Recent progress and perspectives on advanced flexible Zn-based batteries with hydrogel electrolytes

Abstract

Hydrogel electrolytes, which feature intriguing characteristics of being soft and wet, accompanied with high solubility of zinc salts, are especially advantageous for fabricating flexible Zn-based batteries. Furthermore, the abundant and tunable chemistries of hydrogels offer opportunities to bestow novel affiliated functionalities, such as super toughness, extreme temperature tolerance, stimuli-responsive properties, and self-healing capability, by engineering polymer chains and chemical structures to fabricate flexible batteries with unprecedentedly scintillating functions. Herein, the design principles of functional hydrogel electrolytes including polymer chemistry, synthesis methods, characterisation and versatility demonstration for flexible Zn-based batteries are comprehensively reviewed. Relevant challenges and perspectives are also analysed and discussed.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

IMPACT STATEMENT

This review provides a comprehensive understanding for recent advances of flexible Zn-based batteries with hydrogel electrolytes, with a focus on smart batteries with multifunctionalities. Challenges and perspectives for future wearable applications are also discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Flexible batteries
• Zn-based batteries
• hydrogel electrolytes
• multifunction

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr Guojin Liang and Prof. Chunyi Zhi at City University of Hong Kong for helpful comments and assistance in manuscript preparation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support by Shenzhen Municipality under Project of Scientific Research Foundation for Returned Scholars [grant number DD11409018]. This research was also sponsored by Shenzhen Science and Technology Program [grant number KQTD20200820113045083].