NOVELTY - An electrically conductive component comprises a layer of conductive non-metallic porous media (107) having a surface facing a conductive metal substrate; and metallized region(s) (130) on the surface of the layer. Each metallized region contains an electrically conductive material (chromium, chromium nitride, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, iridium, platinum, osmium, and/or gold) and has an average thickness equal to the diameter of one atom of the material. The substrate is in contact with the metallized regions to provide electrically conductive path between layer and substrate.    USE - As an electrically conductive fluid distribution component for a fuel cell.    ADVANTAGE - The metallized regions integrated with the fluid distribution media layer at the first external surface sustainedly reduce contact resistance when compared with fluid distribution media layers having no metal coating or metallized regions. The contact resistance of the electrically conductive component having the metallized regions is less than 30 (preferably less than 15) mOhm-cm 2. The conductive metallized regions at the contact surface of the fluid distribution media provide an improved electrical interface at the contact regions by contacting similar materials (i.e. metals) with correspondingly similar molecular and physical characteristics (e.g. surface energies). The metallized regions provide more even electrical current distribution through the body of the media as the current approaches the discrete and non-continuous contact regions associated with the lands of the flow field configuration on the separator plate substrates.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for a method for manufacturing an electrically conductive component for a fuel cell.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a side sectional view of a membrane electrode assembly.    Membrane (102)    Anode (104)    Cathode (106)    Porous media (107)    Fluid distribution media layer (108, 110)    Separator plate surface (112, 114)    Current collector separator plate substrate (113, 115)    Electrical contact region (116)    External surface (117, 118)    Pores (120)    Body (121)    Internal pores (122)    External pores (124)    Channels (126)    Internal surfaces (128)    Metallized regions (130)    Lands (131)    Contact surface (132)