Antifreeze Chemical Extends Run Time

A group of scientists at Arizona State University have determined that combining ethylene glycol, a chemical in antifreeze, with sodium borohydride can produce a longer-lasting fuel cell. Sodium borohydride is a liquid used to store hydrogen, and that same one-proton element can power fuel cells. Ethylene glycol is used in the fuel cells to help dissolve boron oxide, a byproduct of the hydrolysis necessary to create the fuel cells.

This kind of fuel cell is very small, and is not flammable or explosive, which is appealing to laptop and mobile phone makers. The scientists say that they can achieve fuel cells that power a laptop for twice as long as existing batteries. Although the scientists aren’t at the mass production stage, they do have a prototype.