A long-lived self-powered light source based on a radioisotope

Abstract

The application discloses a long-life self-powered light source based on a radioisotope, which comprises a reflecting layer, and at least one layer of a mixture of a radioisotope source and a luminophore is coated on the reflecting layer; the radioisotope source is in a powder form, and the luminophore is a low-dimensional material. The light source structure is based on the mixture of the radioisotope source and the luminophore, and a protective layer is additionally designed, so that the light source structure has the advantages of high energy conversion efficiency, safety and economy. The powder radioisotope source and the low-dimensional luminophore can further improve quantum efficiency, reduce cost, reduce weight and simplify a preparation process, so that the light source structure has wide application potential and economic benefits in various application scenarios.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of nuclear technology application technology, and in particular to a long-life self-sufficient energy source based on radioactive isotopes. Background Technology

[0002] A light source is an object that emits electromagnetic waves within a certain wavelength range. Light sources are not only necessities for daily life but also play a vital role in industry, agriculture, transportation, national defense, and scientific research. The research, development, and widespread application of advanced light sources have always been highly valued. Based on the different pathways of light generation, light is generally classified into three types: thermal emission, atomic transition emission, and radiative emission. Sunlight and the light emitted by burning candles are examples of thermal emission; this type of light changes color with temperature. Fluorescent lamps and neon lights emit light through atomic transitions; the fluorescent material coated on the inner wall of the lamp tube is excited by electromagnetic energy, producing light, and atomic transition emission exhibits characteristic spectral lines. Radiative emission is the light produced when charged particles within matter accelerate, such as synchrotron radiation and Cherenkov radiation. This type of light generally has high energy and intensity and is frequently used in scientific research.

[0003] Early human light sources were mostly thermal, including campfires for warmth, torches for illumination, and later inventions like candles, gas lamps, and kerosene lamps. These sources relied on combustible materials, had limited lifespans, and generally could not be adjusted in intensity or spectral range. Subsequently, electrically driven light sources such as incandescent lamps, neon lights, fluorescent lamps, and LED lights were introduced, representing significant improvements in luminous efficiency, lifespan, and ease of use compared to those relying on combustible materials. This greatly expanded the application range and usage methods of human light sources. However, electrically driven light sources require an electrical supply, necessitating wiring or the use of batteries and other components. This is insufficient for applications requiring independent light sources with long operating lives.

[0004] Isotope light sources, also known as atomic lamps, are light sources that use the radiation emitted by radioactive isotopes to excite phosphors to emit light. Atomic lamps emit light automatically without external energy input, are unaffected by harsh external environments, are highly concealed, and can be used for extended periods. They have broad application prospects in special situations, such as nighttime firearm aiming, lighting and safety signs in flammable and explosive warehouses, underground mines, and tunnels, nighttime runway markings at airports, signal lights for highways, railways, aviation, and navigation, and nighttime marching markers. However, due to limitations in the radioactive source and phosphor, the most widely used isotope light source currently is limited to tritium lamps (…). 3 H) and krypton lamp ( 85Tritium and krypton lamps generally consist of three parts: a lamp body, a phosphor, and a radioactive gas. The lamp body is a light-transmitting sealed outer shell, with the phosphor coated on its inner wall. The phosphor emits light when excited by the radiation produced by the decay of the radioactive gas. The sealed outer shell is filled with krypton gas after being evacuated. 3 H or 85 Kr gas is then used to create a tritium or krypton lamp, which is then sealed. Currently, the construction and fabrication methods for this type of isotope light source are difficult to miniaturize, and its brightness is relatively low, ranging from 1 to 10 cd / m². 2 Furthermore, the luminescence performance of phosphor materials is often affected after prolonged exposure to X-rays, leading to a decline in the performance or a shortened lifespan of isotope light sources. These shortcomings greatly limit the application range of traditional isotope light sources, making the development of new isotope light sources imperative. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a long-life self-powered light source based on radioactive isotopes, which can provide autonomous light emission from the infrared, visible and ultraviolet spectral ranges without external additional power supply or work, with a lifespan from several days, several months to decades or even longer, to meet different needs under various working conditions.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, one technical solution adopted by the present invention is: to provide a long-life self-powered light source based on radioactive isotopes, including a reflective layer, on which at least one layer of a mixture of a radioactive isotope source and a light emitter is coated;

[0007] The radioactive isotope source is in powder form, and the luminescent material is a low-dimensional material.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reflective layer consists of multiple layers stacked from the inside out, namely a radioactive isotope source, a light emitter, and a mixture of a radioactive isotope source and a light emitter.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the radioactive isotope source is one or more nuclides selected from Cm-244, Cm-242, Am-241, Pu-241, Pu-238, Ra-228, Po-210, Sm-151, Pm-147, Ce-144, Cs-137, Sr-90, Kr-85, Ge-68, Ni-63, S-35, P-33, Na-22, C-14, or H-3, and the radioactive isotope source is in one or more chemical forms, such as elements, compounds, or mixtures.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the structure of the luminescent material comprises one or more forms of one-dimensional, two-dimensional, or zero-dimensional structures, and is prepared directly by solution method, chemical vapor deposition method, atomic layer deposition method, spin coating method, bulk material exfoliation method, bulk material grinding method, or bulk material or thin film material etching method. The luminescent material is doped with one or more elements of Li, Tl, Zn, Cs, Eu, Ce, or Mn as needed to enhance the luminescence intensity or regulate the energy of photons.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the chemical composition of the luminescent material comprises, in terms of isotopic components, one or more nuclides selected from Cm-244, Cm-242, Am-241, Pu-241, Pu-238, Ra-228, Po-210, Sm-151, Pm-147, Ce-144, Cs-137, Sr-90, Kr-85, Ge-68, Ni-63, S-35, P-33, Na-22, C-14, or H-3.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a protective layer is further included, disposed at the light emission point of the reflective layer.

[0013] Furthermore, the protective layer material is one or a mixture of multiple materials selected from silicone resin, epoxy resin, phenolic epoxy resin, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, biphenyl aryl resin, quartz glass, and organosilicon compounds. Structurally, it is one or a combination of convex, planar, and concave surfaces to achieve the functions of converging, diverging, scattering, attenuating, or blocking of light or rays.

[0014] The theoretical basis of the light source structure of this invention is the interaction principle between the radioactive isotope source and the luminescent body, as well as the protective function of the protective layer. A radioactive isotope source is a substance that releases energy through radioactive decay, while a luminescent body is a material that absorbs external energy and emits visible light. When the radioactive isotope source and the luminescent body are mixed together, the energy released by radioactive decay can be absorbed by the luminescent body and converted into visible light, thus achieving the effect of autonomous light emission.

[0015] Compared to existing isotope thin films or gaseous radiation sources, the powdered radioactive isotope source used in this invention offers several advantages. First, the powdered source has a larger contact area with the emitting element, resulting in a more complete reaction and higher quantum efficiency—that is, more efficient energy conversion into visible light. Second, the powdered source can be directly and thoroughly mixed with the emitting element to form a hybrid. This hybrid can be directly coated onto the inner surface of the reflective layer, offering a low-cost and efficient preparation method. Furthermore, the coating method allows for adjustment of the hybrid's thickness as needed to achieve better light conversion performance.

[0016] Furthermore, the light emitter in the light source structure of this application utilizes low-dimensional materials, such as nanomaterials or quantum dots, which offer numerous advantages. First, low-dimensional materials can be thoroughly mixed with isotopic radioactive sources, achieving higher energy conversion efficiency. Second, low-dimensional materials typically possess high quantum efficiency, meaning a higher efficiency in converting unit energy into visible light, thus saving energy and reducing costs. In addition, low-dimensional materials have smaller size and weight, reducing the overall weight of the light source structure and facilitating application design and installation. Simultaneously, the fabrication process of low-dimensional materials is relatively simple, reducing manufacturing costs and improving production efficiency. These advantages make low-dimensional materials an ideal choice when paired with radioactive sources, effectively improving energy conversion efficiency, reducing energy consumption, and bringing greater economic and environmental benefits to the practical application of the light source structure.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: The light source structure of this invention is based on a hybrid of a radioactive isotope source and a light emitter, and with the addition of a protective layer, it has the advantages of high energy conversion efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness. Using powdered isotope sources and low-dimensional material light emitters can further improve quantum efficiency, reduce costs, lighten weight, and simplify the fabrication process, making this light source structure widely applicable and economically beneficial in various application scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the long-life self-powered light source based on radioactive isotopes of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 It adds different quality fractions. 137 A schematic diagram of the relative intensity of the luminescent body of Cs (radioactive source).

[0020] The components in the attached diagram are labeled as follows: 1. Reflective layer, 2. Light-emitting element, 3. Protective layer. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that the advantages and features of the present invention can be more easily understood by those skilled in the art, thereby providing a clearer and more explicit definition of the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] Please see Figure 1 The embodiments of the present invention include:

[0023] A long-lifetime self-powered light source based on radioactive isotopes includes a reflective layer 1 and a protective layer 3. The reflective layer 1 is coated with at least one layer of a mixture of a radioactive isotope source and a light emitter 2. The radioactive isotope source is in powder form, and the light emitter is a low-dimensional material.

[0024] Specifically, the reflective layer 1 is coated with one or more layers of a mixture of radioactive isotope source and luminescent body, or multiple layers of radioactive isotope source, luminescent body, and mixture of radioactive isotope source and luminescent body stacked from the inside out, and the order can be changed.

[0025] The protective layer 3 is disposed at the point where the light is emitted from the reflective layer 1.

[0026] Furthermore, the protective layer 3 is made of one or a mixture of materials selected from silicone resin, epoxy resin, phenolic epoxy resin, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, biphenyl aryl resin, quartz glass, and organosilicon compounds. Structurally, it is a combination of one or more forms of convex, planar, and concave surfaces to achieve the functions of converging, diverging, scattering, attenuating, or blocking light or rays. In this embodiment, the reflective layer 1 is configured as a hemispherical structure, and the protective layer 3 is disposed at the opening of the reflective layer 1.

[0027] The luminescent material 2 can be made of various materials, including two-dimensional, one-dimensional, or zero-dimensional structural materials with different structural forms. It can be prepared directly by solution processing, chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, spin coating, bulk material exfoliation, bulk material grinding, or etching of bulk or thin film materials. The luminescent material 2 can be doped with one or more elements selected from Li, Tl, Zn, Cs, Eu, Ce, or Mn as needed to enhance luminescence intensity or modulate photon energy.

[0028] Furthermore, the chemical composition of the light-emitting material 2 includes, in part, one or more isotopic components selected from Cm-244, Cm-242, Am-241, Pu-241, Pu-238, Ra-228, Po-210, Sm-151, Pm-147, Ce-144, Cs-137, Sr-90, Kr-85, Ge-68, Ni-63, S-35, P-33, Na-22, C-14, or H-3.

[0029] Compared to three-dimensional materials, low-dimensional materials exhibit better dispersibility, significant interfacial effects, and higher quantum efficiency when mixed with powder isotope radioactive sources.

[0030] The following three examples illustrate methods for preparing the mixture of the radioactive isotope source and the luminescent material:

[0031] Implementation Method 1:

[0032] Zero-dimensional CsPbX3 (X = Cl, Br, I) luminescent materials with different Cs ratios were prepared using a hydrothermal synthesis method. The specific synthesis method was as follows: PbX2 (X = Cl, Br, or I, 0.1 mmol each), oleic acid (1.0 ml), oleylamine (1.0 ml), octadecane (12 ml), and Cs oleate precursor solution (1 ml) were added to a high-pressure reactor and reacted at 160 °C for 18 h in a high-temperature oven. The samples were then removed and centrifuged at 15000 r·pm for 8 minutes to obtain the sample samples of different components. The samples were dispersed in cyclopentane for later use.

[0033] Cs luminescence across the entire visible light spectrum was achieved through hydrothermal synthesis. Example 1 corresponds to CsPbCl 2.8 Br 0.2 The Cs content is 29.2%. The luminescence intensity can be controlled by adjusting the mixing ratio of the radioactive source and the luminescent material. A highly efficient configuration of the radioactive source and luminescent material was explored, namely, using nano-quantum dots in a mass ratio of (…). 137 The two materials (Cs / CsPbX3) are mixed uniformly. 137 The highest luminous intensity can be achieved with a Cs mass fraction of 0.063%.

[0034] The protective layer uses lead glass with a lead content of ≥28%, the interior of the lamp body is coated with aluminum as a reflective layer, and the light-emitting element is coated on the lamp cavity and structural walls. See the attached diagram for details. Figure 1 .

[0035] Implementation Method Two:

[0036] 1M Zn(NO3)2·6H2O was slowly added dropwise to 1M (NH4)2CO3, with an ice bath and thorough stirring to form a precipitate. The precipitate was filtered, collected, and rinsed repeatedly with pure water to remove reaction residues. 1g of the precipitate was placed in 60mL of pure water and stirred to form a suspension, which was then transferred to a 100mL hydrothermal reactor and reacted at 175℃ for 18 hours. The reactants were collected and washed thoroughly with alcohol. The product was dried in a 90℃ oven for 10 hours to obtain 1D ZnO nanowires.

[0037] radioactive source 137Cs is thoroughly mixed with the reaction products to construct a hybrid light source. Then, a layer of 1D ZnO nanowires is first coated on the lamp cavity and structural wall, followed by a layer of radiation source. Finally, the hybrid light source is coated as a third layer to obtain a light source with a hybrid and stacked structure.

[0038] Implementation Method 3:

[0039] WCl6 was dissolved in DMF (dimethylformamide) (0.02 g / mL) as a metal precursor. 5 mL of the solution was aged under sonication (30 min) for 6 h, centrifuged, and washed with ethanol. Then, it was redispersed in 50 mL of DMF, and 1 g of thioacetamide was added. After thorough stirring, the solution was transferred to a 100 mL Teflon-sealed autoclave and heated to 120 °C for 12 h. The solid sample was collected by centrifugation, washed with ethanol, and then dried at 70 °C. Finally, the product was heated to 650 °C in an Ar atmosphere and held for 2 h to improve crystallinity, yielding 2D WS2 nanosheets.

[0040] A layer of 2D WS2 nanosheets was first coated on the lamp cavity and structural walls, followed by a layer of 241Am radioactive source. This process was repeated three times to obtain a layered light source.

[0041] Combination Figure 2 This shows the contents containing different mass fractions. 137 The relative luminescence intensity of Cs luminescent bodies varies with 137 The optimal ratio is 0.06%, which achieves the highest relative luminescence intensity. Adding more 137Cs will only increase the cost, while the relative luminescence intensity remains unchanged.

[0042] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the content of the present invention's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A long-lived self-powered light source based on a radioisotope, characterized in that, The reflective layer is coated with at least one layer of a mixture of a radioisotope source and a luminophore; the reflective layer has a plurality of layers of the radioisotope source, the luminophore, and the mixture of the radioisotope source and the luminophore, in order from the inside out. The radioisotope source is in a powder form, and the luminophore is a low-dimensional material, and the structure in the luminophore material includes one or more of one-dimensional, two-dimensional, or zero-dimensional structures.

2. The long-lived self-powered radioisotope-based light source of claim 1, wherein, The radioisotope source includes one or more of Cm-244, Cm-242, Am-241, Pu-241, Pu-238, Ra-228, Po-210, Sm-151, Pm-147, Ce-144, Cs-137, Sr-90, Kr-85, Ge-68, Ni-63, S-35, P-33, Na-22, C-14, or H-3, and the radioisotope source is in one or more of an elemental form, a compound form, or a mixture form.

3. The long-lived self-powered radioisotope-based light source of claim 1, wherein, The structure in the luminophore material is prepared by a solution method, a chemical vapor deposition method, an atomic layer deposition method, a spin coating method, a bulk material exfoliation method, a bulk material grinding method, or a bulk material or thin film material etching method, and the luminophore material is doped with one or more of Li, Tl, Zn, Cs, Eu, Ce, or Mn to enhance the luminous intensity or to adjust the energy of the photons.

4. The long-lived self-powered radioisotope-based light source of claim 1, wherein, The chemical composition of the luminophore material includes one or more of Cm-244, Cm-242, Am-241, Pu-241, Pu-238, Ra-228, Po-210, Sm-151, Pm-147, Ce-144, Cs-137, Sr-90, Kr-85, Ge-68, Ni-63, S-35, P-33, Na-22, C-14, or H-3.

5. The long-lived self-powered radioisotope-based light source of claim 1, wherein, A protective layer is further included and is disposed at the light exit of the reflective layer.

6. The long-lived self-powered radioisotope-based light source of claim 5, wherein, The protective layer material is one or more of a mixture of silicone, epoxy, phenolic epoxy, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, diphenyl aralkyl resin, quartz glass, and organosilicon compounds, and the protective layer has one or more of a convex surface, a flat surface, or a concave surface to converge, diverge, scatter, attenuate, or block the light or the radiation.

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