In　order　to　tackle　the　water　flooding　issue　in　proton　exchange　membrane　fuel　cell　(PEMFC),　the　effects　of　structure　parameters　of　nickel　metal　foam　on　water　management　and　the　performance　of　PEMFC　were　experimentally　investigated.　Experimental　results　indicated　that　when　compression　ratio　of　nickel　metal　foam　on　cathode　is　beyond　0.69,　the　voltage　of　PEMFC　is　completely　stable　in　a　3-hour　constant　current　density　test.　Furthermore,　the　performance　of　PEMFC　enhances　with　the　rise　of　compression　ratio　on　cathode.　However,　there　is　an　optimal　compression　ratio　of　nickel　metal　foam　on　anode,　namely　0.38.　Regarding　PPI　(pores　per　inch)　of　nickel　metal　foam,　it　has　been　found　that　there　is　an　optimal　PPI　on　cathode,　namely　75,　due　to　the　synergic　effect　between　the　distribution　of　reactant　gas　and　water　management　in　nickel　metal　foam　flow　fields　with　different　PPIs.　In　contrast　with　cathode,　a　higher　PPI　of　nickel　metal　foam　results　in　better　performance　on　anode.　Compared　with　the　case　that　uncompressed　nickel　metal　foam　with　110　PPI　for　anode　and　cathode,　the　maximum　power　density　and　energy　conversion　efficiency　of　the　optimized　metal　foam　fuel　cell,　namely　110　PPI　and　compression　ratio　of　0.38　for　anode　and　75　PPI　and　compression　ratio　of　0.75　for　cathode,　increase　by　9.8%　and　4.6%,　respectively.　In　order　to　further　intensify　the　performance　of　PEMFC,　the　effect　of　assembly　force　was　considered.　Since　nickel　metal　foam　could　protect　the　MEA,　a　higher　assembly　force　can　be　tolerated　to　obtain　better　performance.　©　2021　Elsevier　Ltd