TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRONICS - Preferred Component: In the selectively conducting component, the electrical resistance of the selectively conducting component in the presence of hydrogen is more than 1000 times lower than the electrical resistance in the presence of air. The selectively conducting material is a metal oxide, preferably tin oxide, silica dispersed tin oxide, indium oxide/tin oxide, hydrated tin oxide, zirconium oxide, cerium oxide, titanium oxide, molybdenum oxide, indium oxide, niobium oxide or combinations, and most preferably tin oxide, silica dispersed tin oxide, or indium oxide/tin oxide. The selectively conducting material additionally comprises a noble metal deposited on the metal oxide. The selectively conducting material additionally comprises a noble metal doped within the oxide. The noble metal is platinum, palladium, or platinum/antimony. The selectively conducting material is platinum deposited tin oxide. The amount of platinum deposited on the tin oxide is 0.1-5% by weight. The amount of platinum deposited on the tin oxide is 1% by weight. The selectively conducting component comprises a layer of the selectively conductive material. The layer of the selectively conducting material additionally comprises an amount of a noble metal. The layer of the selectively conductive material comprises a binder, preferably a fluorinated or perfluorinated polymer, and most preferably polytetrafluoroethylene. The layer of the selectively conductive material extends over only a portion of the active surface of the anode. The layer of the selectively conductive material is absent in the vicinity of the anode inlet over more than 10% of the active surface of the anode. The layer of the selectively conductive material is absent in the vicinity of the anode outlet over more than 10% of the active surface of the anode. The layer of the selectively conductive material comprises a set of discrete selectively conductive regions. The layer of the selectively conductive material comprises a set of stripes extending across the active surface of the anode. The component is the anode and the layer of the selectively conducting material is on the side of the anode opposite the solid polymer electrolyte. The anode components comprise an anode gas diffusion layer adjacent the anode, the selectively conducting component is the anode gas diffusion layer, and the layer of the selectively conducting material is on the side of the anode gas diffusion layer adjacent the anode. The anode components comprise an anode gas diffusion layer adjacent the anode, the selectively conducting component is the anode gas diffusion layer, and the layer of the selectively conducting material is on the side of the anode gas diffusion layer opposite the anode. The anode components comprise an anode gas diffusion layer adjacent the anode and an anode flow field plate adjacent the anode gas diffusion layer, the selectively conducting component is the anode flow field plate, and the layer of the selectively conducting material is on the side of the anode flow field plate adjacent the anode gas diffusion layer. The anode components comprise an anode gas diffusion layer adjacent the anode, and the selectively conducting component is a selectively conducting layer additionally provided in the fuel cell between the anode and the anode gas diffusion layer. The anode components comprise an anode gas diffusion layer adjacent the anode and an anode flow field plate adjacent the anode gas diffusion layer, and the selectively conducting component is a selectively conducting layer additionally provided in the fuel cell between the anode gas diffusion layer and the anode flow field plate. Preferred Method: In making the selectively conducting component, the selectively conductive material is a metal oxide. The method comprises coating the dispersion on one of the anode, an anode gas diffusion layer, and an anode flow field plate; and coating the dispersion onto a release film and applying the coating on the release film under elevated temperature and pressure to one of the anode, an anode gas diffusion layer, and the anode flow field plate.