Patent ID: 8007958

Claim:
A product comprising: a polymer electrolyte membrane comprising a first face and a second face; a cathode electrode over the first face of the polymer electrolyte membrane; a first gas diffusion media layer over the cathode electrode; a first porous carbon cloth or mat layer that does not include any hydrophobic material therein over the first gas diffusion media layer, and wherein the first porous carbon cloth or mat layer includes polar functional groups or physical features that render the porous carbon cloth or mat layer hydrophilic; an anode electrode over the second face of the polymer electrolyte membrane; a second gas diffusion media layer over the anode electrode a second porous carbon cloth or mat layer that does not include any hydrophobic material therein over the second gas diffusion media layer, and wherein the first porous carbon cloth or mat layer includes polar functional groups or physical features that render the porous carbon cloth or mat layer hydrophilic; a first fuel cell bipolar plate comprising a first face and a reactant gas flow field defined in the first face, the reactant gas flow field comprising a plurality of lands and channels, wherein the channels do not include a hydrophilic coating thereon, and wherein the first fuel cell bipolar plate overlies the first porous carbon cloth or mat layer; and a second fuel cell bipolar plate comprising a first face and a reactant gas flow field defined in the first face, the reactant gas flow field comprising a plurality of lands and channels, wherein the channels do not include a hydrophilic coating thereon, and wherein the second fuel cell bipolar plate overlies the second porous carbon cloth or mat layer.