Tough hydrogel designs for stable aqueous zinc ion batteries

Abstract

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) have emerged as a promising next-generation energy storage technology to replace lithium-ion batteries. Recently, gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs), as a critical component of AZIBs, have garnered significant attention due to their potential to address challenges associated with conventional aqueous electrolytes, such as dendrite growth, corrosion, electrolyte evaporation, and leakage. However, the mechanical properties of hydrogels often remain suboptimal due to inherent limitations. This review focuses on the mechanical requirements that GPEs must meet for practical implementation in AZIBs. Furthermore, it highlights various gel design strategies to achieve superior mechanical performance, including double-network (DN) gels, topological gels, and other advanced gel network architectures. Promising directions and rational perspectives for future research are also proposed, offering insights into the development of high-performance GPEs for AZIBs.