In this article, a new structure of a passive, air-breathing, ambient temperature direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), targeted towards low power applications, is proposed. The structure consists of a metal mesh directly welded onto the Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM), which is then sprayed with the catalyst ink. The fuel cell operates successfully with a 2 mol L-1 methanol concentration and produces a power density of 1.52 mW cm(-2), which was reached at a current density of 9 mA cm(-2) at a voltage of 0.169 V. This new structure demonstrates average performance with a simpler structure than conventional solutions, while showing potential in application to low-power application such as sensors. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.