Detection of propene by using new-type impedancemetric zirconia-based sensor attached with oxide sensing-electrode

We report here that an impedancemetric sensor based on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) can detect propene (C3H6) sensitively and selectively under wet condition, if the sensing-electrode (SE) material and the operating condition are selected property. Among the various single-oxide SEs examined, ZnO was found to give rather high sensitivity to C3H6 as well as negligible sensitivity to CH4 at 600 degrees C in the presence of 1 vol. % H2O. In addition, when 1.5 wt.% Pt was loaded on ZnO-SE and the SE was polarized at +50mV versus Pt counter-electrode (CE), the present sensor was found to detect C3H6 rather sensitively with little interference of other gases, such as CO, NO, NO2, H-2, CH4, CO2, H2O and O-2, at 600 degrees C. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.