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A system and method for removal or oxidative decomposition of fuel from a fuel storage container for use in a direct oxidation fuel cell and direct oxidation fuel cell system wherein the fuel permeates through a material and can be exposed to a catalyst/enzyme which oxidizes the fuel as it leaves th

A system and method for removal or oxidative decomposition of fuel from a fuel storage container for use in a direct oxidation fuel cell and direct oxidation fuel cell system wherein the fuel permeates through a material and can be exposed to a catalyst/enzyme which oxidizes the fuel as it leaves the storage container. The system includes a fuel storage container provided with a catalyst-coated material. An airtight seal is provided over the catalyzed area, which seal is broken to allow oxygen access, and consequently the catalytic reaction. The airtight seal may be broken by simple manual methods or automatic methods on removal of the container from the fuel cell system.

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1. A system for removal/oxidative decomposition of fuel from a fuel container comprising:a fuel container for a direct oxidation fuel cell, the container comprising a fuel reservoir; a conduit between the fuel reservoir and the direct oxidation fuel cell; and an aperture between the reservoir and th

1. A system for removal/oxidative decomposition of fuel from a fuel container comprising:a fuel container for a direct oxidation fuel cell, the container comprising a fuel reservoir; a conduit between the fuel reservoir and the direct oxidation fuel cell; and an aperture between the reservoir and the ambient environment, wherein the aperture is covered with a fuel permeable material, and the aperture and fuel permeable material are covered with a removable overlay providing an airtight and liquid seal. 2. A fuel container for a direct oxidation fuel cell, comprising:a fuel container housing enclosing a fuel reservoir, said housing having an aperture that is substantially covered with a fuel permeable material, at least a portion of which also includes a catalyzed area, whereby upon air access to said catalyzed area, fuel in the reservoir is substantially catalyzed on the fuel permeable material to form carbon dioxide and water. 3. The fuel container as defined in claim 2 wherein said fuel permeable material is covered with a removable airtight overlay.4. The fuel container as defined in claim 2 wherein said air-tight overlay is substantially comprised of at least one of the following: metallic foil or tape.5. The fuel container as defined in claim 4 wherein said air-tight overlay is impermeable to fuel and is bonded to the fuel container housing such that neither fuel nor oxygen substantially passes between the fuel container and the ambient environment, when said airtight overlay is in place.6. The fuel container as defined in claim 5 wherein said airtight overlay is puncturable by manual or automatic mechanisms such that oxygen is introduced into the fuel reservoir, causing oxidation of the fuel when said airtight overlay is punctured.7. The fuel container as defined in claim 2 wherein said catalyst is selected from the group consisting of platinum, platinum/ruthenium, and platinum/ruthenium blends.8. The fuel container as defined in claim 2 wherein said catalyst is an enzyme that breaks down methanol in the presence of oxygen.9. The fuel container as defined in claim 8 wherein said enzyme is comprised at least in part of a combination of one or more of the following: alcohol dehydrogenase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, or formate dehydrogenase with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide as a cofactor.10. A fuel storage container for use with a direct oxidation fuel cell system, the container comprising:a container housing enclosing a fuel reservoir, at least a portion of said housing being composed of a substantially oxygen permeable material that is coated with a catalyst on an aspect thereof facing an interior of the container; and an airtight seal layer disposed on the outside of said housing over the oxygen permeable material, such that upon removal of said airtight seal, oxygen enters the fuel reservoir and a catalytic reaction with fuel occurs within the fuel reservoir. 11. The fuel storage container as defined in claim 10 wherein said oxygen permeable material is also liquid impermeable.12. A direct oxidation fuel cell system including a direct oxidation fuel cell, the system comprising:a fuel cartridge, having a aperture, at least a portion of which is substantially comprised of a catalyst-coated fuel permeable material; a sealing element coupled with the catalyst-coated fuel permeable material; and a fuel cell housing including an interface adapted to receive said fuel cartridge and upon coupling of said fuel cartridge to said interface, fuel is delivered from the fuel cartridge to the fuel cell, and said interface including a removal mechanism that engages the sealing element of said fuel cartridge when said fuel cartridge is de-coupled from the housing in such a manner that the remaining fuel in the fuel cartridge is exposed to air and is substantially catalyzed. 13. The fuel cell system as defined in claim 12 wherein said removal mechanism includes a catch member, and said sealing element includes a tab such that when said fuel cartridge is de-coupled from the housing, the catch member engages the tab to separate the sealing element from the cartridge, exposing the catalyst-coated fuel permeable material to air, substantially catalyzing remaining fuel within the cartridge.14. The fuel cell system as defined in claim 12 wherein said fuel cartridge includes a sliding mechanism having a first position forming a seal over the catalyst coated fuel permeable material, and a second position, in which it allows air access to said fuel permeable material.15. The fuel cell system as defined in claim 14 further comprisingan actuator coupled with said sliding mechanism which, upon removal of said cartridge from said fuel cell system, said actuator causes said sliding mechanism to move to said second position, thereby exposing the fuel permeable material to air. 16. A direct oxidation fuel cell system, comprising:a direct oxidation fuel cell; a fuel source coupled with said direct oxidation fuel cell; and an effluent waste chamber disposed in fluidic communication with said fuel such that said chamber receives waste liquid from said fuel cell, that includes fuel or diluted fuel, said effluent waste chamber having an aperture, covered with a substantially fuel permeable material at least a portion of which is coated with a catalyst, such that when said fuel permeable material is exposed to ambient air, liquid waste is substantially oxidatively decomposed while remaining within said fuel cell system. 17. A method for removal and oxidative/decomposition of fuel in a fuel container, including the steps of:providing a fuel container having an aperture that is covered with a fuel permeable material; covering at least a portion of the fuel permeable material with a catalyst; and promoting catalysis of unreacted fuel on said catalyst by exposing said fuel permeable material portion to ambient air. 18. The method as defined in claim 17 including the further step of:sealing the fuel permeable material so that the fuel is not catalyzed while the seal is in place. 19. The method as defined in claim 18 including the further step of:sensing a fuel level in said fuel container. 20. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step of:rupturing said seal to allow air access to said fuel permeable material to substantially catalyze remaining fuel, when said fuel level reaches a predetermined level.