Methods of forming fuel cell layers

A method for forming an electrically conductive path, comprising:

• at least one of obtaining and providing a planar substrate having a first and second major face, the substrate comprising at least one ionically conductive region;
• making at least one aperture in the at least one ionically conductive region of the planar substrate, wherein the aperture extends between the first and second faces, wherein substantially none of the planar substrate is removed during aperture formation;
• and
• disposing an electrically conductive material in the aperture to give an electrically conductive path comprising the electrically conductive material, wherein the electrically conductive path extends between the first and second face;
• wherein the electrically conductive material is a thread which is disposed by a sewing technique, said thread comprising a plurality of fibers
• wherein the electrically conductive path is sealed to the substrate such that the substrate is substantially gas-tight between the first and second face;
• wherein the disposing by a sewing technique provides a first exposed portion of the thread on the first major face and a second exposed portion of the thread on the second major face, and
• wherein the method further comprises cutting the first and second exposed portions to create a discrete electrically conductive path within each aperture having multiple exposed fiber ends.

A method for forming an electrically conductive path, comprising:

• at least one of obtaining and providing a planar ion-conducting substrate having first and second major faces and a first volume, the substrate comprising at least one ionically conductive region;
• forming at least one aperture in the at least one ionically conductive region of the planar substrate, the aperture extending between the first and second faces and defining a punctured planar substrate having a second volume substantially the same as the first volume;
• and
• disposing an electrically conductive material in the aperture of the punctured planar substrate, to give the electrically conductive path extending between the first and second face;
• wherein the planar substrate comprises an upper first volume that includes the first major face, and a lower first volume that includes the second major face, and
• wherein the punctured planar substrate comprises an upper second volume that includes that first major face and that corresponds to the upper first volume, and a lower second volume that includes the second major face and that corresponds to the lower first volume,
• wherein the first upper volume is substantially the same as the second upper volume,
• wherein the first lower volume is substantially the same as the second lower volume;
• wherein the electrically conductive path is sealed to the substrate such that the substrate is substantially gas-tight between the first and second face;
• wherein the electrically conductive material is a thread which is disposed by a sewing technique, said thread comprising a plurality of fibers
• wherein the disposing by a sewing technique provides a first exposed portion of the thread on the first major face and a second exposed portion of the thread on the second major face, and
• wherein the method further comprises cutting the first and second exposed portions to create a discrete electrically conductive path within each aperture having multiple exposed fiber ends.