Patent ID: 6960403

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a plurality of polyimide layers wherein, at least one layer contains at least one resistive heater, at least one layer contains at least one microfluidic channel, at least one layer contains at least one anode manifold having a flowing means for a fuel to flow to an anode, wherein said flowing means comprise: (a) a fuel inlet, (b) a porous membrane, and (c) a fuel outlet, wherein said fuel inlet and said fuel outlet are configured such that said fuel flows horizontally through said fuel inlet, then vertically through said porous membrane to said anode, wherein whatever portion of fuel that does not flow vertically continues to flow horizontally through said fuel outlet, and wherein said porous membrane comprises a plastic material having pores with diameters less than 1 μm and a thickness ranging from 10-100 μm, at least one layer contains a cathode manifold having removing means for removing reaction by-products from a cathode; an MEA layer, wherein said MEA comprises an electrolyte sandwiched between said anode and said cathode; an electrical feedthrough extending through all layers; and a fuel feedthrough extending through at least four of the layers to form a bonded polyimide microfluidic fuel cell system.