Towards the practical use of flexible lithium ion batteries

Recent research on the development of flexible lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has achieved unprecedented progress. The realization of flexibility of LIBs often comes with a compromise of other features, which is unfavorable for their practical application. In this perspective, we briefly review how the design of flexible LIBs has been achieved, and then use textile LIBs as an example of how the flexibility affects their performance. We also detail future challenges and opportunities in design and fabrication of flexible LIBs for practical applications.