Sensing as the key to battery lifetime and sustainability

Recent economic and productivity gains of rechargeable batteries have cemented their dominance in energy-intensive societies. With demand soaring, enhancing battery performance through continuous monitoring is essential to limiting their environmental footprint. Although some benefits of sensing have been known for a century, the convergence of fibre optic techniques with new battery platforms is poised to change the industry as a wealth of chemical, thermal and mechanical data will transform the utilization strategies for new and used lithium-ion devices alike. This Review highlights recent advances and associated benefits with a focus on optical sensors that could improve the sustainability of batteries. Today’s energy systems rely on rechargeable batteries but the growing demand raises environmental concerns. As more data become available, sensing can play a key role in advancing utilization strategies for new and used lithium-ion devices. This Review discusses how optical sensors can help to improve the sustainability of batteries.