Recent progress and perspectives on advanced flexible Zn-based batteries with hydrogel electrolytes

Hydrogel electrolytes, which feature intriguing characteristics of being soft and wet, accompanied with high solubility zinc salts, are especially advantageous for fabricating flexible Zn-based batteries. Furthermore, the abundant tunable chemistries hydrogels offer opportunities to bestow novel affiliated functionalities, such as super toughness, extreme temperature tolerance, stimuli-responsive properties, self-healing capability, by engineering polymer chains chemical structures fabricate batteries unprecedentedly scintillating functions. Herein, design principles functional hydrogel electrolytes including chemistry, synthesis methods, characterisation versatility demonstration comprehensively reviewed. Relevant challenges perspectives also analysed discussed.