Nanoporous zeolite and solid-state electrochemical devices for nitrogen-oxide sensing.

摘要

Solid-state electrochemical gas sensing devices composed of stabilized-zirconia electrolyte have used extensively in the automobile and chemical industry. Two types of electrochemical devices, potentiometric and amperometric, were developed in this thesis for total NOx (NO + NO2) detection in harsh environments. In potentiometric devices, Pt covered with Pt containing zeolite Y (PtY) and WO3 were examined as the two electrode materials. Significant reactivity differences toward NOx between PtY and WO 3 led to the difference in non-electrochemical reactions and resulted in a electrode potential. With gases passing through a PtY filter, it was possible to remove interferences from 2000 ppm CO, 800 ppm propane, 10 ppm NH3, as well as to minimize effects of 1∼13% O2, CO2, and H2O. Total NOx concentration was measured by maintaining a temperature difference between the filter and the sensor. The sensitivity was significantly improved by connecting sensors in series.; Amperometic devices were also developed to detect NOx passing through the PtY filter. By applying a low anodic potential of 80 mV, NO in the NOx equilibrated mixture can be oxidized at a Pt working electrode on the YSZ electrolyte at 500°C. The PtY can be held separate from the YSZ or coated onto the YSZ as a film. This design was demonstrated to exhibit total-NOx detection capability, a low NOx detection limit ( 1 ppm), high NOx selectivity relative to CO and oxygen, and linear dependence on NOx concentration.; The non-electrochemical reactions around the triple-phase boundary were studied to understand the origin of the superior performance of WO3 on potentiometric NOx sensing. From TPD, DRIFTS, XRD, Raman, and catalytic activity measurements, the interfacial reactions between WO 3 and YSZ were found to dramatically reduce the NOx catalytic activity of YSZ. WO3 reacted with surface Y2O3 on YSZ and formed less catalytically active yttrium tungsten oxides and monoclinic ZrO2, which suppressed the non-electrochemical reactions around the triple-phase boundary. These two products also decreased the oxygen vacancy density around the triple-phase boundary, slowed down the electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction, and in turn increased the NOx signal.; The surface nanostructure of electrodes was modified by wet chemical processes to change the non-electrochemical NOx reactions. A thin WO3 coating prepared from the peroxytungstate solution with well-defined triple-phase boundaries resulted in higher sensitivity and better response times than the electrode fabricated from commercial WO3 powders. The electrodeposited porous Pt layer greatly increased the surface area and led to a similar catalytic activity with PtY on NOx sensing. The modified electrodes demonstrated the importance of the surface nanostructure and interfacial species for potentiometric NOx sensing. The sensors composed of tungsten/H2O2 deposited sensing electrodes and more hydrothermal stable Pt-loaded siliceous zeolite Y (PtSY) reference electrodes have stable NO2 signal at 5-10% water in 600°C.