Nanostructured ceramic materials: Applications in gas sensors and solid-oxidefuel cells

摘要

Two applications of nanostructured ceramic materials developed at CINSO in recent years are reviewed,including the synthesis and properties of these materials: (i)Application of nanostructured Sn02-based semiconductors for gas sensors, showing the increase of theirsensitivity and the decrease of their operating temperature if the sensor is built with nanomaterials incomparison to sensors prepared with conventional microcrystalline materials. The sensing mechanismis discussed in order to explain the different behavior. (ii)Application of nanocrystalline Zr02-Ce02 solid solutions as novel anodes for solid-oxide fuel cellsoperated using hydrocarbons as fuel. Other applications of nanoceramics in these devices, recentlyinvestigated at CINSO, are also discussed.