TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRONICS - Preferred MEA: The active transition metal comprises iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), or their combination. The nanotubes form a three dimensional pattern of gas-flow channels on the membrane. The MEA is produced by: (a) introducing a combination of a transition metal-containing carbon nanotube precursor and a gaseous mixture comprising an inert gas and a reducing gas into a first reactor zone maintained at a first temperature and for a period of time sufficient to vaporize the transition metal-containing carbon nanotube precursor, introducing the vaporized material to a second reactor zone maintained at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature and for a period of time sufficient to pyrolyze the transition metal-containing carbon nanotube precursor, and grow longitudinally aligned carbon nanotubes with a catalytically active transition metal incorporated throughout the nanotubes onto a substrate present in the second reactor zone, where the substrate is patterned with a template for forming longitudinally-aligned carbon nanotubes perpendicular to the substrate surface, and the carbon nanotube precursor is selected from a transition metal phthalocyanine, a transition metal porphyrin compound, a transition metal organometallic compound, or their combination, optionally as a solution in an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent; (b) introducing transition metal or precious metal crystallites onto the surface of the nanotubes; (c) depositing a layer of an ionomeric polymer over the carbon nanotubes and drying the polymer to form a nanotube-containing polymeric decal having an outer polymeric side and an inner nanotube side in contact with the substrate; (d) fusing the polymeric side of two such decals to both sides of a proton-conductive membrane at an elevated temperature and pressure; and (e) removing the substrates to thus form the MEA. The gaseous mixture comprises argon and hydrogen and optionally includes ammonia, and the transition metal-containing carbon nanotube precursor comprises Fe, Ni, Co, Cr, Mn, or their mixtures. The temperature in the first reactor zone is maintained at 150-700 degrees C and the temperature in the second reactor zone is maintained at 700-1000 degrees C. The material is maintained in the reactor zones for 5-45 minutes. The nanotubes form a three dimensional (3D) pattern of gas-flow channels on the membrane. The carbon nanotube precursor contains a transition metal selected from Fe, Ni, Co, and their mixture. The nanotubes are generally straight or include spiral or bamboo shaped or bellows shaped nanotubes. One transition metal-containing nanotube decal of the MEA includes an oxidation catalyst and the other decal includes a reduction catalyst. MEAs are assembled into a PEMFC by alternately stacking bipolar plates between the MEAs. Preferred Membrane: The membrane is produced by forming longitudinally aligned graphitic nanotubes with a catalytically active transition metal in the nanotubes on a substrate by CVD, transferring the longitudinally aligned graphitic nanotubes from or with the substrate to the proton conductive membrane with the longitudinally aligned graphitic nanotubes being generally perpendicular to the proton exchange membrane and in contact with it. The nanotubes form a three dimensional pattern of gas channels on the surface of the membrane.