Gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) based flexible zinc-air batteries (ZABs) are considered promising power sources for next-generation wearable devices because of their high specific energy density, low cost, high safety, and environmental friendliness. However, the liquid component in GPE is susceptible to evaporation through the air cathode, drastically reducing the cell performance and lifetime. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is the most widely adopted ion conductive polymer, but its poor water retention and low ionic conductivity hinder the widespread commercialization of flexible ZABs. A hierarchically porous (HP) PVA and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) hybrid GPE is developed to address the aforementioned issues. The polymerization of acrylic acid in a PVA matrix forms a semi-interpenetrating polymer network involving a unique HP structure inside the membrane. The PAA-rich lotus-seed-like pores fundamentally improve electrolyte uptake and retention properties, and enhance ionic conductivity. The HP-PVA/PAA hybrid GPE delivers excellent cycling stability, rate characteristics, and power output in ZABs. Furthermore, HP-PVA/PAA based flexible ZABs incorporated into the customized strap demonstrates their feasibility for powering the wearable smart watch.

基于凝胶聚合物电解质 (GPE) 的柔性锌空气电池 (ZAB) 具有高比能量密度、低成本、高安全性和环境友好性，被认为是下一代可穿戴设备的有前途的电源。然而，GPE 中的液体成分容易通过空气阴极蒸发，从而大大降低电池性能和寿命。聚乙烯醇 (PVA) 是应用最广泛的离子导电聚合物，但其保水性差和离子电导率低阻碍了柔性 ZAB 的广泛商业化。开发了分级多孔 (HP) PVA 和聚（丙烯酸）(PAA) 杂化 GPE 来解决上述问题。丙烯酸在 PVA 基质中的聚合形成半互穿聚合物网络，涉及膜内独特的 HP 结构。富含 PAA 的莲子状孔从根本上改善了电解质的吸收和保留性能，并增强了离子电导率。HP-PVA/PAA 混合 GPE 在 ZAB 中提供出色的循环稳定性、倍率特性和功率输出。此外，将基于 HP-PVA/PAA 的柔性 ZAB 纳入定制表带中，证明了它们为可穿戴智能手表供电的可行性。