TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: Adhesive layer is provided both between the anode catalyst layer and the polymer electrolyte membrane, and between the cathode catalyst layer and the polymer electrolyte membrane. Anode catalyst layer comprises an anode catalyst material and an anode catalyst binder material, and where the cathode catalyst layer comprises a cathode catalyst material and a cathode catalyst binder material. Each adhesive layer comprises a proton-conducting polymer, where the proton-conducting polymer comprised in the adhesive layer is selected from material used as anode catalyst binder material, the material used as cathode catalyst binder material, the polymer used to form the polymer electrolyte membrane, and its combinations. Proton-conducting polymer comprised in the adhesive layer is a perfluoro polymer, preferably a perfluorosulfonic acid/ polytetrafluoroethane copolymer. The polymer electrolyte membrane comprises a polymer comprising a main chain selected from aryleneether, arylenesulfone, arylenesulfide, benzimidazole, imide, etherimide, aryleneethersulfone, aryleneetherketone, aryleneether-etherketone, phenylquinoxaline, and combinations thereof, and a proton-conducting group selected from a sulfonic acid group, a carboxylic acid group, a phosphoric acid group, a phosphonic acid group, and its derivatives. Polymer electrolyte membrane comprises a polymer comprising a structural unit represented by Formula I.X1-X8=the same or different, and selected from O, S, CO, SO2, and CRR';R and R'=the same or different and selected from hydrogen, a C1 to C10 alkyl group, or a C1 to C10 fluoroalkyl group;Y1-Y4=the same or different, and selected from hydrogen, a C1 to C10 alkyl group, or a C1 to C10 fluoroalkyl group, or a proton conductive group, provided that at least one of Y1 to Y4 is a proton conductive group;n1-n4=the same or different, and are integers ranging from 1 to 4;R1-R4=the same or different, and selected from hydrogen, a C1 to C10 alkyl group, or a C1 to C10 fluoroalkyl group;m1-m4=the same or different, and are integers ranging from 1 to 4; andx=ranges from 0.1 to 0.9.Preferred Parameters: The or each adhesive layer is permeated into the surface pores of the respective catalyst layer to an average depth of from 1% to 10%, preferably from 2 to 5%, based on the total thickness of catalyst layer. The average thickness of the or each adhesive layer is from 20 nm to 1000 nm, preferably from 100 to 500 nm. Preferred Method: The adhesive layer is applied in the form of a gel-phase adhesive layer composition. Adhesive layer is applied by spray coating. The anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer are adhered to either side of the polymer electrolyte membrane by hot rolling. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.