Patent ID: 7049024

Claim:
Method for making a membrane electrode assembly comprising: providing an elongate proton exchange membrane (“PEM”) film having a front side and a back side; depositing a first catalyst material on the front side of the PEM film to form cathode regions in a repeating cell pattern; depositing a second catalyst material on the back side of the PEM film to form anode regions in the repeating cell pattern; providing an elongate support film with perforations in perforation regions corresponding to the repeating cell pattern; depositing electron conductor material onto the support film to form conductor regions in the repeating cell pattern on the perforation regions and electrical contact nubs that are connected to the conductor regions; providing an adhesive film with pre-cut apertures in the repeating cell pattern; and assembling the support and adhesive films on the front and back sides of the PEM film such that the anode and cathode regions on the PEM film are substantially aligned with the perforation regions and the electron conductor regions on the support films, thereby forming a plurality of the unit cells that are spaced from one another and are connected electrically by the electrical contact nubs.