JP2007322311A - Constant potential electrolytic gas sensor and gas sensor manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a gas sensor improved in response relay with respect to a gas having strong adsorbability and especially markedly improved in response delay when the amount of moisture in a measuring target gas is large. <P>SOLUTION: A three-phase interface of solid-liquid-gas is formed between with respect to the detection target compound gas moved through an acting electrode 7 by diffusion at the boundary of the acting electrode 7 and an electrolyte 12 and the detection target compound gas is made to react at the three-phase interface to allow a current to flow to the acting electrode 7. Since the weight of the acting electrode 7 on an air-permeable film 4b is set to 7 mg/cm<SP>2</SP>or below and the thickness of the acting electrode 7 is thin, the adsorbing amount of the detection target compound gas moved through the acting electrode 7 is small and a response delay time is short. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a sensor technology for detecting gas. In particular, it relates to an improvement in response characteristics with respect to a detection gas.

A constant potential electrolysis gas sensor is a sensor that measures a gas concentration based on a current generated by electrolyzing a gas, and can obtain a signal proportional to the concentration, has relatively high selectivity, and has low power consumption.
However, conventional sensors tend to have a slow response to gases that are adsorptive and have a high affinity for moisture, such as ammonia, alcohol, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Especially, the amount of moisture in the measurement gas is large. In some cases, the phenomenon was extremely slow.

In a conventional constant potential electrolytic gas sensor, a working electrode containing a noble metal such as Pt or Au as a catalyst is disposed on a breathable film made of a porous film. A porous PTFE membrane having a thickness of about 0.5 mm is used as a normally used working electrode breathable film, and the working electrode disposed is several tens of μm in thickness. 10-15 mg / cm ² .
In particular, the problem is that the response delay time is long for an adsorbent gas having a high affinity with moisture, and a solution is desired.
Prior art gas sensors are described, for example, in the following documents.
JP 2003-166971 A

  The present invention was created to solve the above-described problems, and provides a gas sensor with a short response delay time.

The inventors of the present invention speculated that the cause of the response delay is the interface between the air permeable film and the working electrode.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a portion related to a response delay inside the gas sensor, and reference numeral 101 denotes an electrode (here, a working electrode) disposed on one side of the air-permeable film 102.
On the opposite side of the electrode 101, an electrolytic solution 103 is disposed.

  The gas permeable film 102 cannot permeate the electrolytic solution, but has a gas permeability that allows the gaseous detection target compound in the measurement target gas to permeate. The detection target compound is present at the interface between the electrode 101 and the electrolytic solution 103. A so-called three-phase interface 104 of a solid phase (electrode), a liquid layer (electrolyte), and a gas phase (detection target compound gas) is formed.

Since the electrolytic solution 103 cannot pass through the electrode 101, a non-reactive electrode layer that cannot contact the electrolytic solution appears in the portion of the electrode 101 that forms a boundary with the breathable film 102, and the breathable film side It was assumed that the gas diffusing from the gas was adsorbed when passing through the non-reactive electrode layer, causing a response delay.
Since the response delay time is shortened as the amount of adsorption decreases, the response is improved by reducing the thickness of the non-reactive electrode layer as much as possible.

  However, the bottom surface of the electrode film placed on the breathable film is biting into the breathable film, and even if the boundary between the electrode film and the breathable film is observed with an electron microscope, how far is the electrode film? Cannot be clearly distinguished. In particular, when the electrode film is thinned, the film thickness cannot be measured accurately, and it is difficult to control the film thickness.

  Therefore, the inventors of the present invention, in order to substantially reduce the film thickness of the working electrode, the weight per unit area on the breathable film of the catalytic metal contained in the working electrode on the breathable film. An upper limit was set.

According to experiments, when the weight of the catalyst metal is 7 mg / cm ² or less, the film thickness of the non-reactive electrode layer becomes thin, so that a sensor with good performance and small response delay is obtained.
If the catalytic metal is too thin, the function as the working electrode is deteriorated. According to experiments, the weight per unit area of the catalytic metal is desirably 3 mg / cm ² or more.

The present invention has been created on the basis of the above knowledge, the electrolytic solution accommodated in the container body, the working electrode whose surface is in contact with the electrolytic solution and is permeable to the electrolytic solution, and the working electrode A detection target compound contained in a measurement target gas that has a breathable film that is in contact with the back surface and allows gas to permeate, a counter electrode that is in contact with the electrolyte solution, and a reference electrode, and that is in contact with the breathable film. A current passing through the air-permeable film and the working electrode, and in contact with the catalytic metal contained in the working electrode at the interface between the working electrode and the electrolytic solution, a chemical reaction proceeds, and a current corresponding to the concentration of the detection target compound Is a gas sensor configured to flow to the working electrode, wherein the weight of the catalytic metal per unit area on the breathable film is 7 mg / cm ² or less.
Further, the present invention is the gas sensor wherein the weight per unit area of the catalytic metal on the breathable film is 3 mg / cm ² or more.
Moreover, this invention is a gas sensor whose said catalyst metal is platinum.
Moreover, this invention is a gas sensor whose said electrolyte solution is neutral and whose said detection target compound is ammonia.
Further, an electrolytic solution housed in a container body, a working electrode whose surface is in contact with the electrolytic solution, which can be penetrated by the electrolytic solution, a breathable film which is in contact with the back surface of the working electrode and is capable of penetrating gas The detection target compound contained in the measurement target gas in contact with the air permeable film moves inside the gas permeable film and the working electrode, A gas sensor configured such that a chemical reaction proceeds by contact with a catalytic metal contained in the working electrode at the interface between the working electrode and the electrolytic solution, and a current corresponding to the concentration of the detection target compound flows through the working electrode. In the gas sensor manufacturing method for manufacturing a gas sensor, a dispersion is prepared by dispersing the catalyst metal powder in an electrolyte, and the dispersion is suction filtered using the breathable film as a filter paper, and the breathable film is prepared. The gas sensor manufacturing method by pressing the filtration of the upper forming the working electrode, wherein the dispersion, the weight per unit area of the catalyst metal in the working electrode is 3 mg / cm ² or more 7 mg / cm ^This is a gas sensor manufacturing method in which the catalyst metal powder is dispersed so as to be ² or less.

  Response delay to strongly adsorbing gas is improved. In particular, the response delay when the amount of moisture in the gas to be measured is large is remarkably improved.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a constant potential electrolytic ammonia sensor as an embodiment of the present invention.
Reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1 denotes a gas sensor according to a first example of the present invention, which has a cylindrical container body 3 having openings at both ends.

  The openings are respectively closed by gas permeable breathable films 4a and 4b. The breathable film 4a located in one opening has a counter electrode (CE) 5 and a reference electrode (RE) 6 in close contact with the inner surface of the container body 3, and the other opening has Similarly, a working electrode (WE) 7 is disposed in close contact with the inner surface of the container body 3 in the air permeable film 4b.

  As will be described later, the breathable film 4b on which the working electrode 7 is disposed has a gaseous detection target in order to cause a chemical reaction to proceed at the interface between the working electrode 7 and the electrolytic solution 12. The air permeability which can permeate | transmit a compound is required, for example, porous resin films, such as a tetrafluoroethylene resin (PTFE), are used.

  In addition, the thickness of the air permeable film 4b on which the working electrode 7 is disposed is preferably 0.1 mm or less in order to reduce the adsorption factor by the air permeable film 4b itself. The thickness of the air permeable film 4a on which the counter electrode 5 and the comparison electrode 6 are arranged may be 0.1 mm or more.

  Each of the electrodes 5 to 7 is a corrosion-resistant film-like electrode, and is composed of, for example, a film-like platinum (including platinum black) electrode as a catalyst metal. Further, a mixture of a binder and a catalyst metal is formed into a film shape.

The method of disposing and fixing the electrodes 5 to 7 on the breathable films 4a and 4b is as follows.
Using Pt black powder (Pt fine powder with a specific surface area of about 20 cm ² / g) as the catalyst metal powder, the catalyst metal powder alone, or the catalyst metal powder and the binder powder (powder of tetrafluoroethylene resin (PTFE), etc.) Is dispersed in a liquid such as a suitable solvent, and the air-permeable film 4b is used as a filter paper, and the dispersion liquid is filtered under reduced pressure, whereby powder components in the dispersion liquid are separated by filtration, and a catalytic metal powder or catalyst is formed on the air-permeable film 4b. A mixture of metal powder and binder powder remains as a filtered product.

If the area S of the air-permeable film 4b on which the filtered product is disposed is known in advance, and the density of the catalytic metal in the filtered product is uniform, the weight W of the catalytic metal contained in the filtered dispersion is calculated. By adjusting, the weight W / S of the catalyst metal per unit area can be set to a desired value.
After filtration, when the breathable film 4b and the separated product are heated after being pressed or pressed while being heated, an electrode film (working electrode 7) is obtained.

When Pt black is used as the catalyst metal and ammonia is used as the detection target compound, as will be described later, the amount of Pt black added is 3-7 mg / cm ^2, preferably 5 mg per unit area on the breathable film 4b. A response characteristic of around / cm ² is excellent.
According to experiments, the lower limit when a tetrafluoroethylene resin film is used as a breathable film is 3 mg / cm ² , and below that, the conductivity as the working electrode 7 is insufficient.

Instead of filtering the dispersion 12, the paste-like dispersion may be applied on the breathable films 4a and 4b by screen printing, and the electrodes 5 to 7 may be formed by heating and pressing.
Moreover, the electrodes 5-7 can also be formed on the air-permeable films 4a and 4b by vacuum deposition, sputtering, ion plating, or electroless plating.

In order to reduce the film thickness, the weight of the catalyst metal is 3 to 7 mg / cm ² in any method. Instead of platinum (Pt black), other noble metals can be used for the catalyst.
In the case of the counter electrode and the reference electrode, the Pt black density after bonding may be 7 mg / cm ² or more.

Packing 8a, 8b made of ring-shaped rubber is disposed between the breathable films 4a, 4b and the end of the container body 3 or between the electrodes 5-7 and the end of the container body 3. .
Packing 9a, 9b made of ring-shaped rubber is also arranged on the opposite side of the breathable films 4a, 4b, and the side plates 10a, 10b are arranged in close contact with the surface of the packing 9a, 9b. . Each side plate 10 a, 10 b is fixed to the container body 3 with screws 17.

  An electrolytic solution 12 is sealed in the container body 3 in advance. The breathable films 4 a and 4 b on which the electrodes 5 to 7 are formed are pressed against the container body 3. The breathable films 4a and 4b do not penetrate the electrolyte solution 12 at normal pressure, and the electrolyte solution 12 does not leak to the outside.

  As the electrolytic solution 12, an acid aqueous solution such as sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid, that is, an acidic aqueous solution can be used. Nitric acid and hydrochloric acid are also acidic aqueous solutions and can be used, but are not desirable because they are volatile.

On the other hand, the basic electrolyte 12 is not desirable because it reacts with carbon dioxide in the air.
For ammonia measurement, a neutral salt solution such as lithium chloride or calcium chloride is desirable.

An air hole 15 penetrating in the thickness direction is formed in the side plate 10a on the counter electrode 5 and comparison electrode 6 side.
The counter electrode 5 and the reference electrode 6 are separated from each other on the gas permeable film 4 a, and the portion of the gas permeable film 4 a between the counter electrode 5 and the reference electrode 6 is in contact with the electrolytic solution 12.
The back surface of the portion of the breathable film 4 a that is in contact with the electrolyte solution 12 is exposed at the bottom of the air hole 15.
When the oxygen-containing air that has entered from the opening of the air hole 15 comes into contact with the air permeable film 4 a, it passes through the air permeable film 4 a in the thickness direction and dissolves in the electrolyte solution 12.

  On the other hand, in the side plate 10b on the working electrode 7 side, a recess is formed on the container body 3 side, and the recess is closed by the air permeable film 4b, and a storage portion 18 is formed. The air permeable film 4 b is exposed in the storage portion 18.

  The side plate 10b is formed with two vent holes 13 and 14 reaching from the outer peripheral position to the storage portion 18, and one of the vent holes 13 is an intake side and the other vent hole 14 is an exhaust side. A measurement target gas containing ammonia as a detection target compound is supplied to the storage unit 18.

  Reference numeral 20 in FIG. 2 is an ammonia measuring device using the gas sensor 1, and includes the gas sensor 1, an operational amplifier 24, a reference voltage source 26, and an ammeter 27.

Leads 31 to 33 are connected to the working electrode 7, the counter electrode 5, and the comparison electrode 6 of the gas sensor 1, and the working electrode 7 is connected to a constant potential (here, ground potential) by each of the leads 31 to 33. The counter electrode 5 is connected to the output terminal of the operational amplifier 24, and the comparison electrode 6 is connected to the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier 24. The working electrode 7 can also be connected to a controllable voltage source instead of the ground potential.
The output terminal of the reference voltage source 26 is connected to the non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier 24. The reference voltage source 26 may be created by dividing the power supply voltage by resistance.

  Lead wires 31 to 33 are respectively connected to the working electrode 7, the counter electrode 5, and the comparison electrode 6 of the gas sensor 1, and the working electrode 7 is set to the ground potential and the counter electrode 5 is connected to the ammeter 27 by the lead wires 31 to 33. And the comparison electrode 6 is connected to the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier 24. The non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier 24 is connected to a reference voltage to constitute a so-called potentiostat.

The potentiostat is a circuit that keeps the potential of the working electrode 7 constant regardless of its reaction state. Specifically, the potential of the working electrode 7 with respect to the comparison electrode 6 is kept constant. The reference electrode 6 maintains a three-way equilibrium potential of O ₂ in the air and H ₂ O and OH ^{− in} the electrolyte.
The current flowing through the operational amplifier 24 is equal to the current flowing between the working electrode 7 and the counter electrode 5.

  When the detection target compound (in this case, ammonia) is contained in the measurement target gas supplied to the reservoir 18, the detection target compound permeates the air permeable film 4b and enters the interface between the working electrode 7 and the air permeable film 4b. To reach.

The working electrode 7 disposed on the breathable film 4b is in contact with the electrolyte solution 12, and the so-called three phases of solid phase (electrode) -liquid layer (electrolyte solution) -gas phase (reactive gas) in which the gas reacts electrochemically. A phase interface is formed, and in the case of ammonia, it is oxidized by the following formula (1) at the three-phase interface, and an oxidation current (upward Ia ^{+ in} FIG. 2) flows.
NH ₃ + 3OH ⁻ → 1 / 2N ₂ + 3H ₂ O + 3e ⁻ (1)

  In the present invention, the thickness of the non-reactive electrode layer (the layer of the catalytic metal that is not in contact with the electrolytic solution 12) formed at the boundary between the working electrode 7 and the breathable film 4b is reduced. The amount of ammonia gas adsorbed on the layer is small, and the non-reactive electrode layer is saturated in a short time, so that the response delay time is short. If the film thickness of the air permeable film 4b is also reduced, the adsorption factor by the air permeable film 4b itself is reduced.

At the counter electrode 5, a reduction reaction (1) ′ of oxygen contained in the air occurs.
3 / 4O ₂ + 3 / 2H ₂ O + 3e ⁻ → 3OH ⁻ (1) ′
Current generated by the reaction is dependent on the NH ₃ concentration, it is possible to know the NH ₃ concentration.

<Relationship between Pt density and properties>
The thickness of the breathable film 4b on the working electrode 7 side is 0.06 mm, the control potential of the working electrode 7 with respect to the comparison electrode 6 is −100 mV, the ammonia concentration of the measurement target gas is 40 ppm, and the weight of Pt black per unit area is The working electrode 7 was formed in the range of ^{3 to} 15 mg / cm ² , and the relationship between the density of Pt black, the ammonia output, and the 62.5% response was examined.

The 62.5% response is the time from when the gas to be measured is introduced into the gas sensor 1 until the output Ia ⁺ of the measurement circuit 20 reaches 62.5% of the final value (after about 3 minutes). Corresponds to the alarm delay of toxic gas alarms in the Gas Safety Law.

The measurement results are shown in FIGS.
It can be seen from FIG. 3 that the value of the output current for ammonia does not greatly depend on the density of Pt black.
In contrast, FIG. 4 shows a clear dependence on the 62.5% response. As the Pt black density increases, the response becomes slower. From the figure, it can be seen that in order to make the 62.5% response 10 seconds or less, it should be 7 mg / cm ² or less.
The alarm concentration of the alarm device for ammonia gas is normally set to 25 ppm, which is an allowable concentration, and 62.5% of 40 ppm is 25 ppm.

<Relationship between Pt density and high temperature and high humidity test>
On the breathable film 4b, the thickness of the breathable film 4b on which the working electrode 7 is disposed is 0.06 mm, the control potential of the working electrode 7 with respect to the comparison electrode 6 is −100 mV, the concentration of ammonia in the measurement target gas is 40 ppm, The working electrode 7 has a Pt black weight per unit area of 5 mg / cm ^{2 and} a sensor of 10 mg / cm ^{2 in} a high-temperature and high-humidity (34 to 38 ° C., relative humidity of about 90%) atmosphere. Changes in current and 62.5% response were measured.

The measurement results are shown in FIGS. In a sensor having a Pt black weight of 5 mg / cm ² per unit area, the decrease in output current is about 10% even after being left for 120 days under high temperature and high humidity, and the 62.5% response increases. Maintained within 30 seconds. In contrast, in the sensor having a Pt black weight per unit area of 10 mg / cm ² , the output current decreased by about 20% and the 62.5% response increased to nearly 80 seconds.

Drawing for explaining a sensor of the present invention Drawing for explaining a measurement circuit using the sensor A graph showing the relationship between the Pt weight per unit area of the working electrode and the output current Graph showing the relationship between the Pt weight per unit area of the working electrode and the 62.5% response Graph showing the relationship between elapsed days and output current Graph showing the relationship between elapsed days and 62.5% response Drawing for explaining the function of the working electrode

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Gas sensor 3 ... Container body 12 ... Electrolyte 7 ... Working electrode 4b ... Breathable film 5 ... Counter electrode 6 ... Comparative electrode 20 ... Measuring circuit

Claims (5)

An electrolyte contained in the container body;
A working electrode whose surface is in contact with the electrolyte solution and is capable of penetrating the electrolyte solution;
A breathable film in contact with the back surface of the working electrode and capable of gas permeation;
A counter electrode in contact with the electrolyte and a reference electrode,
A catalyst to be detected contained in a gas to be measured in contact with the air permeable film moves in the air permeable film and the working electrode, and is contained in the working electrode at the interface between the working electrode and the electrolytic solution. It is a gas sensor configured such that a chemical reaction proceeds in contact with a metal, and a current corresponding to the concentration of the detection target compound flows to the working electrode,
The gas sensor wherein the weight per unit area of the catalytic metal on the breathable film is 7 mg / cm ² or less. The gas sensor according to claim 1, wherein a weight per unit area of the catalytic metal on the breathable film is 3 mg / cm ² or more.   The gas sensor according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst metal is platinum.   The gas sensor according to claim 3, wherein the electrolytic solution is neutral and the detection target compound is ammonia. An electrolyte contained in the container body;
A working electrode whose surface is in contact with the electrolyte solution and is capable of penetrating the electrolyte solution;
A breathable film in contact with the back surface of the working electrode and capable of gas permeation;
A counter electrode in contact with the electrolyte and a reference electrode,
A catalyst to be detected contained in a gas to be measured in contact with the air permeable film moves in the air permeable film and the working electrode, and is contained in the working electrode at the interface between the working electrode and the electrolytic solution. In a gas sensor manufacturing method for manufacturing a gas sensor configured such that a chemical reaction proceeds in contact with a metal, and a current according to the concentration of the detection target compound flows to the working electrode,
Create a dispersion in which the catalyst metal powder is dispersed in an electrolyte,
The dispersion is subjected to suction filtration using the breathable film as a filter paper,
A gas sensor manufacturing method for forming the working electrode by pressing a filtered product on the breathable film,
The gas sensor manufacturing method, wherein the catalyst metal powder is dispersed in the dispersion so that a weight per unit area of the catalyst metal in the working electrode is 3 mg / cm ² or more and 7 mg / cm ² or less.

Images