NTT DoCoMo and Aquafairy to Develop Micro Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell for FOMA Handsets 1. Water is injected into a fuel cartridge where a catalyst converts it into hydrogen. 2. Hydrogen is channeled to the anode in the power unit. 3. The hydrogen is separated into ions and electrons. 4. The electrons flow from the anode to the cathode through an external circuit, producing electricity. 5. At the cathode, the hydrogen ions and electrons combine with oxygen to produce water. The fuel cell is the smallest in the world with power output of 2 watts as of July 14. The recharger combines DoCoMo’s recharger technology with Aquafairy’s thin film power unit technology and catalyst for producing hydrogen from water. The simple hydrogen-producing mechanism and power units make the recharger less than one-fourth the size and more than twice as powerful as the methanol fuel cell prototype that DoCoMo unveiled on July 6, 2005. The easily portable recharger can charge a handset several times, and the recharging time is approximately the same as an AC adapter. Demands for power consumption have risen with new FOMA services and features. To meet these demands, DoCoMo has worked on increasing the capacity of lithium-ion batteries, the most common battery in handsets today, and developed a direct methanol fuel cell recharger. Now, the company is also exploring the possibilities of PEFCs, which have higher power density than methanol cells and less environmental impact since they convert water into hydrogen. http://www.nttdocomo.com/pr/2006/001279.html