Patent ID: 8206871

Claim:
A fuel cell assembly comprising: a plurality of fuel cells arranged in a stack; a first terminal plate disposed at a first end of the stack of said fuel cells; a second terminal plate disposed at a second end of the stack of said fuel cells; an insulating layer disposed between one of said fuel cells and said first terminal plate to provide a thermal barrier therebetween; and a first end fuel cell and a second end fuel cell, said first end fuel cell disposed adjacent said first terminal plate and said second end fuel cell disposed adjacent said second terminal plate, wherein said first end fuel cell, said second end fuel cell, and said fuel cells include an electrolyte membrane disposed therein; wherein the electrolyte membranes disposed in said first end fuel cell and said second end fuel cell have a thickness of at least about 1.2 times to about 1.5 times an average membrane thickness of the electrolyte membranes disposed in said fuel cells.