The world's biggest mobile phone firm is developing the world's smallest fuel cell.

Japanese firm DoCoMo is linking up with another company to develop the polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC), which will be used to recharge its 3G Foma handset.

The agreement with Aquafairy follows their successful development of a PEFC that has proven effective in a prototype recharger.

The fuel cell will have a power output of just two watts.

The recharger combines DoCoMo's recharger technology with Aquafairy's thin film power unit technology and catalyst for producing hydrogen from water.

The simple hydrogen-producing mechanism and power units make the recharger less than one-fourth the size and more than twice as powerful as the methanol fuel cell prototype that DoCoMo has previously developed.

The easily portable recharger can charge a handset several times, and the recharging time is approximately the same as an AC adapter.

DoCoMo is currently exhibiting the recharger during the Wireless Japan 2006 event.

PE fuel cells use a pgm catalyst to create the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen that produces power.

Ÿ Adfero Ltd