Leonardo da Vinci envisioned machines that run continuously and designed self-feeding mechanisms, which he presented in his drawings in the Codex Atlanticus [1]. From the perspective of today's advanced technologies, such ideas may no longer seem impossible to many people, but at that time, they were considered far from reality by many. It is impressive to see how these ideas, which were just dreams in the past, have become concrete realities through the advancement of science and technology.
Today, various studies have been carried out on renewable energy sources and a significant part of them have been implemented. In this direction, recent research on diamond batteries has shown that they can be considered as a viable alternative energy source in cases where commonly used batteries are insufficient. Diamond batteries are viewed as one of the sustainable solutions to the energy challenges faced by batteries used in medical devices (such as pacemakers and brain pacemakers, and others) [2].
Batteries used in medical devices are among the components that improve people's quality of life, but they are usually lithium-ion or silver-zinc based, producing energy through chemical reactions and eventually depleting. This situation causes patients to undergo surgical interventions to replace the batteries. Diamond batteries can potentially eliminate this need, making it possible for patients to rely on a single, lifelong battery.
Diamond batteries are a technology that operates using radioactive isotopes and can provide energy for hundreds or even thousands of years. During beta decay, beta particles (electrons) emitted from the nuclei of radioactive isotopes are absorbed by the surrounding semiconductor materials, generating an electric current. This enables diamond batteries to produce uninterrupted energy [3].
In addition to being long-lasting, diamond batteries have many other advantages, too. Nano-diamond structures are well tolerated by the human body and do not contain toxic substances. Beta radiation is at a level that does not harm human tissues and can be completely isolated thanks to nano-diamond coatings [4]. Although the use of diamond batteries in medical devices is still under development, in the near future, battery replacements for implants placed in the human body may no longer be necessary [5].
Diamond battery technology is not limited to solely batteries used in medical devices but has a wide range of applications, ranging from space exploration to nuclear waste management. With the development of this technology, it may be possible to see radical changes in energy storage systems even in daily life.
The diamond battery is a good example of how much bountifully the world has been created. It falls on us to do the research and discover all of these riches that have been generously provided for us.
References
- Birkbeck, University of London (n.d.) Exploring Leonardo da Vinci’s perpetual motion machines. Google Arts & Culture. https://artsandculture.google.com/story/exploring-leonardo-da-vinci-s-perpetual-motion-machines-birkbeck-university-of-london/TAUx_A38LTONJQ?hl=en (Accessed: 28.01.2025).
- University of Bristol (2024) Diamond battery media release, University of Bristol News. https://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2024/december/diamond-battery-media-release.html (Accessed: 28.01.2025).
- ProQuest – The Conversion of Radiation Energy to Electric Current – The Nano Diamond Battery, https://www.proquest.com/docview/2758662526?fromopenview=true&pq-origsite=gscholar&sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals (Accessed:29.01.2025).
- Liu, H., Li, P., Jin, C. and Zhang, Y. (2019) “Design and analysis of a novel vibration-driven electromagnetic energy harvester with high efficiency’, Journal of Bionic Engineering”. 16(5), pp. 921-934. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095177919301467(Accessed: 29.01.2025).
- https://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2024/december/diamond-battery-media-release.html
