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Sony Develops Buckyball Fuel Cell

Posted by Zonk on from the used-to-make-ringworlds-too dept.

Jonny Marx wrote to mention a post over at Digital World Tokyo detailing Sony's latest fuel cell technology, which uses Fullerenes (Buckyballs) to achieve a lot of power in a little space. From the article: "... The technology looks like a significant step in the right direction toward the development of DMFCs powerful enough to supplement or replace lithium batteries for handheld gadgets. Methanol leakage and power output have been the devilish details that have stopped DMFCs becoming widespread, along with regulations that are still being hammered out to allow methanol to be carried aboard passenger aircraft, and a methanol fuel infrastructure, i.e. being able to pick up refills at Japan's ubiquitous konbini (convenience stores) for example."

14 of 188 comments (clear)

  1. Trixy! by mister_llah · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wait a second! You tricksters!

    That's not fuel! That's a fruit roll up!

    [if you don't get it, at least LOAD the article]

    --
    MoM++ - A Classic Expanded - [Master of Magic 1.5]
    http://mompp.sourceforge.net/
    1. Re:Trixy! by Concerned+Onlooker · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yes, and it's DRMed with a fruitkit.

      --
      http://www.rootstrikers.org/
    2. Re:Trixy! by ciroknight · · Score: 3, Funny

      Fruit rollups aren't fuel? :( I'll have to tell my mommy to stop packing them in my lunch pail then.

      --
      "Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is." G.W.Bush
    3. Re:Trixy! by strider44 · · Score: 2, Funny

      And a hot girl holding it that's obviously an integral part of their development team.

    4. Re:Trixy! by carguy84 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Do not taunt super happy buckyball.

  2. So... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    This week we like Sony?

  3. And for those of us that don't use this scale... by Kjella · · Score: 4, Funny

    power density of about 100 milliwatt-hours per square centimeter.

    Could someone convert this to furlongs per LoC and tell me what other competing techs like today's laptop batteries have?

    --
    Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
  4. So.. by aurb · · Score: 3, Funny

    ..how long until they create robots powered by alcohol?

  5. Wait a minute! by woolio · · Score: 4, Funny

    I thought I once heard that buckyball molecules were extremely hazardous to humans (they would slice/punch holes in cells due to their hardness and not easily got rid of)

    And this device is supposed to be powered from methanol?

    Only in Capitalist America would a device constructed of hazardous materials, fueled by a flammable substance be allowed on an airplane while strictly forbidding toe-nail clippers. (or did the ban on them end?)

  6. More info on Karma Whoring by FireballX301 · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...but nah, I don't think I'll link to wikipedia.

    1. Re:More info on Karma Whoring by strider44 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Karma Whoring. Ah bugger, my karma's all full anyway.

  7. Re:Carry a fuel can with you? by pilgrim23 · · Score: 3, Funny

    BuckeyBalls? oh my...has anyone been cruel enough to say: "Fuller Up Please!" ?

    --
    - Minutus cantorum, minutus balorum, minutus carborata descendum pantorum.
  8. I love Japan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    and their penchant to use cute women to advertise new technology..

  9. Re:Carry alcohol with you by subtropolis · · Score: 2, Funny

    i burd throu nine - no - TEN glasess of th stuf!!

    --
    "Our interests are to see if we can't scale it up to something more exciting," he said.