Patent ID: 7935453

Claim:
A unitized electrode assembly for a fuel cell having an active region and a feed region, the comprising: an electrolyte membrane disposed between a pair of electrodes, the electrolyte membrane and the pair of electrodes disposed between a pair of diffusion media and configured to be disposed at the active region of the fuel cell, wherein the electrolyte membrane is configured to not extend substantially into the feed region; and a barrier layer coupled to the electrolyte membrane, the barrier layer configured to be disposed at the feed region of the fuel cell, wherein the pair of diffusion media includes a first diffusion medium and a second diffusion medium, the barrier layer disposed in-line with the first diffusion medium and on the second diffusion medium, and wherein the barrier layer does not overlap with the first diffusion medium, an end of the barrier layer terminates adjacent an end of the first diffusion medium, and a surface of the barrier layer abuts the second diffusion medium.