ZIF-8 loaded Ag/ZnO electrospun nanofibers enabling high-performance H2 gas sensing for battery safety early warning

Abstract

Safety issues triggered by battery thermal runaway have become the most crucial obstacle to the future development of the high-energy-density energy storage systems. As hydrogen (H2) will be inevitably generated along with heat release caused by the side reactions in the early stages of battery thermal runaway, rapid monitoring of trace H2 is considered as an effective measure enabling the battery safety early warning. Herein, to develop high-performance H2 sensing materials to monitor of low-concentration H2 leakage, ZIF-8 loaded Ag/ZnO electrospun nanofibers (ZAZ NFs) were designed by electrospinning and self-sacrificial template methods. Benefiting from all the enrichment and sieving effects of ZIF-8 shell, the catalytic and sensitization effects of Ag and abundant active sites provided by Ag and ZIF-8 loading, the ZAZ sensor enables ppb-level limit of detection toward H2, fast response (9 s), high selectivity and excellent humidity resistance. Furthermore, this ZAZ sensor can also realize the safety early warning (67.79 s before battery bulge) for practical pouch lithium cells, highlighting its great application potential in future advanced battery safety management system.