Patent ID: 8048586

Claim:
A fuel cell stack, comprising: a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) having an electrolyte membrane disposed between a cathode electrode and an anode electrode; current collectors respectively disposed in the cathode electrode and the anode electrode of the MEA, wherein each current collector is electrically connected to a current collector of an adjacent MEA such that electrical paths between each current collector and the current collector of the adjacent MEA are formed; a non-conductive separation plate disposed between the MEA and the adjacent MEA, such that flow channels are formed in parallel, on opposing sides of the non-conductive separation plate, to supply fluids to the cathode electrode of the MEA and an anode electrode of the adjacent MEA, and diffusion layers, each diffusion layer being between one of the current collectors and the non-conductive separation plate, and each current collector being separated from the non-conductive separation plate by a respective diffusion layer.