HIGH PERFORMING AND DURABLE MEAS WITH NOVEL ELECTRODE STRUCTURES AND HYDROCARBON PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANES THE CENTRAL GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A NON-CONVENTIONAL HIGH PERFORMING, DURABLE AND LOW COST MEA TO EXCEED THE DOE TARGETS ON THE PERFORMANCE AND DURABILITY OF PEMFC FOR MEDIUM- AND HEAVY-DUTY VEHICLES APPLICATIONS: DEMONSTRATE 2.5 KW G 1PGM POWER OUTPUT (1.07 A CM-2 AND 0.75 W CM-2 AT 0.7 V) AFTER 25,000HR EQUIVALENT HEAVY-DUTY AST. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ARE TO DEVELOP: 1) A HIGHLY ACTIVE AND PROTON CONDUCTING PTM (M: CO, NI) CATALYST, 2) AN EFFECTIVE IMPURITIES CONVERSION LAYER, 3) A HIGH PERFORMING DURABLE HYDROCARBON MEMBRANE, AS WELL AS 4) A NOVEL ELECTRODE STRUCTURE WITH EFFICIENT DESIGN AND INTEGRATION, WHICH CAN ENHANCE OXYGEN AND PROTON TRANSPORT, IMPROVE CATALYSTS STABILITY, AND ALLOW THE SYSTEMS TO BE OPERATED EFFICIENTLY AND DURABLY UNDER ELEVATED TEMPERATURE AND HARSH ENVIRONMENTS.