Patent · US Expired

Film type solid polymer ionomer sensor and sensor cell

US6682638B1 · kind B1 · utility

26Cited by
23References
37Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 19, 1999
Grant dateJan 27, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 7, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2030/645
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

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.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.