The power density (i.e. watts per cubic centimeter) will never be sufficient for a high-power app like laptop batteries. And even if you wanted to generate a constant number of milliwatts (mW) you would need $K's of dollars worth of tritium. These applications are more for microwatts or nanowatts. And yes, folks like the AF need those kinds of power levels for different things.
That being said, 1) the isotope is tritium and as such the penetration energy of the beta-radiation is the lowest of all beta emitters. It won't even make it past the dead layer of cells that our skin is surrounded by. 2) the breakdown product of tritium is helium. So when all the relatively benign tritium is gone you are left with helium. And it likely already escaped. BTW there are methods of keeping the tritium in solid form so it won't escape. 3) because the energy level of the beta rays is so low (and methods are available for putting the tritium in solid form) it won't damage the semiconductor "collector." Remember this is much like a conventional solar cell, and silicon versions of those last for 25 years or more.
One last thing to consider - those faintly green glowing exist signs? Those are stuffed with lots of tritium. Watches made by Luminox, Uzi, Swiss Military, Smith and Wesson, etc....have sealed tritium vials on the face which provide the energy for the phosophorescent glow we all know and love.
30 years? No, not unless you really front-load these batteries with a huge extra helping of tritium (on top of the million bucks worth of tritium you would need to get more than a tenth of a watt), since the half life of the isotope is only a bit over 12 years.
But we can keep on hoping for the day some of those pesky low-power battery applications are replaced by batteries such as this!
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The power density (i.e. watts per cubic centimeter) will never be sufficient for a high-power app like laptop batteries. And even if you wanted to generate a constant number of milliwatts (mW) you would need $K's of dollars worth of tritium. These applications are more for microwatts or nanowatts. And yes, folks like the AF need those kinds of power levels for different things.
That being said, 1) the isotope is tritium and as such the penetration energy of the beta-radiation is the lowest of all beta emitters. It won't even make it past the dead layer of cells that our skin is surrounded by. 2) the breakdown product of tritium is helium. So when all the relatively benign tritium is gone you are left with helium. And it likely already escaped. BTW there are methods of keeping the tritium in solid form so it won't escape. 3) because the energy level of the beta rays is so low (and methods are available for putting the tritium in solid form) it won't damage the semiconductor "collector." Remember this is much like a conventional solar cell, and silicon versions of those last for 25 years or more.
One last thing to consider - those faintly green glowing exist signs? Those are stuffed with lots of tritium. Watches made by Luminox, Uzi, Swiss Military, Smith and Wesson, etc....have sealed tritium vials on the face which provide the energy for the phosophorescent glow we all know and love.
30 years? No, not unless you really front-load these batteries with a huge extra helping of tritium (on top of the million bucks worth of tritium you would need to get more than a tenth of a watt), since the half life of the isotope is only a bit over 12 years.
But we can keep on hoping for the day some of those pesky low-power battery applications are replaced by batteries such as this!