| 25th April - Samsung Electro-Mechanics
has developed a micro-fuel cell and hydrogen generator that runs on water, writes
the Chosun Ilbo.
Oh Yong-soo, vice president of Samsung Electro-Mechanics'
research centre, who said that when the handset is turned on, metal and water
in the phone react to produce hydrogen gas. The gas is then supplied to
the fuel cell where it reacts with oxygen in the air to generate power. Other
fuel cells need methanol to produce hydrogen, while Samsung's needs only water.
Since the micro-fuel cell can generate up to three watts of electricity,
it could be used in mobile devices. The new fuel cell could power a handset for
ten hours, twice as long as rechargeable batteries. Oh Yong-soo said water-powered
handsets are expected to hit the market by 2010. In 2010 your mobile phone
may be powered by water. Samsung Electro-Mechanics announced that it has developed
a micro-fuel cell and hydrogen generator that runs on H20. "When the
handset is turned on, metal and water in the phone react to produce hydrogen gas,"
explained Oh Yong-soo, vice president of Samsung Electro-Mechanics' research center.
"The gas is then supplied to the fuel cell where it reacts with oxygen in
the air to generate power." Other fuel cells need methanol to produce hydrogen,
while Samsung's needs only water. Since the micro-fuel cell can generate
up to three watts of electricity, it could be used in mobile devices, the company
said. The new fuel cell could power a handset for 10 hours, twice as long as rechargeable
batteries. Oh said water-powered handsets are expected to hit the market
by 2010. "If the user uses the phone for four hours a day on average, they
would have to change the hydrogen cartridge about every five days," Oh said.
"Later handsets will be developed that don't need the hydrogen cartridges
to be changed, and would only need to be filled with water."
Back
to News Reports | 
