Miniature Fuel Cells for Small, Portable Electronic Devices

Miniature fuel cells in a “flat-pack” configuration are being developed as alternatives to recharge- able batteries in cellular telephones, laptop computers, and other small, portable electronic devices. These fuel cells exploit the electrochemical oxidation of organic fuel (usually methanol) in air. Whereas power sources based on state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries have specific energies of no more than ≈150 W⋅h/kg, power sources based on the present developmental fuel cells are expected to have specific energies between 500 and 1,000 W⋅h/kg. Moreover, whereas one must often wait for batteries to be recharged before using them, a fuel cell can be refueled and used immediately.