A Sustainable Dual Cross-Linked Cellulose Hydrogel Electrolyte for High-Performance Zinc-Metal Batteries

Abstract

Highlights A sustainable dual cross-linked cellulose hydrogel with excellent mechanical strength was fabricated from aqueous alkali hydroxide/urea solution using a sequential chemical and physical cross-linking strategy. The hydrogel electrolyte effectively suppresses dendrites growth and side reactions to achieve a stable Zn anode (over 2000 h for Zn||Zn cell), which are proved by a multi-perspective and in-depth mechanism investigation. The hydrogel electrolyte is easily accessible and biodegradable, making the zinc batteries attractive in terms of scalability and sustainability.

Keywords

• Cellulose
• Dual cross-linked
• Aqueous rechargeable Zn-metal batteries
• Hydrogel electrolyte