Film-type solid polymer ionomer sensor and sensor cell
First Claim
1. A sensor cell, comprising:
- a substrate having a surface for depositing a plurality of electrodes thereon;
at least one electrode in contact with said surface;
an ionomer membrane in contact with said substrate;
an opening in said membrane proximate to at least one electrode, wherein said opening is of circular shape and about 1.0 mm in diameter for defining a passage for a gas to pass freely to contact said plurality of electrodes electrode within said opening;
wherein a plurality of electrode particles are dispersed throughout the ionomer membrane to increase contact between the gas, electrode particles, and ionomer membrane.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A miniaturized gas sensor including film type electrodes, and a solid ionomer electrolyte, for the detection of toxic gases, i.e., carbon monoxide, and other oxidizable or reducible gases and vapors is described. The all-solid planar sensor cell has two or more film type electrodes arranged on a non-conductive planar surface of a supportive material. The electrodes are discrete and in intimate contact with the same solid polymer ionomer membrane. The sensor cell contains no liquid electrolyte and is operated in a potentiostatic or potentiodynamic mode. The unique feature of the sensor cell is that high sensitivity to a select gas or vapor is achieved by a novel three-phase contact area design for a sensing electrode which is easily accessible to the gas sample via small diffusion openings or holes that penetrate through the solid polymer ionomer membrane layer above the sensing electrode. A significant signal to background noise enhancement is achieved for these film type sensor cells by processes that increase the three-phase contact area.
46 Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A sensor cell, comprising:
-
a substrate having a surface for depositing a plurality of electrodes thereon; at least one electrode in contact with said surface; an ionomer membrane in contact with said substrate; an opening in said membrane proximate to at least one electrode, wherein said opening is of circular shape and about 1.0 mm in diameter for defining a passage for a gas to pass freely to contact said plurality of electrodes electrode within said opening; wherein a plurality of electrode particles are dispersed throughout the ionomer membrane to increase contact between the gas, electrode particles, and ionomer membrane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A sensor cell, comprising:
-
a substrate having a surface for depositing a plurality of electrodes thereon; at least one electrode in contact with said surface of said substrate; an ionomer membrane in contact with said substrate; an opening in said membrane proximate to at least one electrode for defining a passage; said opening is of circular shape and about 1.0 mm in diameter for defining a passage; and a gas in said opening and simultaneously contacting said plurality of electrodes and said ionomer membrane for providing a three-way contact between said gas, said plurality of electrode, and said ionomer membrane within said opening, whereby a plurality of electrode particles are dispersed throughout the ionomer membrane. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
-
Specification