Build Your Own Band-aid Fuel Cell

ptorrone writes "Here's how to make a fuel cell from a band-aid...This has got to be the simplest way to build a fuel cell from scratch. The design is ridiculously simple, whilst being effective - it will allow you to explore the concepts of fuel cells in a ludicrously simple way."

Re:meh

[beheaderaswp]

They already did this... it was called the Chevy Vega.

SUMMARY: "ludicrously simple potato battery."

[Anonymous Coward]

[Article summary:]
                Incredibly Easy Way to Build A Ludicrously Simple Potato Battery.

Materials list:

1. 2 nice big potatoes.
   Any ones will do. Make sure you don't get a sweet potato.
   
2. Stainless Steel Fly Screen.
   If you want to get really techie and heavy about stainless steel fly screen, the material that I used was top-notch stuff! The stainless steel was 318 grade - very high quality!! The screen was 72 wires per inch in both directions, with each wire being 0.0037". This wire is available from the folks at the totally fabby www.potatobattery.com [potatobattery.com]
   
3. MEA - The Membrane Electrode Assembly
   Rather difficult to assemble yourself. Much simpler is to buy one that is already made from www.potatobattery.com [potatobattery.com] .
   
4. Cotton Gloves
   At all times when working with the MEA, you will need to wear cotton gloves. This is because the muck on your hands will greatly inhibit the function of the MEA. Cotton gloves are available in specialty stores, but I love my pair from www.potatobattery.com [potatobattery.com]
   

                              [...]
[Image]
The completed Band Aid Fuel Cell!

              Testing the Band Aid Fuel Cell

To test the fuel cell you will need some 3% Methanol solution. Again you can get this from the Potato Battery store ( www.potatobattery.com [potatobattery.com] ), unless you know a bit about chemistry or are friendly with a college lab technician.

[...]
Have fun, and be sure to tell all your friends!!!

What about raves?

[n3tcat]

I suppose it makes no difference what brand you use, but the marketing implications of this are phenomenal. Imagine having bandaids that don't glow but actually light themselves!

Add a nifty strobe effect and you'll have the perfect rave accessories anytime you fall off your bike!

Re:Simple

[Anonymous Coward]

First get a band-aid. Make sure it has a large sterile pad area.

Remove the backing from the adhesive and set it aside. Next, buy a fuel cell from the online fuel cell store. Then, carefully attach the fuel cell to the adhesive part of the band-aid.

Finally, wave your wand while saying "A-la peanut butter sandwiches", and hey presto! it is done!

Outlaw this!

[Opportunist]

Let's see how long it takes 'til someone figures out to power the timer for some bomb with a similar design and we can't get band aids anymore.

"Sorry bud, you're bleeding and we can't do anything to avoid infections. But doesn't it give you a fuzzy warm feeling that it's all done for national security?"

Re:Simple

[Professor_UNIX]

Hah! That's what I was thinking when I read that. Build your own nuclear reactor using a band-aid. Strap band-aid to functioning nuclear reactor procured from post-Cold War Russia. Voila, Band-Aid Nuclear Fission Reaction System.

From the Editor?

[derubergeek]

It would appear that the submitter of the story is Phillip Torrone [wikipedia.org], the host of the MAKE blog (and apparently a Senior Editor?). I'd like to think that's not really the case: MAKE is really cool and this fuel cell is really lame. The worst part is that now I have that stupid "I am stuck on Band-Aid brand, 'cause Band-Aid's stuck on me" jingle running through my head.