Selectively coated bipolar plates for water management and freeze start in PEM fuel cells

A fuel cell comprising;

• a first flow field plate having a first surface defining a first plurality of channels, each channel having a first active area region and a first inactive area region, the first active area being an interior section of the fuel cell at which electrochemical reactions are occurring characterized by presence of catalyst layers and the first inactive area being peripheral to active area region characterized by absence of catalyst layers;
• a hydrophilic layer disposed only over the first active area region, wherein the hydrophilic layer has a surface energy greater than about 50 dyne/cm and a contact angle less than 50 degrees;
• a hydrophobic layer disposed only over the first inactive area region wherein the hydrophobic layer has a surface energy less than about 40 dyne/cm and a contact angle greater than 50 degrees;
• a second flow field plate having a second surface defining a second plurality of channels, each channel having a second active area region and a second inactive area region;
• and
• a membrane electrode assembly interposed between the first and second flow field plates, the membrane electrode assembly including:
• a polymeric ion conductive membrane;
• cathode catalyst layer;
• and
• anode catalyst layer.