NEAH's first hybrid electrolyte aerobic direct methanol fuel cell

BOTHELL, USA: NEAH Power Systems Inc., the company developing fuel cells for the military and portable electronic devices, announced that it has achieved yet another major breakthrough with the demonstration of an air based fuel cell for aerobic applications.

This system, when fully developed, is expected to have higher energy density than any incumbent direct methanol anaerobic fuel cell available today, and could enable NEAH to pursue various additional consumer markets.

"This technology is differentiated in performance and architecture," said Dr. Chris D'Couto, NEAH's President and Chief Executive Officer, "in that it combines NEAH's unique liquid electrolyte and 3D silicon electrode technology, with the manifold inherent benefits in cost and manufacturability of integrated circuit manufacturing, with proton conduction membrane for proton conduction and gas liquid separation.

"In so doing, NEAH has created the first hybrid electrolyte fuel cell achieving gains over either liquid or solid electrolyte technology. Our micro fuel cells may eventually replace batteries for most uses."

On June 25, 2009, NEAH revealed it had successfully tested an anaerobic (or non-air breathing) direct methanol fuel cell which was primarily funded by the Office of Naval Research.