Water-Restrained Hydrogel Electrolytes with Repulsion-Driven Cationic Express Pathways for Durable Zinc-Ion Batteries

Abstract

A novel cationic hydrogel electrolyte is prepared to address a significant challenge of balancing the tripartite trade-offs of hydrogel properties. Cationic express pathways enable fast and selective Zn2+ transport through dynamic ionic repulsion, achieving high ionic conductivity (28.7 mS cm−1) and Zn2+ transference number (0.79). The hydrogel demonstrates exceptional cycling stability across − 15 to 60 °C, showcasing great potential for practical flexible battery applications.