No. 619: Commercializing portable fuel cells (September 20, 2012)

Technology:
Rohm, Kyoto University, and Aquafairy that is a venture company in Kyoto will jointly commercialize portable fuel cells toward next spring. They developed a light, inexpensive, and safe hydrogen generator. They will launch a portable generator and a credit-card size charger by combining a fuel cell with the newly developed hydrogen generator. The output is 5 W. The fuel cell is 50 g, and the disposable cartridge that contains fuel is 23 g. Named �Mobile Aqua,� the portable fuel cell will be used for charging a smartphone as shown in the photo on the left and for an emergency power source.  

The left photo is the high output type called �High Power Aqua� that has an output of 200 W. The new technology is to react water with a sheet-like calcium compound mixed with resin and generate a large amount of hydrogen safely. The sheet-like calcium compound is combined with a small solid high-molecular form fuel cell. Because the new fuel celll does not contain toxic substances, it will be a burnable waste. 

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