There is a new technology in the form of direct methanol fuel cells, which are in the early stage of demonstration, powering the mobiles and laptops. In the PEM cell which is being used till now , methanol is used after reforming. The DMFC(Direct Methanol Fuel Cells ) use methanol directly where it is split into Carbon Di-Oxide and Hydrogen and the separated hydrogen reacts with oxygen.
Leave alone the chemical equations. These DMFC are capable of working at a high temperature, and have got more efficiency too. The cost involved is reduced by the elimination of reforming process. The earlier teething trouble with this DMFC is the larger requirement of Platinum catalyst, which is expected to be sorted out using liquid fuel. Hence success is very much assured.
Usually a sophisticated methanol reformer involves some cost. Since this has been cleared out of the regular process, researches are still on for in depth study. The fuel efficiency and performance densities of a DMFC are somewhat lower, when PEM fuel cells are concerned. Over all system has higher advantage over PEM fuel cells. PEM fuel cells had the toxicological questions to be answered. The same question needs to be addressed in DMFC also. But the interesting potential overcomes all these drawbacks except water and thermal management which needs an earlier cure