TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - CERAMICS AND GLASS - Preferred Materials: The support layer comprises a ceramic material consisting of metal oxide, silica based compound, clay, silicon carbide or cordierite.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - METALLURGY - Preferred Materials: The current collector-protecting layer comprises a conductive metal that has a conductivity of greater than or equal to1 S/cm. The conductive metal and the current collector comprises gold (Au), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), platinum (Pt), titanium (Ti), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), tin (Sn), or their alloys. The current collector is a metal mesh. The support comprises a metal.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Materials: The current collector-protecting layer comprises at least one carbonaceous material selected from powdered carbon, graphite, carbon black, acetylene black, activated carbon, carbon nanotube, carbon nanofiber, carbon nanowire, carbon nanohorn, carbon nanoring or fullerene (C60). The current collector-protecting layer comprises a porous material having a porosity of 10-90%. The support layer comprises a carbonaceous material selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber, carbon paper, carbon cloth, carbon nanotube, carbon nanofiber, carbon nanohorn, carbon nanoring, carbon black, graphite, fullerene, activated carbon, and acetylene black.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Materials: The current collector-protecting layer comprises at least one electrically conductive polymer selected from polyaniline, polypyrrole or polythiophene. The diffusion layer comprises an electrically conductive material, and/or a non-conductive material. The electrically conductive material is a carbonaceous material. The non-conductive material is a hydrophobic material, a hydrophilic material, a hydrous material, and/or porous material. The hydrophobic material is a polyethylene resin, a polystyrene resin, a fluoropolymer resin, a polypropylene resin, a polymethyl methacrylate resin, a polyimide resin, a polyamide resin, and/or polyethylene terephthalate resin. The hydrophilic material is a polymer resin containing a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an amine group or a sulfone group at terminal(s), a polyvinyl alcohol resin, a cellulose-based polymer resin, a polyvinylamine resin, a polyethylene oxide resin, a polyethylene glycol resin, a nylon-based polymer resin, a polyacrylate resin, a polyester resin, a polyvinylpyrrolidone resin, and/or ethylene vinyl acetate-based resin. The hydrous material is a polymer resin containing a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an amine group or a sulfone group at terminal(s), a polyvinyl alcohol resin, a cellulose-based polymer resin, a polyvinylamine resin, a polyethylene oxide resin, a polyethylene glycol resin, a nylon-based polymer resin, a polyacrylate resin, a polyester resin, a polyvinylpyrrolidone resin, an ethylene vinyl acetate-based resin, aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, and silicon oxide.