Electrode containing nanostructured thin catalytic layers and method of making

A method of fabricating a catalyst coated membrane comprising:

• providing an electrocatalyst decal comprising a carrying substrate having a nanostructured thin catalytic layer thereon, the nanostructured thin catalytic layer having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the nanostructured thin catalytic layer adjacent to the carrying substrate;
• providing a porous transfer substrate with an adjacent adhesive layer;
• adhering the second surface of the nanostructured thin catalytic layer adjacent to the adhesive layer to form a composite structure;
• removing the carrying substrate from the composite structure such that a residual layer formed on the first surface of the nanostructured thin catalytic layer of the electrocatalyst decal becomes exposed;
• and
• removing the adhesive layer from the composite structure and further removing the residual layer from the composite structure to form a reconstructed electrode decal comprising the porous transfer substrate and the nanostructured thin catalytic layer, wherein the second surface of the nanostructured thin catalytic layer is adjacent to the porous transfer substrate;
• providing a proton exchange membrane;
• and
• transferring the nanostructured thin catalytic layer from the electrode decal to a first surface of the proton exchange membrane after the residual layer has been removed from the composite structure, the first surface of the nanostructured thin catalytic layer being adjacent to the first surface of the proton exchange membrane.