The use of a titanium sinter material as gas diffusion backing (GDB) in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has been evaluated. The study focused on reducing the high contact resistance between the sinter and MEA using platinum and carbon coatings evaporated on the surface of the sinter. The results show that the titanium sinters are a promising solution for gas diffusion backing in a fuel cell and that the initially high contact resistance observed can be effectively reduced with platinum coating. The coatings also reduce the mass diffusion overpotential observed with the sinter. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.