Patent ID: 8057938

Claim:
A structural fuel cell assembly that is included as a structural element in a device into which the structural fuel assembly is incorporated, the structural fuel cell assembly comprising: a first, electrically conductive, electrode plate comprised of a porous open-cell material; a second, electrically conductive, electrode plate comprised of a porous open-cell material; a proton conductive membrane assembly disposed between said first electrically conductive electrode plate and said second electrically conductive electrode plate[s]; and a skin which encloses said first electrically conductive plate and said second electrically conductive electrode plate[s] and the membrane disposed therebetween, wherein the flexural strength of the combination of the first electrically conductive electrode plate, the second electrically conductive electrode plate, the membrane assembly, and the skin is between 0.1 MPa and 1000 MPa, and the flexural stiffness of the combination of the first electrically conductive electrode plate, the second electrically conductive electrode plate, the membrane assembly, and the skin is between 0.1 GPa and 100 GPa.