Radioluminescent Nuclear Battery Technology Development for Space Exploration

Radioluminescent nuclear battery is an important representative type of indirect conversion in nuclear batteries. Design, fabrication, and performance optimization of such batteries have been studied in detail. The specific research contents including optimization of material parameters of fluorescent layers, fluorescent layer structure design, radioluminescent spectra regulation, and radioluminescence emission intensity enhancement. The electrical properties of nuclear batteries with different fluorescent layers were tested under beta particles and X-ray excitation. As the mass thickness of the fluorescent layer increases, the electrical performance parameters first increase and then decrease, and there is an optimal mass thickness. A series of ZnS:Cu phosphor layers with different structure geometric parameters were prepared by tape adhesion method. When the thickness of the phosphor layer is close to the radioactive particle range, a good output performance can be achieved. Moreover, the effect mechanism of nano-fluorescent materials has also been introduced to improve battery performance. CsPbBr3 perovskite quantum dot thin film materials and their applications in the radioluminescent nuclear batteries have been studied. CsPbBr3 can effectively enhance the spectral response coupling degree, and greatly improve the output power of the battery. Further, a novel type of radioluminescent material using CdSe/ZnS core–shell quantum dot coupled with Au nanoparticles was prepared. The results show that the nano-coupling system can indeed improve the luminescence emission intensity and battery output performance. This research work can provide a new direction for future space battery technology.