NOVELTY - An anode assembly comprises at least two of a) an anode (3) with a hydrophilized side which contacts a liquid fuel; b) a gas-blocking polymeric material (20) on the side of the anode which contact an electrolyte; and c) at least one membrane arranged on the side of the anode. The membrane being structured and arranged to allow gas which is formed on or in a vicinity of side of the anode which is intended to contact 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.    USE - For liquid fuel cell e.g. direct liquid fuel cell (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The anode assembly prevent the fuel from decomposing especially while the fuel cell is in an open circuit regime or a stand-by regime, and prevents hydrogen gas to pass through the anode into the electrolyte, thus avoiding the formation of hydrogen bubbles in the electrolyte and decreasing the electric (ionic) resistivity of the electrolyte. In anode, a real component of an impedance after 10 (preferably 20) minutes of immersion of the anode in 6.6 M aqueous KOH (potassium hydroxide) is not greater than 50% (preferably not greater than 75%) of a real component of an impedance of the same anode that has not been subjected to the hydrophilization treatment. The real component of an impedance of the anode after 10 minutes of immersion in 6.6 M KOH is not greater than 3 Ohm-cm2. A resistivity of a combination of the anode with the polymeric material is not greater than 1 Ohm-cm2. In a conventional liquid fuel cell without the anode assembly, it usually takes a considerable period of time (often in excess of one hour) for the (hydrophilic) fuel to wet the anode substantially completely (this period is referred to as induction period). Accordingly, the power output and the efficiency of the fuel cell reach their maximum level only after a considerable induction period. In the anode assembly that exhibits a part of the anode that is intended to contact the liquid fuel has been subjected to a hydrophilization treatment, which increases the fuel wetting rate of the anode surface by a hydrophilic liquid fuel and thus decreases the induction period (less than 60 minutes, preferably less than 30 minutes). It often shortens the induction period by at least 50% (preferably at least 70%) and provides improved powder output. The hydrophilization treatment renders the anode hydrophilic or more hydrophilic without adversely affecting, to any significant extent, desirable properties of the anode such as, e.g., electrocatalytic activity, mechanical integrity and electric conductivity of the active layer.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An anode assembly comprises at least two of a) an anode (3) in which at least a part of a side is intended to contact a liquid fuel has been subjected to a hydrophilization treatment; b) a polymeric material (20) which substantially completely covers a side of the anode which is intended to contact an electrolyte, which polymeric material prevents at least 80% of hydrogen gas that is generated at the anode to pass through the anode into the electrolyte; and c) at least one membrane arranged on the side of the anode which is intended to contact a liquid fuel. The membrane being structured and arranged to allow gas which is formed on or in a vicinity of the side of the anode which is intended to contact 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. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for a liquid cell comprising either the anode assembly; or a cathode (4), anode, an electrolyte chamber (5) arranged between the cathode and the anode, a fuel chamber (2) arranged on a side of the anode which is opposite to a side which faces the electrolyte chamber, and at least one layers of polymeric material arranged on a side of the anode which faces the fuel chamber, and/or at least one membrane arranged on the side of the anode which faces the fuel chamber.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a schematic cross section view of the fuel cell.    fuel chamber (2)    anode (3)    cathode (4)    electrolyte chamber (5)    gas blocking layer. (20)