NOVELTY - A selectively conducting component (5) for a solid polymer electrolyte (2) fuel cell, the fuel cell comprising a solid polymer electrolyte, a cathode (3), and anode (4) components connected in series electrically, where: (i) the anode components comprise an anode and the selectively conducting component; (ii) the selectively conducting component comprises a selectively conducting material; and (iii) the electrical resistance of the selectively conducting component in the presence of hydrogen is more than 100 times lower than the electrical resistance in the presence of air.    USE - The selectively conducting component is useful for a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell; and for reducing degradation of a solid polymer fuel cell during startup and shutdown (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The selectively conducting component is highly efficient, reliable, robust, stable and has high performance.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are:    (1) a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising the selectively conducting component;    (2) a method for making the selectively conducting component, comprising: preparing a solid-liquid dispersion of the selectively conductive material; preparing a layer of the selectively conductive material from the dispersion; and incorporating the layer of the selectively conductive material into the selectively conducting component; and    (3) a method for reducing degradation of a solid polymer fuel cell during startup and shutdown comprising incorporating the selectively conducting component in electrical series with the anode components in the fuel cell.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a schematic exploded view of the various components making up a unit cell for a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell.    Unit cell (1)    Solid polymer electrolyte (2)    Cathode (3)    Anode (4)    Selectively conducting component (5)    Cathode GDL (6)    Anode GDL (7)    Cathode flow field plate (8)    Anode flow field plate (9)