Zirconium dioxide-based solid electrolyte as a means of oxidation of organic compounds during isotopic assay of carbon

It is demonstrated that a high-temperature electrochemical reactor on the basis of zirconium dioxide (0.9ZrO₂ · 0.1Y₂O₃) with platinum electrodes may be promising as a device for preparing samples of organic gases for isotopic assay of carbon. Owing to a high catalytic activity of the surface of a porous platinum coating, it is possible to realize full oxidation of organic gases to stoichiometric oxides at 900–950°C and an oxygen flux equivalent to an electric current of 100 µA and higher. The reproducibility of the results of isotopic assay is better than that yielded by a standard oxidation reactor. Use of the solid-electrolyte reactor in a new device as a sensor makes it possible to simultaneously measure the concentration of organic gases passing through the reactor on the basis of the charge transported by oxygen ions through the wall of a ceramic tube. Simultaneously one can monitor purity of the carrier gas.