, the research team intends to develop a “redox flow battery.” This type of battery utilizes pumps to circulate electrolytes to enable larger storage capacities and more efficient energy transfer.However, the institute acknowledges that the deployment of these batteries would likely be restricted to radiation-controlled environments, such as nuclear power plant premises, due to the inherent radioactivity of uranium.The increasing demand for rechargeable batteries, driven by the expansion of renewable energy sources, underscores the significance of this development. “If uranium rechargeable batteries are increased in capacity and put to practical use, the large amount of DU stored in Japan will become a new resource for output controls in the electricity supply grid derived from renewable energy,” concluded the press release.
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