TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRONICS - Preferred Method: The etching step is performed using an etchant consisting of wet anisotropic etchants, wet isotropic elements, plasma anisotropic etchants, and/or plasma isotropic etchants; applying a mask to the first or second face of the substrate before etching a flow channel from the masked face; patterning the mask by photolithography before step of etching the flow channel from the first or second face; and coating the first channel with a reforming catalyst. The costing step involves sputter deposition, chemical vapor deposition, evaporation, electroplating, and/or solution deposition. The method also involves creating a conduit that passes through the substrate, by etching or a combination of etching and bonding, drilling, abrasive machining, laser machining, or laser ablation. It further involves creating a resistive element within the bulk of the bipolar plate or on the surface of the bipolar plate, and is adapted to heat the bipolar plate. The resistive element is created by photolithography, wet etching, plasma etching, ion implantation, high temperature diffusion, boron concentration dependent etching, electrochemical etching, bonding, lift off, spin coating, dip coating, sputter deposition, evaporation, electroplating, solution deposition, and/or chemical vapor deposition. The method further involves micromachining a sensor from the bulk of the substrate or on the surface of the substrate. The micromachining step is performed by photolithography, wet etching, plasma etching, boron concentration dependent etching, electrochemical etching, bonding, lift off spin coating, dip coating, sputter deposition, evaporation, electroplating, solution deposition, and/or chemical vapor deposition.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The substrate comprises semiconductors, graphite, and metals.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The substrate comprises semiconductors, graphite, and metals.