NOVELTY - A proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell having at least one cell comprises oxidation-resistant and acid-resistant hyperconductive surface layer on the current collector and engaging the media. The hyperconductive surface layer has a second conductivity greater than the first conductivity for shunting electrical current passing through the media into surface layer to such of filler as resides at interface between surface layer and composite.    USE - For use as power source for electric vehicles.    ADVANTAGE - The hyperconductive surface layer has a resistivity at least one order of magnitude less than the underlying composite, preferably greater than or equal to100 times less than the underlying composite, and serves to reduce the contact resistance between the polymer composite material and the diffusion media by shunting electrical current passing through the media to the conductive particles in the polymer composite that reside at the interface between the surface layer and the composite. The invention is seen to be most beneficial at low (i.e. less than 150 psi) stack compression pressures, but is effective at high (i.e. greater than 200 psi) stack compression pressures, especially with polymer composites having conductive particle loadings less than 70 vol.%.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - A PEM fuel cell having at least one cell comprises a pair of opposite polarity electrodes each having a first face exposed to a fuel cell reactant and a second face engaging a membrane-electrolyte interjacent the electrodes; a porous, electrically-conductive media engaging the first face for distributing the reactant over, and conducting electrical current from, the first face; and a current collector engaging the media for conducting electrical current from the medium. The current collector comprises a composite (94) having a first conductivity and comprising corrosion-proof, electrically conductive filler dispersed throughout an oxidation-resistant and acid-resistant, water-insoluble polymeric matrix. The fuel cell comprises an oxidation-resistant and acid-resistant hyperconductive surface layer (100, 102) on the current collector and engaging the media. The hyperconductive surface layer has a second conductivity greater than the first conductivity for shunting electrical current passing through the media into the surface layer to such of the filler as resides at the interface between the surface layer and the composite, and thus reducing the contact resistance that would exist between the composite and the media absent the surface layer.    An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is also included for making a current collector for a fuel cell comprising forming the current collector at least in part from a composite material having a first conductivity and comprising corrosion-proof, electrically-conductive filler dispersed throughout an oxidation-resistant and acid-resistant, polymeric matrix and adhering a quantity of electrically conductive particles to a surface of the composite material to provide the surface with a conductivity greater than the first conductivity.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure is a magnified sectioned view of a bi-polar plate.    Working face (59)    Spacer sheet (62)    Ridges (76)    Composite (94)    Passivating metal (96)    Oxidation-resistant and acid-resistant hyperconductive surface layer (100, 102)