A New Fuel Cell's Many Positives  By Burt Helm A group from the
University of Illinois has built the first membrane-free
alkaline fuel cell. Announced for the first time on Mar. 22 at
the American Physical Society's meeting in Los Angeles, it's a
step toward creating an affordable and efficient power source
that could increase the battery life of laptop computers and
other electronic devices to anywhere between 10 and 40 hours
(see BW, 2/21/05, "Laptop Batteries that Last All Day").  Fuel
cells, which mix hydrogen compounds with oxygen compounds to
create energy, have shown promise as alternative energy sources
for everything ranging from cars and trucks to small
electronics. "There are different applications all the way from
megawatt-producing cells down to 20 to 40 watts," which is about
the power needed to run a laptop, says Paul Kenis, an assistant
professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the
University of Illinois and the group's leader.  MEETING, NOT
MIXING. Kenis' fuel cell is designed for