Ligand-channel-induced ion liberation in crowded zwitterionic hydrogel electrolyte for efficient zinc metal batteries.

ABSTRACT: Developing efficient electrolytes is vital for realizing the vision of aqueous rechargeable zinc-metal batteries as a safe and sustainable energy storage technology. Emerging electrolyte engineering approaches including concentrated and molecular crowding electrolytes restrict water reactivity but usually incur limited bulk ionic conductivity and sluggish interfacial kinetics as well. Here we show that this dilemma can be addressed by deploying hydrogel electrolytes that incorporate typical molecular crowding electrolytes with a zwitterionic polymer matrix. This crowded zwitterionic hydrogel electrolyte counterintuitively entails Zn²⁺ liberation for higher ionic conductivity and prompt interfacial desolvation kinetics while maintaining essential advantages of molecular crowding

SUBMITTER: Wang C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12698778 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature