A fast response hydrogen sensor based on the heterojunction of MXene and SnO2 nanosheets for lithium-ion battery failure detection

Abstract

During the process of lithium-ion battery failure, the discharge of hydrogen indicates that the electrolyte has leaked and is being electrolyzed, which is a sign of thermal runaway in lithium batteries. In this work, stannic oxide (SnO2) nanosheets was formed by high-temperature calcination and compounded with Ti3C2Tx (MXene) in different proportions. The morphology, microstructure and element composition of the material were characterized. The sensing response of MXene-SnO2 for hydrogen (H2) at the most suitable temperature was explored. The test results show that compared with single SnO2, MXene-SnO2 composite sensor has higher response, shorter response/recovery time, stable repeatability and excellent selectivity. Finally, through density functional theory (DFT) calculation, it may be caused by the microstructure of SnO2 and MXene synergism in the effect of forming heterostructures between the two materials in response to hydrogen gas.