Patent ID: 7166382

Claim:
An electrochemical cell system, comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode; a membrane disposed between and in intimate contact with the first electrode and the second electrode; a first flow field in fluid communication with the first electrode, wherein the first electrode is disposed on a first side of the membrane; a second flow field in fluid communication with the second electrode, wherein the second electrode is disposed on a second side of the membrane opposite the first side; and a porous flow field member in fluid communication with the first flow field, wherein the porous flow field member comprises a porous support; wherein the porous support has a graded hydrophilicity, a combination of a graded hydrophobicity and graded porosity, or a combination of a graded hydrophilicity and graded porosity, and wherein the porous support is integrated with a polymer or a combination of a polymer and an electrically conductive material, wherein the polymer is an elastomer, and wherein the elastomer is threaded, woven, or stitched within the porous support; and wherein the porous support is a screen, a perforated sheet, a pierced sheet, a sintered metal cloth, an etched sheet, a felt, or a woven mesh comprising a material selected from the group consisting of niobium, zirconium, tantalum, titanium, nickel, cobalt, steel, mixtures comprising at least one of the foregoing materials, and alloys comprising at least one of the foregoing materials.