Scientists have developed a highly sensitive, low-cost hydrogen sensor that can detect even trace amounts of the gas within seconds, paving the way for safer and more efficient hydrogen energy use.
Anthopoulos hydrogen sensor. Image Credit: The University of Manchester
As the world moves toward cleaner energy sources, hydrogen is emerging as a key player in reducing reliance on fossil fuels. However, its use presents safety challenges—being a colorless, odorless, and highly flammable gas, hydrogen is difficult to detect without specialized equipment.
The new sensor offers a reliable and efficient way to detect even trace amounts of hydrogen within seconds. Small, affordable, and energy-efficient, the sensor outperforms current portable commercial hydrogen detectors, making it a promising tool for safer hydrogen deployment.
The research, conducted in collaboration with the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, was published today in Nature Electronics.
This sensor could offer a breakthrough in hydrogen safety technology. By combining affordability, reliability, and high performance, it has the potential to transform how we handle hydrogen across industries, homes, and transportation. I hope our organic sensor will help build trust in emerging hydrogen technologies, making them more accessible and safer for everyone.
Thomas Anthopoulos, Professor, Emerging Optoelectronics, The University of Manchester
The sensor operates using a process called p-doping, where oxygen molecules increase the concentration of positive electrical charges in the active material. When hydrogen is present, it reacts with the oxygen, reversing this effect and causing a rapid drop in electrical current. This change is both fast and reversible, even at room temperature up to 120 °C.
Tested in various real-world conditions—including detecting leaks from pipelines, monitoring hydrogen diffusion in enclosed spaces, and even airborne leak detection using drones—the sensor consistently outperformed commercial detectors, demonstrating its potential for broad applications in residential, industrial, and transportation settings.
Notably, the sensor can be made ultra-thin and flexible, allowing integration into smart devices for continuous, real-time monitoring of hydrogen systems.
The research team is now working on refining the sensor further while evaluating its long-term stability across different environments.
Journal Reference:
Mandal, S., et al. (2025) A robust organic hydrogen sensor for distributed monitoring applications. Nature Electronics. doi.org/10.1038/s41928-025-01352-y