1.1 Background Thanks to the breakthroughs in microfabrication technologies, numerous concepts of microsystems including micro aerial vehicles, microbots, and nanosatellites have been proposed. Contrary to ordinary electronic devices, these microsystems perform mechanical work and require the extended operation. As their functions are getting complex and advanced, their energy consumption is al...

Fuel cells have unique technological attributes: efficiency, absence of moving parts and low emissions. The Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) has attracted much attention due to its potential applications as a power source for transportation and portable electronic devices. With the advance of micromachining technologies, miniaturization of power sources became one of the trends of evolution of ...

The possibility of implementing fuel cell technology in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) propulsion systems is considered. Potential advantages of the Proton Exchange Membrane or Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEMFC) and Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFC), their fuels (hydrogen and methanol), and their storage systems are revised from technical and environmental standpoints. Some operating commercia...

Methanol oxidation catalysts comprising an outer Pt-shell with an inner Ni-core supported on carbon, (Pt-Ni/C), were prepared with either crystalline or amorphous Ni core structures. Structural comparisons of the two forms of catalyst were made using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and methanol oxidation activity compar...

As an alternative or supplement to small batteries, the much-anticipated micro-direct methanol fuel cell ( DMFC) faces several key technical issues such as methanol crossover, reactant delivery, and byproduct release. This paper addresses two of the issues, removal of CO2 bubbles and delivery ofmethanol fuel, in a non-prohibitiveway for systemminiaturization. A recently reported bubble-driven p...

Experimentation about alternative fuels started mostly after the oil crisis of 1980’s to 1990’s after the World War II. In order to reduce the use of petroleum product which are limited in nature, the idea of alternative fuels was developed. In this paper an attempt has been made to investigate the engine performance in a four stroke single cylinder water cooled diesel engine using pure diesel ...

Hydrogen is an important chemical material that is utilized in a large scale in synthetic chemical industries in modern society. On the other hand, technologies for utilizing hydrogen as clean source of energy are considered to assume an important position in order to overcome problems of lack of energy and environment in future. Hence, fuel cells that store hydrogen and operate using it as fue...