NOVELTY - The porous carbon component comprises electrically conductive graphite powder, carbon fiber and hydrophobic binder. The pores in the component are rendered partially hydrophilic by adding a compound onto interior surface of the pores. The compound comprises metal oxide, hydroxide, oxyhydroxide, oxyhydroxide hydrate and/or oxide hydrate compound, and has water solubility of less than 10-6 moles/liter.    USE - Useful as water transport plate, reactant fluid separator plate, reactant flow field plate, electrode catalyst support layer, and end plate for fuel cells which are used for transportation vehicles, portable plants, or stationary power plants, and also for power electrical apparatus such as apparatus on-board space vehicles, or on-site generators for buildings.    ADVANTAGE - The porous carbon component exhibits favorable bubble pressure, water permeability, electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity, compressive and flexural strength to effectively serve as water transport plate, separator plate or related component of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell for long period of time. The porous carbon component is manufactured easily and inexpensively in a short period of time. The porous carbon component has high wettability, and has high durability. The degradation of the porous component during operation of the fuel cell for long period of time, is eliminated.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The porous carbon component for use in fuel cell (10) comprises (in weight%) electrically conductive graphite powder (40-60), carbon fiber (20-40) and hydrophobic binder (10-30). The carbon component has a mean pore size of above 2 microns and open porosity of above 25% of the component. The pores in the component are rendered partially hydrophilic by incorporating a hydrophilic rendering compound onto interior surface of the pores. The hydrophilic rendering compound comprises metal oxide, hydroxide, oxyhydroxide, oxyhydroxide hydrate and/or oxide hydrate compound, and has water solubility of less than 10-6 moles/liter. The porous carbon component has bubble pressure of above 5 pounds/sq.inch (34.47 Kpa), and is provided as anode and cathode water transport plates (12,14) in the fuel cell. The pores of the component are hydrophilic, and absorb water equivalent of 18-28% of the void volume of the component. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is also included for porous carbon component forming method.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows cross-sectional, schematic representation of the fuel cell comprising porous carbon component.    Fuel cell (10)    Anode and cathode water transport plates (12,14)