A review of the classification and mechanism of action of battery-based sensors

Authors

  • Taiyu Jiang Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62051/gpfdrv94

Keywords:

Sensor classification; multi-physics coupling; FBG; BMS; SoC.

Abstract

Safety monitoring and lifespan management of lithium-ion batteries are crucial for new energy applications. However, traditional battery management systems (BMS) rely solely on electrical signals such as voltage, current, and surface temperature, making it difficult to detect internal hazards in a timely manner. They also suffer from limitations such as delayed response and a single observable quantity. In recent years, new sensing technologies have been introduced into the interior and surface of batteries to acquire various physical information, such as heat and force, enabling in-situ monitoring of the battery status. This article systematically discusses the main categories of battery sensors and their mechanisms of action. It compares the latest research progress and performance indicators of technology routes such as fiber Bragg grating (FBG), non-dispersive infrared (NDIR), and MXene-based flexible sensors. It also summarizes engineering challenges and coping strategies, including packaging integration, signal decoupling, early warning algorithms, and multimodal fusion. The application value of sensing technology in battery SoC/SoH estimation, safety warnings, and fast charging adaptation is discussed. Finally, the future development directions of battery sensing technology, including non-intrusive sensing, wireless transmission integration, and the fusion of physical models and machine learning, provide guidance for the next generation of intelligent battery monitoring and management.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

[1] Shen Y, Wang S, Li H, et al. An overview on in situ/operando battery sensing methodology through thermal and stress measurements[J]. Journal of Energy Storage, 2023, 64: 107164. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2023.107164

[2] An C, Zheng K, Wang S, et al. Advances in sensing technologies for monitoring states of lithium-ion batteries[J]. Journal of Power Sources, 2025, 625: 235633. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2024.235633

[3] Zuo Meihua, Chen Siqi, Xing Wangyan, et al. Fundamental scientific issues of nickel-rich cathodes for lithium-ion batteries: material instability mechanisms and modification strategies [J]. Acta Materiae Compositae Sinica, 2025, 42(6): 3067-3081.

[4] Cogswell D A, Bazant M Z. Coherency strain and the kinetics of phase separation in LiFePO4 nanoparticles[J]. ACS nano, 2012, 6(3): 2215-2225. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/nn204177u

[5] Xue X, Han X, Li W, et al. Operando Battery Monitoring: Lab‐on‐Fiber Electrochemical Sensing Technologies[J]. Laser & Photonics Reviews, 2024, 18(9): 2301298. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/lpor.202301298

[6] Zheng Y, Che Y, Hu X, et al. Thermal state monitoring of lithium-ion batteries: Progress, challenges, and opportunities[J]. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 2024, 100: 101120. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecs.2023.101120

[7] Su Y D, Preger Y, Burroughs H, et al. Fiber optic sensing technologies for battery management systems and energy storage applications[J]. Sensors, 2021, 21(4): 1397.

[8] Ling X, Zhang Q, Xiang Y, et al. A Cu/Ni alloy thin-film sensor integrated with current collector for in-situ monitoring of lithium-ion battery internal temperature by high-throughput selecting method[J]. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2023, 214: 124383. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2023.124383

[9] Nilsson EJK, Ahlberg Tidblad A. Gas Emissions from Lithium-Ion Batteries: A Review of Experimental Results and Methodologies. Batteries. 2024, 10(12):443.

[10] Jia X, Roels J, Baets R, et al. On-chip non-dispersive infrared CO2 sensor based on an integrating cylinder[J]. Sensors, 2019, 19(19): 4260. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/s19194260

[11] Peschel C, Horsthemke F, Winter M, Nowak S. Implementation of orbitrap mass spectrometry for improved GC-MS target analysis in lithium ion battery electrolytes. MethodsX. 2022 Jan 14;9:101621. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2022.101621

[12] Nilsson E J K, Ahlberg Tidblad A. Gas Emissions from Lithium-Ion Batteries: A Review of Experimental Results and Methodologies[J]. Batteries, 2024, 10(12): 443. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/batteries10120443

[13] Essl C, Seifert L, Rabe M, et al. Early detection of failing automotive batteries using gas sensors[J]. Batteries, 2021, 7(2): 25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/batteries7020025

[14] Pan Y, Xu K, Wang R, et al. Lithium-ion battery condition monitoring: A frontier in acoustic sensing technology[J]. Energies, 2025, 18(5): 1068. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/en18051068

[15] Lee H, Seo Y H, Ma P S. Advanced ultrasonic detection of lithium-ion battery thermal runaway under various heating powers[J]. Applied Energy, 2025, 396: 126328. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.126328

[16] Wu Y, Wang Y, Yung W K C, et al. Ultrasonic health monitoring of lithium-ion batteries[J]. Electronics, 2019, 8(7): 751. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics8070751

[17] Albero Blanquer L, Marchini F, Seitz J R, et al. Optical sensors for operando stress monitoring in lithium-based batteries containing solid-state or liquid electrolytes[J]. Nature communications, 2022, 13(1): 1153. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28792-w

[18] Yu Y, Vincent T, Sansom J, et al. Distributed internal thermal monitoring of lithium ion batteries with fibre sensors[J]. Journal of energy storage, 2022, 50: 104291. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2022.104291

[19] Nascimento M, Novais S, Ding M S, et al. Internal strain and temperature discrimination with optical fiber hybrid sensors in Li-ion batteries[J]. Journal of Power Sources, 2019, 410: 1-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2018.10.096

[20] Mei W, Liu Z, Wang C, et al. Operando monitoring of thermal runaway in commercial lithium-ion cells via advanced lab-on-fiber technologies[J]. Nature communications, 2023, 14(1): 5251. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40995-3

[21] Han Y, Zhao Y, Ming A, et al. Application of an NDIR sensor system developed for early thermal runaway warning of automotive batteries[J]. Energies, 2023, 16(9): 3620. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/en16093620

[22] Pendão C, Silva I. Optical fiber sensors and sensing networks: Overview of the main principles and applications[J]. Sensors, 2022, 22(19): 7554. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/s22197554

[23] Mohammadi Moradian J, Ali A, Yan X, et al. Sensors Innovations for Smart Lithium-Based Batteries: Advancements, Opportunities, and Potential Challenges[J]. Nano-Micro Letters, 2025, 17(1): 279. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-025-01786-1

[24] Li H, Guo Q, Yu W, et al. Piezoresistive-piezocapacitive hybrid pressure sensor based on synergetic MXene porous conducting and ion trapping effects for operando battery state-of-charge monitoring[J]. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2024, 497: 154929. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2024.154929

[25] Ladpli P, Kopsaftopoulos F, Chang F K. Estimating state of charge and health of lithium-ion batteries with guided waves using built-in piezoelectric sensors/actuators[J]. Journal of Power Sources, 2018, 384: 342-354. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2018.02.056

[26] Zhang, B.; Zheng, Y.; Gao, J.; Lyu, Y.; Cao, L.; He, C. “Ultrasonic estimation of lithium-ion battery state parameters using hybrid sparrow search algorithm and relevance vector machine.” Journal of Power Sources, 2025, 633: 236469. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2025.236469

[27] Chen D, Zhao Q, Zheng Y, et al. Recent progress in lithium-ion battery safety monitoring based on fiber Bragg grating sensors[J]. Sensors, 2023, 23(12): 5609. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/s23125609

[28] Zhang Y, Yang J, Hou X, et al. Highly stable flexible pressure sensors with a quasi-homogeneous composition and interlinked interfaces[J]. Nature communications, 2022, 13(1): 1317. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29093-y

[29] Unterkofler J, Glanz G, Koller M, et al. Strain compensation methods for fiber bragg grating temperature sensors suitable for integration into lithium-ion battery electrolyte[J]. Batteries, 2023, 9(1): 34. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/batteries9010034

[30] Dinh T V, Choi I Y, Park B G, et al. Development of a negligible zero-drift NDIR analyzer for measuring NH3 emitted from an urban household solid waste incinerator[J]. Atmosphere, 2021, 12(7): 858. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12070858

[31] Abdullah A N, Kamarudin K, Kamarudin L M, et al. Correction model for metal oxide sensor drift caused by ambient temperature and humidity[J]. Sensors, 2022, 22(9): 3301. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/s22093301

[32] Jia Z, Wang Z, Sun Z, et al. A multidimensional anomaly detection framework for battery capacity degradation in electric vehicles using real-world data[J]. Energy, 2025, 335: 138240. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2025.138240

[33] Costa F, Genovesi S, Borgese M, et al. A review of RFID sensors, the new frontier of internet of things[J]. Sensors, 2021, 21(9): 3138. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/s21093138

[34] Su Y D, Preger Y, Burroughs H, et al. Fiber optic sensing technologies for battery management systems and energy storage applications[J]. Sensors, 2021, 21(4): 1397. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/s21041397

Downloads

Published

22-01-2026

How to Cite

Jiang, T. (2026). A review of the classification and mechanism of action of battery-based sensors. Transactions on Environment, Energy and Earth Sciences, 5, 246-252. https://doi.org/10.62051/gpfdrv94