Process of manufacturing a catalyst-coated membrane-seal assembly

A process for the manufacture of a catalyst-coated membrane-seal assembly, said process comprising the steps of:

• (i) providing a carrier material;
• (ii-i) forming a first layer, said first layer being formed by:
• (a) depositing a first catalyst component onto the carrier material such that the first catalyst component is deposited in discrete regions;
• (b) drying the first layer;
• (ii-ii) forming a second layer, said second layer being formed by:
• (a) depositing a first seal component, such that the first seal component provides a picture frame pattern having a continuous region and void regions, the continuous region comprising first seal component and the void regions being free from first seal component;
• (b) depositing a first ionomer component onto the first layer, such that the first ionomer component is deposited in discrete regions;
• and
• (c) drying the second layer;
• wherein the void regions of the first seal component are centrally positioned over the discrete regions of the first ionomer component;
• wherein the discrete regions of the first ionomer component are centrally positioned over the discrete regions of the first catalyst component;
• and
• wherein steps (ii-ii)(a) and (ii-ii)(b) are carried out in either order;
• (iii) removing the carrier material.