Conversion of radioactive and chemical energy to electrical energy

In this thesis, two types of batteries have been studied. The first is aluminum (Al) air battery and the other is nuclear battery. We have demonstrated that graphite and exfoliated graphite sheets coated with activated carbon (AC), manganese dioxide (MnO2) and other additives are a promising cathode for metal air batteries. Several low-cost, environmentally-friendly air cathodes are fabricated and their performances are tested by constructing Al air batteries whose electrolyte 6M NaOH, including ZnO inhibitor, is gelled by adding a cost-effective water retainer. The experimental results show that this new Al air battery has a good discharge performance. In the other study, we present construction and analysis of nuclear micro battery driven by Strontium 90 (Sr90). Our design is based on charge deposition on the plates of a capacitor and polarization of dielectric materials between the plates. In the construction, we have used liquid Sr90 with activity 100 mCi in cylindrical ampoule coiled up by thin film graphene as one plate and Manganese dioxide (MnO2) as other plate of the capacitor. The high energetic beta particles from the Sr90 penetrate to graphene to produce ionization and then electrons are removed from graphene to dielectric material. Electrons inside the dielectric material cause polarization of dipoles. Consequently, the radiation from the isotope produces an external current.