TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Component: The fluid barrier is plated with a metal from gold, silver, copper, and/or platinum. The bipolar plate further comprises a first side of the fluid barrier having an anode flow field; a second side of the fluid barrier having a cathode flow field; a first gasket to provide a sealing surface between a first side of the sealing frame and a first membrane and electrode assembly; a second gasket to provide a sealing surface between a second side of the sealing frame and a second membrane and electrode assembly; and components from alignment pins, alignment holes, reinforcing liners for fluid passages, and/or fluid manifolds. The sealing frame is formed around the components. The anode flow field and the cathode flow field are attached to the fluid barrier before the sealing frame is formed around the perimeter. They are attached to the fluid barrier by methods from adhesives, sintering, and/or soldering. The anode or cathode flow field is chemically etched into the fluid barrier. The first and second gaskets are applied by print screening. They are incorporated into the sealing frame. The bipolar plate may comprise a gas barrier having a cathode side and an anode side, a cathode sealing frame adapted to receive a perimeter of the cathode side of the fluid barrier, and an anode sealing frame adapted to receive a perimeter of the anode side of the fluid barrier; or a cathode fluid barrier, an anode fluid barrier, the anode sealing frame adapted to receive a perimeter of an anode side of the anode fluid barrier; the cathode sealing frame adapted to receive a perimeter of a cathode side of the cathode fluid barrier, and a cooling frame adapted to receive a perimeter of a cathode side of the anode fluid barrier and a perimeter of the anode side of the cathode fluid barrier. The cathode and anode sealing frames are bonded together to form a fluid seal. An anode side of the cooling frame is bonded to the anode frame to form a fluid seal. The cathode side of the cooling frame is bonded to the cathode frame to form a fluid seal. The sealing frames are produced by a method from injection molding, compression molding, and/or machined. The cathode sealing frame and the anode sealing frame are bonded by a method from heat welding, chemical welding, and/or adhesives. The bipolar plate also includes a third gasket to provide a sealing surface between the cathode sealing frame and the anode sealing frame; and a cooling flow field parallel to and between the cathode and anode fluid barriers. The gasket(s) is an o-ring. It is incorporated into one of the sealing frames. It is applied by print screening. The fluid barrier does not extend to the components. The fluid barrier overlaps the anode and cathode sealing frames only at an adequate amount to create a fluid-tight seal. The cathode fluid barrier is of a different material than the anode fluid barrier. The cooling flow field is attached to the cathode or anode fluid barrier. It is attached by methods from adhesives, sintering, and/or soldering. The anode, cathode and cooling flow fields are formed of a material from expanded metal mesh, metal foam, conducting polymer foam, and/or porous conductive carbon material. The anode, cathode or cooling flow field is chemically etched into the cathode or anode fluid barrier.Preferred Method: The method further comprises bonding the anode flow field onto the anode side of the fluid barrier, and bonding the cathode flow field onto the cathode side of the fluid barrier; or etching the anode flow field onto the anode side of the fluid barrier, and etching the cathode flow field onto the cathode side of the fluid barrier.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The fluid barrier is metal; or a material from titanium, stainless steel, nickel, tantalum, niobium, or their alloys.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The fluid barrier is metal; or a material from titanium, stainless steel, nickel, tantalum, niobium, or their alloys.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Material: The anode flow field and the cathode flow field are formed of a material from expanded metal mesh, metal foam, conducting polymer foam, and/or porous conductive carbon material. Preferred Component: The polymer is a thermoplastic, a thermoset, and/or a reactive set. It is preferably polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinylidene difluoride, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyamides, polysulfone, polyetherketones, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyimides, polyurethanes, epoxies, and/or silicones. The selected polymer is mixed with filler that modifies the performance of the polymer. The filler is a diluent, or an aromatic polyamide fiber.