A carbon fiber woven fabric for use as a gas diffusion layer base material
in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell has a surface that is smoothed and
further optimized to inhibit non-uniform infiltration of a coating for
water-repellent-layer formation, to provide an electrolyte
membrane-electrode assembly suitable for operation under a high
humidification condition. The gas diffusion layer base material may be a
carbon fiber woven fabric, wherein a ratio of the area of gap portions
where neither warp thread nor weft thread exists: (10/W-Y)(10/Z-X) to the
area of portions where warp thread is crossing weft thread: XY mm.sup.2
is in the range of about 1/1500 to about 1/5, where the carbon fiber
woven fabric has a warp density of Z threads/cm, a weft density of W
threads/cm, a warp thickness of X mm and a weft thickness of Y mm.