NOVELTY - Integrated bipolar plate/diffuser fuel cell component manufacture comprises directing a stream of precursor material into a molding tool, where stream of precursor material comprises a mixture of an electrically conductive fiber, a binder, and a carrier fluid; molding the precursor material into a monolithic preform (41) having a porous region (34), which has a porous surface, and a reactant channel(s) (38); curing or solidifying the binder to impart a desired level of rigidity to the preform; and infiltrating a portion of the porous region with a matrix material.    USE - For manufacturing integrated bipolar plate/diffuser fuel cell (i.e. proton exchange membrane fuel cell) component for fuel delivery and distribution, coolant transport, and oxidant delivery and distribution, useful in fuel cell system.    ADVANTAGE - The integrated component can be mass-produced at a fast rate with a relatively low cost; and has a reduced contact resistance or ohmic loss when used in a fuel cell system, resulting in a higher output voltage and power. The method does not involve tedious and expensive chemical vapor infiltration of carbon into the preform.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Integrated bipolar plate/diffuser fuel cell component manufacture comprises directing a stream of precursor material into a molding tool, where stream of precursor material comprises a mixture of an electrically conductive fiber, a binder, and a carrier fluid; molding the precursor material into a monolithic preform having a porous region, which has a porous surface, and a reactant channel(s); curing or solidifying the binder to impart a desired level of rigidity to the preform; and infiltrating a portion of the porous region with a matrix material to form a hermetic region (32) of the preform to obtain the bipolar plate/diffuser fuel cell component, where matrix material contains no chemical vapor infiltration carbon.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure is a schematic of a molding process for producing an integrated electrode bipolar plate/diffuser.    Hermetic region (32)    Porous region (34)    Coolant channel (36)    Reactant channel (38)    Preform (41)