The plasmonic hydrogen sensors discipline is of critical importance for the entire hydrogen energy value chain from both a safety and process monitoring perspective. Examples are safety sensors that detect leaks at ultralow concentrations to enable timely and effective leak control and process monitoring sensors in the high humidity environment of electrolyzers or fuel cells.
Key research challenges that we address are to develop ultrafast response sensors in the sub-second range that can detect hydrogen concentrations in the low ppm/ppb range in air or in high pressure hydrogen environments, to develop stable sensor operation at widely varying relative humidity conditions, to facilitate long-term (years) stable sensor operation without significant deactivation/ageing/sensitivity loss, to provide reduced sensor cross-sensitivity to other molecular species.
