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A microfuel cell includes a substrate and a plurality of spaced-apart PEM dividers extending outwardly to define anodic and cathodic microfluidic channels. An anodic catalyst/electrode lines at least a portion of the anodic microfluidic channels, and a cathodic catalyst/electrode lines at least a po

A microfuel cell includes a substrate and a plurality of spaced-apart PEM dividers extending outwardly to define anodic and cathodic microfluidic channels. An anodic catalyst/electrode lines at least a portion of the anodic microfluidic channels, and a cathodic catalyst/electrode lines at least a portion of the cathodic microfluidic channels. Each anodic and cathodic catalyst/electrode may extend beneath an adjacent portion of a PEM divider in some embodiments. Alternately, the microfuel cell may include a plurality of stacked substrates, in which a first substrate has first microfluidic fuel cell reactant channels. A PEM layer may be adjacent the first surface of the first substrate, an anodic catalyst/electrode layer may be adjacent one side of the PEM layer, and a cathodic catalyst/electrode layer may be adjacent an opposite side of the PEM layer. An adhesive layer may secure the first substrate to an adjacent substrate defining at least a second microfluidic fuel cell reactant channel.

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That which is claimed is: 1. A microfuel cell comprising: a substrate having a generally flat uppermost surface; a plurality of spaced-apart proton exchange media (PEM) dividers extending outwardly form the generally flat uppermost surface of said substrate to define a plurality of anodic and catho

That which is claimed is: 1. A microfuel cell comprising: a substrate having a generally flat uppermost surface; a plurality of spaced-apart proton exchange media (PEM) dividers extending outwardly form the generally flat uppermost surface of said substrate to define a plurality of anodic and cathodic microfluidic channels for carrying respective anodic and cathodic reactants, adjacent ones of said PEM dividers defining opposing sidewalls of a respective microfluidic channel therebetween; an anodic catalyst/electrode lining at least a portion of each of said anodic microfluidic channels; and a cathodic catalyst/electrode lining at least a portion of each said cathodic microfluidic channels. 2. A microfuel cell according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of anodic and cathodic microfluidic channels defined by the plurality of spaced-apart PEM dividers are alternating anodic and cathodic microfluidic channels. 3. A microfuel cell according to claim 1 wherein each anodic catalyst/electrode comprises an electrode layer impregnated with an anodic catalyst. 4. A microfuel cell according to claim 1 wherein each anodic catalyst/electrode comprises an electrode layer and an anodic catalyst layer adjacent said electrode layer. 5. A microfuel cell according to claim 1 further comprising an anodic diffusion layer overlying each anodic catalyst/electrode. 6. A microfuel cell according to claim 1 wherein each cathodic catalyst/electrode comprises an electrode layer impregnated with a cathodic catalyst. 7. A microfuel cell according to claim 1 wherein each cathodic catalyst/electrode comprises an electrode layer and a cathodic catalyst layer adjacent said electrode layer. 8. A microfuel cell according to claim 1 further comprising a cathodic diffusion layer overlying each cathodic catalyst/electrode. 9. A microfuel cell according to claim 1 further comprising: an anodic reactant manifold in fluid communication with said anodic microfluidic channels; and a cathodic reactant manifold in fluid communication with said cathodic microfluidic channels. 10. A microfuel cell according to claim 9 wherein said anodic reactant manifold and said cathodic reactant manifold cause respective anodic and cathodic reactant flows in opposite directions. 11. A microfuel cell according to claim 1 wherein each anodic microfluidic reactant channel has a height greater than a width thereof. 12. A microfuel cell according to claim 1 wherein each cathodic microfluidic reactant channel has a height greater than a width thereof. 13. A microfuel cell according to claim 1 wherein each of said PEM dividers comprises an organic polymer. 14. A microfuel cell according to claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises silicon. 15. A microfuel cell according to claim 1 wherein the anodic reactant comprises at least one of hydrogen (H2), methane (CH 4), ethane (C2H6), propane (C3H8) , butane (C4H10), and methanol (CH3OH). 16. A microfuel cell according to claim 1 wherein the cathodic reactant comprises oxygen (O2). 17. A microfuel cell according to claim 1 wherein each anodic catalyst/electrode further extends beneath an adjacent portion of a respective PEM divider. 18. A microfuel cell according to claim 1 wherein each cathodic catalyst/electrode further extends beneath an adjacent portion of a respective PEM divider. 19. A microfuel cell comprising: a substrate having a generally flat uppermost surface; a plurality of spaced-apart proton exchange media (PEM) dividers extending outwardly from the generally flat uppermost surface of said substrate to define a plurality of anodic and cathodic microfluidic channels for carrying respective anodic and respective microfluidic channel therebetween; an anodic catalyst/electrode lining at least a portion of each of said anodic microfluidic channels and extending beneath an adjacent portion of a respective PEM divider; and a cathodic catalyst/electrode lining at least a portion of each of said cathodic microfluidic channels and extending beneath an adjacent portion of a respective PEM divider. 20. A microfuel cell according to claim 19 wherein the plurality of anodic and cathodic microfluidic channels defined by the plurality of spaced-apart PEM dividers are alternating anodic and cathodic microfluidic channels. 21. A microfuel cell according to claim 19 wherein each anodic catalyst/electrode comprises an electrode layer impregnated with an anodic catalyst. 22. A microfuel cell according to claim 19 wherein each anodic catalyst/electrode comprises an electrode layer and an anodic catalyst layer adjacent said electrode layer. 23. A microfuel cell according to claim 19 further comprising an anodic diffusion layer overlying each anodic catalyst/electrode. 24. A microfuel cell according to claim 19 wherein each cathodic catalyst/electrode comprises an electrode layer impregnated with a cathodic catalyst. 25. A microfuel cell according to claim 19 wherein each cathodic catalyst/electrode comprises an electrode layer and a cathodic catalyst layer adjacent said electrode layer. 26. A microfuel cell according to claim 19 further comprising a cathodic diffusion layer overlying each cathodic catalyst/electrode. 27. A microfuel cell according to claim 19 further comprising: an anodic reactant manifold in fluid communication with said anodic microfluidic channels; and a cathodic reactant manifold in fluid communication with said cathodic microfluidic channels. 28. A microfuel cell according to claim 27 wherein said anodic reactant manifold and said cathodic reactant manifold cause respective anodic and cathodic reactant flows in opposite directions. 29. A microfuel cell according to claim 19 wherein each anodic microfluidic reactant channel has a height greater than a width thereof. 30. A microfuel cell according to claim 19 wherein each cathodic microfluidic reactant channel has a height greater than a width thereof. 31. A microfuel cell according to claim 19 wherein each of said PEM dividers comprises an organic polymer. 32. A mcirofuel cell according to claim 19 wherein said substrate comprises silicon. 33. A microfuel cell according to claim 19 wherein the anodic reactant comprises at least one of hydrogen (H2), methane (CH 4), ethane (C2H6), propane (C3H8) , butane (C4H10), and methanol (CH3OH). 34. A microfuel cell according to claim 19 wherein the cathodic reactant comprises oxygen (O2). 35. A method of making a microfuel cell, the method comprising: forming a plurality of spaced-apart proton exchange media (PEM) dividers to extend outwardly from a generally flat uppermost surface of a substrate to thereby define a plurality of anodic and cathodic microfluidic channels for carrying respective anodic and cathodic reactants, adjacent ones of the said PEM dividers defining opposing sidewalls of a respective microfluidic channel therebetween; lining at least a portion of each anodic microfluidic channel with an anodic catalyst/electrode; and lining at least a portion of each cathodic microfluidic channel with a cathodic catalyst/electrode. 36. A method according to claim 35 wherein forming comprises forming the plurality of spaced-apart PEM dividers to extend from the substrate to define alternating anodic and cathodic microfluidic channels. 37. A method according to claim 35 wherein each anodic catalyst/electrode comprises an electrode layer impregnated with an anodic catalyst. 38. A method according to claim 35 wherein each anodic catalyst/electrode comprises an electrode layer and an anodic catalyst layer adjacent the electrode layer. 39. A method according to claim 35 further comprising forming an anodic diffusion layer over each anodic catalyst/electrode. 40. A method according to claim 35 wherein each cathodic catalyst/electrode comprises an electrode layer impregnated with a cathodic catalyst. 41. A method according to claim 35 wherein each cathodic catalyst/electrode comprises an electrode layer and a cathodic catalyst layer adjacent the electrode layer. 42. A method according to claim 35 wherein further comprising forming a cathodic diffusion layer over each cathodic catalyst/electrode. 43. A method according to claim 35 further comprising: forming an anodic reactant manifold in fluid communication with the anodic microfluidic channels; and forming a cathodic reactant manifold in fluid communication with the cathodic microfluidic channels. 44. A method according to claim 43 wherein the anodic reactant manifold and the cathodic reactant manifold cause respective anodic and cathodic reactant flows in opposite directions. 45. A method according claim 35 wherein forming comprises forming each anodic microfluidic reactant channel to extend from the substrate to a height greater than a width of the anodic microfluidic reactant channels; and wherein forming comprises forming each cathodic microfluidic reactant channel to extend from the substrate to a height greater than a width of the cathodic microfluidic reactant channels. 46. A method of making a microfuel cell, the method comprising: forming a plurality of anodic and cathodic catalyst/electrodes on a substrate; and forming a plurality of spaced-apart proton exchange media (PEM) dividers to extend outwardly from a generally flat uppermost surface of the substrate, each PEM divider being formed to also extend over an adjacent portion of a respective anodic catalyst/electrode and over an adjacent portion of a respective cathodic catalyst/electrode to thereby define a plurality of anodic and cathodic microfluidic channels for carrying respective anodic and cathodic reactants, adjacent ones of the PEM dividers defining opposing sidewalls of a respective microfluidic channel therebetween. 47. A method according to claim 46 wherein forming the plurality of spaced-apart PEM dividers further comprises forming the plurality of spaced-apart PEM dividers to extend from the substrate to define alternating anodic and cathodic microfluidic channels. 48. A method according to claim 46 wherein each anodic catalyst/electrode comprises an electrode layer impregnated with an anodic catalyst. 49. A method according to claim 46 wherein each anodic catalyst/electrode comprises an electrode layer and an anodic catalyst layer adjacent the electrode layer. 50. A method according to claim 46 further comprising forming an anodic diffusion layer over each anodic catalyst/electrode. 51. A method according to claim 46 wherein each cathodic catalyst/electrode comprises an electrode layer impregnated with a cathodic catalyst. 52. A method according to claim 46 wherein each cathodic catalyst/electrode comprises an electrode layer and a cathodic catalyst layer overlying the electrode layer. 53. A method according to claim 46 further comprising forming a cathodic diffusion layer over each cathodic catalyst/electrode. 54. A method according to claim 46 further comprising: forming an anodic reactant manifold in fluid communication with the anodic microfluidic channels; and forming a cathodic reactant manifold in fluid communication with the cathodic microfluidic channels. 55. A method according to claim 54 wherein the anodic reactant manifold and the cathodic reactant manifold cause respective anodic and cathodic reactant flows in opposite directions. 56. A method according claim 46 wherein each anodic microfluidic reactant channel extends from the substrate to a height greater than a width of the anodic microfluidic reactant channels; and wherein each cathodic microfluidic reactant channel extends from the substrate to a height greater than a width of the cathodic microfluidic reactant channels.