In recent years, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have cemented their status as the cornerstone energy storage technology powering everything from portable electronics to electric vehicles (EVs) and large-scale renewable energy systems. However, as their ubiquity increases, so does the urgency to address the safety challenges inherent in these high-capacity energy devices. Between 2020 and 2024 alone, reports document nearly 9,500 incidents related to LIB failures, underscoring the critical need for improved monitoring and early-warning solutions within battery systems. Tackling this challenge head-on, a groundbreaking study has introduced an innovative, miniaturized sensing system capable of wireless transmission of internal hazard signals from within operating lithium-ion batteries, potentially revolutionizing battery safety management.
At the heart of this development is the ability to monitor key physical parameters inside the jelly-roll structure of LIBs — namely, the nuanced temperature and strain distributions. Conventional external monitoring techniques fail to capture these highly localized internal states, obscuring early signals of malfunction such as hot spots or mechanical deformation that often presage catastrophic failures like thermal runaway. By embedding sensors capable of precise and real-time detection within the battery core, the researchers pave the way for unprecedented insight into the subtle early-stage dynamics compromising battery integrity.
One of the most striking aspects of this novel system is its remarkably low power consumption and compact form factor. These attributes ensure that the embedded sensing setup does not interfere with the battery’s operational performance or reduce its energy density. The wireless communication mechanism facilitates the seamless transmission of intricate internal data without the encumbrance of bulky wiring or external measurement devices. Such integration is crucial for practical implementation in EVs and portable electronics, where space constraints and energy efficiency weigh heavily on design considerations.
Importantly, the sensing platform advances beyond mere data acquisition by enabling quantitative analyses of failure mechanisms within LIBs. By continuously monitoring the internal temperature gradients and strain variations, the system can identify initial regions exhibiting internal short-circuiting, which are typically the sparks triggering thermal fusing and subsequent runaway reactions. Quantifying the affected area ratio between these hazardous regions and the battery electrodes delivers valuable metrics to gauge the intensity and progression of thermal abuse, thus informing both real-time safety control and post-failure diagnostics.
Thermal runaway remains the most feared failure mode in lithium-ion batteries due to its rapid, self-propagating nature that can lead to explosive fires and irreversible damage. The authors’ approach offers a new lens through which this phenomenon can be dissected and predicted much earlier during its initiation phase. The ability to pinpoint thermal hotspots internally before external manifestations arise carries the promise of integrating automatic fail-safe responses or initiating controlled shutdowns, thereby drastically reducing incident rates and enhancing user safety.
Moreover, strain sensing within the battery provides crucial complementary information about mechanical distortions — another significant contributor to LIB degradation and hazardous conditions. Expansion and contraction cycles during charge-discharge operations generate stress gradients inside the jelly-roll, impacting not only the battery’s longevity but also its susceptibility to cracking or delamination which may precipitate short circuits. The combined temperature-strain measurement strategy thus delivers a holistic picture of battery health and hazard evolution under dynamic operational conditions.
The research team employs state-of-the-art materials and microfabrication techniques to achieve high-resolution, durable sensors capable of enduring the chemically aggressive and thermally volatile environments inside operating LIBs. Ensuring sensor stability and signal integrity in such harsh conditions is notoriously difficult, but this system’s design innovations deliver consistent performance without compromising battery architecture or safety. Such robustness is essential for real-world deployment and long-term monitoring applications.
Beyond safety enhancements, the system’s wireless nature opens new avenues for smart battery management systems (BMS) that can integrate internally sourced hazard signals into sophisticated predictive algorithms. This fusion of embedded sensing data and advanced analytics could enable adaptive charging strategies, real-time diagnostics, and even targeted maintenance scheduling — all tailored to individual battery cells or modules, thereby extending overall battery life and reliability.
The implications of this work extend well beyond consumer electronics or automotive sectors. Grid-scale energy storage solutions, which increasingly rely on large arrays of LIBs, can particularly benefit from internal hazard detection and localization, preventing cascade failures that jeopardize entire power systems. By providing granular, cell-level hazard information wirelessly, operators gain precise control and visibility previously unattainable through external monitoring alone.
Looking forward, the integration of such sensing systems into next-generation “smart” LIBs signifies a paradigm shift toward batteries that are not only energy providers but also self-aware, safety-conscious devices. This concept aligns with emerging trends in Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0 paradigms, where interconnected devices actively communicate health and status metrics, preempting failures before they manifest dangerously. The methodologies established here lay the groundwork for embedding intelligence into energy storage hardware itself.
The research community and battery manufacturers alike will keenly watch the transition from laboratory demonstrations to scalable manufacturing and commercial adoption. Critical questions remain regarding cost-effectiveness, sensor calibration over long lifetimes, and integration with existing BMS protocols. Nevertheless, the proof-of-concept demonstrated affirms the potential of miniaturized internal fault detection technology to drastically reduce safety incidents that have so far plagued LIB deployment.
This pioneering achievement was documented in a recent publication in Nature, authored by Fan, Liu, Li, and their colleagues. Their contribution provides a foundational platform for revolutionizing LIB safety through the fusion of microscale sensing, wireless communication, and data-driven hazard analysis. As demand for safer, more reliable energy storage rockets alongside the electrification of transport and expansion of renewable energy infrastructures, such advances will prove indispensable.
In conclusion, by making the “invisible” internal health signals of lithium-ion batteries accessible and actionable, this technology ushers in a new era of battery safety science. It is a vital step towards realizing the full potential of LIBs as ubiquitous, dependable power sources, empowering society’s transition to a cleaner, electrified future without compromising safety standards.
Subject of Research: Wireless sensing and transmission of internal temperature and strain signals in lithium-ion batteries for early hazard detection.
Article Title: Wireless transmission of internal hazard signals in Li-ion batteries.
Article References:
Fan, J., Liu, C., Li, N. et al. Wireless transmission of internal hazard signals in Li-ion batteries. Nature 641, 639–645 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08785-7
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08785-7
Keywords: lithium-ion batteries, thermal runaway, internal sensing, wireless transmission, battery safety, strain measurement, temperature monitoring, battery management system, embedded sensors, thermal fusing, early failure detection
