Sensitive and Selective Zirconia-Based NO2 Sensor Using Gold Nanoparticle Coatings as Sensing Electrodes

The mixed-potential-type planar sensors using yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and nanostructured Au sensing electrodes (SEs) were fabricated and examined for detection of NO 2 at 600°C under the wet condition (5 vol % H 2 O). The nanostructured Au-SEs were formed on the YSZ plate by means of radio-frequency sputtering of Au with sputtering time of 30-720 s, followed by annealing at 950°C. All the fabricated Au-SEs were found to form a low-conductive network of Au nanoparticles on the YSZ plate. A correlation between NO 2 sensitivity and Au-sputtering time was examined. The NO 2 sensitivity was strongly dependent on sputtering time of Au, and the highest NO 2 sensitivity was obtained for the sensor attached with Au-SE in which Au was sputtered for 120 s. In addition, it was found that all the fabricated sensors attached with Au-SEs exhibited excellent selectivity to NO 2 , irrespective of Au sputtering time. The obtained high sensitivity and high selectivity to NO 2 were ascribable to the higher catalytic activity for the cathodic reaction of NO 2 at the interface of Au/YSZ and the high catalytic activity of nano-Au particles for the gas-phase oxidation of various gases examined.

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