Fuel cell

Claim 1

IN AN ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL A STRUCTURE WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION A SOLID SUBSTRATE COMPRISING A SUBSTANCE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF A PROOUS ORGANIC MEMBRANE, FRITTED GLASS AND POROUS CARBON AND A COATING COMPRISING A CONTINUOUS LAYER OF SILVER FORMED IN SITU ON A SURFACE OF SAID SUBSTRATE BY A PROCESS WHICH COMPRISES APPLYING TO SAID SURFACE AN ORGANIC MATERIAL HAVING CHEMICALLY BONDED TO THE MOLCULES THEREOF ION-EXCHANGE GROUPS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSITING OF -SO3H, -COOH AND -OH RADICALS, CONTACTING SAID SURFACE FOR A FEW SECONDS WITH AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION CONTAINING SILVER IONS THEREBY INITIATING AN ION EXCHANGE REACTION WHEREIN THE HYDROGEN COMPONENT OF SAID ION-EXCHANGE GROUP IS REPLACED BY SAID METAL ION THEREBY FORMING THE CORRESPONDING METAL SALT UPON SAID SURFACE, REDUCING THE METAL ION OF SAID SALT BY CONTACTING SAID SURFACE WITH A REDUCING AGENT FOR SAID ION, CONTACTING THE RESULTING MTAL COMPRAISING SURFACE WITH AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION CONTAINING SILVER IONS AND A REDUCING AGENT THEREFOR, AND MAINTAINING SAID CONTACT UNTIL A CONTINUOUS LAYER OF SILVER IF FORMED ON SAID SURFACE BY REDUCTION OF SILVER ION IN SITU.