Self-supporting bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts for flexible rechargeable zinc-air batteries

Flexible rechargeable zinc-air batteries (FZABs) have emerged as a highly promising energy solution for next-generation wearable electronics due to their high safety and energy density. However, conventional slurry-coated electrodes often suffer from active-site blockage and mechanical delamination when binders are added. This mini-review summarizes the current trend towards self-supporting, binder-free air cathodes for high-efficiency FZABs. We systematically review key fabrication strategies, including electrospinning, in situ growth on commercial substrates and macro-assembled integrated architectures. By highlighting the advantages of these integrated structures, we explore how they enhance mass transport efficiency and mechanical durability. This mini-review concludes with a comprehensive comparison of current state-of-the-art catalysts to reveal structure-performance relationships and outlines future challenges in this promising field. • Systematic review of self-supporting, binder-free air cathodes for flexible zinc-air batteries. • Detailed categorization of electrospinning, in situ growth, and macro-integrated architectures. • In-depth analysis of structure-performance relationships.