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

摘要

The development of flexible zinc-ion batteries(ZIBs)faces a threeway trade-off among the ionic conductivity,Zn^(2+)mobility,and the electrochemical stability of hydrogel electrolytes.To address this challenge,we designed a cationic hydrogel named PAPTMA to holistically improve the reversibility of ZIBs.The long cationic branch chains in the polymeric matrix construct express pathways for rapid Zn^(2+)transport through an ionic repulsion mechanism,achieving simultaneously high Zn^(2+)transference number(0.79)and high ionic conductivity(28.7 mS cm−1).Additionally,the reactivity of water in the PAPTMA hydrogels is significantly inhibited,thus possessing a strong resistance to parasitic reactions.Mechanical characterization further reveals the superior tensile and adhesion strength of PAPTMA.Leveraging these properties,symmetric batteries employing PAPTMA hydrogel deliver exceeding 6000 h of reversible cycling at 1 mA cm^(−2) and maintain stable operation for 1000 h with a discharge of depth of 71%.When applied in 4×4 cm2 pouch cells with MnO_(2) as the cathode material,the device demonstrates remarkable operational stability and mechanical robustness through 150 cycles.This work presents an eclectic strategy for designing advanced hydrogels that combine high ionic conductivity,enhanced Zn^(2+)mobility,and strong resistance to parasitic reactions,paving the way for long-lasting flexible ZIBs.