Sharp, MIT make strides in methanol fuel cells

Sharp and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology this week detailed technology advances in making liquid fuel methanol a source for fuel cells.

Sharp on Thursday claimed to have achieved the highest density ever with its prototype direct methanol to fuel cell (DMFC). The fuel cell has a longer continuous-use life span than a same-size lithium ion battery, Sharp said in a statement.

Peng Lim, CEO of MTI Micro, with a methanol fuel cell. Methanol goes in. Water, carbon dioxide, and electrons come out.

(Credit: Hanna Sistek/CNET News.com)

Sharp will continue to invest in DMFC research and development. It envisions using the technology in consumer electronics such as PDAs and notebook PCs.

Also on Thursday, MIT announced that researchers have managed to improve the power output of a methanol fuel cell by 50 percent. They developed a new technique for creating the membrane material that sits between the anode and cathode ends of a fuel cell.

The material is less expensive than Nafion, which is typically used, and will not absorb as much methanol, making it more efficient, MIT said in a release.

Direct methanol fuel cells are an alternative to using hydrogen as a fuel source for making electricity and have a number of advantages, backers say.

Methanol is "energy-dense," meaning that it holds a lot of energy and, as a liquid, it's easier to transport and store. It's also considered safer than hydrogen, which is combustible. When methanol is fed into a fuel cell, the byproducts are water and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is released in small amounts, according to MIT.

Fuel cell company MTI Micro has DMFCs designed for consumer electronics, including GPS devices and digital cameras. These devices will have replaceable cartridges filled with methanol.

Sharp's research focused on structuring a fuel cell to improve the power output, compared to existing DMFCs. From its statement:

Sharp has developed the three-dimensional highly integrated stack structure through the use of thin cells made by microfabrication. This structure can be created by the alternate lamination of reed-shaped thin cells arranged in parallel at fixed intervals and reed-shaped (porous) spacers, with the cells and spacers running perpendicular to each other like a grid.

With this structure, uniform and continuous spaces are secured, making it possible to increase the cell surface area per unit volume and smoothly circulate the air that is one of the sources for power generation.

The result is a power density of .3 watts per cc, which is about 7 times more than Sharp's previous technology. Sharp said the cell volume can be shrunk further, giving the fuel cells a longer lifetime.

[queticomn]

Waste research time and dollars. Drivers of GenNext and GenY want a vehicle with 0 harmfull emissions. Methanol releases c02. Why boher when Ford/Gm have allready heavily invested into hydrogen fuel cells wich will be in use within a decade. *sheesh*

[queticomn]

Dont bother, waste of research time/dollars. Hyrogen is where its at. Ford/Gm are heavily pushing hygrogen wich has 0, i repeat 0 harmfull emissions.

[dwreid]

These are teeny tiny fuel cells for use in a laptop or iPod, not cars.

[techmonk]

What's the point? CO2 is a major greenhouse gas....these are not 'green tech.'

[dwreid]

These are teeny tiny fuel cells for use in a laptop or iPod. They pollute less than the toxic metals now used in batteries. Pollution occurs on many levels. Air, water and land in the form of landfills.

[techmonk]

What's the point? CO2 is a greenhouse gas....these are not 'green tech.'

[dwreid]

It's also considered safer than hydrogen, which is combustible

Ummmm... Methanol is combustible too.

[blurble]

Forget ford flotsam/GM. BMW already HAS a hydrogen car iidiots!. And Mercedes has been running fuel cell buses in Germany for a couple years now!!!!! As always, the US is behind in the game of auto tech. When will this country ever learn? The Germans have the world beat.

[The_Decider]

Idiot?

These are obviously not car batteries.

You might want to look into the mirror.

[mklgry]

Uhm, for one this article isn't about cars and for two GM has hydrogen cars on the road already as well. They are not being sold yet but are in the final phase of being tested. I am a Bimmer fan and prefer them over anything made here but get you facts straight before ranting. You made yourself look silly.

[AppleSuxLeo]

From Sharp minds , come Sharp products !

[AppleSuxLeo]

Germany has us beat all right...That`s exactly what Hitler said. I`ll admit they have us beat in incest !

[drFnord]

the vast majority of hydrogen production is based on:

CH4 + H20 -> H2 + CO2, the water-gas shift reaction.

whoops.

[ethana2]

That's awesome. I look forward to outfitting my laptop with a 12 hour battery :)

[k2dave]

Methanol does release CO2 when combined with O2, but methanol is normally made from organic matter, such as wood chips and other waste products (methanol is also called wood alcohol), that wood waste would decay or be burned anyway and release that CO2 anyway, so it's net CO2 into the air is really very small. The material to make methanol is readyially available, and really does not compete with food crops as ethanol does, and does not use a available fuel such as natural gas to make another fuel itself as hydrogen does.

So it is not only a pretty 'green' fuel, but can be quite economical to manufacture, also since it is a liquid fuel, very energy dense.

It also has another advantage for manufacture and retailers, instead of providing the consumer with a battery that may last the entire life of the product, or perhaps will be replaced once, the consumer once again will have to buy methanol cartrages on a ongoing basis. But if it holds a good deal more energy then a battery (of the same size), then much more features can be incorporated into portable devices, which may bring about a good deal of new technologies, plus the convergences of existing technologies that were impractical to do before.

[bcstringham]

That's all I need: H2O in my Laptop innerds! Water + Motherboard = Voided Warranty

[carwaterguide]

it's has review many sites like gas for free,run your car on water etc.

You can truly get better mileage...... http://carwaterguide.blogspot.com