Scientists develop game-changing device that extracts energy from nuclear waste: 'Trying to turn it into treasure'

Buckeye scientists have a scintillating idea for recycling nuclear waste to generate even more energy from the abundant, air pollution-free power source, according to an Ohio State news release. 

The linchpin to the innovation is scintillator crystals, which emit light when they absorb radiation, something nuclear waste has in abundance. By pairing the crystals with solar cells, the researchers found that there's enough light energy — via gamma radiation-illuminated crystals — to produce electricity sufficient to power small sensors and microchips, per the release. 

"We're harvesting something considered as waste and … trying to turn it into treasure," 

Buckeye Professor Raymond Cao, lead study author and director of Ohio State's Nuclear Reactor Lab, said in the statement. 

The team is optimistic that with the right mix of radioactive material and tech, the concept could be used for more applications, mostly in already radioactive settings. 

The United States' 54 nuclear power plants provide about 20% of the nation's electricity, according to government data. The hazardous byproduct isn't a green ooze held in drums. Rather, nuclear waste is in the form of ceramic pellets that are dangerous to humans. 

The plants — which create enough energy to power 70 million homes — produce enough waste to fill half of an Olympic-sized swimming pool each year. However, the plants prevent more than 440 million tons of heat-trapping air pollution from dirty-fuel-based generation. The pellets are stored at more than 70 locations in 35 states, according to the U.S. Energy Department. 

The waste remains potent but it can be recycled, the DOE summary added. Scientists in the United Kingdom are also working with microbes that can eat it (pass the Tums). 

The Buckeye prototype is less than a cubic inch in size, and it is being tested with different types of radioactive materials to find one that garners the best results, the experts reported. 

They envision the "batteries" being used near nuclear waste production sites, in space, or during deep sea exploration. They are long-lasting devices that don't need much maintenance. 

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"Although the gamma radiation utilized in this work is about a hundred times more penetrating than a normal X-ray or CT scan, the battery itself does not incorporate radioactive materials, meaning it is still safe to touch," the team noted in the release, which added that it's not meant for public use. 

Nuclear energy is an enticing research field because the power source nixes planet-warming fumes, linked by NASA to increased severe weather risks and by other government experts to poor classroom performance. 

Other nuclear innovations include microreactors that can power remote sites. Microsoft is working to reopen a portion of Three Mile Island to energize electricity-hungry data centers, a move that drew criticism after being announced. 

Meanwhile, fusion reaction experiments continue to make progress. The alternative nuclear science produces nearly limitless energy with little waste, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. 

At Ohio State, the team said its nuclear battery could be costly to produce, but further tests will determine its "usefulness and limitations," per the release. 

"There's still lots of room for improvement, but I believe in the future, this approach will carve an important space for itself in both the energy production and sensors industry," study co-author Ibrahim Oksuz said. 

At home, you can better manage the electricity already being made by simply unplugging so-called energy vampires — unused devices and chargers that needlessly burn power. It's a move that could save you up to $165 annually.

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