In the relentless pursuit of safer, more efficient energy storage, a team of researchers from Shanghai University has made a significant breakthrough. Led by Wanjia Han from the School of Materials Science and Engineering, the team has developed an integrated sensor that could revolutionize how we monitor the internal conditions of lithium-ion batteries. This innovation, published in the journal ‘Sensors’ (translated from the original ‘传感器’), promises to enhance the safety and longevity of batteries, with far-reaching implications for the energy sector.
Lithium-ion batteries power our world, from electric vehicles to portable electronics and grid storage systems. However, they come with a critical caveat: the risk of thermal runaway, a condition where the battery overheats, potentially leading to fires or explosions. This risk is exacerbated by the flammable electrolytes and internal short circuits that can occur during operation.
The key to mitigating this risk lies in real-time monitoring of the battery’s internal conditions. Traditional battery management systems (BMS) track external parameters like voltage, current, and temperature, but they often leave little time for intervention once alarm thresholds are triggered. Han’s team aims to change this by providing a more precise, early warning system.
“The widely used battery management systems primarily monitor the current, voltage, and temperature of the battery pack externally,” Han explains. “However, monitoring the internal status parameters of a battery provides more precise insights into the battery’s electrochemical and mechanical changes, enabling much earlier warnings and intervention.”
The team’s solution is an integrated sensor built using low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) technology. This sensor combines a multilayer ceramic circuit board, a digital pulse temperature sensor, a MEMS pressure sensor, and a microcontroller. The result is a robust, high-precision device capable of real-time monitoring of both pressure and temperature within the battery.
The sensor’s specifications are impressive: it achieves a pressure resolution of 1 kPa with an accuracy of 0.085% of the full scale and a temperature resolution of 0.1°C with deviations under 0.5°C. Moreover, the sensor demonstrates exceptional stability, showing no significant drift in performance after 100 charge-discharge cycles and 60 days of immersion in corrosive electrolytes.
The practical applications of this technology are vast. For electric vehicles, real-time monitoring of internal battery conditions could enhance safety and extend battery life, reducing the total cost of ownership. In grid storage systems, it could prevent catastrophic failures, ensuring a more reliable energy supply. For portable electronics, it could lead to more durable, long-lasting devices.
But the potential doesn’t stop at lithium-ion batteries. The LTCC technology used in this sensor is highly versatile, capable of withstanding harsh environments and integrating multiple sensing points. This opens the door to multi-parameter sensors that could monitor not just pressure and temperature, but also gas concentrations and other critical factors.
Looking ahead, Han and his team plan to explore these possibilities further. “In future research, efforts will be made to obtain multi-parameter integration sensors with pressure, temperature, and gas using LTCC technology,” Han says. “Moreover, continued exploration of using LTCC sensors for internal battery monitoring will be pursued, with the aim of providing a new technological solution for monitoring the internal state of batteries.”
As the energy sector continues to evolve, innovations like this integrated sensor will play a pivotal role. By providing more precise, real-time data, they enable better decision-making, enhance safety, and drive efficiency. The work of Han and his team is a testament to the power of interdisciplinary research, combining materials science, electronics, and energy storage to create solutions that could shape the future of the energy landscape.