Professor Don Gervasio and Sonja Tasic, a research associate, have developed an environmentally friendly hydrogen-gas generator they say can last two to four times longer than batteries of the same size and weight.

Once the generator is compacted into a portable fuel cell the size of a laptop or digital-camera battery, this device will cut the weight in batteries that soldiers carry by half, Gervasio said.

The fuel cell is being developed at ASU's Flexible Design Center, a collaborative venture between the University, private industry sector and government.

When it comes to the three "Bs" - bullets, beans and batteries - Gervasio said it's the beans, or food supply, that are given up first if a soldier needs to lighten his load.

"These soldiers would rather go hungry than not have their radio, night-vision and range finder," he said. "If we can make a fuel cell that lasts two to four times longer, that will cut down the weight by half. Maybe they'll be able to actually eat something."

The hydrogen fuel cell could also be used to power laptops, digital cameras, camper generators or even the power pads FedEx delivery people carry.

In the long run, consumers can cut the cost they spend on battery power for these items significantly, provided technology companies don't jack up the price, Gervasio said.

The fuel cell costs a tenth to a hundredth of the cost of a conventional battery because only the fluid portion needs to be replaced, he said. Refillable cartridges will serve that function, he added.

Cell phones, however, probably won't benefit from this invention.

While the fuel cell is ideal for powering 10- to 50-watt medium-sized electronics, it's unlikely it can be scaled down to fit electronics the size of cell phones.

The generator uses a solution called borohydride, an environmentally safe alkaline, to store hydrogen.

Borohydride is a derivative of borax, a chemical compound often used in detergents. It's no more dangerous than soap water, Gervasio said.

The generator works when the borohydride reacts to a metal catalyst and forms hydrogen gas. The gas is separated from the solution when it penetrates a membrane in the fuel cell, and then it mixes with oxygen to generate water and electricity.

While this method is cheap and effective for medium-sized electronics, it would be too costly if applied to automobiles, Gervasio said.

A car engine produces electricity at a cost of about $40 per kilowatt, whereas a hydrogen gas generator would produce cleaner energy, but at a cost of $10,000 per kilowatt.

"It's just too expensive," Gervasio said. "Would you pay $1 million for a Volkswagen Mini Beetle? Of course not. You'd buy a Bentley first."

Tasic said she's trying to improve the generator by decreasing the amount of borax in the solution. She's also testing different additives that may increase the amount of electricity the device can produce.

Gervasio said it would probably be another four to five years before the fuel cell is available commercially and perhaps as little as two years before the government starts using it in the military.

ASU alum Evan Thomas and CalTech student Shengbo Xu also helped develop the generator but couldn't be reached for comment.