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The radioactive material in ionization smoke detectors (Americium 241) is present to create ionizing radiation, not to create power. An alpha particle source is
by throwaway5752 2y ago
The radioactive material in ionization smoke detectors (Americium 241) is present to create ionizing radiation, not to create power. An alpha particle source is a less discretionary use for radioactive materials than generating electricity to run the devices, which typically run on lithium or alkaline batteries if they aren't hardwired.
- smegger001 2y agoi am aware they aren't used as batteries in the smoke alarm. I was referring to the part of the gp's comment that radioactive batteries were eternal batteries destined to be horrible radioactive e-waste that far outlive the device they are built in. I was pointing out we already have radioactive elements in widespread use in home electronics and that they weren't "eternal batteries"
- throwaway5752 2y agoI got the sense you knew that. It was just ambiguous in your post and I was clarifying for anyone that might have misread it in the way that I did. No offense intended. It is interesting and I wish I were more of an expert in this area to be able to evaluate the claims in the article made by parties with commercial interests in the topic. I have a sense that the amount of Am-241 in smoke detectors would be many orders of magnitude smaller than in batteries.