Module - 7

Chemical sensors for environmental monitoring -

Gas sensors
 Introduction

• Chemical sensors are measurement devices that convert a chemical or physical property of a specific analyte into a
measurable signal, whose magnitude is normally proportional to the concentration of the analyte.

• A chemical sensor typically contains two main components: a receptor and a transducer. The receptor transforms
chemical information about a sample into a form of energy. The transducer then transforms the energy into some
form of analytical signal.

• The chemical sensor is an analyser that responds to a particular analyte in a selective and reversible way and
transforms input chemical quantity, ranging from the concentration of a specific sample component to a total
composition analysis, into an analytically electrical signal.
How it works?
Classification of Chemical Sensors
 Gas sensors
▪ Gas sensor is a subclass of chemical sensors.
▪ Gas sensor measures the concentration of gas in its vicinity.
▪ Gas sensor interacts with a gas to measure its concentration.
▪ Each gas has a unique breakdown voltage i.e. the electric field at which it is ionized. Sensor
identifies gases by measuring these voltages.
▪ The concentration of the gas can be determined by measuring the current discharge in the
device.
▪ Types of gas sensors:
▪ Electrochemical gas sensor
▪ Contact combustion gas sensor
▪ Optical gas sensor
▪ Polymer gas sensor
▪ Semiconductor gas sensor
 IR absorption type CO2 gas sensor

▪ CO2 absorbs infrared light therefore CO2 sensor consists of a tube containing an infrared source at one
end and an infrared detector at the other end.
▪ The infrared detector detects the infrared light which is not absorbed by CO2 between source and
detector.
▪ Infrared radiation which is not being absorbed by CO2 produces heat so the temperature will increase.
▪ The infrared detector measures the temperature.
▪ A voltage is produced due to the temperature increase in the infrared sensor.
▪ We can read amplified voltage into the data logger.
 Solid electrolyte-type CO2 sensors
• Low-cost, high-sensitivity, high-selectivity and simple-element structure.
• NASICON is the active element. Formula Na1+xZr2SixP3-xO12 (1.8 < x < 2.4)
• A commercial NASICON with a nominal-composition is Na3Zr2Si2PO12
• Binary carbonate systems such as Na2CO3-BaCO3, Na2CO3-CaCO3, Li2CO3-BaCO3, and Li2CO3-CaCO3 are
also used as active elements (as auxiliary constituents).
• The NASICON layer was screen-printed with a paste on the alumina substrate. The Pt electrodes were
also screen-printed on the designated regions before and after the deposition of the NASICON layer.
• The assembly was sintered at 900°C, 1000°C, and 1100°C for 4 hours in air, respectively. After this, a
series of auxiliary phases (Na2CO3-CaCO3) was screen-printed on the Pt sensing electrode.
• The EMF response to CO2 content as a function of the CO2 concentration is calculated. Greater the CO2
concentration greater the EMF recorded.
Solid electrolyte-type CO2 sensors
 Hydrogen gas sensor
▪ Mostly palladium is used to detect hydrogen because palladium
selectively absorbs hydrogen gas and forms the chemical palladium
hydride.
▪ Types of hydrogen gas sensor:
▪ Electrochemical
▪ Thin film sensor
▪ Thick film sensor
▪ Chemochromic hydrogen sensors
▪ Diode based Schottky sensor
▪ Optical fiber hydrogen sensors
▪ Nanoparticle-based hydrogen microsensors
 NOx gas sensor – Metal oxide type
• WO3 is known as the most promising NOx gas-sensing material
• Other materials: ZnO, SnO2, In2O3, TiO2, etc.
• These sensing materials are oxygen-deficient nonstoichiometric compounds
• The conductivity of these n-type semiconductors, such as WO3 and In2O3, is estimated based on the electron
created by the surplus metal.
• When sensing materials are exposed to oxidizing gases at temperature ranging from 200ºC to 300ºC, the
concentration of electrons is decreased due to the reaction between the electron and the gas.
• Consequently, the conductivity decreases and the resistance increases.
• As NOx is also an oxidizing gas, the concentration of electrons is decreased due to the reaction between the
electrons in the sensing materials and NOx gas, as shown in the following equations:
NOx gas sensor
 Carbon monoxide gas sensor

• CO is a colourless, tasteless and odourless gas produced by incomplete combustion of

carbon-containing materials. It is often referred to as the "silent killer" because it is virtually
undetectable by humans.
• Types of CO sensors:

▪ Semiconductor sensor
▪ Electrochemical sensor
▪ Biomimetic type
▪ Opto-chemical type (Widely used)
 Opto-chemical type CO sensor
• The detector consists of a pad of a coloured chemical which changes colour
upon reaction with carbon monoxide. They only provide a qualitative warning
of the gas however. The main advantage of these detectors is that they are the
lowest cost, but the downside is that they also offer the lowest level of
protection.
• One reaction used for carbon monoxide detection is potassium
disulphitopalladate (II) catalytic oxidation.
CO + K2Pd(SO3)2 ⟶ Pd + CO2 + SO2 + K2SO3
• As reaction progresses, atomic palladium release causes the color to change
from yellow to brown to black.
Biomimetic and electrochemical type CO sensor
• A biomimetic sensor works in a fashion similar to haemoglobin which darkens in
the presence of CO proportional to the amount of carbon monoxide in the
surrounding environment.
• It uses cyclodextrins, a chromophore, and a number of metal salts. This can
either be seen directly or connected to an infrared source of photons such as an
IR LED and then monitored using a photodiode.
• The electrochemical detector uses the principle of a fuel cell to generate an
electrical current when the gas to be detected undergoes a chemical reaction.
• The generated current is precisely related to the amount of carbon monoxide in
the immediate environment close to the sensor.
• Essentially, the electrochemical cell consists of a container, two electrodes,
connection wires and an electrolyte, typically sulfuric acid. Carbon monoxide is
oxidized at one electrode to carbon dioxide while oxygen is consumed at the
other electrode.
• Advantages of electrochemical cell over other technologies: highly accurate and
linear output to carbon monoxide concentration, requires minimal power as it is
operated at room temperature, and has a long lifetime.