Structural and properties of nanocrystalline WO3/TiO2-based humidity sensors elements prepared by high energy activation

Nanocrystalline WO₃/TiO₂-based powders have been prepared by the high energy activation method with WO₃ concentration ranging from 1 to 10 mol%. The samples were thermal treated in a microwave oven at 600 °C for 20 min and their structural and micro-structural characteristics were evaluated by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, EXAFS measurements at the Ti K-edge, and transmission electron microscopy. Nitrogen adsorption isotherms and H₂ Temperature Programmed Reduction were also carried out for physical characterization. The crystallite and particle mean sizes ranged from 30 to 40 nm and from 100 to 190 nm, respectively. Good sensor response was obtained for samples with at least 5 mol% WO₃ activated for at least 80 min. Ceramics heat-treated in microwave oven for 20 min have shown similar sensor response as those prepared in conventional oven for 120 min, which is highly cost effective. These results indicate that WO₃/TiO₂ ceramics can be used as a humidity sensor element.     

A technique for monitoring SO2 in combustion exhausts: Use of a non-Nernstian sensing element in combination with an upstream catalytic filter

Detection of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) at high temperature (600–750 °C) in the presence of some interferents found in combustion exhausts (NO₂, NO, CO₂, CO, and hydrocarbon (C₃H₆)) is described. The detection scheme involves use of a catalytic filter in front of a non-Nernstian (mixed-potential) sensing element. The catalytic filter was a Ni:Cr powder bed operating at 850 °C, and the sensing elements were pairs of platinum (Pt) and oxide (Ba-promoted copper chromite ((Ba,Cu)_xCr_yO_z) or Sr-modified lanthanum ferrite (LSF)) electrodes on yttria-stabilized zirconia. The Ni:Cr powder bed was capable of reducing the sensing element response to NO₂, NO, CO, and C₃H₆, but the presence of NO₂ or NO (“NO_x”, at 100 ppm by volume) still interfered with the SO₂ response of the Pt–(Ba,Cu)_xCr_yO_z sensing element at 600 °C, causing approximately a 7 mV (20%) reduction in the response to 120 ppm SO₂ and a response equivalent to about 20 ppm SO₂ in the absence of SO₂. The Pt–LSF sensing element, operated at 750 °C, did not suffer from this NO_x interference but at the cost of a reduced SO₂ response magnitude (120 ppm SO₂ yielded 10 mV, in contrast to 30 mV for the Pt-(Ba,Cu)_xCr_yO_z sensing element). The powder bed and Pt–LSF sensing element were operated continuously over approximately 350 h, and the response to SO₂ drifted downward by about 7%, with most of this change occurring during the initial 100 h of operation.     

Structural and electrical properties of mixed oxides of manganese and vanadium: A new semiconductor oxide thermistor material

Binary oxides of manganese and vanadium have been synthesized by solid state sintering, in which the mass ratio of the individual components Mn₂O₃ and VO₂ have been varied from 90:10 to 5:95. The bulk ceramic samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The initial compositions either rich in Mn₂O₃ or in equi-proportion by mass with VO₂ yield β-Mn₂V₂O₇ or a new crystalline form of Mn₂V₂O₇, with unit cell parameters: a = 7.73091 Å, b = 6.640788 Å, c = 6.70779 Å α = γ = 90° and β = 98.7086° which is designated as γ-Mn₂V₂O₇. The compositions, richer in VO₂ produce MnV₂O₆ co-existing with V₂O₅ the proportion of which increases with increase in VO₂. The surface microanalysis shows a spherical-granular morphology in Mn₂V₂O₇ structure and plate/rod-like structures co-existing with granular morphology in case of MnV₂O₆ together with V₂O₅. The electrical parameters of the negative temperature coefficient thermistors were determined. Depending on the constituent oxide composition, the NTC thermistors showed room temperature resistivity in the range of 6.52 × 10² to 6.1 × 10⁶ Ω-cm. The thermistor constant and activation energy are in the range of 0.12–0.458 eV and 1393–4801 K, respectively.     

Interaction of Langmuir–Blodgett and spin-coated films of μ-carbido-bridged ironphthalocyanine with NO2: Optical and conductimetric behaviour

The present study investigates the interaction of NO₂ gas and μ-carbido-bridged iron phthalocyanine (PcFeCFePc) films obtained by Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) and spin-coating (SC) techniques. The phthalocyanine bridged dimer under study belongs to the polynuclear unsubstituted phthalocyanines class and presents poor solubility: in contrast the corresponding N-base bis-adducts are soluble enough in organic solvents to be deposited by Langmuir–Blodgett and spin-coating techniques. The reaction with NO₂ is monitored by visible spectra variation that shows identical behaviour for both kinds of films, indicating that the chemical reaction between the gas and the films is independent of the deposition method. The electrical conductivity change as a function of time with NO₂ is instead dissimilar: for spin-coated films it shows a behaviour already observed for sandwich-type phthalocyanine whereas for LB films it resembles that of monomeric phthalocyanine. Such a response implies that the charges (holes) generated in the oxidation/reduction process are carried differently through the material, and we attempt to explain this behaviour taking into account the two different structural and morphological features induced by the two techniques.     

Preparation, characterisation and applications of thin films for gas sensors prepared by cheap chemical method

The physical properties of pure and doped (Ni, Os, Pd and Pt) SnO₂ thin films, prepared by using a chloride-based inorganic sol–gel route, have been reported. These properties were investigated by using differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric (DSC/TG), FTIR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. Microsensors for gas detection were also fabricated and tested in various atmospheres (nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, ethanol, methanol and methane). The dopants affected the coating properties depending on the formation of nanoparticles. Furthermore the gas-sensing properties towards reducing and oxidising gases were found to be dependent on the nature of doping element. An array consisting of the manufactured sensors has been arranged and examples of applications for “electronic nose” are given.     

Coatings of indium tin oxide nanoparticles on various flexible polymer substrates: Influence of surface topography and oscillatory bending on electrical properties

Abstract— Coatings of indium tin oxide (ITO) nanoparticles on different flexible polymer substrates were investigated with respect to the achievable sheet resistance and their electrical behavior under oscillatory bending. As substrate materials, polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), polyethylenenaphthalate (PEN), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), and polyimide (PI) were chosen, the surface resistances on the different polymer substrates were compared as a function of annealing temperature and surface topography. The surface topography, which has a strong influence on the surface resistance, was characterized by means of a white‐light confocal (WL‐CF) microscope. On the PET substrate, which exhibits the smoothest surface, the coating of ITO nanoparticles shows the lowest sheet resistance of 2 kΩ/□ for a layer thickness of 3 μm and an annealing temperature of 200°C. Furthermore, the electrical behavior of coatings of ITO nanoparticles under oscillatory bending was investigated using a special device. These coatings show a cyclic change of the conductivity which can be explained by an alternating compression and extension of crack flanks under the applied stress. Due to the growing number of cracks with increasing number of cycles, a decrease of the conductivity is observed in the bent state as well as in the balanced state. For a small bending radii, the decrease of the conductivity is stronger due to more cracks caused by the higher tensile stresses in the layer. The electrical behavior of the coatings of the annealed ITO nanoparticles on PET films under oscillatory bending was compared with commercially available sputtered ITO coatings. The annealed coatings of ITO nanoparticles demonstrate better electrical properties under oscillatory bending than coatings of sputtered ITO. The different electrical behavior under oscillatory bending can be related to differences in crack formation.     

Oxidation behaviors of Ni-Cr-Al superalloy foams at 1 000 ℃ in air

The oxidation behaviors of Ni-16Cr-xAl （x=4.5%, 9.0%, mass fraction） superalloy foams in air at 1000℃ were investigated. The effects of AI content on the resistance to high temperature oxidation were examined. The oxidation mechanisms of the foams were discussed. The results show that the resistance to the oxidation of the Ni-16Cr-xA1 based alloy at 1 000 ℃ increases with the content of A1 increasing from 4.5% to 9.0%. Complex oxide products are formed on the surface of the superalloy foams after the oxidation. Cr203 and A1203 are the predominant oxides for the scales of the foams with 4.5% A1 and 9% A1, respectively. Excellent high temperature oxidation resistance and superior pore conformation stability for the Ni-16Cr-xA1 based superalloy foam with 9% A1 can be mainly attributed to the formation of relatively continuous and protective A1203 oxides on the surface of the foam.     

锅炉过热器/再热器管道热流密度的评估方法

通过建立数值模型进行编程计算,分析了锅炉过热器/再热器管道在不同的管道几何尺寸、烟气温度、蒸汽流量和温度下,各个界面热流密度的变化情况。通过回归分析得到了热流密度与管道内壁侧氧化层厚度和运行时间的关系表达式,即热流密度的评估关系式。