| Japan-based
Seiko Instruments hopes to launch its small polymer electrolyte fuel cell
(PEFC), which stores and produces hydrogen using sodium borohydride, in
2009.
The International Civil Aviation
Organization announced it would permit sodium borohydride-based micro fuel-cell
cartridges to be used on electronic devices beginning Jan 2009.
Seiko will determine by the end
of Feb 2008 the specifications and composition of the fuel cell, including
stainless steel for the separators and fluororesin for the electrolyte
membrane.
A prototype of the PEFC was produced
by Seiko in 2007 in a stack of 10 cells.
With overall dimensions of 210
mm by 120 mm by 170 mm, the prototype attained 50 watts power output and
16 volts output voltage. |