A research on determination of explosive gases utilizing cataluminescence sensor array

Area of Science:

• Chemical Sensing
• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Accurate detection of explosive gases like propane, n-butane, and iso-butane is crucial for safety.
• Existing sensor technologies may face challenges in selectively quantifying components in complex gas mixtures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a sensor array system for the quantitative analysis of propane, n-butane, and iso-butane in mixtures.
• To investigate the performance of nanosized SrCO3, gamma-Al2O3, and BaCO3 catalysts in a cataluminescence-based sensor array.

Main Methods:

• A sensor array system comprising three cataluminescence sensors utilizing SrCO3, gamma-Al2O3, and BaCO3 catalysts was designed.
• Linear regression models were established correlating cataluminescence intensity with gas concentrations (2000–10,000 ppm) at two working temperatures.
• The least squares method was applied to solve simultaneous equations for component quantification.

Main Results:

• Detection limits (3sigma) for propane, n-butane, and iso-butane were determined for each sensor, with the BaCO3 sensor showing the lowest limits (down to 5 ppm).
• The sensor array demonstrated differential sensitivity to the target gases, enabling their distinct quantification.
• Analysis of artificial gas mixtures yielded satisfactory results, validating the system's effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• The proposed sensor array system effectively quantifies propane, n-butane, and iso-butane in mixtures using cataluminescence.
• Nanosized SrCO3, gamma-Al2O3, and BaCO3 exhibit distinct catalytic properties suitable for selective gas sensing.
• The developed method offers a reliable approach for analyzing explosive gas mixtures with high sensitivity.