Ways of Increasing Specific Energy Intensity of Tritium-based beta-Voltaic Nuclear Batteries

Creating a beta-voltaic semiconductor battery based on long-lived radionuclide is an urgent task. However, today the technology of creating such energy sources and their output characteristics are far from perfect. This article analyzes ways to maximize energy intensity on the surface of the semiconductor carrier. Various methods of creating the maximum possible volume concentration of radioactive beta-emitter atoms based on the use of tritium are considered. A variety of variants using "associated" tritium are considered for application on the surface of the semiconductor carrier: metal tritids, intermetalides. One option may be the use of tritium-labeled organic molecules and polymers, as well as tritium, which is part of carbon nanomaterials — fullerenes, nanotubes, nanodiamonds, graphene and graphene oxide. The properties of intermet-allides hydrides (LaNi5, LaNi5T6) are considered. The dependence of the unit energy intensity of the battery's working body on the thickness of the emitter's film has been analyzed. As a result of the studies, the analysis of ways to achieve maximum energy intensity on the surface of the semiconductor carrier was analyzed. Various methods of creating the maximum possible volume concentration of radioactive beta-emitter atoms based on the use of tritium are considered. The dependence of the unit energy intensity of the battery's working body on the thickness of the emitter's film has been analyzed.

Low Energy Beta Emitter Measurement: A Review

The detection and monitoring systems of low energy beta particles are of important concern in nuclear facilities and decommissioning sites. Generally, low-energy beta-rays have been measured in systems such as liquid scintillation counters and gas proportional counters but time is required for pretreatment and sampling, and ultimately it is difficult to obtain a representation of the observables. The risk of external exposure for low energy beta-ray emitting radioisotopes has not been significantly considered due to the low transmittance of the isotopes, whereas radiation protection against internal exposure is necessary because it can cause radiation hazard to into the body through ingestion and inhalation. In this review, research to produce various types of detectors and to measure low-energy beta-rays by using or manufacturing plastic scintillators such as commercial plastic and optic fiber is discussed. Furthermore, the state-of-the-art beta particle detectors using plastic scintillators and other types of beta-ray counters were elucidated with regard to characteristics of low energy beta-ray emitting radioisotopes. Recent rapid advances in organic matter and nanotechnology have brought attention to scintillators combining plastics and nanomaterials for all types of radiation detection. Herein, we provide an in-depth review on low energy beta emitter measurement.