A method for recovering and recycling catalyst coated fuel cell membranes includes dissolving the used membranes in water and solvent, heating the dissolved membranes under pressure and separating the components. At least one protective coating is provided, the coating being produced from an expanded polymeric material and providing the connection with a mechanical impact strength and ensuring a predetermined heat exchange between the connection and the external environment. Sensors provide feedback to the controller. In an aspect, a bitmap of a pattern corresponding to \u2018k\u2019 protected subframes differs from a bitmap of a pattern corresponding to \u2018k+1\u2019 protected subframes by a single bit value.