To address the issue of low power output of betavoltaic cells in practical applications, a 63Ni-powered betavoltaic rechargeable Zn-ion battery (BRZiB) is presented in this paper for simultaneously harvesting, converting, and storing beta-radioactive energy within one device. Experimentally, a patterned ZnO microrod array nanostructure was prepared using hydrothermal and lithography methods, in which a 63Ni beta source was deposited by chemical plating to form a 63Ni@ZnO structure for betavoltaic power generation. A carbon-coated VO2 nanocomposite (C@VO2), used as the intercalation host for Zn ions, was coated on the betavoltaic structure for fabricating the hybrid cathode of BRZiB. Without using any external power source, the 63Ni-powered BRZiB demonstrated a voltage rise of 0.3 V in 82 h, which was calculated to have an energy conversion efficiency of 5.1% and an energy density of 128 mWh/g over a half-life of 63Ni (∼100 years). The experimental results verify the effectiveness of multi-energy synergistic conversion in the electrochemical betavoltaic system.

The growing demand for reliable micropower sources in extreme environments has accelerated the development of betavoltaic cells (BV cells) with high energy conversion efficiency and superior radiation resistance. This study demonstrates an advanced BV cell architecture utilizing three-dimensional TiO₂ nanorod arrays (TNRAs) integrated with a NiO_x hole transport layer (HTL). Monte Carlo simulations were employed to optimize the cell design and determine the fabrication parameters for growing TNRAs on FTO substrates via hydrothermal synthesis. The performance evaluation employed both electron beam (2.36 × 10⁹ e/cm²·s) and ⁶³Ni (3.4 mCi/cm²) irradiation methods. The simulation results revealed optimal energy deposition characteristics, with ~96% of β-particle energy effectively absorbed within the 2 μm thick FTO/TNRA/NiO_x/Au structure. The NiO_x-incorporated device achieved an energy conversion efficiency of 4.84%, with a short-circuit current of 119.9 nA, an open-circuit voltage of 324.2 mV, and a maximum power output of 24.0 nW, representing a 3.76-fold enhancement over HTL-free devices. Radioactive source testing confirmed stable power generation and linear efficiency scaling, validating electron beam irradiation as an effective accelerated testing methodology for BV cell research.

MoS₂, a typical transition metal dichalcogenide, features a layered structure, multi-phase transition, and tunable band gap, which is a promising candidate for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs). Recent studies have focused on the metastable 1T-MoS₂ phase, which exhibits superior electrical conductivity and electrochemical activity compared to the more stable 2H phase. Herein, a straightforward one-step hydrothermal method was used to synthesize three-dimensional MoS₂/polymer composites (H-MoS₂-PEDOT). Under acidic conditions, the polymerization and intercalation of EDOT molecules in the MoS₂ layers promote the phase transition from 2H to 1T, thereby enhancing its conductivity and electrochemical performance. Additionally, it was found that the intercalated PEDOT and small amounts of water molecules have contributed to enhancing Zn²⁺ ion diffusion and cycle stability. As a result, AZIBs based on the H-MoS₂-PEDOT composite deliver a high specific capacity of 173.6 mAh g⁻¹ at 1 A g⁻¹, maintaining a specific capacity of 116 mAh g⁻¹ and a capacity retention of 82.8% after 1000 cycles at 5 A g⁻¹.