Replacement laptops Li-ion battery

Will the fuel cell be a likely replacement?
During the last years, fuel cell technology has gained much hype and many see this power source as the gateway to the future. The fuel cell is not new; Sir William Grove built the first model in 1839. Although ahead of the internal combustion engine then, the fuel cell remained a scientific oddity until the 1950s when this power source was used for US space and military programs for the first time. In the 1980s, the fuel cell had another rebirth when scientists and stock promoters envisioned a world powered by this clean power source, fed by an inexhaustible fuel, hydrogen. They forecasted that cars would be run by fuel cells and households be powered by electricity generated from back-yard fuel cell units. High manufacturing costs and short service life have been in the way of making this a reality.
The fuel cell uses hydrogen and oxygen as fuel. Combining the two gases generates electricity and water. There is not combustion; no pollution. The byproduct is pure water. The system runs so clean that Ballard, a developer of fuel cell stacks, offered the guests tea from the hot water produced by the fuel cell. The theoretical energy output of the fuel cell is high, however, over half is lost in heat.
During the past years, portable versions of the fuel cells have emerged. The most promising miniature fuel cell is the direct methanol fuel cell (DMCF). DMCF is inexpensive, convenient, does not require pressurized hydrogen gas and provides a reasonably good electrochemical performance. Current systems produce 900 Wh of power and offer an energy density of 102 Wh/l. This is still large in size compared to an electrochemical battery and further reductions will be needed. Charging consists of replacing the cartridge on the fly. This provides a continued source of energy, similar to fueling a car.
Toshiba unveiled a prototype fuel cell for a laptop but described the technology as being in its 'infancy.' The company gave no indication as to when the product would be commercially available. A direct battery replacement that offers high power, small size and competitive price is still several years away. Figure 2 shows a DMFC by Toshiba. The micro fuel cell on the left is capable of providing 300mW of continuous power. The fuel is 99.5% pure methanol stored in a 10 mL tank. The refueling process is shown on the right.
Angstrom Power is developing a portable fuel cell that runs on stored hydrogen and oxygen from the air. The system operates at ambient conditions and has no pump and fan. The advantage of pure hydrogen over methanol is increased efficiency and smaller size. The aim is to offer a power source that is clean, quiet and can be refueled on the fly.
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