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                               New Fuel Cell
                                  2/12/90

    A new process for fabricating super-thin fuel cells might make the
    cells commercially viable as energy sources, a team of researchers
    reported.

    Fuel cells mix hydrogen and oxygen to create electricity.  The new
    cell is a  thin layer of gas-permeable membrane sandwiched between
    two platinum films, which act as electrodes.

    When one electrode was exposed to a mixture of air and hydrogen at
    room temperature, research  leader   C.K.  Dyer  wrote,  the  cell
    produced as much as one volt of electricity.

    Fuel cells are more efficient than heat engines and  could be used
    to power electric   cars   -   if  the  cells  could  be  produced
    inexpensively.

    Experimenting with different materials  and  processes  could help
    lower the cost of making the super-thin cells, Mr.  Dyer  noted in
    the British journal NATURE.