Solid state potentiometric gaseous oxide sensor

A solid state electrochemical cell for measuring the concentration of CO in a gas mixture, comprising:

• a first semiconductor electrode, said first semiconductor electrode comprising a first semiconductor material selected so as to undergo a change in resistivity upon contacting CO, wherein said first semiconductor material includes at least one selected from the group consisting of TiO2, TYPd5, MoO3, ZnMoO4 and WR3;
• a second electrode;
• and
• an electrolyte in contact with said first and second electrodes.

A method for measuring the concentration of CO in a gas mixture, comprising the steps of:

• exposing said gas mixture to a solid state electrochemical cell, said electrochemical cell formed from:
• (i) a semiconductor electrode, said semiconductor electrode comprising a semiconductor material, said semiconductor material selected so as to undergo a change in resistivity upon contacting CO, wherein said semiconductor material includes at least one selected from the group of materials consisting of TiO2, TYPd5, MoO3, ZnMoO4, WR3,
• (ii) a second electrode, and
• (iii) an electrolyte in contact with said first and second electrodes;
• and
• measuring an electrical signal generated by said electrochemical cell to determine the concentration of said component.

A method for measuring the concentration of a component of a gas mixture comprising the steps of:

• exposing said gas mixture to a solid state electrochemical cell, said solid state electrochemical cell formed from:
• (i) a first semiconductor electrode
• (ii) a second semiconductor electrode, said electrodes comprising first and second semiconductor materials, said materials selected so as to undergo a change in resistivity upon contacting said component, and
• (iii) an electrolyte in contact with said first and second semiconductor electrodes;
• and,
• measuring an electrical signal generated by said electrochemical cell to determine the concentration of said component.

A method for operating a combustion engine, comprising the steps of:

• providing an electrochemical cell including:
• (i) a first semiconductor electrode;
• (ii) a second semiconductor electrode, said electrodes comprising first and second semiconductor materials, respectively, said materials selected so as to undergo a change in resistivity upon contacting said pollutant;
• and
• (iii) an electrolyte in contact with said first and second semiconductor electrodes;
• electrochemically determining the concentration of at least one exhaust pollutant emitted by said combustion engine during operation, and
• adjusting combustion conditions based on concentrations of said exhaust pollutant determined in said determining step.

A method for controlling a chemical process, comprising the steps of:

• providing an electrochemical cell comprising:
• (i) a first semiconductor electrode;
• (ii) a second semiconductor electrode, said electrodes comprising first and second semiconductor materials, respectively, said materials selected so as to undergo a change in resistivity upon contacting gases, and
• (iii) an electrolyte in contact with said first and second semiconductor electrodes;
• electrochemically determining the concentration of at least one gas emitted during operation of said chemical process;
• and
• adjusting chemical process conditions based on concentrations of said gas determined in said determining step.

A solid state electrochemical cell for measuring the concentration of NO in a gas mixture, comprising:

• a first semiconductor electrode, said first semiconductor electrode comprising La2CuO4;
• a second semiconductor electrode;
• and
• an electrolyte in contact with said first and second electrodes.

A method for measuring the concentration of NO in a gas mixture, comprising the steps of:

• exposing said gas mixture to a solid state electrochemical cell, said electrochemical cell formed from:
• (i) a semiconductor electrode comprising La2CuO4;
• (ii) a second semiconductor electrode, and
• (iii) an electrolyte in contact with said first and second electrodes;
• and
• measuring an electrical signal generated by said electrochemical cell to determine the concentration of NO in said gas mixture.