Samsung Electro-Mechanics has developed a micro-fuel cell and hydrogen generator that runs on water. 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 micro-fuel cells can generate up to three watts of electricity, they could be used in mobile devices. The new fuel cell could power a handset for ten hours, twice as long as rechargeable batteries.

"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.

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."

1. Posted by IOWA	Fri Apr 18, 2008 8:44 pm
Holy Toledo! this is awesome!
2. Posted by McGirk	Sat Apr 19, 2008 8:54 am
It certainly is, I can't wait to have a phone where I can buy a new battery every 3-5 days. THAT IS AWESOME, and it's only 2 years away! Sorry, this doesn't excite me anywhere near as much as Stanfords 10X Lithium battery. Even refilling a cartridge wouldn't be great, because you would have to have carbon, reverse osmossis, then distilled filtered water to put in it to prevent mineral buildup, and if something happens to the battery and water leaks into my phone, oh no.
3. Posted by IOWA	Sun Apr 20, 2008 1:35 am
But your failing to see the big picture. imagine cars running on this technology. cars actually runnin on water.
4. Posted by dejahoo	Mon Apr 21, 2008 12:16 pm
Hurray for Samsung. They are letting the cat out of the bag in a subtle way. Yes, you can use water to make hydrogen to run a car. Bingo!
5. Posted by Shalalala	Mon Apr 21, 2008 3:55 pm
In other news, millions of cell phone users are complaining about their batteries leaking and causing warranties to be void. More at 11.
6. Posted by gokorngo341	Thu Apr 24, 2008 8:44 am
I think that it is a great idea. I mean ya there is a few down falls, but its new and they will get it figured out. It can help save some electricity if a lot of people started using them. Plus they will most likely change the warranties also. I mean when something new comes out they have to make changes. I think the big picutre is also soon to be cars running on water.
7. Posted by lilsias80	Fri Jun 06, 2008 12:00 am
only thing that will happen.is the price of WATER will rise. yes very weird.and we will start to lose water all over the earth if everyone uses these batteries. just to talk on the phone.makes no sense

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