TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The ion-conducting aromatic polymer comprises wholly aromatic ion-conducting polymer. The ion conducting aromatic polymer comprises sulfonated, phosphonated, or carboxylated polyimide polymer. The sulfonated wholly-aromatic ion-conducting polymer comprises sulfonated derivative of polysulfone (PSU), polyphenyl sulfone (PPSU), polyphenylene oxide (PPO), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyphenylene sulfoxide (PPSO), polyphenylene sulfone (PPSO2), polyphenylene sulfide sulfone (PPS/SQ), polyparaphenylene (PPP), polyphenylquinoxaline (PPQ), polyarylketone (PK), polyether ketone (PEK), polybenzazole (PBZ), and/or polyaramid polymer. The polysulfone polymer comprises polyether sulfone (PES), polyether ether sulfone (PEES), polyaryl sulfone (PAS), polyarylether sulfone (PAES), PPSU, and/or PPSO2. The polybenzazole polymer comprises polybenzoxazole polymer. The polyether ketone polymer comprises PEK, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyether ether ketone-ketone (PEELL), and/or polyether ketone ether ketone-ketone (PEKEKK) polymer. The polyphenylene oxide polymer comprises 2,6-diphenyl PPO; 2,6-dimethyl PPO; and/or 1,4-polyphenylene oxide polymer. The ion-conducting material comprises polystyrene sulfonic acid (PSSA), poly(trifluorostyrene) sulfonic acid, polyvinyl phosphonic acid (PVPA), polyacrylic acid, and/or polyvinyl sulfonic acid (PVSA) polymer. The porous polymer substrate comprises homopolymer or copolymer of optionally substituted polybenzazole polymer. The ion conducting material comprises sulfonated derivative of homo- or copolymer of PSU, PPSO, and/or PPS/SO2 polymer. The polysulfone polymer comprises PES, and/or PPSU polymer. Preferred Methods: The polysulfone polymer is produced by condensation of (4.4'-dihalophenyl) sulfone, and/or sulfonated (4.4'-dihalophenyl) sulfone with optionally sulfonated 4,4'bisphenol biphenol, 4,4'-biphenyl biphenyl-dithiol, 1,4-hydroquinone, and/or 1,4-benzene dithiol. The (4.4'-dihalophenyl) sulfone monomer (greater than or equal to75, preferably 100%) is sulfonated at 3,3'-positions. The porous polymer substrate comprises micro infrastructure interpenetrated with ion-conducting material. The porous polymer substrate comprises extruded or cast film. The liquid crystalline polymer substrate comprises lyotropic liquid crystalline polymer. The lyotropic liquid crystalline polymer substrate comprises polybenzazole or polyaramid polymer. The polybenzazole polymer substrate comprises homo- or co-polymer of benzoxazole, polybenzothiazole, poly(diimidazo-pyridine), or polybenzimidazole polymer. The polyaramid polymer comprises homo- or co-polymer of polypara-phenylene terephthalamide polymer. The polybenzazole polymer substrate comprises alternating structure comprising optionally substituted phenyl or naphthyl group, and a repeat unit of benzoxazole, benzo thiazole, diimidazo-pyridine, or benzimidazole. The polysulfone polymer substrate comprises PES, PEES, PAS, or PPSO2. The polyimide polymer comprises polyether imide (PEI) polymer. The ion conducting material comprises antioxidants and sulfone cross linkages. The polysulfone polymer is a compound of structure (I) or (II).Ar1-Ar3 = 6-18C carbocyclic aromatic groups with 1-3 rings; its portion(s) are substituted with sulfonic acid residues;E1-E2 = O, S, or SO2;m = greater than or equal to1;n = 0-10;p = 2-10000;q = 1-3;andy-z = 0-4, a portion(s) of the s-y is not 0Preferred Properties: The SPEM is thermally stable to greater than or equal to100-greater than or equal to175250, preferably greater than or equal to120degreesC. The pore size of the porous polymer substrate is 10-20000, preferably 500-10000 Angstrom . The ion conducting material has ion conductivity of greater than 0.1, preferably 0.01-1 S/cm, and ion exchange capacity greater than 2.5, preferably 2.5-5 mill equivalents per gram. The SPEM has area specific resistance of 0.02-20, preferably less than 0.~2O.cm2, and thickness of 0.1-5, preferably 1 mil. The direct methanol fuel cell has methanol permeation rate of less than 50 mA/cm2 of equivalent density at 0.5V.