A self-regenerable soot sensor with a proton-conductive thin electrolyte and a nanostructured platinum sensing electrode

作者：Lv Peiling; Ito Takenori; Oogushi Akihide; Nakashima Kensaku; Nagao Masahiro; Hibino Takashi^*

来源：Scientific Reports, 2016, 6(1): 37463.

DOI：10.1038/srep37463

In recent years, exhaust sensors have become increasingly attractive for use in energy and environmental technologies. Important issues regarding practical applications of these sensors, especially for soot measurements, include the further development of ion-conductive electrolytes and active electrode catalysts for meeting performance and durability requirements. Herein, we design a proton conductor with a high breakdown voltage and a sensing electrode with high sensitivity to electrochemical carbon oxidation, enabling continuous soot monitoring with self-regeneration of the sensor. A Si0.97Al0.03HxP2O7-delta layer with an excellent balance between proton conductivity and voltage endurance was grown on the surface of a Si0.97Al0.03O2-delta substrate by reacting it with liquid H3PO4 at 600 degrees C. Specific reactivity of the electrochemically formed active oxygen toward soot was accomplished by adding a Pt-impregnated Sn0.9In0.1HxP2O7-delta catalyst into a Pt sensing electrode. To make the best use of these optimized materials, a unipolar electrochemical device was fabricated by configuring the sensing and counter electrodes on the same surface of the electrolyte layer. The resulting amperometric mode sensor successfully produced a current signal that corresponded to the quantity of soot.

• 出版日期2016-11-18