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To: BubbaFred who wrote (59267)	1/22/2005 4:22:04 PM
From: BubbaFred	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74559

Scientists charge up weapons for their final assault on batteries By Leo Lewis in Odaiba Fuel cells are unveiled at last THE day of the battery may finally be over as manufacturers usher in the age of the fuel-cell. To prove the point, an engineer from the Japanese electronics company Hitachi yesterday showed the world the pack that will power tomorrow’s mobile phone, laptop computer and personal organiser. From his pocket he produced a miniature fuel cell consisting of a plastic canister of liquid gas slightly smaller than a cigarette lighter and plugged it into a metallic box slightly larger than a packet of cigarettes. The cell, which will be on sale in about 18 months, will run all three machines for the length of a short-haul flight. Near by, a toy train was running round and round a track. The carriage that it was pulling contained a different sort of fuel cell that runs directly on compressed hydrogen. The train runs for three hours on a tiny, 60cc “tank” of hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe. The same technology will drive aircraft propellers, cars, scooters and wheelchairs. These demonstrations were among hundreds at the first Fuel-Cell Expo, held in Japan where engineers are the acknowledged leaders in the global race to develop clean, cheap, limitless power sources. The promise of fuel cells has built steadily over the years, with sporadic breakthroughs in size and efficiency. Vehicles have always appeared the obvious application for the technology, but the message of the convention was clear: as gadgets from iPods to mobile phones become more complicated, their power demands will be greater and batteries will not be up to the task. Fuel cells work on the principle that hydrogen, when passed through a carefully engineered “proton exchange” membrane, will split into its constituent positive and negative ions. The difference between these charges creates an electrical current on demand. Unlike batteries, there is no “charge” to run down. As long as the cell is provided with hydrogen — either directly or by splitting a chemical such as methanol with plenty of hydrogen in it — it will deliver power and emit only water. Unfortunately, the neat science has long been obstructed by complicated engineering problems. Making the cells durable, light, efficient and from materials that people can afford has absorbed billions of pounds in research. Another disadvantage is that the cells are likely to be classed as fuel and may not be allowed on board passenger aircraft. Until the convedntion yesterday, a mixture of scepticism and corporate secrecy meant that the world had not previously seen how far the concept had progressed. Household brands are now in on the act. Casio makes a fuel cell so small that it will fit inside a mobile phone, and filling stations are arguing about international standards in hydrogen nozzles for fuel-cell cars. Tom Shaw, director of a company that makes graphite plates for Honda’s fuel-cell car, said: “The biggest hurdles to fuel cells may now be political rather than scientific.” timesonline.co.uk