NOVELTY - A mat comprises a coated fabric comprising pitch fibers coated with a hydrophobic coating; and a microporous polymeric sub-layer attached to the coated fabric. The mat has an in-plane thickness specific resistivity of less than 0.2 ohms per square and a through-plane area specific resistance of less than 0.02 ohm-square centimeters when compressed at 500 kilopascals and has an uncompressed Darcy permeability of greater than 20 Darcys.    USE - In fuel cells and/or in fuel cell structures as gas permeable electrically conductive layers.    ADVANTAGE - The mat has an in-plane thickness specific resistivity of less than 0.2 ohms per square and a through-plane area specific resistance of less than 0.02 ohm-square centimeters when compressed at 500 kilopascals and has an uncompressed Darcy permeability of greater than 20 Darcys.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for the following:    (1) formation of the mat involving obtaining a fabric comprising pitch fibers; coating the fabric with a hydrophobic material to create a coated fabric; and forming the mat from the coated fabric;    (2) a method (m1) of fabricating a pair of gas permeable electrically conductive layers usable in a first fuel cell, where each of the pair of gas permeable electrically conductive layers comprising a fabric comprising pitch fibers. Each of the gas permeable electrically conductive layer adapted for use as an in-plane current collector in a fuel cell. The combination of a membrane electrode assembly and the pair of gas permeable electrically conductive layers adapted to yield a fuel cell current density of at least 0.25 amps per square centimeter of the membrane electrode assembly when a voltage differential between one end of an anode gas distribution layer and an opposite end of a cathode gas distribution layer is approximately 0.5 volts when the ends are separated by a width of approximately 3 cm, fibers comprised in the fabric comprising pitch fibers greater in length than approximately 1 mm;    (3) a fuel cell system (s1) comprising a first fuel cell containing a first and second gas permeable electrically conductive layer; and a second fuel cell containing an anode comprised in a second membrane electrode assembly electrically coupled directly to the second gas permeable electrically conductive layer, and a gas-tight seal between the first and second fuel cell. The second gas permeable electrically conductive layer substantially parallel to the first gas permeable electrically conductive layer, where the first gas permeable electrically conductive layer separated from the second gas permeable electrically conductive layer by a first membrane electrode assembly. The first gas permeable electrically conductive layer bonded to an anode of the first membrane electrode assembly. The second gas permeable electrically conductive layer bonded to a cathode of the first membrane electrode assembly; and is adapted for use as an in-plane current collector in a fuel cell. The first membrane electrode assembly forms a first centroidal axis perpendicular to a planar surface of the first membrane electrode assembly. The combination of the first membrane electrode assembly, the first and second gas permeable electrically conductive layer, is adapted to yield a fuel cell current density of at least 0.25 amps per square centimeter of the membrane electrode assembly when a voltage differential between one end of an anode gas distribution layer and an opposite end of a cathode gas distribution layer is approximately 0.5 volts when the ends are separated by a width of approximately 3 cm. The second membrane electrode assembly forms a second centroidal axis perpendicular to a planar surface of the anode comprised in the second membrane electrode assembly. The first centroidal axis substantially non-collinear with, the second centroidal axis;    (4) formation of a gas-tight seal involving bonding a portion of the first gas permeable electrically conductive layer to the first membrane electrode assembly associated with the first fuel cell; bonding a portion of the second gas permeable electrically conductive layer to the first membrane electrode assembly; and forming a gas-tight seal between the first and second fuel cell, where the second fuel cell comprises the second membrane electrode assembly, and the second membrane electrode assembly forms a second centroidal axis perpendicular to a planar surface of the second membrane electrode assembly, where the first centroidal axis substantially parallel to, and offset from, the second centroidal axis;    (5) a system (s2) comprising an interface between a first and second fuel cell comprising a first and second gas permeable electrically conductive layer adapted to convey hydrogen, and a membrane electrode assembly adjacent to the first gas permeable electrically conductive layer. The first gas permeable electrically conductive layer comprised by the first fuel cell; and the second gas permeable electrically conductive layer comprised by the second fuel cell, where an overlap portion of the second gas permeable electrically conductive layer, overlapping and bonded to an overlap portion of the first gas permeable electrically conductive layer via an electrically conductive adhesive. The membrane electrode assembly located adjacent to an opposing side of the first gas permeable electrically conductive layer from the overlap portion of the second gas permeable electrically conductive layer;    (6) method of placing a membrane electrode assembly involving bonding, via an electrically conductive adhesive, a portion of the first conductive layer to a portion of the second conductive layer, where the first and second conductive layer adapted to convey hydrogen, and the portion of the second gas permeable electrically conductive layer overlapping the portion of the first gas permeable electrically conductive layer; and placing a membrane electrode assembly adjacent to the first gas permeable electrically conductive layer, where the membrane electrode assembly located opposite a side of the first gas permeable electrically conductive layer overlapping the second gas permeable electrically conductive layer; and    (7) a system comprising several of fuel cells comprising the first and second fuel cell. The fuel cells comprises a first and second channel adapted to direct a first and second flow of hydrogen, respectively. The first channel bounded by a first and second spacer strip, and first and second catalyzed membrane gas permeable layer assembly. The second channel bounded by the second and third spacer strip, and a third and fourth catalyzed membrane gas permeable layer assembly. The second and first channel separated via a gas-tight interface.