NOVELTY - Catalyst ink composition comprises: electrically conductive support particles; a catalyst formed from a finely divided precious metal, where the catalyst is supported by the conductive support particles; an ionomer; at least one solvent; and a reinforcing material configured to bridge and distribute stresses across the conductive support particles of the ink composition upon a drying of it, where the reinforcing material is substantially evenly distributed throughout the catalyst ink composition, the reinforcing material is a fiber and the reinforcing material does not support the catalyst.    USE - The catalyst ink composition is useful for fabricating the electrodes for the fuel cell (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The catalyst ink composition reduces the occurrence of stress concentrations of the electrolyte membrane, optimizes a durability of the electrode, and provides external reinforcement to the electrolyte membrane.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Catalyst ink composition comprises: electrically conductive support particles; a catalyst formed from a finely divided precious metal, where the catalyst is supported by the conductive support particles; an ionomer; at least one solvent; and a reinforcing material configured to bridge and distribute stresses across the conductive support particles of the ink composition upon a drying of it, where the reinforcing material is substantially evenly distributed throughout the catalyst ink composition, the reinforcing material is a fiber, the reinforcing material does not support the catalyst, and the reinforcing material and the conductive support particles form a substantially continuous matrix upon the drying of the catalyst ink composition that militates against a formation of a network of cracks in the dried catalyst ink composition. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for an electrode (6) for a fuel cell, comprising an ionomer matrix having electrically conductive support particles supporting a catalyst formed from a finely divided precious metal, and a reinforcing material substantially evenly distributed through the ionomer matrix, where the reinforcing material bridging across the electrically conductive support particles and configured to and distribute stresses on the electrode, and the electrode is formed from a dried catalyst ink composition.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a fuel cell having electrodes formed from the catalyst composition.    Fuel cell (2)    Electrolyte membrane (4)    Electrode (6)    Membrane electrode assembly (8)    Gas diffusion layer. (10)