Patent ID: 7521145

Claim:
A method of fabricating a fuel activation assembly for use in a fuel cell, the fuel cell comprising a first cell compartment for containing a reactant and a second cell compartment for containing an oxidant, wherein the fuel activation assembly is disposed between the first cell compartment and the second cell compartment so as to activate the reactant for producing protons in the first cell compartment and for channeling the protons to the second cell compartment, said method comprising the steps of: providing a substantially planar substrate in the fuel cell, the substrate having a first surface facing the first cell compartment and an opposing second surface facing the second cell compartment, the substrate having a plurality of apertures made through the first surface and the second surface, wherein each of the apertures has a step-like recess; and securely attaching a plurality of membrane electrode assembly segments to the substrate over the apertures such that each of the membrane electrode assembly segments is attached in the recess of one aperture so that each membrane electrode assembly segment can be independently and separately replaced if needed, and wherein each membrane electrode assembly segment comprises a proton-exchange membrane sandwiched between two activation layers, wherein each membrane electrode assembly segment has a first side and an opposing second side, the second side adjacent to the second cell compartment, the first side adjacent to the first cell compartment for activating the reactant in order to produce the protons and for channeling at least part of the protons from the first cell compartment to the second cell compartment via the apertures through the membrane electrode assembly segments.