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Lighter power sources for communication devices expected from $5.8 million grant to engineers, chemists A technology to produce fuel cells that serve as easily
replaced, lightweight power sources for cell phones, laptops, MP3
players and other devices is being developed by a team led by a
mechanical engineer at The University of Texas at Austin. A team
of nine faculty led by Dr. Arumugam “Ram” Manthiram has
received $3.5 million from the Office of Naval Research for
three years to develop novel materials and manufacturing
processes for methanol-powered fuel cells. The naval office is
expected to provide $2.3 million more for two additional years
on this Multi-disciplinary University Research Initiative grant
about this alternative to lithium ion batteries. |
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Photo at left: Dr. Manthiram holds a fuel cell membrane-electrode assembly that his laboratory developed to generate electricity from chemical reactions. The membrane that looks like cellophane is sandwiched between two electrodes (one of these gray, square objects is showing). These fuel cell components are being tested as a cheaper power source for consumer and military communication devices. |
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Photo at left: An engineering doctoral student who works with Department Chair and Mechanical Engineering Professor Joseph Beaman holds a bipolar plate made of carbon whose characteristics are being modified using computer-aided selective sintering. A bipolar carbon plate will rest on either side of a membrane-electrode assembly. The plates have channels that allow the flow of oxygen and methanol for delivery to the assemblies in future methanol-powered fuel cells. |
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Photo at left: Dr. Manthiram next to a membrane-electrode assembly and carbon plates that are being tested. |
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Photo at left: Among the students who are part of the research team to produce methanol-powered fuel cells are: (from left to right): Kaushik Alayavalli, doctoral student in materials science and engineering; Tim Silverman, doctoral student in mechanical engineering; Wen Li, doctoral student in materials science and engineering; and Adam Stockett, doctoral student in chemistry and biochemisty. |
