Mercedes Mullins
Fuel cells could replace batteries in mobile phones and laptop computers, according to researchers at the UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country. Fuel cells are an appropriate system for substituting the batteries of such devices, as they turn the energy resulting from the combining of hydrogen and oxygen into electrical power, with water vapour being the only waste product. However, fuel cells need an external supply of hydrogen, and storing hydrogen safely poses difficulties. As fuel cells become easier to produce, they could end the monopoly on potential power that lithium-ion batteries have had for the last 30 years.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Fuel cells' ability to replace batteries | Fuel cells could replace batteries in mobile phones and laptop computers. |
| Fuel cells' advantages over batteries | Fuel cells can produce electricity continuously for as long as fuel and oxygen are supplied, whereas batteries run out of power when the reactions in their cells cease to function. Fuel cells are also cheaper to produce and allow for instant charging without a power outlet. |
| Fuel cells' disadvantages compared to batteries | Fuel cells need an external supply of hydrogen, and storing hydrogen safely poses difficulties. |
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What You'll Learn
Fuel cells are more efficient than lithium-ion batteries
Fuel cells are also more cost-efficient than lithium-ion batteries. Björn Westerholm, CEO of myFC, claimed in 2020 that his company's fuel cells would exceed lithium-ion batteries in terms of energy per volume and weight. Fuel cells are also cheaper to produce than lithium-ion batteries.
Fuel cells are also safer than lithium-ion batteries. They turn the energy resulting from the combination of hydrogen and oxygen into electrical power, with water vapour being the only waste product. However, fuel cells do need an external supply of hydrogen, and storing hydrogen safely poses difficulties.
Fuel cells could replace batteries in mobile phones and laptop computers. They would allow people to charge devices instantly and without a power outlet by simply changing the fuel cell.
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Fuel cells are safer than batteries
Fuel cells can produce electricity continuously for as long as fuel and oxygen are supplied, whereas a lithium-ion battery runs out of juice whenever the reactions that are present in its cells cease to function.
However, if these fuel cells are to produce energy, they need an external supply of hydrogen, and storing hydrogen safely poses difficulties. As fuel cells become easier to produce, they could end the monopoly on potential power that lithium-ion batteries have had for the last 30 years.
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Fuel cells are more affordable than batteries
Fuel cells can produce electricity continuously for as long as fuel and oxygen are supplied, whereas a lithium-ion battery runs out of juice whenever the reactions that are present in its cells cease to function. Björn Westerholm, CEO of myFC, predicts that fuel cells will surpass batteries in energy density and cost efficiency in a few years.
The Swedish company has focused primarily on three aspects of energy storage: manufacturing costs, energy density, and energy by weight. MyFC hopes to surpass lithium-ion batteries in all three of these categories. That said, the smartphones of the future could be thinner, lighter, and cheaper to produce.
Fuel cells are totally appropriate systems for substituting the batteries of mobile phones and laptop computers. They turn the energy resulting from the combining of hydrogen and oxygen into electrical power, with water vapour being the only waste product.
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Fuel cells can be used to charge devices without a power outlet
Fuel cells are made up of an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte that allows positively charged hydrogen ions to move between the two sides of the cell. At the anode, a catalyst causes the fuel to undergo oxidation reactions that generate protons and electrons. This process turns the energy resulting from the combining of hydrogen and oxygen into electrical power, with water vapour being the only waste product.
Fuel cells could therefore replace batteries in mobile phones and laptop computers. Björn Westerholm, CEO of myFC, has predicted that fuel cells will surpass batteries in energy density and cost efficiency. This could lead to thinner, lighter, and cheaper smartphones.
However, fuel cells do have their drawbacks. They require an external supply of hydrogen, and storing hydrogen safely poses difficulties.
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Fuel cells are more environmentally friendly than batteries
Fuel cells are also more cost-efficient than batteries. Björn Westerholm, CEO of myFC, predicts that fuel cells will surpass batteries in energy density and cost efficiency. The Swedish company has focused primarily on three aspects of energy storage: manufacturing costs, energy density, and energy by weight. MyFC hopes to surpass lithium-ion batteries in all three of these categories.
Fuel cells are also safer than batteries. They do not pose the same safety risks as lithium-ion batteries, which have been known to catch fire and explode. Fuel cells are also more stable and have a longer lifespan than batteries.
Finally, fuel cells are more flexible than batteries. They can be used in a wider range of applications, including mobile phones, laptop computers, and portable devices. They can also be used to charge devices instantly and without a power outlet by simply changing the fuel cell.
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Frequently asked questions
Fuel cells can produce electricity continuously for as long as they are supplied with fuel and oxygen, whereas batteries run out of power when the reactions in their cells cease to function. Fuel cells are also safer and more environmentally friendly, as they only produce water vapour as waste.
Fuel cells require an external supply of hydrogen, which can be difficult to store safely. They are also dependent on a continuous supply of oxygen, which may not always be available.
Fuel cells are initially more expensive to produce than lithium-ion batteries, but as they become easier to manufacture, they are expected to surpass batteries in terms of cost efficiency.
It is difficult to say exactly when fuel cells will replace batteries, but companies such as myFC predict that this will happen within a few years as fuel cells become more energy-dense and cost-efficient.
