Degradation and stabilization of gel electrolytes for quasi-solid Zn-air batteries
- 1Research Institute of Chemical Defense, Beijing, China
- 2School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- 3School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
Abstract
Gel electrolytes have emerged as the preferred electrolyte materials for quasi-solid Zn-air batteries, attributed to the high ionic conductivity and excellent mechanical flexibility. Nevertheless, the practical implementation faces multiple degradation challenges, including water loss, CO2 erosion, mechanical damage, thermal effect, and contact failure, which severely constrain cyclic lifetime and environmental adaptability. This review systematically examines the degradation mechanisms of gel electrolytes and the corresponding mitigation strategies, covering recent progress in water retention enhancement, anti-CO2 poisoning design, mechanical reinforcement, wide-temperature adaptability improvement, and Zn dendrite suppression. Current evidence indicates that single modification approaches are often insufficient to simultaneously enhance multiple performance. Future endeavors should therefore prioritize the design of gel electrolytes through multi-mechanism synergistic integration. Furthermore, a deeper understanding of structural evolution and failure behavior of gels under extreme conditions, combined with advanced characterization techniques, can guide the rational design and structural engineering of high-performance gel electrolytes, offering promise for advancing quasi-solid Zn-air batteries toward practical application.
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BibTeX
@article{wei2026degradation,
title = {{Degradation and stabilization of gel electrolytes for quasi-solid Zn-air batteries}},
author = {Manhui Wei and Zhuo Chen and Jianbin Li and Keliang Wang and Yue Peng and Zhouyang Xu},
journal = {Frontiers in Chemistry},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fchem.2026.1983516},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2026.1983516},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Degradation and stabilization of gel electrolytes for quasi-solid Zn-air batteries
AU - Manhui Wei
AU - Zhuo Chen
AU - Jianbin Li
AU - Keliang Wang
AU - Yue Peng
AU - Zhouyang Xu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/23
JO - Frontiers in Chemistry
DO - 10.3389/fchem.2026.1983516
UR - https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2026.1983516
AB - Gel electrolytes have emerged as the preferred electrolyte materials for quasi-solid Zn-air batteries, attributed to the high ionic conductivity and excellent mechanical flexibility. Nevertheless, the practical implementation faces multiple degradation challenges, including water loss, CO2 erosion, mechanical damage, thermal effect, and contact failure, which severely constrain cyclic lifetime and environmental adaptability. This review systematically examines the degradation mechanisms of gel electrolytes and the corresponding mitigation strategies, covering recent progress in water retention enhancement, anti-CO2 poisoning design, mechanical reinforcement, wide-temperature adaptability improvement, and Zn dendrite suppression. Current evidence indicates that single modification approaches are often insufficient to simultaneously enhance multiple performance. Future endeavors should therefore prioritize the design of gel electrolytes through multi-mechanism synergistic integration. Furthermore, a deeper understanding of structural evolution and failure behavior of gels under extreme conditions, combined with advanced characterization techniques, can guide the rational design and structural engineering of high-performance gel electrolytes, offering promise for advancing quasi-solid Zn-air batteries toward practical application.
SN - 2296-2646
ER -