TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Method: (P1) Further involves fabricating around at least a portion of a perimeter of the ion exchange layer a performance enhancing layer to form the ion exchange membrane. The casting and drying include web coating the solution containing the performance enhancing unit. Fabricating includes hot pressing the ion exchange layer, laminating the ion exchange layer, molding the performance enhancing layer to the ion exchange layer or adhering the ion exchange layer to the performance enhancing layer. The performance enhancing layer is a perimeter strengthening material.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The conductivity imparting unit includes an ion conducting moiety selected from sulfonic acid or derivatives, phosphonic acid or derivatives, carboxylic acid or derivatives, heterocycles such as imidazole, benzimidazole, and/or pyrazole. The stability imparting unit includes a crosslinking agent selected from (meth)acrylates, alkenes, alkynes, epoxides, amines, amine derivatives, fumarates, maleates, and/or maleimides. The stability imparting unit includes a blocking agent selected from branched hydrocarbon chains, long or bulky hydrocarbon groups, branched long fluorocarbon chains, and/or bulky fluorocarbon groups. The stability imparting unit includes an antioxidizing agent selected from phosphates, phosphate esters, phosphonic acid or derivatives phosphonic acid, and/or metal chelating agents. The performance enhancing component is a filler selected from fibers, inorganic or organic additives. The ion exchange membrane includes first component and a second component which includes at least one member selected from filler, porous matrix and a perimeter strengthening material.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The first layer includes a proton exchange membrane (P1). The ion exchange membrane further comprises a filler which includes at least one member selected from fibers (preferably silica, alumina, polyethylene, polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, polysulfones, polyphenylenes, polyetherketone (PEK), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketone-ketone (PEKK), polyetheretherketone-ketone (PEEKK), polyether sulfone (PES), polybenzimidazole, liquid crystal polymer (LCP), polycarbonate, polyurethane, and polysiloxane), inorganic additives (preferably clays, zeolites, heteropoly acids, phosphonic acids, metal oxides, transition metals derivatives, and phosphate materials) and organic additives (preferably carboxylic acids, organophosphorous compounds, hindered phenols, and thioesters). Perimeter strengtheners further comprises a porous matrix includes at least one member selected from fluorinated polymer, PE, polypropylene, PTFE, PVDF, polysulfone, polyimide, polyphenylene, polyphenylene oxide, polyphenylene sulfoxide, polyphenylene sulfide, polyparaphenylene, polyphenylquinoxaline, polyarylketone, PEK, PEEK, PEKK, PEEKK, polyetherketoneetherketone-ketone (PEKEKK), PES, polybenzazole, polybenzimidazole, polyamid polymers, LCP, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, Nylon, Nylon 66, polyurethane, and polysiloxane. The polymer repeat unit further comprises a delinking agent attached to at least one of the property imparting unit, the delinking agent includes at least one member selected from C-C bond, CH2, CH3, CF2, CF3, Si, O, S, and/or functional groups aromatic residues. EXAMPLE - An ion exchange membrane was prepared as follows: Polymer (50 g) was dissolved in an aprotic solvent (500 ml) e.g. dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), and the resulting solution was pressure filtered. The polymer concentration in the solution was then adjusted to about 20 wt.% by evaporating the aprotic solvent. The membranes were prepared by web casting the resulting polymer solution, dried at about 100degreesC for about 3 hours and then at 130degreesC for about 6 hours.