Oxygen sensors
AssigneeCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization
InventorsMichael J. Bannister, Neil A. McKinnon, Robert R. Hughan
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Abstract
A composite solid electrolyte material for use in oxygen sensors, which comprises a mixture of at least two ceramic constituents, one of which is a good oxygen ion conductor and the other a non-electrolyte, is useful for oxygen sensor fabrication. Particularly, it enables gas analysis oxygen sensors to be produced by conventional techniques because the coefficient of thermal expansion of the composite electrolyte material can be closely matched to the material of a supporting sensor body. The closeness of thermal expansion coefficients means that oxygen sensors can now be formed in the "green" state, then fired.
Claims20
An oxygen sensor comprising a ceramic hollow body composed of or containing a composite solid electrolyte material and a pair of electrodes, one of the electrodes being located within said hollow body and the other being located outside said hollow body, said electrodes being separated by said composite solid electrolyte material, and said composite solid electrolyte material comprising a mixture of at least one non-electrolyte constituent or phase which is selected from the group consisting of alumina, aluminous porcelain and mullite, and at least one constituent or phase which is a good oxygen ion conductor, the microstructure of the composite material consisting of an intimate mixture of fine grains of the oxygen ion conducting and the non-electrolyte constituents, the oxygen ion constituent grains of which comprise from 25 to 75 percent by volume of the mixture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.