Abstract: A membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) for a fuel cell includes a fuel cell electrolyte membrane, an anode disposed at a first side of the electrolyte membrane, and a cathode disposed at a second side of the electrolyte membrane, wherein the cathode has a thickness and an area, the cathode area extending in a plane substantially parallel to a major surface of the electrolyte membrane, the cathode area includes a central area and a peripheral area, the peripheral area extending to lateral edges of the cathode, the central area includes hydrophilic portions and hydrophobic portions, the peripheral area includes hydrophilic portions and hydrophobic portions, and the central area is more hydrophobic than the peripheral area.

Abstract: A membrane-electrode assembly for a fuel cell including a first substrate and a second substrate and a catalyst layer between the first substrate and the second substrate is provided, where the first substrate is a polymer electrolyte membrane and the second substrate is a electrode substrate, or the first substrate is the electrode substrate and the second substrate is the polymer electrolyte membrane. The catalyst layer has a h1/t1 ratio of about 0.5 or more, where s1 represents a point on the first substrate at one end of the catalyst layer, h1 represents a distance between the first substrate and the second substrate, s2 represents a point on the first substrate closest to s1 at which a height (h) of the catalyst layer becomes h1, and t1 represents the distance between the s1 and the s2. The membrane-electrode assembly can include a greater amount of catalyst by decreasing a shadow effect, and thereby increasing its energy density.