Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 11, 2026

Zinc-Sponge Battery Electrodes that Suppress Dendrites
Published on: September 29, 2020
All-in-One Stretchable Flexible Zinc-Air Battery Enabled by Eutectogel-Derived Electrolyte and Electrodes
Yafen Zheng1, Tao Wang2, Dongling Wu1
1State Key Laboratory of Chemistry and Utilization of Carbon Based Energy Resources, College of Chemistry, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, PR China.
Abstract:
Flexible zinc-air batteries (FZABs) draw attention for flexibility and high energy density, yet developing integrated ones with stable electrode/electrolyte interfaces and stretchability remains challenging. Herein, lactic acid/ethylene glycol-polyvinyl alcohol (LA/EG-PVA) eutectogel is rationally designed to simultaneously act as the electrolyte, zinc anode, and catalyst cathode matrix for the fabricating fully stretchable, self-healing, all-in-one FZABs. The carboxyl (─COOH) and hydroxyl (─OH) groups of LA form numerous hydrogen bonds with EG and PVA, creating a dense cross-linked structure in the eutectogel. This gives the eutectogel excellent adhesion for robust electrode/electrolyte contact and significantly enhances its liquid retention and ionic conductivity. Furthermore, the ─COOH and ─OH in LA molecules effectively immobilize water molecules via forming hydrogen bonds, which mitigates hydrogen evolution and corrosion side reactions. Simultaneously, the strong electrostatic interaction between LA and Zn(OH)4 2- induces uniform zinc deposition, thereby suppressing dendritic growth and passivation. The all-in-one FZAB with eutectogel-derived electrolyte/electrodes delivers a peak power density of 65.4 mW cm-2, retains 44.5 mW cm-2 under 100% tensile strain, self-heals to function under stretching after cutting, and operates from -40 to 100°C. This integrated eutectogel design approach offers a new avenue for stretchable FZABs and holds promise for more stretchable energy storage devices.
Related Concept Videos
Batteries and Fuel Cells
Electrochemical Cells
Voltaic/Galvanic Cells
Spontaneous redox reactions occur abundantly in nature. The chemical reaction occurring in a disposable AA battery powering our remote controls is one such example of a spontaneous redox reaction. Another example is the immersion of coiled copper wire into an aqueous silver nitrate solution. The reaction shows a gradual, visually impressive color change from colorless to bright blue and the formation of a grey precipitate on the copper wire. In this experiment,...
Junction Potentials in Galvanic Cells
