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Is there a way to convert radiation from atomic decay into energy directly, the same way we do sunlight with a solar cell?
(lemmy.dbzer0.com)
Couldn't we have a lead box lined with these radiation to electricity converters with a small amount of radioactive material in the center, and have an energy generating device that would last for thousands or even millions of years? Imagine putting the sun in a box lined with solar cells, but on a much smaller scale.
Is there a reason this wouldn't work?
Lot of comments about RTGs, but I don't think that's what OP is asking. RTGs convert heat to electricity, same as a conventional power plants
they just do it in a solid state way instead of steam. In RTGs it doesn't matter where the heat comes from; they are not really analogous to solar cells, as the title asks.
In fact, there are consumer products that use the same technology
you can buy a little electric fan that sits on top of a wood stove and, once up to temp, will start spinning. The electricity is generated by the thermal gradient using heat from the stove, essentially the same as an RTG.