Fuel cell start-up PolyFuel claims to have passed a milestone in the development of direct methanol cells with a device operating for more than 5,000 hours.
This, the firm said, is beyond the minimum necessary to commercialise fuel cells, which must last for between 2,000 and 3,000 hours, equivalent to the life of a rechargeable battery.
Key to the longer lifetime is the membrane, said PolyFuel, which separates fuel from air
"Membrane durability has always been one of the key technical challenges faced by fuel cell manufacturers, as it translates directly to the lifetime of a fuel cell," said Jim Balcom, president and CEO of PolyFuel.
The firm's membrane is based on a hydrocarbon. Earlier this year the firm announced its membrane, which it said is a cost-effective alternative to existing membrane, such as DuPont's Nafion.
Nafion is PTFE based, and this type of membrane has until now formed the basis of most fuel cell designs.
www.polyfuel.com