PolyFuel, a provider of fuel cell membrane technology, announced on
Monday that it has finally released a membrane specifically designed
for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) applications.
The DMFC membrane delivers substantial performance and system cost
advantages over both traditional lithium ion batteries and existing
fuel cell membrane technology. PolyFuel is currently supplying its DMFC
membrane samples to global consumer electronics manufacturers and other
developers of DMFC systems.
According
to Jim Balcom, president and chief executive officer of PolyFuel,
"Manufacturers have acknowledged that limited battery runtimes today
restrict the functionality that can be built into portable devices such
as laptop computers, tablet PCs, PDAs and mobile phones."
Balcom expects the problem to worsen, as wireless capabilities are added to portable devices.
Today, more than 35 companies, including many of the world's
leading consumer electronics manufacturers, have launched DMFC
development programs. Several of these organizations have plans to
deliver commercially available fuel cell systems in the next one to
three years.
However, DMFC programs have been hampered by the lack of a suitable
membrane technology for the methanol fuel cell environment, as the only
membrane previously available to developers and manufacturers, was one
developed more than four decades ago for use in hydrogen fuel cells.
PolyFuel's DMFC membrane will deliver higher fuel efficiency, with
lower methanol and water crossover, and provide stability in high
levels of methanol concentration. The technology will enable
manufacturers to develop smaller, lighter, quieter and less expensive
battery packs for portable devices.
The company is currently supplying its DMFC membrane samples
to most manufacturers, and has established a pilot scale roll-to-roll
manufacturing facility at its headquarters in California.
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