Motorola unveils methane gas-powered cell-phone prototype

Scientists at Motorola Labs have demonstrated a prototype of an integrated, ceramic-based miniature direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) system and have built several key components required for a miniature, ceramic-based reformed methanol to hydrogen fuel cell (RHFC) that could boost the power of cell phones.

Last year, Motorola announced a multi-layer ceramic technology for processing and delivering fuel and air to the fuel-cell membrane electrode assembly (MEA). It now claims to have integrated a methanol concentration sensor and liquid-gas separation for carbon dioxide release, directly into the ceramic device.

In the lab, the fuel cell system has been operated continuously for a week at a time to prove that there would be little degradation in its performance. Motorola Labs also researching a related fuel-cell technology in which methanol is converted to hydrogen as needed and supplied to a more conventional hydrogen fuel cell MEA.

Motorola researchers have demonstrated an integrated vaporizer and miniature methanol steam reformer, as well as a miniature chemical heater, which are three of the key components in the RHFC system. Eventually the company plans to integrate all of these components, along with a fuel cell, into a single device.

--Kelly Carroll, staff writer