TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRONICS - Preferred Assembly: The anode assembly comprises (a) and (b); (a) and (c); (b) and (c); or (a), (b) and (c). The anode further comprises a binder. At least one side of the finished anode, which is intended to contact a liquid fuel, has been subjected to a hydrophilization treatment with a hydrophilizing agent (preferably hydrophilization treatment involves cold plasma etching of at least one side of the finished anode). The anode is substantially completely wetted by KOH (potassium hydroxide) (6.6 M) of 25degreesC within not greater than 60 minutes. The anode assembly comprises at least a first membrane adjacent to the anode and a second membrane on a side of the first membrane, which is intended to contact the liquid fuel. The first membrane being structured and arranged to allow gas which is formed on or in the vicinity of the side of the anode, which comes into contact with the liquid fuel to accumulate adjacent to the anode at least to a point where the accumulated gas substantially prevents the liquid fuel from contacting the anode. The second membrane is structured and arranged to filter solids from the liquid fuel and/or protect the first membrane. The first and the second membrane form an integral structure. The second membrane comprises at least one material that is substantially same or different from that of the first membrane, a thickness that is substantially same or different from that of the first membrane, and a pore size or cell size that is substantially same or different from that of the first membrane. The first membrane is bonded to or in contact with the side of the anode that is intended to contact the liquid fuel. The anode is fixed within the fuel cell case or in sealing engagement with a fuel cell case.Preferred Fuel Cell: The fuel cell comprises at least one of a metal hydride and a metal borohydride compound in its fuel chamber; and a case which accommodates the anode, where at least one part of the fuel chamber is arranged outside the case, and the case is connected to the at least one part of the fuel chamber that is arranged outside the case through at least one liquid passageways. At least one part of the fuel chamber that is arranged outside the case comprises a cartridge. The electrolyte chamber comprises a liquid electrolyte (preferably aqueous solution of at least one metal hydroxides). The fuel chamber is arranged in a cartridge that is connected to a housing of the fuel cell or removably mounted to a housing of the fuel cell. The fuel cell further comprises at lease one member that allows liquid fuel to pass from the fuel chamber of the cartridge to an area adjacent the anode; at least one free space; and a spacer structure comprised of a spacer material having a free space arranged between at least one membrane (preferably first membrane comprising a hydrophilic material) and the anode, and/or a frame seal, which is arranged on the side of the anode, which is intended to contact the liquid fuel. The space structure comprises a net (preferably wattled net). The net comprises openings (1 - 50 mm). At least one membrane is arranged at least one of e) at or in a vicinity of at least one locations of the case where liquid fuel from the at least one part of the fuel chamber that is arranged outside the case can enter the case, f) at or in a vicinity of at least one locations of the at least one part of the fuel chamber that is arranged outside the case where liquid fuel can leave the at least one part of the fuel chamber that is arranged outside the case, and g) in at least one locations inside the at least one liquid passageways.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - METALLURGY - Preferred Components: The anode comprises a catalytically active metal (preferably platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, gold or rhenium) on a support. The hydrophilic material comprises at least one of a metal and a metal alloy (preferably stainless steel).    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The support comprises at least one of activated carbon, carbon black, graphite and carbon nanotubes. The hydrophilizing agent comprises at least one substance selected from anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, non-ionic surfactants, oxy-acids and their salts, sugars, sugar alcohols, and sugar derivatives (preferably alkyl sulfates, alkyl sulfonates; glucose, fructose, xylose, sorbose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, galactose, sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol, maltitol, lactitol, galactitol, erythritol or gluconic acid). The hydrophilic group is selected from at least one OH, COOH and SO3H (preferably OH) groups. The monomeric unit comprises an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid (preferably acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, and/or maleic acid).    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The hydrophilizing agent comprises at least one substance selected from polycarboxylic acids and their salts, and cellulose derivatives (preferably polyalkylene glycols or their ethers; homopolymers and copolymers of acrylic acid, monomeric polycarboxylic acids or their salts; or carboxymethyl cellulose or their salts). The weight average molecular weight of the polyalkylene glycols and their ethers is not greater than 1000. The amount of hydrophilizing agent in the anode is 0.001 - 5 mg/cm2. The polymeric material comprises at least one layers of polymeric material having a total thickness of 25 - 200 microns, which comprises at least one polymer with a hydrophilic group. The polymer with a hydrophilic group comprises at least one of a homopolymer and a copolymer of vinyl alcohol (preferably vinyl alcohol/alkene copolymer). The polymer with a hydrophilic group is at least partially crosslinked with at least one crosslinking agent, which comprises a polymer that has at least one functional group, which is capable of reacting with a functional group of the hydrophilic polymer. The crosslinking agent comprises at least one polymer selected from polyethylene glycol, polyethylene oxide, and/or homo- or copolymer of acrylic acid; or a polymer comprising a monomeric unit having at least one of a carboxylic acid and a sulfonic acid group (preferably homo- or copolymer of acrylic acid, polyacrylic acid, or copolymer of acrylic acid and maleic acid); or silicate, pyrophosphate, sugar alcohol, polycarboxylic acid or aldehyde (preferably sulfosuccinic acid). The hydrophobic material comprises an organic polymer (preferably polyolefin, a polyamide or polyacrylonitrile). The membrane comprises a single layer of material (preferably hydrophilic material or hydrophobic material), or at least one non-woven material, composite material, laminate material, composite/laminate material, foam material, porous paper material, cloth material, carbon/graphite material, sintered metal material, ceramic material, and polymer material (preferably at least one mesh and a foam, especially stainless steel micromesh having a size of up to 0.5 mm and a thickness of 0.01 - 5 mm); or it comprises at least one polymer mesh and a porous polymer layer having a thickness of 0.02 - 2 mm, or the polymer mesh having a cell size of 0.01 - 0.1 mm and the porous polymer layer having a pore size of 0.01 microns - 0.1 mm. The membrane is attached or bonded to the surface of the anode. The polyethylene glycol has a number average molecular weight of 300 - 10000, and the polyethylene oxide has a number average molecular weight of 35000 - 200000. The polyacrylic acid has a weight average molecular weight of 2000 - 250000; and the crosslinking agent has a weight average molecular weight of 2000 - 5000. The weight ratio of at least one polymer with a hydrophilic group and the crosslinking agent is 2:1 - 1:2. The spacer structure comprises a layer of spacer material having a thickness of up to 3 (preferably 0.5 - 1.5) mm. The spacer material comprises a hydrophobic material (preferably polymeric material, especially olefin homopolymer, an olefin copolymer, ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene-styrene), polymethylmethacrylate, polyvinyl chloride, and polysulfone, especially polyethylene, polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, and ABS). The frame seal comprises a hydrophobic material (preferably polymer, especially fluorinated polymer). The frame seal has a thickness of 0.02 - 0.05 mm.