In this work the influence of solid electrolyte additives on the gas sensing properties of tin oxide layers was investigated systematically for the first time. NASICON (NAtrium, Super Ionic CONductor, Na(1+x)Zr2SixP(3-x)O12; 0 <= x <= 3) was used as a model for solid electrolyte additives. The structure of that material is ideally suitable for studies of the correlation between material parameters and the gas sensitivity of the layers. In the NASICON structure the content of mobile Na+-ions can be varied by a factor of four resulting in a simultaneous change of the ionic conductivity sigma(Na+) by approximately three orders of magnitude without considerable structural alterations. Powders of SnO2 and NASICON (x = 0; 2.2; 3) were prepared separately by means of sol-gel routes and mixed in a volume ratio of 80/20. Pastes were prepared from these powders with different compositions and screen printed on alumina substrates with a fourfold structure of thin film gold electrode combs. Four different compositions were characterised simultaneously at elevated temperatures in various gas atmospheres. The conductivity of the layers, when measured in air, decreases considerably with increasing Na+-content in the NASICON additive. This is correlated with enhanced activation energy of the electronic conductivity. The sensitivity of the layers to polar organic molecules like R-OH (alcohols), R-HO (aldehydes) and ROOH (carboxylic acids) is highly enhanced by the NASICON additive. This is observed especially on the admixtures with NASICON of high Na+-content (x = 2.2 and x = 3). On the other hand, the sensitivity to substances with mid-standing functional groups like 2-propanol or propanone can not be enhanced by NASICON additives. Furthermore the sensitivity of these composite layers to CO, H2, NH3, methane, propane, propene and toluene (all exposed as admixtures with air) is lower than the sensitivity of pure SnO2-layers. These observations are well correlated with the results of gas consumption measurements on SnO2/NASICON powders by means of FTIR spectroscopy. In spite of the lack of surface analytical data, a model of surface chemical gas reactions based on a triple phase boundary (SnO2/NASICON/gas atmosphere) was developed, which explains the experimental observations qualitatively. It is assumed that the decrease of the electronic conductivity as observed in the presence of NASICON additives with increasing Na+-content is due to an enhanced electron depletion layer. This is formed in the SnO2 grains by Na+/e- interactions across the SnO2/NASICON-interface. The enormous enhancement of the sensitivity to polar organic molecules may be due to specific nucleophilic interactions with the Na+-ions and coupled Na+/e--interactions at the triple phase reaction sites.

In this work the influence of solid electrolyte additives on the gas sensing properties of tin oxide layers was investigated systematically for the first time. NASICON (NAtrium, Super Ionic CONductor, Na(1+x)Zr2SixP(3-x)O12; 0 <= x <= 3) was used as a model for solid electrolyte additives. The structure of that material is ideally suitable for studies of the correlation between material parameters and the gas sensitivity of the layers. In the NASICON structure the content of mobile Na+-ions can be varied by a factor of four resulting in a simultaneous change of the ionic conductivity sigma(Na+) by approximately three orders of magnitude without considerable structural alterations. Powders of SnO2 and NASICON (x = 0; 2.2; 3) were prepared separately by means of sol-gel routes and mixed in a volume ratio of 80/20. Pastes were prepared from these powders with different compositions and screen printed on alumina substrates with a fourfold structure of thin film gold electrode combs. Four different compositions were characterised simultaneously at elevated temperatures in various gas atmospheres. The conductivity of the layers, when measured in air, decreases considerably with increasing Na+-content in the NASICON additive. This is correlated with enhanced activation energy of the electronic conductivity. The sensitivity of the layers to polar organic molecules like R-OH (alcohols), R-HO (aldehydes) and ROOH (carboxylic acids) is highly enhanced by the NASICON additive. This is observed especially on the admixtures with NASICON of high Na+-content (x = 2.2 and x = 3). On the other hand, the sensitivity to substances with mid-standing functional groups like 2-propanol or propanone can not be enhanced by NASICON additives. Furthermore the sensitivity of these composite layers to CO, H2, NH3, methane, propane, propene and toluene (all exposed as admixtures with air) is lower than the sensitivity of pure SnO2-layers. These observations are well correlated with the results of gas consumption measurements on SnO2/NASICON powders by means of FTIR spectroscopy. In spite of the lack of surface analytical data, a model of surface chemical gas reactions based on a triple phase boundary (SnO2/NASICON/gas atmosphere) was developed, which explains the experimental observations qualitatively. It is assumed that the decrease of the electronic conductivity as observed in the presence of NASICON additives with increasing Na+-content is due to an enhanced electron depletion layer. This is formed in the SnO2 grains by Na+/e- interactions across the SnO2/NASICON-interface. The enormous enhancement of the sensitivity to polar organic molecules may be due to specific nucleophilic interactions with the Na+-ions and coupled Na+/e--interactions at the triple phase reaction sites.