Gas sensor and corresponding production method

• US 6,395,161 B1
• Filed: 03/23/2000
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Neumann, Harald, Schumann, Bernd, Stanglmeier, Frank, Riegel, Johann, Schneider, Jens Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Sr., Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Olsen, Kaj K.
• Application Number:
  US09/509,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20020023838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 204/424,429 205/161,162,163,170,183 427/125,304,305,430.1
• US Class Current: 204/429
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4071 using sensor elements of laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4075 Composition or fabrication of the electrodes and coatings thereon, e.g. catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4077 Means for protecting the electrolyte or the electrodes

Abstract

A gas sensor and a method for its manufacture are described. The gas sensor has a solid electrolyte having at least one measuring electrode and one porous protective coating. The measuring electrode has an electrically conductive base layer and a further layer, the further layer god being deposited in the pores of the porous protective coating adjacent to the base layer via galvanic deposition. In order to deposit the further layer via galvanic deposition, the basic body, which has been fused with the base layer and the protective coating via vitrification, is immersed in a galvanizing bath, the base layer being connected as the cathode.

Claims

1. A gas sensor comprising:

a solid electrolyte;

at least one measuring electrode situated on the solid electrolyte; and

a porous protective coating having pores, the protective porous coating being situated on top of the at least one measuring electrode,

wherein the at least one measuring electrode includes an electrically conductive base layer and at least one further layer, the at least one further layer being formed in the pores of the porous protective coating adjacent to the electrically conductive base layer,

wherein, in the at least one further layer, the pores of the porous protective coating are filled with a material, and

wherein the at least one further layer has a thickness smaller than a thickness of the porous protective coating.

2. The gas sensor according to claim 1, wherein the material of the at least one further layer modifies functional characteristics of the electrically conductive base layer by forming an alloy with a material of the electrically conductive base layer.

3. The gas sensor according to claim 1, wherein the material of the at least one further layer is composed of at least one of:

precious metals, semiprecious metals, and base metals.

4. The gas sensor according to claim 1, wherein the at least one further layer includes a plurality of further layers applied to the electrically conductive base layer.

5. The gas sensor according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive base layer includes a cermet layer.

6. The gas sensor according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive base layer includes a Pt-cermet layer.

7. A method for manufacturing a gas sensor, comprising the steps of:

arranging an electrically conductive base layer on a solid electrolyte;

arranging a porous protective coating over the base layer;

sintering the solid electrolyte, the electrically conductive base layer and the porous protective coating to form a ceramic basic body; and

after the sintering step, depositing at least one further layer on the electrically conductive base layer through the porous protective coating via galvanic deposition such that the pores of the porous protective coating in the at least one further layer are filled with a material, and such that the at least one further layer is adjacent to the electrically conductive base layer and has a thickness smaller than a thickness of the porous protective coating.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the at least one further layer is deposited via cathodic deposition.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

placing the ceramic basic body in a galvanizing bath;

connecting the electrically conductive base layer as a cathode using connection contact points present on the ceramic basic body; and

using as an anode a metal that corresponds to the material of the least one further layer.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of, after the depositing step, subjecting the electrically conductive base layer, the porous protective coating and the at least one further layer to a further heat treatment.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein a temperature reached during the heat treatment is lower than a temperature reached when the ceramic basic body is sintered.