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Methods of manufacturing electrochemical cells having a current collector which, at least in part, underlies a catalyst layer are discussed. A method comprises patterning a current collector to have at least one electrolyte opening, disposing an electrolyte into or through the at least one opening,

Methods of manufacturing electrochemical cells having a current collector which, at least in part, underlies a catalyst layer are discussed. A method comprises patterning a current collector to have at least one electrolyte opening, disposing an electrolyte into or through the at least one opening, and disposing a catalyst, at least in part, over the disposed electrolyte. Optionally, the method comprises pattering a substrate and attaching a patterned current collector to each side thereof. Patterning of the current collector can include patterning a continuous sheet, which comprises at least a first and a second separable current collector. In one such example, a continuous carbon-fiber sheet impregnated or laminated with a non-porous material is patterned. In another such example, a continuous plastic material sheet impregnated with one or more electrical conductive particles is patterned. Among other things, the pattern of the current collector can include an extruded slot or adjacently-disposable strips.

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1. A method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell array, comprising: patterning two or more distinct current collectors, each current collector including a conductive strip member portion adjacent to two dielectric strip members;arranging the two or more current collectors in spaced relation to

1. A method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell array, comprising: patterning two or more distinct current collectors, each current collector including a conductive strip member portion adjacent to two dielectric strip members;arranging the two or more current collectors in spaced relation to one another to form at least one electrolyte opening in a space between sequential current collectors, such that the at least one electrolyte opening and the sequential current collectors are co-planar about a plane perpendicular to an array cross-sectional plane;disposing a frame around the two or more current collectors;disposing an electrolyte in the at least one electrolyte opening while the frame is disposed around the two or more current collectors; anddisposing a catalyst over at least a portion of the disposed electrolyte and at least a portion of the two or more current collectors, wherein a release layer applied to at least one side of the electrolyte opening holds the disposed electrolyte in place for a period of time sufficient to allow the disposed electrolyte to cure and wherein the release layer is removed from the at least one side of the electrolyte opening after the disposed electrolyte is cured, and wherein the frame is disposed around a first and a second electrochemical cell of the electrochemical cell array. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein patterning the two or more current collectors includes patterning a continuous sheet of current collectors, the continuous sheet including at least a first current collector and a second current collector. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein patterning the continuous current collector sheet includes patterning a carbon-fiber sheet impregnated or laminated with a non-porous material. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein patterning the two or more current collectors includes extruding at least one of a plastic or electrical conductive material having the at least one electrolyte opening incorporated therein. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein patterning the two or more current collectors includes patterning a graphite-based material, a carbon-based material, or a metal-based material. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein disposing the electrolyte in the at least one electrolyte opening includes at least one of a dip casting process, a slot die casting process, a thin film casting process, a syringe injection process, an ink jet printing process, or a screen printing process. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein disposing the catalyst over at least the portion of the electrolyte and at least a portion of a current collector includes contacting the catalyst with at least a portion of the current collector to achieve a connection therebetween. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein contacting the catalyst with at least a portion of the current collector achieves an electrical connection. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein disposing the catalyst over at least the portion of the electrolyte includes at least one of a spraying process, a screen printing process, an ink jet printing process, or a decal transferring process. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein, after disposing the electrolyte, a portion of the disposed electrolyte covers at least a portion of one of the two current collectors, further comprising removing the portion of the disposed electrolyte from at least the portion of the one of the two current collectors by at least one of squeegeeing, scraping, sanding, polishing, machining, or etching. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein disposing the electrolyte in the at least one electrolyte opening includes disposing a curable dispersion. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein disposing the electrolyte in the at least one electrolyte opening includes injection molding an ionomer resin. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein patterning the two or more current collectors includes at least one of a molding, an extrusion, a stamping, a laser patterning, a water jet patterning, an abrasive jet patterning, a chemical etching, a mechanical machining, or a die punching process. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein pattering the two or more current collectors includes attaching the conductive strip member portion and the two dielectric strip members using a bonding or a lamination process. 15. The method of claim 1, further comprising bonding the catalyst to at least the disposed electrolyte using an applied pressure. 16. The method of claim 1, further comprising patterning the two dielectric strip members including forming at least one electrolyte opening in the dielectric strip members. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising attaching the two or more current collectors to the dielectric strip members, including aligning the at least one electrolyte opening of the current collectors with the at least one electrolyte opening of the dielectric strip members. 18. A method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell array, comprising: patterning two or more distinct current collectors, each current collector including a longitudinal conductive strip member portion adjacent to two longitudinal dielectric strip members;arranging the two or more current collectors in spaced relation to one another to form at least one electrolyte opening in a space between sequential current collectors, such that the at least one electrolyte opening and the sequential current collectors are co-planar about a plane parallel to a length of the longitudinal conductive strip member portion and the two longitudinal dielectric strip members;disposing a frame around the two or more current collectors;applying a release layer to at least one side of the electrolyte opening;disposing an electrolyte in the at least one electrolyte opening while the frame is disposed around the two or more current collectors and holding the disposed electrolyte in place for a period of time sufficient to allow the disposed electrolyte to cure;removing the release layer from the at least one side of the electrolyte opening after the disposed electrolyte has cured; anddisposing a catalyst over at least a portion of the disposed electrolyte and at least a portion of a current collector and applying a pressure to bond the catalyst to the portion of the disposed electrolyte and the portion of the current collector, and wherein the frame is disposed around a first and a second electrochemical cell of the electrochemical cell array. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising patterning the two dielectric strip members including forming at least one electrolyte opening in the dielectric strip members. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising attaching the two or more current collectors to the dielectric strip members, including aligning the at least one electrolyte opening of the current collectors with the at least one electrolyte opening of the dielectric strip members. 21. The method of claim 1, wherein disposing the electrolyte includes at least partially physically contacting the conductive strip member portion of each current collector and the adjacently disposed electrolyte. 22. The method of claim 18, wherein disposing the electrolyte includes at least partially physically contacting the conductive strip member portion of each current collector and the adjacently disposed electrolyte.