Light-regulated electrochemical reaction: can it be able to improve the response behavior of amperometric gas sensors?

Jie Zou, Huihui Sun, Xiaowei Zhang, Xin Zhang, Han Jin, Fu-an Li, Shaolin Zhang, Changzhou Hua, Wenfeng Sheng, Qinghui Jin, Jiawen Jian

Index: 10.1016/j.snb.2018.04.032

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Abstract

Selectivity of the Zirconia-based amperometric gas sensors can be easily controlled via manipulating the applied bias voltage. Nevertheless, poor sensitivity and inadequate response signal hindered their research foreground. Recently, light-regulated electrochemical reaction has been confirmed to be helpful in improving the electrocatalytic activity of photoactive sensing materials, herein, we studied the impact of UV illumination on the sensing performance of zirconia-based amperometric gas sensor, with utilizing photoactive ZnO sensing electrode and Pt counter electrode (vs. Mn-based reference electrode). Through manipulating the applied bias voltage, the sensor demonstrates acceptable selectivity to C3H6 against CO and NO. Moreover, after illuminated by UV light, response signal to all the examined hazardous gases is enhanced. Interestingly, relatively large enhancement is solely observed for sensing C3H6, leading to simultaneous improvements in the sensitivity and selectivity for the sensor operated upon illumination. These promising results shed light on an alternative strategy for artificially tailoring gas sensing characteristics via light-regulated amperometric gas sensors.