Electrochemical detection of simple alkanes by utilizing a solid-state zirconia-based gas sensor

Abstract

Solid-state gas sensors composed of complex oxide electrolytes offer great potential for analyzing various atmospheres at high temperatures. While relatively simple gas mixtures (H2O+N2, O2+N2) have been successfully studied by means of ZrO2-based sensors, the precise detection of more complex compounds represents a challenging task. In this work, we present our findings regarding the analysis of lower alkanes (CH4, C2H6, and C3H8) mixed with nitrogen as an inert gas, utilizing an amperometric ZrO2-based sensor. This sensor, serving as an electrochemical cell with a diffusion barrier, was tested at 500–600 °C to measure the limiting current, which depends on the gas composition and can be further used as a basis for calibration curves. In addition, the diffusion coefficients of the specified gas mixtures were successfully found and compared with references, confirming the applicability of the fabricated sensor for studying diffusion processes in wide concentration and temperature ranges.