Gas diffusion layer incorporating a gasket

A membrane electrode assembly (MEA), comprising:

• first and second subassemblies, each consisting essentially of:
• a gas diffusion layer (GDL);
• and
• a gasket bonded to the GDL, the gasket comprising:
• a first gasket layer;
• a second gasket layer comprising a gasket material in contact with the first gasket layer and the GDL, the gasket material bonding the first gasket layer to the GDL;
• and
• an adhesive layer disposed on an opposite surface of the first gasket layer;
• an electrolyte membrane arranged between the first and second subassemblies;
• a first catalyst layer between the first subassembly and the membrane;
• and
• a second catalyst layer between the second subassembly and the membrane.

A fuel cell stack, comprising:

• a membrane electrode assembly, comprising:
• first and second subassemblies, each consisting essentially of:
• a gas diffusion layer (GDL);
• a gasket bonded to the GDL, the gasket comprising:
• a first gasket layer;
• a second gasket layer comprising a gasket material in contact with the first gasket layer and the GDL, the gasket material bonding the first gasket layer to the GDL;
• and
• an adhesive layer disposed on an opposite surface of the first gasket layer;
• and
• a catalyst coated membrane between the first and second subassemblies;
• and
• first and second flow field plates, each flow field plate having an arrangement of flow channels, the flow field plates contacting the gasket of the first and the second subassemblies under compressive force.

A method of making a membrane electrode assembly, comprising:

• forming first and second gasketed gas diffusion layer (GDL) subassemblies, the formation of each subassembly comprising:
• cutting an aperture in a gasket comprising at least a first gasket layer having an adhesive layer thereon;
• positioning a gas diffusion layer over the aperture;
• placing a gasket material on the first gasket layer;
• and
• molding the first gasket layers, GDLs, and the flowable gasket material to achieve a bond between the first gasket layers and the GDL, the bond formed by the gasket material;
• and
• thereafter arranging a catalyst coated electrolyte membrane between the first and second gasketed GDL subassemblies.