A fuel cell layer, comprising: one or more fuel cells, disposed adjacently so as to form a substantially planar layer, the one or more fuel cells including: a composite including an ion conducting component and two or more electron conducting components disposed adjacently; anode and cathode electrode catalyst coatings (116A, 116C) that are each in ionic contact with the ion conducting component and in electrical contact with at least one of the electron conducting components, each electrode catalyst coating including an inner surface and an outer surface; a performance enhancing layer (152A, 152C) comprising one or more electrically conductive materials, at least one of the electrically conductive materials comprising particles which are morphologically anisotropic and oriented to impart in the layer an anisotropic conductivity that is greater in a first direction that is in the plane of the layer than a second direction that is perpendicular to the plane of the layer, characterized in that the performance enhancing layer is disposed in contact with an inner or outer surface of one of the electrode catalyst coatings, wherein the performance enhancing layer provides an electrically conductive pathway to or from the associated electron conducting component. one or more fuel cells, disposed adjacently so as to form a substantially planar layer, the one or more fuel cells including: a composite including an ion conducting component and two or more electron conducting components disposed adjacently; anode and cathode electrode catalyst coatings (116A, 116C) that are each in ionic contact with the ion conducting component and in electrical contact with at least one of the electron conducting components, each electrode catalyst coating including an inner surface and an outer surface; a performance enhancing layer (152A, 152C) comprising one or more electrically conductive materials, at least one of the electrically conductive materials comprising particles which are morphologically anisotropic and oriented to impart in the layer an anisotropic conductivity that is greater in a first direction that is in the plane of the layer than a second direction that is perpendicular to the plane of the layer, characterized in that the performance enhancing layer is disposed in contact with an inner or outer surface of one of the electrode catalyst coatings, wherein the performance enhancing layer provides an electrically conductive pathway to or from the associated electron conducting component. a composite including an ion conducting component and two or more electron conducting components disposed adjacently; anode and cathode electrode catalyst coatings (116A, 116C) that are each in ionic contact with the ion conducting component and in electrical contact with at least one of the electron conducting components, each electrode catalyst coating including an inner surface and an outer surface; a performance enhancing layer (152A, 152C) comprising one or more electrically conductive materials, at least one of the electrically conductive materials comprising particles which are morphologically anisotropic and oriented to impart in the layer an anisotropic conductivity that is greater in a first direction that is in the plane of the layer than a second direction that is perpendicular to the plane of the layer, characterized in that the performance enhancing layer is disposed in contact with an inner or outer surface of one of the electrode catalyst coatings, wherein the performance enhancing layer provides an electrically conductive pathway to or from the associated electron conducting component.