NOVELTY - A substrate surface is treated by placing the substrate in a process chamber, the surface of the substrate having a fluid contact angle; generating a plasma inside the chamber; and depositing a material layer having a wet etch rate of less than 0.03 Angstrom /minute in the presence of 10 ppm of hydrofluoric acid in water onto a portion of the surface from a mixture of precursors for the material layer to reduce the fluid contact angle.    USE - For treating a surface of a substrate useful in a fuel cell for portable electronics, cell phones, wireless devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), cameras, portable players, computer notebooks, mobile vehicles, stationary large size energy equipment, and residential electricity.    ADVANTAGE - The inventive method conditions a surface of a substrate with improved fluid contact angle and low acid etch rate to protect the substrate.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for:    (1) a fuel cell comprising a membrane electrode assembly comprising a membrane, and conductive plates having a material layer on surfaces, the surfaces of the conductive plates having a fluid contact angle and the material layer is deposited onto a portion of the surfaces of the conductive plates in a process chamber by generating a plasma inside the process chamber from a mixture of precursors for the material layer to reduce the fluid contact angle;    (2) a bipolar plate having surfaces, comprising a material layer deposited onto a portion of the surfaces, the surfaces having a fluid contact angle and the material layer is deposited in a process chamber by generating a plasma inside the process chamber from a mixture of precursors for the material layer to reduce the fluid contact angle; and    (3) an apparatus for conditioning a fuel cell part, comprising a chamber body, a substrate processing region adapted to process the fuel cell part, gas sources adapted to deliver a mixture of precursors comprising a silicon-containing compound, phosphorus-containing compound, a nitrogen-containing containing, and hydrogen gas (H2) into the substrate processing region, a substrate support assembly to support the fuel cell part having a fluid contact angle, and a gas distribution assembly connected to power sources adapted to sustain a plasma in the substrate processing region from the mixture of precursors and deposit a hydrophilic material layer, on a portion of the surface of the fuel cell part to reduce the fluid contact angle of the surface of the fuel cell part.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure is a schematic cross-sectional view of a process chamber.