Modeling of hydrocarbon sensors based on p-type semiconducting perovskites

In the scope of the present contribution, perovskite SrTi(1-x)Fe(x)O(3-delta) was investigated as a model material for conductometric hydrocarbon sensing at intermediate temperatures between 350 and 450 degrees C. To explain the observations made during sensor optimization in a quantitative way, a novel sensor model was proposed. At the microscopic scale, the local gas concentration affects local conductivity of the gas sensitive material. In the case of n-type tin oxide sensors, this interaction is commonly attributed to a redox reaction between the reducing analyte gas and adsorbed oxygen. In contrast, a reduction process affecting the entire bulk was assumed to govern gas sensitivity of SrTi(1-x)Fe(x)O(3-delta) films. Although very few variables needed to be assumed or fitted, the present bulk-type model was found to represent well sensor functionality of p-type conducting SrTi(0.8)Fe(0.2)O(3-delta) films. In addition to the temperature dependence of sensor response, the hydrocarbon sensitivity, m, was predicted with good accuracy. The different sensor responses towards hydrocarbons with a different chemical reactivity and other cross-interfering species, such as NO, was explained as well as the dependence on film thickness for screen printed films.