Toshiba Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) technology

Toshiba Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) technology. Toshiba has put a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) inside a cell phone, the company shows off the prototype cell phone at the Ceatec exhibition in Chiba, Japan. According to a Toshiba rep, the prototype cell phone offers around six hours of talk time with the DMFC, while a conventional battery in the same handset would provide between three and four hours of talk time.

DMFCs produce electricity from a reaction between methanol, water and air. Toshiba executives wouldn't reveal the capacity of the DMFC installed in the phone, but later said a 50ml cartridge could refill the phone's DMFC reservoir 15 times. That equates to a capacity of 3.33ml. No word on products based on Toshiba's DMFC technology will be commercially available. It could be available next year, but a date has not yet been confirmed.

(source)