Potentiometric Hydrogen Sensors Using an Anion-conducting Polymer as an Electrolyte

Potentiometric gas sensors employing an anion-conducting polymer (ACP) membrane electrolyte with large OH- conductivity have been fabricated, and their H2-sensing properties in air at 30°C have been investigated in this study. A potentiometric sensor equipped with 10 wt% Pt-loaded carbon black (CB) mixed with ACP as an electrode (EC(Pt/CB-ACP)) showed large H2 response, in comparison with those of potentiometric sensors equipped with Pt only and Pt mixed with ACP as an electrode. Furthermore, the magnitude of H2 response of a potentiometric sensor equipped with 10 wt% Pd-loaded CB mixed with ACP as an electrode (EC(Pd/CB-ACP)) was larger than that of the EC(Pt/CB-ACP) sensor. These H2-sensing properties were dependent markedly on humidity as well as O2 concentration in air. On the other hand, the use of SnO2 as an electrode material was also quite effective in improving the H2-sensing properties, and the H2 response of the potentiometric sensor equipped with the SnO2 as an electrode material were comparable to the EC(Pd/CB-ACP) sensor