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A new fuel composition useful for catalytic fuel cells is made up of at least two components. The primary fuel component is a surface active compound, such as methanol, that is a source of and acts to prevent unwanted decomposition of the auxiliary fuel. The auxiliary fuel is a hydrogen-containing i

A new fuel composition useful for catalytic fuel cells is made up of at least two components. The primary fuel component is a surface active compound, such as methanol, that is a source of and acts to prevent unwanted decomposition of the auxiliary fuel. The auxiliary fuel is a hydrogen-containing inorganic compound with a high reduction potential, such as NaBH4,which acts as a highly reactive source of energy and serves to catalyze the catalytic oxidation of the primary fuel.

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1. A fuel composition for use in an electrochemical fuel cell, comprising: (a) a primary fuel including at least one surface-active compound; (b) an auxiliary fuel including at least one hydrogen-containing compound with a reduction potential such that a thermodynamic reversible potential of an

1. A fuel composition for use in an electrochemical fuel cell, comprising: (a) a primary fuel including at least one surface-active compound; (b) an auxiliary fuel including at least one hydrogen-containing compound with a reduction potential such that a thermodynamic reversible potential of an electrochemical cell including said compound at an anode and an oxygen cathode is greater than or equal to 1.56 V; (c) an electrolyte with a pH about 7; and (d) at least one additional compound. 2. The fuel composition of claim 1 wherein said surface-active compound is a compound with an --OH functional group. 3. The fuel composition of claim 2 wherein said surface-active compound includes at least one compound from the group consisting of CH4O, C2H6O, C3H8O, C4H10O, C5H12O, C6H14O, ethylene glycol and glycerine. 4. The fuel composition of claim 1 wherein said auxiliary fuel includes at least one compound from the group consisting of metal hydrides, hydrazine, and compounds having a nitrogen-nitrogen single bond). 5. The fuel composition of claim 4 wherein said auxiliary fuel includes at least one compound from the group consisting of LiAlH4,NaBH4,LiBH4,(CH3)2NHBH3,NaAlH4,B2H6,NaCNBH3,CaH2,LiH, NaH, KH and sodium bis (2-methoxyethoxo) dihydridaluminate. 6. The fuel composition of claim 1 wherein said electrolyte is substantially an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide. 7. The fuel composition of claim 6 wherein said alkali metal hydroxide is KOH. 8. The fuel composition of claim 7 wherein said electrolyte has a concentration of KOH between about 3 M and about 12 M. 9. The fuel composition of claim 8 wherein said concentration is substantially 6 M. 10. The fuel composition of claim 1 comprising between 2 weight percent and 60 weight percent of said primary fuel and between 1 weight percent and saturation of said auxiliary fuel. 11. A fuel composition for use in an electrochemical fuel cell, comprising: (a) a primary fuel including at least one surface-active compound; (b) an auxiliary fuel including at least one hydrogen-containing compound with a reduction potential such that a thermodynamic reversible potential of an electrochemical cell including said compound at an anode and an oxygen cathode is greater than or equal to 1.56 V; and (c) an aqueous solution of 6 M KOH. 12. A fuel composition for use in an electrochemical fuel cell, comprising: (a) a primary fuel including at least one surface-active compound; (b) an auxiliary fuel including at least one hydrogen-containing compound with a reduction potential such that a thermodynamic reversible potential of an electrochemical cell including said compound at an anode and an oxygen cathode is greater than or equal to 1.56 V; and (c) an electrolyte with a pH above about 7; wherein the fuel composition comprises between 2 weight percent and 60 weight percent of said primary fuel and between 1 weight percent and saturation of said auxiliary fuel.