American engineers develop world’s smallest fuel cell // Current

http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/eco-tech-american-engineers-develop-wo...

"The 9 cubic millimeter fuel cell has been developed by chemical engineers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has four main modules – a water reservoir, a metal-hydride chamber, a thin membrane to work as a partition between the two and an assembly of electrodes.

The thin membrane has several small holes which let water molecules reach the metal-hydride chamber in the form of water vapor. As vapor enters the chamber it reacts with metal-hydride to produce hydrogen. As this hydrogen depletes, a fresh stock of vapor enters the chamber and ensures continuous hydrogen generation.

Presently the cell generates 0.7 volts and a current of 0.1 milliamps for about 30 hours..."

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22 comments // American engineers develop world’s smallest fuel cell

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- 0
  
  Cynic2
- Good start.
- 1 year ago
  - flag
  reply
- 0
  
  hack26
- Some people here forgot how science works.
  
  The first light bulbs weren't bright enough nor lasted long enough to be practical, and the first airplane couldn't fly more than 200 feet.
  
  Don't dismiss the small fuel cell just because it generates such a small amount of power.
- 1 year ago
  - flag
  reply
- 0
  
  VivianThirteen
- Just incredible what we can create these days.
- 1 year ago
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  reply
- 0
  
  purplefox
- amazing! how engineers can cram so many functions/components into such tiny spaces these days just makes my mind boggle.
- 1 year ago
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  reply
- 0
  
  chivideoguy
- GO U OF I!!!!!!!!!!!!
- 1 year ago
  - flag
  reply
- 0
  
  DotDaniel
- Fair enough at the moment it cannot do much, but the sheer fact that it can be done means that they will be working on making them more efficient, more powerful and more accessible, inevitably leading to super fuel cells
  
  but, it is kinda pathetic
  haha
- 1 year ago
  - flag
  reply
- 0
  
  good_stuff
- Quick math:
  
  .7V*.0001A= .00007W
  
  12W/.000007W= 171429 cells to run a 12W energy efficent light bulb.
  
  Great Progress (note hint of sarcasm).
- 1 year ago
  - flag
  reply
- 0
  
  vladbox
- What that report failed to explain that the tiny Cell is only good for powering tiny powerplants.
- 1 year ago
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  reply
- 0
  
  stewiegriffin
- I was sure i had seen that finger before! :-)
- 1 year ago
  - flag
  reply
- 0
  
  bigloutech
- it's a great first step!!
- 1 year ago
  - flag
  reply
- 0
  
  BFAM_RVS
- cool stuff, but the smaller this sort of device, the easier it can be broken, and I am clumsy!!!!
- 1 year ago
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  reply
- 0
  
  DouginLA
- Great a fuel cell that can not power anything. I have an idea, instead of trying to make a smaller fuel cell, make one that will run a car and be easy to refuel.
- 1 year ago
  - flag
  reply
- hans57
- This comment has been removed.
- hans57
- This comment has been removed.
- 0
  
  hans57
- Yeah, you're probably right. We Americans sure are stupid.
- 1 year ago
  - flag
  reply
- jjumpinjimidy [removed]
- This comment has been removed.
- 0
  
  reneelikeshugs
- 20 bucks says the Japanese come out with something 1/4 that size in the next 6 months. It is really cool though.
- 1 year ago
  - flag
  reply
- 0
  
  ChewWawa
- Way to go American Engineers! Bush: out. Fuel cells: in.
- 1 year ago
  - flag
  reply
- 0
  
  bushiitop
- ChewWawa:
  2nd that.
- 1 year ago
  - flag
  reply
- 0
  
  CalgarC
- amazing. now lets power our cars with this stuff.
- 1 year ago
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  reply
- 0
  
  Varex_Sythe
- Impressive,
- 1 year ago
  - flag
  reply
- 0
  
  SHAWN_RITTIMAN
- Lets hope the best!
- 1 year ago
  - flag
  reply

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