For a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), dry layer preparation was optimized and applied to fabricate a micro-porous layer (MPL) for a gas diffusion layer (GDL). The MPLs fabricated by dry layer preparation and the conventional wet layer preparation were compared by physical and electrochemical methods. The PEMFC using dry layer MPLs showed better performance than that using wet layer MPLs, especially when the cells were operated under conditions of high oxygen utilization rate and high humidification temperature of air. The mass transport properties of the GDLs with the dry layer MPLs were also better than with the wet layer MPLs, and were found to be related to the pore size distribution in GDLs. The differences in surface morphology and pore size distribution for the GDLs with the dry layer and wet layer MPLs were investigated and analyzed. The dry layer preparation for MPLs was found to be more beneficial for forming meso-pores (pore size in the range of 0.5-15 mu m), which are important and advantageous for facilitating gas transport in the GDLs. Moreover, the GDLs with the dry layer MPLs exhibited better electronic conductivity and more stable hydrophobicity than those with the wet layer MPLs. The reproducibility of the dry layer preparation for MPLs was also satisfying. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.