Alkaline Corrosion Research Articles

Extraction of Alkalis from Silicate Materials Part 1-Amorphous Silicate Materials.

The main building materials widely used worldwide are those based on cement, glass, and ceramics. Taking into account the fact that the raw material base for the production of these materials is narrowing, and the quality of raw materials is declining, methods are being used to modify the structure of silicate materials in order to improve their properties when using cheaper raw materials and industrial waste, which should help reduce the energy intensity of their production. One of the ways to reduce energy consumption is the use of alkaline components in the chemical composition of silicate materials, which makes it possible to reduce the temperature of their synthesis. However, the presence of alkalis in the material at the stage of the operation is undesirable since it contributes, for example, to a decrease in the chemical resistance of silicate glasses or leads to the phenomenon of alkaline corrosion in cement products. In this regard, in order to reduce the negative impact of alkalis, it is necessary to extract them from the surface layers of the silicate material. There are various methods for extracting alkalis from silicate materials, some of which are presented in this article.

Laser direct writing of a multifunctional superhydrophobic composite strain sensor with excellent corrosion resistance and Anti-Icing/Deicing performance

Superhydrophobic composite strain sensors have attracted extensive attention due to their excellent waterproof, anti-icing, flexible and conductive properties, but there are still challenges to prepare it with broad sensing range, superior sensitivity, stable superhydrophobicity, and excellent long-term stability. In this study, we developed a multifunctional superhydrophobic silicone rubber (SR)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/laser-induced graphene (LIG)/SR composite strain sensor using laser direct writing. A highly stable MWCNTs/LIG crosslinked conductive network layer, high-performance superhydrophobic layer, and stretchable SR layer were integrated to fabricate the sensor by tuning the laser parameters. The SR/MWCNTs/LIG/SR composite strain sensor possessed a high gauge factor of 667, large strain detection range of 0–230%, and a stable sensing response over 2500 cycles due to the MWCNTs/LIG crosslinked conductive network. Moreover, the SR/MWCNTs/LIG/SR composite strain sensor could effectively prevent icing owing to its anti-icing (36 min@-5 °C) and photothermal deicing (88 s@1 W/cm2@NIL) properties and hinder acid and alkaline (pH = 1–14) corrosion attributed to the laser-induced superhydrophobicity, thereby expanding its applications to acid, alkaline, and low-temperature environments. Consequently, the multifunctional superhydrophobic SR/MWCNTs/LIG/SR composite strain sensor is demonstrated to be suitable for human body motion detection in complex and severe environments.

Ammonia exposure by intratracheal instillation causes severe and deteriorating lung injury and vascular effects in mice

Objective Ammonia (NH3) is a corrosive alkaline gas that can cause life-threatening injuries by inhalation. The aim was to establish a disease model for NH3-induced injuries similar to acute lung injury (ALI) described in exposed humans and investigate the progression of lung damage, respiratory dysfunction and evaluate biomarkers for ALI and inflammation over time. Methods Female BALB/c mice were exposed to an NH3 dose of 91.0 mg/kg·bw using intratracheal instillation and the pathological changes were followed for up to 7 days. Results NH3 instillation resulted in the loss of body weight along with a significant increase in pro-inflammatory mediators in both bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (e.g. IL-1β, IL-6, KC, MMP-9, SP-D) and blood (e.g. IL-6, Fibrinogen, PAI-1, PF4/CXCL4, SP-D), neutrophilic lung inflammation, alveolar damage, increased peripheral airway resistance and methacholine-induced airway hyperresponsiveness compared to controls at 20 h. On day 7 after exposure, deteriorating pathological changes such as increased macrophage lung infiltration, heart weights, lung hemorrhages and coagulation abnormalities (elevated plasma levels of PAI-1, fibrinogen, endothelin and thrombomodulin) were observed but no increase in lung collagen. Some of the analyzed blood biomarkers (e.g. RAGE, IL-1β) were unaffected despite severe ALI and may not be significant for NH3-induced damages. Conclusions NH3 induces severe acute lung injuries that deteriorate over time and biomarkers in lungs and blood that are similar to those found in humans. Therefore, this model has potential use for developing diagnostic tools for NH3-induced ALI and for finding new therapeutic treatments, since no specific antidote has been identified yet.

Crystalline-amorphous interface of mesoporous Ni2P @ FePOxHy for oxygen evolution at high current density in alkaline-anion-exchange-membrane water-electrolyzer

For industrial high-purity hydrogen production, it is essential to develop low-cost, earth-abundant, highly-efficient, and stable electrocatalysts which deliver high current density (j) at low overpotential (η) for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, we report an active mesoporous Ni2P @ FePOxHy pre-electrocatalyst, which delivers high j = 1 A cm−2 at η = 360 mV in 1 M KOH with long-term durability (12 days), fulfilling all the desirable commercial criteria for OER. The electrocatalyst shows abundant interfaces between crystalline metal phosphide and amorphous phosphorus-doped metal-oxide, improving charge transfer capability and providing access to rich electroactive sites. Combined with an excellent non-noble metal-based HER catalyst, we achieve commercially required j = 500/1000 mA cm−2 at 1.65/1.715 V for full water-splitting with excellent stability in highly corrosive alkaline environment (30% KOH). The alkaline-anion-exchange-membrane water-electrolyzer (AAEMWE) fabricated for commercial viability exhibits high j of 1 A cm−2 at 1.84 V with long-term durability as an economical hydrogen production method, outperforming the state-of-the-art Pt/C–IrO2 catalyst.

Effect of Corrosive Media on the Chemical and Mechanical Resistance of IPS e.max® CAD Based Li2Si2O5 Glass-Ceramics.

The influence of 4% acetic acid (pH~2.4) and an alkaline solution of NaOH (pH~10) on the corrosion resistance and micromechanical properties of disilicate crystals containing glass-ceramics (LS2-GC’s) is studied. Partially crystallized lithium metasilicate crystal containing glass-ceramics (LS-GC’s) are annealed to fully LS2-GC’s using a one stage and a two-stage heating to induce nucleation. Materials with various chemical and wear resistance are prepared. The content of the crystalline phase in the material annealed in the two-stage process A is 60.0% and increases to 72.2% for the material heated in the one-stage process B. The main elements leached in the acidic medium are lithium and phosphorus, while lithium, silicon, and phosphorus leached into the alkaline environment. Material B exhibits better chemical resistance to the corrosive influence of 4% acetic acid under quasi-dynamic conditions. In the alkaline corrosion medium, silicon is leached from material A faster compared to the material B. After prolonged exposure to acidic or basic environments, both materials show evidence of surface structural changes. A decrease of the sliding wear resistance is observed after corrosion in the acidic environment under dynamic conditions. In both materials, the wear rate increases after corrosion.

Development of alkaline concrete on the basis of active aggregates

The object of the research is the process of directed structure formation in the body of alkaline concrete, made using a reactive aggregate, in this case, basalt, and the process of deformation development in such concrete. The problem with using reactive aggregates is that they cause alkaline corrosion. It manifests itself in the form of cracks and layers of gel-like substances that form at the point of contact of the aggregate with the cement stone. During the research, methods of physical and chemical analysis were used (X-ray phase, differential thermal and thermogravimetric analyzes, electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, microprobe analysis). And also methods of mathematical planning of experiments have been used for the dependence of the physical and technical properties of cements and the directions of their structure formation. Also, the research has been carried out based on the analysis of world achievements in solving the problem of alkaline corrosion of concrete. The possibility of joint operation of the matrix of alkaline cements and active aggregates, represented by basalt, has been determined. The component composition of alkaline cement has been optimized and the need to increase the amount of the alkaline component in the system for the normal course of structure formation processes has been proved. The study of the influence of technical factors and conditions of hardening on the development of processes of structure formation of the investigated compositions has been carried out. The deformation properties of fine-grained concrete based on slag-alkaline cement and basalt aggregate have been investigated. It is shown that the expansion deformations of the samples, which accompany the process of alkaline corrosion of the aggregate in concrete, are directly related to the component composition and hardening conditions of the material. The obtained research results confirm the possibility of using active aggregates for the manufacture of building materials, in particular, based on alkaline cements. But for the safe course of the processes of structure formation, the component composition of the system has to be adjusted by introducing an active mineral additive and an additional alkaline component. The use of hydrophobizing additives makes it possible to increase the strength of the material even when operating under normal heat and humidity conditions.

Endless extension of life cycle of construction and demolition wastes as the most efficient environmental technology

The main purposes of this study were to confirm the life cycle assessment of traditional construction materials (construction and demolition debris, plaster waste lime production waste) as endless due to the possibility of reusing them multiple times without reducing their mechanical properties and sustainability; to determine the physical–chemical processes of recycled composites structure formation. The research was performed by the methods of X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and laser micro mass analyses. The sample’s axial resistance reached 3.2 MPa on the 3rd day, 8.8 MPa on the 14th day, and up to 16.7 MPa on the 180th day with expansion coefficient values up to 1.81%, water absorption - 14.9%, and apparent density up to 1.95 g/cm 3 . The processes of structure formation showed the hardening of the material due to alkaline corrosion of the solid particles’ surfaces with chemical interaction of these alkaline solutions and synthesis of new predominantly amorphous formations of sol–gel CSH-group and carbonates; over time, these new gel formations were converted into a stony state. The obtained results show that developed composites can be returned unlimited times to construction life cycle as valuable components to produce building materials without the use of traditional natural raw materials like sand, rock, stones, clay, and to avoid irreparable destruction of landscapes by quarries for their extraction. • New composites from plasters wastes, demolition wastes and lime production waste. • New composites have high mechanical and physical properties’ values. • Structure formation processes were established by XRD, SEM and EDS methods. • Utilization of industrial wastes have high economical and environment efficiency.

Electrochemical Performance in Alkaline Electrolyte of Aluminum Alloy 6061 As Anode in Aluminum-Air Battery Applications

Climate change. Pollution endangering public health. Lasting damage to the environment. These are only several of the concerns about extracting fossil fuels from the earth and combusting them to supply energy for a myriad of human needs. Fossil fuels contributed 81% of global energy demand in 2017 1, and between 7%- 17% of energy consumption worldwide in 2050 is predicted to be expended in overcoming effects of climate change 2. Significant expansion of electrification in the energy sector, particularly in transportation, is expected to be required to meet the objective of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5°C compared with pre-industrial levels 3.Electric vehicles (EV) for road transport are present in the marketplace now, but vast expansion is necessary to impact global temperature goals. EV annual sales of 2 million in 2016 would need to grow to 1.8 billion annually by 2060 4. Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are chiefly employed in EVs, but issues with supply and disposal 5 have already emerged. High-performance batteries - safe, economical, and widely available – will have great impact on reduction of fossil fuel consumption in meeting global transportation needs. Some metal-air battery designs have the potential to fulfill this role. In this talk, we will discuss the performance of aluminum-air battery anodes in aqueous alkaline electrolytes. In particular, the electrochemical behavior of commercial aluminum alloy 6061 will be compared to that for aluminum anodes of purity 99.95% and 99.999%. Aluminum alloy 6061 is a weldable Al–Mg–Si alloy within which super-saturated solid solutions can be formed by heat treatment 6. Alkaline corrosion of aluminum is a primary concern in aluminum-air cells, and the effect of two corrosion mitigation methods for each anode material is presented. One method, anode heat treatment, is intended to minimize cathodic behavior caused by precipitate phases of alloying materials. The second method employs corrosion inhibiting additives in the alkaline electrolyte. Inorganic additives, such as sodium stannate, can deposit a metal more noble than aluminum on the anode surface. The relatively higher hydrogen overpotential of these metals can increase corrosion resistance. Additives comprising surfactants, or “green” materials, such as linseed oil, can promote a measure of hydrophobicity, discouraging hydroxide ion transport, near the anode surface after adsorption. Hybrid additives are found to be even more effective, as the surfactant or organic additive can aid in stabilizing metal deposition from inorganic additive components. References Arroyo, F. & Miguel, L. J. Analysis of Energy Demand Scenarios in Ecuador: National Government Policy Perspectives and Global Trend to Reduce CO2 Emissions. International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy 9, 364–374 (2019).de Cian, E. & Sue Wing, I. Global Energy Consumption in a Warming Climate. Environmental and Resource Economics 72, 365–410 (2019).Méjean, A., Guivarch, C., Lefèvre, J. & Hamdi-Cherif, M. The transition in energy demand sectors to limit global warming to 1.5 °C. Energy Efficiency 12, 441–462 (2019).Cano, Z. P. et al. Batteries and fuel cells for emerging electric vehicle markets. Nature Energy 3, 279–289 (2018).Notter, D. A. et al. Contribution of Li-Ion Batteries to the Environmental Impact of Electric Vehicles. Environmental Science & Technology 44, 6550–6556 (2010).Maisonnette D. et al. Effects of heat treatments on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a 6061 aluminium alloy. Materials Science and Engineering: A 528, 2718–2724 (2011).

Study on the compressive strength of lightweight cellular concrete with influence from acid and alkali corrosion

Lightweight cellular concrete (LCC) could be in frequent contact with chemicals (such as acid rains, chemical factories and acidic soils). However, the effect of acid and alkaline corrosion on the compressive strength of LCC is often ignored. In this study, the acid and alkali test were carried out to study the strength change of LCC specimens with different mix ratios, and the comparison was made with the untreated specimens. The results show that compared with specimens immersed in acid solution and untreated specimens, the compressive strength LCC specimens immersed in alkaline solution was always the lowest. With the increase of the foam content and water-binder ratio, the compressive strength of LCC specimens immersed in alkaline solution decreased. The compressive strength of LCC specimens immersed in acid solution decreased with the increase of the water-binder ratio. With the increase of the immersion time, the compressive strength of LCC specimens immersed the acid and alkaline solution all decreased.

ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ ДЕФОРМАЦІЙ УСАДКИ/РОЗШИРЕННЯ ЛУЖНИХ БЕТОНІВ ІЗ ВИКОРИСТАННЯМ АКТИВНОГО ЗАПОВНЮВАЧА

Abstract. Results of study of deformative properties of fine-grain concrete are shown using slag alkali activated cement and active aggregate, represented by fraction 0-2.5 mm. It had been shown that expansion deformations of concrete specimens, supplying process of alkaline corrosion of aggregate in concrete, directly combined with component composition and conditions of hardening and storing of material. Thus, it was show, that using alkaline component in the state of dry salt (sodium carbonate) shrinkage/expansion deformations are varying in the shorter ranges comparing to alkali activated concrete with the alkaline component represented by soluble glass. Introduction of active mineral admixture represented by metakaolin also leads to the decreasing of deformations comparing to the compositions without such admixture. Different conditions of hardening and storing of the specimens are also influence well on the development of shrinkage deformations. It is shown that drying of specimens with active process of alkaline corrosion of concrete makes it possible to stop development of expansion deformations in concrete. Hydrophobization of the dried specimens make it possible to store for some time linear characteristics of concrete specimens. This opens the possibility to store lifeability and exploitation terms of construction with destructive corrosion processes in concrete without spending significant costs and without canceling of construction exploitation. Hydrophobization of specimens without drying leads to the intensification of structure formation processes and higher rates of development of shrinkage/expansion deformations. That means, that traditional method of protection of concrete constructions (covering of concrete constructions by painting materials) is not able to prevent, but also possible to activate development of destructive processes of alkaline corrosion of concrete, becoming dangerous to be used.

Using plant extracts to modify Al electrochemical behavior under corroding and functioning conditions in the air battery with alkaline-ethylene glycol electrolyte

The electrochemical behavior of 5083 aluminum alloy in an alkaline solution in the absence and presence of two green additives extracted from Mentha piperita L ‘MP’ and Lawsonia inermis ‘LI’ was analyzed in this study. Corrosion-related investigations disclosed the mixed-type adsorptive function of the compounds, which reduced Al parasitic dissolutions and consequent H2 evolutions by about 80% at 800 ppm of each additive. The performance made the Al alkaline corrosion more uniform, probably by removing water molecules from the surface as approved by FE-SEM and EDS. Quantum calculations indicated the molecular adsorption type and the role of influencing functional groups, particularly =O and –COO(H,CH3) which were the most influencing. These results were also confirmed by FT-IR analysis. The effect of the additives on the dissolution of Al anode was investigated under different discharging rates, clarifying how the employed electrolyte containing the green extracts could improve Al anode capacity density by ~2.8 Ah/g and enhance the anode utilization efficiency by ~94% in an air battery. The results of this study can open the way for future investigations to replace the synthetic anti-corrosion additives of Al air-batteries with non-toxic and biodegradable organic ones having similar corrosion inhibition performance without restricting anode discharge currents.

A Chemical and Electrochemical Investigation on Mitigation of Acidic and Alkaline Corrosion for Al-63400 Alloy Using Tender Cocoa Pod Extract

A Chemical and Electrochemical Investigation on Mitigation of Acidic and Alkaline Corrosion for Al-63400 Alloy Using Tender Cocoa Pod Extract

Use of active aggregates in concrete as a guarantee of expansion of raw material base and reduction of cost of products

Traditional natural materials (mainly granite and quartz) are usually used as aggregates for the manufacture of concrete products and structures. This raw material is tested, reliable and does not cause destruction during operation of structures. However, it is exhaustive and characterized by high cost. That is why it is advisable to consider the use of reactive (active) aggregates. Especially if you consider ways to eliminate alkaline corrosion. The development of alkaline concrete compositions with the use of active aggregates is the key to expanding the raw material base for the manufacture of building materials with a reduction in production costs compared to products based on traditional systems. The use of active mineral additives allows to reduce the content of free alkalis in the system, preventing the alkaline corrosion of hardened artificial stone. Simultaneously. the processes of interaction of the active siliceous component with alkalis in the cement system can be transferred from the category of destructive (such as destroying the structure of hardened stone) in constructive processes (binding these components into insoluble compounds during hydration and cement formation, without breaking its fixed structure and sealing material). Studies have shown the high efficiency of the proposed approaches for the binding of excess alkalis (more than 0.6%) and targeted synthesis of alkaline aluminosilicate-type tumors in the composition of artificial cement stone. At the same time, the issue of extending the results to control the formation of structures at different levels of concrete with the use of general construction cements requires further research, and the issue of stopping alkaline corrosion of hardened concrete has not been raised and is innovative from the point of view of domestic and world science.

Effect of Chemical Corrosion on Properties of SBS Modified Bitumen for Waterproofing Membranes

SBS modified bitumen membrane used in underground engineering and coastal buildings would be corroded by chemical media, which greatly influenced the service life of waterproofing membranes. In this paper, SBS modified bitumen (MB), SBS modified bitumen with stone powder (MBS) and SBS modified bitumen with talc powder (MBT) were corroded by acidic, alkaline, and saline solutions for different time to evaluated the effect of chemical corrosion on the properties of SBS modified bitumen waterproofing membrane. The mass change ratio, low temperature flexibility, softening point and viscosity of SBS modified bitumen were investigated, and Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to analyze the chemical structural changes of SBS modified bitumen after corrosion. The results showed that the mass of SBS modified bitumen decreased, the low temperature performance decreased, and the softening point increased after corrosion by chemical solutions. The influence of acidic and saline solution was more serious on SBS modified bitumen with fillers, and the properties of MBS has greatest degradation in acidic solution compared with MB and MBT. In alkaline solution, the properties degradation of MBT and MBS was less than that of MB, which indicated that filler could inhibit the alkaline corrosion of SBS modified bitumen. FTIR showed that C=C decreased more in acidic solution, while C=O and S=O of SBS modified bitumen increased significantly after alkaline solution corrosion, which indicated that acidic solution corrosion easily caused SBS degradation, while alkaline solution corrosion was easy to oxidize SBS and bitumen.

Fracture performance of GFRP-RC beams with working cracks in alkaline environment for eight years

The development trend of glass fiber-reinforced polymer-reinforced concrete (GFRP-RC) beams partially or entirely replacing reinforced concrete beams has gained acceptance. However, related research on long-term fracture durability is insufficient. This paper aims to investigate the long-term fracture durability of GFRP-RC beams, 36 GFRP-RC beams under the alkaline corrosion environment and sustained load for eight years were subjected to three-point eccentric loading experiments. The load crack opening distance (P-CMOD) curve and the corresponding fracture energy were obtained. The results show that the bearing capacity and residual fracture energy retention (ER) of GFRP-RC beams with working cracks in the APS (alkaline + pre-cracks + sustained load) group were 18.71% and 26.38% lower, respectively than those in the AS (alkaline + sustained load) group. After analyzing the critical CMOD curves for each service period with failure probabilities of 60% and 85%, a long-term crack growth failure probability model for the service time t and the critical CMOD was proposed, which provide a non-destructive damage assessment method for GFRP-RC beams in actual service.

Study of deformation properties of alkali activated concretes using active aggregates

Results of study of deformation properties of fine-grain concrete are shown using slag alkali activated cement and active aggregate. It had been shown that expansion deformations of specimens, supplying process of alkaline corrosion of aggregate in concrete, directly combined with component composition and conditions of hardening of material. It was shown that using alkaline component in the state of dry salt shrinkage deformations are varying in the shorter ranges comparing to concrete with the soluble glass. Introduction of active mineral admixture leads to the decreasing of deformations comparing to the compositions without admixture. Different conditions of hardening of the specimens are also influence well on the development of shrinkage deformations. It is shown that drying of specimens with active process of alkaline corrosion of concrete makes it possible to stop development of expansion deformations in concrete. Hydrophobization of the dried specimens make it possible to store linear characteristics of specimens. Hydrophobization of without drying leads to the intensification of structure formation processes and higher rates of development of deformations. Traditional method of protection of concrete constructions (covering by painting materials) is not able to prevent, but also possible to activate development of destructive processes of alkaline corrosion of concrete.

Evolving Highly Active Oxidic Iron(III) Phase from Corrosion of Intermetallic Iron Silicide to Master Efficient Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation and Selective Oxygenation of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural.

In a green energy economy, electrocatalysis is essential for chemical energy conversion and to produce value added chemicals from regenerative resources. To be widely applicable, an electrocatalyst should comprise the Earth's crust's most abundant elements. The most abundant 3d metal, iron, with its multiple accessible redox states has been manifold applied in chemocatalytic processes. However, due to the low conductivity of FeIII Ox Hy phases, its applicability for targeted electrocatalytic oxidation reactions such as water oxidation is still limited. Herein, it is shown that iron incorporated in conductive intermetallic iron silicide (FeSi) can be employed to meet this challenge. In contrast to silicon-poor iron-silicon alloys, intermetallic FeSi possesses an ordered structure with a peculiar bonding situation including covalent and ionic contributions together with conducting electrons. Using in situ X-ray absorption and Raman spectroscopy, it could be demonstrated that, under the applied corrosive alkaline conditions, the FeSi partly forms a unique, oxidic iron(III) phase consisting of edge and corner sharing [FeO6 ] octahedra together with oxidized silicon species. This phase is capable of driving the oxyge evolution reaction (OER) at high efficiency under ambient and industrially relevant conditions (500mAcm-2 at 1.50±0.025VRHE and 65°C) and to selectively oxygenate 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF).

Inhibition Action of Maltodextrin on Alkaline Corrosion of Zinc

Inhibition Action of Maltodextrin on Alkaline Corrosion of Zinc

Poly(methyl methacrylate) intercalated layered double hydroxide film with enhanced alkaline corrosion resistance for aluminum alloy AA6061

The oriented growth of Zn-Al LDH film perpendicular to the surface of AA6061 substrate was confirmed by scanning microscopy image and X-ray diffraction pattern. The LDH film achieved a complete surface coverage on the AA6061 substrate and exhibited strong corrosion resistance in NaOH solution (pH of 13). Furthermore, a preparation protocol for poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-LDH composite film was demonstrated. LDH film intercalated only with PMMA but not polyurethane demonstrated greatly enhanced alkaline corrosion resistance, showing a more positive corrosion potential and reduced corrosion current by four orders of magnitude in electrochemical polarization spectroscopy. The enhancement in corrosion resistance by PMMA intercalation could be attributed to the increasing compactness in the LDH film and increasing hydrophobicity.

Increasing the Performance of Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzer Operating in Neutral pH

Anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) for generation of hydrogen from water is an emerging technology with high potential to surpass peer electrolyzers. However, current AEMWEs exhibit significant overpotential loss. Almost all the reported improvements in AEMWE performance have been confined to development and optimization of the conductive membranes and active electrodes to address issues regarding the ohmic and activation loss in AEMWE. However, coming from a different perspective, the strong effect of other cell components, which directly influence interfacial contact and transport phenomenon, is an important aspect to further improve the AEMWE performance and should not be neglected . Here, for the first time we report a solution to solve this missing piece of the puzzle with a highly conductive novel multifunctional liquid/gas diffusion layers (LGDLs), which consisted of well-tuned pores to asynchronously transport electrons, heat and liquid/gas while minimizing ohmic, mass transport and interfacial losses. The ohmic and mass transfer losses were reduced by 48% and 58%, respectively, thanks to the developed multifunctional LGDL and as a result the performance increased by 13 % at 0.5 A cm-2 in water, which places AEMWE close in effectiveness to more mainstream alkaline electrolyzers but without the need of using corrosive alkaline solutions as electrolyte. This multifunctional LGDL, called NiMPL-PTL, was developed by introducing nickel based micro porous layers (MPLs) using atmospheric plasma spray (APS) technique on the top of a porous transport layer (PTL) substrate. The low tortuosity of this novel porous NiMPL-PTL can reduce capillary pressure and bubble point, which can efficiently remove the unavoidable gas bubbles formed at electrode surface. Moreover, this NiMPL-PTL can decrease the contact resistance, since it increases the contact area between PTL and membrane electrode assembly (MEA) by reducing the aperture size of the PTL. Therefore, a significant mitigation of mass transport issues at high current densities and an improvement in interfacial contact resistance (ICR) were achieved by implementing NiMPL-PTL in the AEMWE operated in water. Electrochemical results showed that for AEMWE cell with well-tuned NiMPL-PTLs, the operating voltage required at the current density of 0.5 A cm-2 is as low as 1.90 V with an operating efficiency of 76%HHV, which was 290 mV lower than that of cell with the uncoated PTLs , which could only reach to efficiency of 65%HHV. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no such a genuine design of multifunctional coated backing layer PTL to improve the AEMWE performance in water.