TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - CERAMICS AND GLASS - Preferred Materials: Preferred supports are as follows:(A) porous ceramic material which has a porosity of 20-60 (especially 30-35)% and average pore diameter of not less than 20 (not less than 250) nm and contains over 50 wt.% Al2O3, Si carbide or nitride or Zr oxide, preferably as fibers or filaments of diameter 0.5-150 (0.5-20) microns and/or yarn of diameter 5-150 (10-70) microns, especially 5-500 (10-200) microns mesh woven fabric or 5-100 (10-30) microns thick nonwoven;(B) aluminosilicate glass containing not less than 60 wt.% SiO2 and not less than 10 wt.% Al2O3; preferably 64-66 wt.% SiO2, 24-25 wt.% Al2O3, 9-12 wt.% magnesium oxide (MgO) and less than 0.2 wt.% calcium, sodium, potassium and/or ferric oxide(s) (CaO, Na2O, K2O, Fe2O3);(C) alumina fibers or filaments with 0-30% Si oxide.The thickness of the composite is 5-150 microns, preferably 10-80 (10-50) microns for woven and 5-50 (10-30) microns for nonwoven.Preferred proton nonconductors for the diffusion barrier are Al, Zr, Si and/or Ti oxide(s).    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Membrane: Both sides of the electrolyte membrane have a diffusion barrier, which may consist of polymeric, organic and/or inorganic proton conductor, including composites of polymeric and inorganic materials and/or material(s) without proton-conducting properties. The diffusion barrier is less than 5 microns (10-1000 nm) thick. The membrane is stable up to at least 80 (120) degrees C. It is flexible and tolerates a bending radius down to preferably 20 (5) mm without damage. At room temperature and at most 45 % relative humidity, its conductivity is not less than 2 (not less than 17) mS/cm.The material making the membrane proton-conducting comprises an immobilized acid (I) and optionally an Al, Si, Ti, Zr and/or P oxide (IV) and/or a Bronsted acid (V) and (IV) as network former.Preferred (V) are sulfuric, phosphoric, perchloric, nitric, hydrochloric, sulfurous and phosphorous acid and their esters and/or monomeric or polymeric organic acids.Preferred Process: The membrane is made by infiltration with a mixture containing (I) or a mixture containing (V) and/or (I) and a sol of (IV) precursor, preferably prepared by hydrolysis of a hydrolyzable compound, especially in a mixture of water and alcohol, and peptization. Infiltration is carried out under pressure, by immersion or by rolling, spreading, spraying or casting the mixture on the support. Infiltration may be carried out repeatedly, optionally with drying (preferably at 50-200 degrees C) between stages.The coating mixture is applied, preferably to both sides, under pressure, by immersion or by rolling, spreading, spraying or casting.Application may be carried out repeatedly, optionally with drying (preferably at 50-200 degrees C) between stages. To make the membrane electrode array, the anode and cathode layers and membrane are bonded by pressing and heating to 50-300 (80-150) degrees C.The anode or cathode coating composition is applied to a temporary (PTFE) or permanent (carbon paper or electroconductive (non)woven fabric) support, dried and pressed onto the membrane at room temperature to 300 (80-150) degrees C. The temporary support is removed, preferably mechanically, by chemical dissolution or by pyrolysis.These coating compositions contain a catalyst metal salt, preferably hexachloroplatinic acid, which is reduced to a catalyst after application. An open-pored gas diffusion electrode (carbon paper) may be pressed onto the catalyst or bonded to it with an electroconductive adhesive. The coatings may be applied (continuously) to a (preheated) flexible electrolyte or support membrane taken from a roll. The coatings and membrane are bonded by consolidation by heating to 50-300 (80-150) degrees C, preferably with warm or hot air, infrared radiation or microwave radiation.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: Preferred proton conductors for the diffusion barrier include sulfonic or phosphonic acids, Zr and Ti phosphates, sulfoarylphosphonates and phosphonates and mixtures of these.Preferred Coating: Preferred water- and methanol-insoluble outer coatings for the membrane include Zr and Ti phosphates, phosphonates and sulfoarylphosphonates and mixtures of organic and inorganic proton conductors.Preferred Composition: Suitable condensable components (II) include a hydrolyzable P compound, a hydrolyzable metal(loid) (oxy)nitrate, (oxy)chloride, carbonate, alcoholate, acetate or acetylacetonate, preferably Al or vanadium (V) alcoholate, Ti propylate or ethylate, Zr (oxy)nitrate, propylate, acetate or acetylacetonate; metal acids of Al, Ti, V, antimony (Sb), tin (Sn), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo) and manganese (Mn), especially phosphotungstic acid; and compounds (I).The catalyst (precursor) (III) is a platinum metal, especially platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd) and/or ruthenium (Ru) or an alloy of these, optionally with a transition metal complex of (substituted) phthalocyanine as cocatalyst.Preferred other components are carbon black, graphite, carbon, activated charcoal or metal oxides as electroconductive catalyst support; and (in)organic compounds decomposing at 50-300 (100-200) degrees C, especially ammonium (bi)carbonate, as pore formers.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: Acid (I) is an organosilicon compound of formula (IA) or (IB):(((RO)y(R2)z)aSi(R1-SO3-)a)xMx+ (IA) (((RO)y(R2)z)aSi(R1-Ob-P(OcR3)O2-)a)xMx+ (IB)R1 = linear or branched 1-12 C alkyl or alkylene, 5-8 C cycloalkyl, -(CH2)n-Cyc-(CH2)m- or -(CH2)n-Phe-(CH2)m-Cyc = cyclohexylenePhe = phenylenen, m = 0-6M = H, NH4 or a metalx = 1-4y, a = 1-3z = 0-2y+z = 4-ab, c = 0 or 1R, R2 = (m)ethyl, propyl, butyl or HR3 = M, (m)ethyl, propyl or butylPreferred (I) are trihydroxysilylpropylsulfonic acid, trihydroxysilylpropylmethylphosphonic acid and dihydroxysilylpropyl-sulfonic di-acid. (I) is immobilized with a hydrolyzed P compound, a hydrolyzed metal(loid) (oxy)nitrate, (oxy)chloride, carbonate, alcoholate, acetate or acetylacetonate, a hydrolyzed compound obtained from diethyl phosphite, diethyl ethylphosphonate, Ti propylate, Ti ethylate, tetraethyl orthosilicate or tetramethyl orthosilicate, Zr (oxy)nitrate, Zr propylate, Zr acetate, Zr acetylacetonate, methyl phosphate or with precipitated silica.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: Preferred proton conductors for the diffusion barrier include Nafion (TM), sulfonated or phosphonated polyphenylsulfone, polyimide, polyoxazole, polytriazole, polybenzimidazole, polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) and polyether-ketone (PEK). EXAMPLE - 120 g titanium tetraisopropylate were stirred with 140 g deionized ice until a fine precipitate formed, then 100 g 25 % hydrochloric acid were added and stirring was continued until the mixture became clear. 280 g alumina CT3000SG (TM) were added and aggregates were broken up by stirring for several days, giving a suspension. A 10 microns thick nonwoven of alumina fibers was treated with a zirconium nitrate sol (30 wt.% ZrO2) and tempered at 200 degrees C to bond the ceramic fibers. It was then coated with the suspension and dried (10 seconds with air at 550 degrees C). The inorganic, permeable composite was immersed in a solution of 5 % Degussa Silan 285 (TM) (a propylsulfonic acid-triethoxysilane) and 20 % deionized water in 75 % ethanol, which had been stirred at room temperature for 1 hour before use. After draining, the composite was dried at 80-150 degrees C, giving an electrolyte membrane.