Band Aid Fuel Cell

Another project from 'Fuel Cell Projects for the Evil Genius', the book by Gavin D J Harper this video shows a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell built from Band Aids being used to power a low power motor which drives the spinner you see. The Fuel Cell converts the Methanol into electricity which powers the motor.

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Tags:

• DMFC
• Direct
• Methanol
• Fuel
• Cell
• Projects
• for
• the
• Evil
• Genius
• Band
• Aid
• Gavin
• Harper
• Motor
• Spinner
• MEA
• Membrane

[furmaster212]

i love how thers a skull and crossbones on the bottle yet he still touches it with his hand? i would have thought this guy was smarter then that

[yellowmetalcyborg]

If you knew how toxic and harmful methanol is, you wouldn't have touched it with your bare hands.

[1zacster]

i will simply buy one of these off of you for more the the price of the materials using paypal or any other payment method

[Br1ckInTh3W4LL]

it would have similar energy density as most other fuel storage, the gaseous nature may increase the chance of contacting the fire right away but most car fires burn long enough to reach any liquid fuel anyways.

I think the bigger benefit of using a liquid fuel is that the pumping infrastructure and technology is already commercially developed, not so for 3000psi h2 gas distribution.

[blacktalon606]

Direct energy conversion of either methanol or ethanol is far more efficent than turning either into hydrogen and then electricity. You lose energy at each phase change. Yes, H2->Electricity is 60+% efficent, but converting anything to H2 is inefficent.  That is the beauty of running methanol or ethanol through the system, you avoid one loss point AND liquid fuel is far safer and easier to store. Imagine a 3000PSI H2 tank in a car fire...

[blacktalon606]

Hydrogen is not free energy... far from it. At current levels per energy output, the hydrogen production process takes more energy and produces more pollution than just using gasoline. Actual hydrogen production in large scale takes tons of electricity. Current power plants in the US are nearly all run by coal, which is a fossil fuel. Yes, electric and hydrogen are both clean fuels... but producing either is not a clean process.

[blacktalon606]

Methanol is more dangerous than hydrogen? What school did you go to?? I want to be sure to stay far far away from there...

[exanchorite]

Methenal is much more dangerous than hydrogen and it gives off toxins. Where did you get the plate and what is the catalyst used? PLatinum? Great video btw.

[manolis1080]

what about direct carbon fuelcell it has a 90% efficiency and carbon is very energy dense, but you cant use it yet on a mobile device cause its too hot workin(1000 celcius..) also ethanol cells arent already working-used just like the methanol cells which already are used in mobile devices like mobile phones and laptops..

[the486kid]

DEFC uses Ethanol in the fuel cell instead of toxic methanol.

Ethanol is a hydrogen-rich liquid and it has a higher energy density (8.0 kWh/kg) compared to methanol(6.1 kWh/kg).

Burning Ethanol in an internal combustion engine is only %18 efficient max.

Converting ethanol, to hydrogen, to electricity is %60 efficient. do the math, dont belive the hype.