MTI Micro Demonstrates Third Generation Mobion Chip

(Business News & Technology News, 19 Sep 2008)

MTI MicroFuel Cells Inc., the developer of Mobion off-the-grid portable power solutions and a subsidiary of Mechanical Technology Inc. (MTI), has developed the third generation Mobion Chip, which features 25 percent improved power performance as compared to the previous generation unveiled in June. In laboratory testing, the Mobion Chip demonstrated power of over 62mW/cm² while producing more than 1.8kWh/kg of energy from the direct methanol fuel feed.

In addition to the ongoing power performance improvements, the third generation Mobion Chip is approximately 25 percent smaller than the prior generation was in June 2007 and over 50 percent smaller than the initial generation at the beginning of 2007.

"Our third generation Mobion Chip is a significant step forward in our commercialization efforts and is expected to generate interest among OEMs who are looking for increasingly efficient, innovative solutions to power their consumer electronics applications," says Peng Lim, Chairman and CEO of MTI. "We believe these results demonstrate our technological leadership and enhance our ability to deliver an alternative power source to OEMs."

MTI Micro plans to target applications within the consumer market, including handheld communication devices and other power-hungry portable electronics applications, that can benefit from Mobion's extended run-time, cord-free rechargeable power.

"The combination of significant size reductions and improvements in power performance and efficiency are critical in our quest to bring Mobion inside portable electronic devices. We believe these important accomplishments support our vision for the future of embedded fuel cell applications," says Jim Prueitt, Vice President of Engineering and Operations for MTI Micro.

The Mobion Chip is based on 100 percent methanol, passive water management, and direct methanol fuel cell technology, and represents a number of scientific breakthroughs that the Company believes will ultimately enable it to power portable devices longer than lithium-ion batteries, while allowing for instant, cord-free re-charging. By incorporating a power module with fluid conditioning, the Mobion Chip is designed to run in a wide range of environmental conditions, in temperatures from 0 to 40°C and at any humidity level, which correspond to industry standards and have been adopted by many OEMs. In addition, MTI Micro's Mobion technology is protected by a patent portfolio that includes over 90 U.S. patent applications.

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