TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The metal oxide present in metal oxide sol gel mixture is silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, tin dioxide, tantalum oxide, hafnium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, niobium dioxide, molybdenum oxide, iridium oxide, ruthenium oxide, and/or aluminum oxide. The metal oxide is silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, tin dioxide, tantalum oxide, hafnium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, niobium dioxide, molybdenum oxide, iridium oxide, ruthenium oxide, and/or aluminum oxide. The hydrophilic functional group is sulfonic acid groups; phosphoric acid groups; phenyl sulfonic acid groups; OR; COR; COOR; OCOR; COOM; halogens; CN; NR2; SN; SO3H; SO3M; NR(COR); CONR2; NO2 PO3H2 PO3HM; NR3+X-; PR3+X-; or HG(Ar')-.HG=hydrophilic group selected from OR, COR, COOR, OCOR, COOM, halogens, CN, NR2, SN, SO3H, SO3M, NR(COR), CONR2, NO2, PO3H2, PO3HM, NR3X, or PR3X;R=H, 1-20C alkyl or aryl;n=1-8;M=metal including Na, K or Li;X-=halide anion or anion derived from mineral or organic acid;Ar'=aromatic group consisting of Ph, naphthyl, anthracenyl, phenanthrenyl, biphenyl, pyridinyl, or benzyl.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The forming of mixture includes generating sol gel mixture from at least one precursor of metal oxide. The at least one precursor is metal alkoxide precursor including at least one functional group. The functional group(s) is amides, acrylics, epoxides, and/or alkylureas. The mixture is generated by mixing hydrochloric acid and N-(triethoxysilylpropyl)urea in methanol to generate solution; and adding tetramethyl orthosilicate to the solution to form silicon dioxide sol gel. The activation of the suspension is accomplished by drying fuel cell plate having applied suspension; and immersing dried fuel cell plate in water at 50-100 degrees C. The drying of the fuel cell plate having applied suspension is accomplished by exposing fuel cell plate to ambient air for predetermined amount of time; and exposing fuel cell plate at 80-200 degrees C.