Hydrophobic fuel cell electrode

A membrane electrode assembly comprising a pair of electrodes and an ion exchange membrane having opposed major surfaces positioned between the electrodes, at least one of the electrodes being formed of a sheet of a compressed mass of expanded graphite particles having a plurality of transverse fluid channels passing through the sheet between first and second parallel, opposed surfaces of the sheet in a selected pattern, the channels being separated by walls of compressed expandable graphite, the walls formed on one of the opposed surfaces abutting the ion exchange membrane, wherein the sheet is treated by a water resistant additive in order to render it more hydrophobic than an untreated sheet and the ion exchange membrane has catalyst selectively loaded on at least one of its opposed major surfaces.

A process for producing an electrode for an electrochemical fuel cell, comprising providing a sheet of a compressed mass of expanded graphite particles having first and second parallel, opposed surfaces, and treating the sheet with a water resistant additive in order to render it more hydrophobic than an untreated sheet.