Molecular Engineering Enables Hydrogel Electrolyte with Ionic Hopping Migration and Self‐Healability toward Dendrite‐Free Zinc‐Metal Anodes

Abstract Hydrogel electrolytes (HEs), characterized by intrinsic safety, mechanical stability, and biocompatibility, can promote the development of flexible aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (FAZIBs). However, current FAZIB technology is severely restricted by the uncontrollable dendrite growth arising from undesirable reactions between the HEs with sluggish ionic conductivity and Zn metal. To overcome this challenge, this work proposes a molecular engineering strategy, which involves the introduction of oxygen‐rich poly(urea‐urethane) (OR‐PUU) into polyacrylamide (PAM)‐based HEs. The OR‐PUU/PAM HEs facilitate rapid ion transfer through their ionic hopping migration mechanism, resulting in uniform and orderly Zn 2+…

• CA
  Chinese Academy of Sciences
• GO
  Government of Jiangsu Province
• NS
  Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province

  Award: BK20220288
• SI
  Suzhou Institute of Nanotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
• NK
  National Key Research and Development Program of China

  Award: 2022YFE0206500