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

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.