The Green Optimistic

The Russian scientists invented a laptop battery that lasts 10 hours on a consumption of 20W. The battery represents in fact a fuel cell created using nanotechnologies. According to the scientists led by Lev Trusov, by the end of 2009 fuel cells will be launched into production with 10 thousand monthly units. The project has become international.

The new battery has been developed on the basis of the so called fuel cells, which differ from ordinary batteries by substances for electrochemical reactions to come from outside. Such a battery life is unlimited (it works till it is provided with a substance for reaction, i.e. methanol, or hydrogen) and it needs no reloading like Li-Ion accumulators do. The world is currently revolving around finding better Li-Ion technologies, and at the same time fuel cells are taking up their space into the market.

One of the most important materials that the fuel cells are made from is a porous membrane with a catalyst, which participates in the fuel decomposition reaction and the production of the electric current. The narrower the membrane pores are, the larger the contacting area with the catalyst is, and the smaller the battery element might be. The New block membrane has been made by the Russian scientists using the “gradient porous matrix nanostructures”. Mr. Trusov believes the battery for a modern laptop should not weigh more than 100-150 grams. A thin multi-layer nanostructure used in the Russian scientists’ invention resolves the issue of high energy concentration density per unit volume. The specific power is 180 mW per square centimeter. Moreover, developers have done all there is to make the battery safe for users.

They even have a plant, in Dubna, that will produce 100 thousand battery units per year.

Ultimately, fuel cell technology is slowly but surely making its place in our lives. It is based on hydrogen. The source of hydrogen must come from a clean resource, and this MUST be water. Several methods of “painless” electrolysis (that means electrolysis that splits water with less energy than it produces by joining H and O) are known currently. There is also a trend that doesn’t like this “free” hydrogen-producing opportunity, because there is no oil involved in this, and they can’t accept that. Study more articles in the “Hydrogen Power” category from GreenOptimistic.com and you’ll find out how and why we should use water as our laptops’ energy source (in this case).

[via ecofriend]