Journal of Materials Science, Vol.38, No.21, 4289-4292, 2003
Novel processing of NASICON and sodium carbonate/barium carbonate thin and thick films for a CO2 microsensor
The use of chemical microsensors can be advantageous for the monitoring of gas species in efforts to accurately monitor environmental conditions, detect fires, and determine emissions. The microsensor described herein shows promise for use as a carbon dioxide sensor. Carbon dioxide levels are of particular concern for passenger environments, as a chemical signature of a fire, and as a combustion product.This amperometric carbon dioxide microsensor was produced using microfabrication and micromachining techniques. Electron beam evaporation, sputtering, and thick film printing were used for deposition of the chemically active layers of the device-Na3Zr2Si2PO12 (NASICON) and Na2CO3/Ba2CO3. The deposition techniques used to deposit these materials were an important processing advance in this development endeavor. The films were incorporated into an amperometric, limiting current type sensor design with overall dimensions of 1.4 mm x 1.5 mm. The inclusion of this type of sensor in an array of differing sensors offers an advantage of high selectivity to analytes of interest. (C) 2003 Kluwer Academic Publishers.