Developing flexible solid‐state zinc air batteries based on NiFe@NC catalyst and dual network hydrogel electrolyte

Abstract

The flexible zinc-air battery (ZAB) holds significant promise as power supply for the next generation of wearable electronic devices, necessitating the integration of robust mechanical stability and superior electrochemical performance, even under substantial mechanical forces. Nevertheless, the challenge of securing both a deformable electrolyte and a highly efficient O2 catalyst as cathode remains formidable. In this context, we have successfully engineered a high-performance and compressible ZAB by leveraging a dual-network hydrogel electrolyte and a NiFe@NC with the NiFe alloy embedded in nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube as bifunctional O2 catalyst, resulting in exceptional mechanical and electrochemical attributes. The as-obtained flexible ZAB could deliver superior performance by achieving an open-circuit voltage of 1.48 V, a peak power density of 114.7 mW cm−2, and an energy efficiency of 56.6 %. Importantly, the ZAB sustains it could accommodate stable electrochemical performance up to 500 h and decent power density as 76.4 mW cm−2 even being bended to 150°. This innovative research provides novel insights into the effective utilization of the dual-network hydrogel and the NiFe@NC catalyst to achieve high-performance wearable ZABs.