This communication described the fabrication of a hierarchy carbon paper, and its application to the gas diffusion layer (GDL) of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The carbon paper was fabricated by growing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on carbon fibers via covalently assembling metal nanocatalysts. Surface morphology observation revealed a highly uniform distribution of hydrophobic materials within the carbon paper. The contact angle to water of this carbon paper was not only very large but also particularly even. Polarization measurements verified that the hierarchy carbon paper facilitated the self-humidifying of PEM fuel cells, which could be mainly attributed to its higher hydrophobic property as diagnosed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.