Brookhaven chemists report new catalyst for ethanol fuel cells

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 87 KB
• Volume: 2009
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1464-2859
• DOI: 10.1016/s1464-2859(09)70062-8

✦ Synopsis

Because the device is so small -just 3 mm × 3 mm × 1 mm -the flow of water through the system is controlled by surface tension, rather than gravity. This means that the cell operates even if moved and rotated -perfect for life inside a pocket gadget.

The first designs generated 0.7 V and a current of 0.1 mA for 30 h before the fuel ran out, but Moghaddam says the latest versions give currents of around 1 mA at a similar voltage. This isn't enough yet to drive cell phones, which use batteries typically rated at a few volts, but it is enough for simpler electronic systems or microbots, he says.