Printed gas sensor

• US 10,641,728 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensirion AG (Sensirion Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Sensirion AG (Sensirion Holding AG)
• Inventors: Stetter, Joseph R., Patel, Vinay, Findlay, Melvin W., Carter, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ball, J. Christopher
• Application Number:
  US15/696,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20180045672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 31/06 containing polymers organometallic polymers B01J31/123; polymer-bound organometallic complexes B01J31/165; coordination polymers B01J31/1691
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/105 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2310/0806 using electromagnetic radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2310/0843 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2323/10 Polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/00 Electrical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/185 Laminating sheets, panels or inserts between two discrete plastic layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/0004 Cutting, tearing or severing, e.g. bursting; Cutter details cutting in general B26D; laminating combined with punching or perforating B32B38/04; removing all or part of the layers B32B38/10; cutting in combination with laying up and registration B32B38/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/145 Printing
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/03 characterised by features other than the chemical nature of the binder
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/106 containing macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/52 Electrically conductive inks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4045 for gases other than oxygen

Abstract

A printed gas sensor is disclosed. The sensor may include a partially porous substrate, an electrode layer, an electrolyte layer, and an encapsulation layer. The electrode layer comprises one or more electrodes that are formed on one side of the porous substrate. The electrolyte layer is in electrolytic contact with the one or more electrodes. The encapsulation layer encapsulates the electrode layer and electrolyte layer thereby forming an integrated structure with the partially porous substrate.

Claims

1. A catalyst ink composition for a printed gas sensor electrode comprising:

a mixture comprising;

about 67-79% of a metal catalyst;

about 5-15% graphite carbon; and

one of about 15% to 25% of a thermoplastic polymer powder; and

a 3 mL ethylcellulose solution.

2. The catalyst ink composition of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polymer powder comprises PTFE powder.

3. The catalyst ink composition of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polymer powder comprises polypropylene powder.

4. The catalyst ink composition of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polymer powder comprises polyethylene powder.

5. The catalyst ink composition of claim 1, wherein the metal catalyst comprises Pt, Pd, Au, Ag, Ru, Ir, Co, Fe, Ni, C, or a combination thereof.

6. The catalyst ink composition of claim 1, wherein the ethylcellulose solution further comprises octanol, isophorone, nonanol, deconol, or a combination thereof.

7. The catalyst ink composition of claim 1, further comprising a surfactant.

8. The catalyst ink composition of claim 7, wherein the surfactant comprises water, triton-100, carbopol, or a combination thereof.

9. A catalyst ink composition for a printed gas sensor electrode comprising:

a mixture comprising;

about 67-79% Pt;

about 5-15% graphite carbon; and

one of about 22-25% PTFE powder, about 14-17% polypropylene powder, and about 14-17% polyethylene powder; and

a 3 mL ethylcellulose solution.

10. The catalyst ink composition of claim 9, wherein:

the PTFE powder comprises a particle diameter of about 0.1 μ

m to about 5 μ

m;

the polypropylene powder comprises a particle diameter of about 0.1 μ

m to about 5 μ

m; and

the polyethylene powder comprises a particle diameter of about 0.2 μ

m to about 4 μ

m.

11. The catalyst ink composition of claim 9, wherein the ethylcellulose solution further comprises octanol, isophorone, nonanol, deconol, or a combination thereof.

12. The catalyst ink composition of claim 9, wherein the mixture comprises:

about 74-79% Pt;

about 8-9% graphite carbon; and

about 14-17% polyethylene powder.

13. The catalyst ink composition of claim 12, wherein the polyethylene powder comprises a particle diameter of about 2 μ

m to about 4 μ

m.

14. The catalyst ink composition of claim 9, wherein the mixture comprises:

about 74-79% Pt;

about 8-9% graphite carbon; and

about 14-17% polypropylene powder.

15. The catalyst ink composition of claim 14, wherein the polypropylene powder comprises a particle diameter of about 5 μ

m to about 7 μ

m.

16. The catalyst ink composition of claim 9, wherein the mixture comprises:

about 67-71% Pt;

about 7-8% graphite carbon; and

about 22-25% PTFE powder.

17. The catalyst ink composition of claim 16, wherein the PTFE powder comprises a particle diameter of about 1 μ

m to about 5 μ

m.

18. A method of manufacturing a printed gas sensor, the method comprising:

printing a catalyst ink composition onto a non-ionically conductive wick;

heating the catalyst ink composition to a curing temperature for a curing period, thereby curing the catalyst ink composition and forming an electrode on the non-ionically conductive wick; and

positioning the non-ionically conductive wick and the electrode within an electrolyte cavity formed by a substrate coupled to an encapsulation layer.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising loading an electrolyte into the electrolyte cavity.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein, the catalyst ink composition comprises:

a mixture comprising;

about 67-79% Pt;

about 5-15% graphite carbon; and

one of about 22-25% PTFE powder, about 14-17% polypropylene powder, and about 14-17% polyethylene powder; and

a 3 mL ethylcellulose solution.