Recently, the National Key R&D Program “Smart Sensors” project — Design and Development of Hydrogen-Sensitive Polymer Materials and Fiber-Optic MOEMS Hydrogen Sensors — officially launched at Shenzhen University. The project is led by Optizone Technology (Shenzhen) Limited. in collaboration with Shenzhen University.

As a key component of clean energy, hydrogen is experiencing rapid growth under the carbon neutrality strategy. However, its flammable and explosive nature poses significant challenges for safety monitoring technologies. Currently, China still faces critical bottlenecks in the development of high-precision, wide-temperature-range hydrogen sensors, with a heavy reliance on costly and less adaptable imported equipment. This project aims to drive breakthroughs in domestically controllable hydrogen sensing technologies, fill the technological gap in China, and support the safe and large-scale application of hydrogen energy in sectors such as transportation, energy storage, and chemical industries.

In response to the urgent demand for hydrogen sensors across various stages of hydrogen production, storage, and transportation—due to the flammable and explosive nature of hydrogen energy—this project aims to carry out research on the design and development of hydrogen-sensitive polymer materials and fiber-optic MOEMS hydrogen sensors. The focus will be on investigating the hydrogen sensitivity and enhancement mechanisms of palladium-alloy nanoparticle-doped polymers, optimizing porous topological structures, and exploring the fabrication mechanism of femtosecond laser two-photon polymerization with super-resolution. Additionally, the project will address temperature compensation methods and integrated packaging technologies for the sensors. The overall goal is to achieve breakthroughs in the fabrication of highly stable hydrogen-sensitive polymer materials, develop wide-temperature-range fiber-optic MOEMS hydrogen sensing elements and sensors, and build a high-precision optical signal dynamic demodulation system. Ultimately, the project seeks to enable multi-scenario hydrogen sensor application verification and overcome key technical bottlenecks in “wide temperature range,” “multi-parameter,” and “high-precision” measurement.

The approval of this National Key R&D Program project marks a significant milestone for Optizone Technology, recognizing its long-term dedication and expertise in the field of intelligent optical sensing. It also represents a critical step forward in the company’s strategic development of new product lines. Looking ahead, the project is expected to lay the foundation for an independent intellectual property system, contributing to the advancement of optical sensing technologies and supporting the safe development of the hydrogen energy industry.