Patent ID: 7413826

Claim:
An anode electrode for use in a fuel cell, comprising a stacked structure including, in sequence: (a) a catalyst layer; (b) a hydrophobic, microporous layer (“MPL”); (c) a porous gas diffusion layer (“GDL”); and (d) an anode plate with at least one recessed fuel supply/gas exhaust channel formed in a surface thereof facing said GDL; wherein said stacked structure further comprises: (e) at least one hydrophobic region distinct from said MPL, said at least one hydrophobic region aligned in vertical registry with recessed surface areas of said anode plate defined by said at least one recessed channel and located at an interface between said GDL and said MPL, said at least one recessed channel forming a serpentine path in said surface of said anode plate extending from a fuel supply inlet to a fuel/gas exhaust outlet, said at least one hydrophobic region being a single region extending continuously along said serpentine path from said fuel supply inlet to said fuel/gas exhaust outlet, a width dimension of said single region progressively decreasing along said serpentine path from said fuel supply inlet to said fuel/gas exhaust outlet.