Rational Constructions of High-Performance Flexible Aqueous Gel-State Zinc Ionic Batteries

The rapid advancement of wearable and smart flexible electronics has imposed stringent criteria for their power supply, demanding robust mechanical flexibility, inherent safety, elevated energy density, and environmental sustainability. Flexible aqueous gel-state zinc-ion batteries (FAGZIBs) are regarded as a viable energy supply solution for flexible devices, with significant advancements achieved in this burgeoning field. Given the growing interest in FAGZIBs within the domain of aqueous batteries, it is both imperative and timely to summarize the recent advancements in this area, thereby offering essential insights for the development of FAGZIBs. First, this review comprehensively outlines the compositions, structures, energy storage mechanisms, and flexible principles of FAGZIBs. It subsequently provides in-depth analyses of recent issues and relevant solving designs of FAGZIBs. Furthermore, this review explores the emerging developments and practical applications of FAGZIBs in wearable electronics, categorized by their diverse functions, including compressibility, stretchability, electrochromic properties, freeze resistance, self-healing capabilities, and self-charging features. In conclusion, this timely and comprehensive review highlights key applications and prospective research avenues in FAGZIBs, aiming to provide guidelines for their practical application.