Current collector for use in a fuel cell

[0030]This disclosure of the invention is submitted in furtherance of the constitutional purposes of the U.S. Patent Laws “to promote the progress of science and useful arts” (Article 1, Section 8).

[0031]FIG. 1 is a greatly enlarged, perspective, exploded view of a membrane electrode diffusion layer assembly 10 and associated current collectors which employs the teachings of the present invention. The membrane electrode diffusion layer assembly (MEDLA) is received within, or made integral with, an ion exchange membrane fuel cell module such as what is depicted in FIGS. 11 and / or 12, the features of which will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter. The current collectors employed with the MEDLA will also be discussed in later paragraphs. For purposes of the present discussion, however, the MEDLA 10, as will be disclosed below, is useful in fuel cells which operate at temperatures of less than about 300° C. Consequently, this invention is not useful in solid oxide fuel cell design