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Effect of electrodes and zeolite cover layer on hydrocarbon sensing with p-type perovskite SrTi0.8Fe0.2O3-δ thick and thin films

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Abstract

Screen-printed thick film as well as pulsed laser deposited thin film sensors of the perovskite SrTi0.8Fe0.2O3-δ (STF20) with gold electrodes present poor hydrocarbon selectivity when exposed to different gases (hydrocarbons, hydrogen, NO, and CO). By employing Pt-electrodes, response to H2 and CO is eliminated. In the case of thick film devices, only NO cross interference persists. The selectivity of the thick films is further increased by applying a Pt doped zeolite (ZSM-5) as a cover layer. By adjusting the thickness of the ZSM-5 cover layer, the film selectively senses mainly saturated hydrocarbons such as propane, suppressing the response towards all the other gases. This effect is attributed to the catalytic effect of the high Pt-content of the ZSM-5 zeolite. Application of a ZSM-5 cover layer to thin films enhances the sensor output response to propane, thus reducing selectivity for unsaturated hydrocarbons. A sensor configuration having Pt electrodes on top of an STF20 thick film with an additional 50 μm cover layer of ZSM-5 was found to be the most suitable to selectively sense saturated hydrocarbons. Thin film STF20 sensors equipped with Pt-IDC electrodes and without the zeolite cover layer, were found to perform best for unsaturated hydrocarbons at 400°C.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Hans-Jürgen Deerberg for SEM pictures, Monika Wickles for the help in sample preparation, Andreas Dubbe and Gunter Hagen for zeolite preparation, and Petra Kuchinke (Univ. of Bayreuth) for catalytic studies. Thanks are due to Xiaomei Du of ICPET-NRC for the help in thin film deposition using PLD.

This project was supported by the joint international program, National Research Council of Canada and the Helmholtz Gemeinshaft (project NRCC-21-CRP-02 and 01SF02001 9.2). Financial support of German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is also gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Functional Materials, University of Bayreuth, 95447, Bayreuth, Germany

    Kathy Sahner, Daniela Schönauer & Ralf Moos

  2. Institute for Chemical Process and Environmental Technology, National Research Council of Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, K1A 0R6, Ottawa, Canada

    Mahesh Matam & Michael L. Post

Authors
  1. Kathy Sahner
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  2. Daniela Schönauer
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  3. Ralf Moos
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  4. Mahesh Matam
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  5. Michael L. Post
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Correspondence to Kathy Sahner.

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Sahner, K., Schönauer, D., Moos, R. et al. Effect of electrodes and zeolite cover layer on hydrocarbon sensing with p-type perovskite SrTi0.8Fe0.2O3-δ thick and thin films. J Mater Sci 41, 5828–5835 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-006-0299-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-006-0299-x

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