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A system of electrolytes using water as a solvent was successfully used to support a typical lithium-ion battery chemistry that operates at 3.7V–4.2 V using standard ultraviolet-cured acrylic-based polymers as hydrophobic barriers. The aqueous electrolyte is contained in a system of poly(ethylene glycol) acrylate polymers crosslinked to produce an electrolyte gel that has electrochemical properties similar to that of the liquid phase component. The electrolyte gels have elastic moduli in the kPa range, making them soft enough to tolerant flexing, cutting, and blunt force impacts while keeping the electrodes covered and safe from shorting. While batteries based on water-in-salt electrolyte provides intrinsic safety that is otherwise unavailable from typical non-aqueous electrolytes, acrylate-based aqueous gel electrolytes offer the potential of large-scale manufacturing owing to the relatively low volatility of the electrolyte components and the low complexity of the proposed manufacturing process. • UV-cured gel electrolytes were used to construct a 4 V lithium ion battery. • The main gel electrolyte was water-based, making the battery safe. • Gel electrolytes had conductivity ≥0.3 mS/cm. • Gel electrolytes exhibited favorable impedance characteristics. • Battery cells used graphite anodes and LiCoO 2 cathodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]