Nasicon sensor for NO detection in the automotive exhaust

Development of a sensor where both electrodes are exposed to the same gas offers simple design with no need for a separate reference gas with a complicated sealing system. Such sensors are still in research stage. The NASICON electrolyte, which has high ionic conductivity at the temperature of the exhaust gas mixture, allows such sensors to work without a heater, making a simple and miniaturised construction technique. Using two asymmetric electrodes, where each electrode has a different catalytic activity at a given temperature, can result in anemf, which is a function of partial pressure of NO. A NASICON sensor with SmFeO₃ as a sensing electrode and Au as an oxygen electrode was calibrated as a NO sensor and tested in oxidising atmosphere in simulated exhaust gases. The sensor responded quickly with reproducibleemf values. Paper presented at the 9th EuroConference on Ionics, Ixia, Rhodes, Greece, Sept. 15 – 21, 2002.