chapter 2 electrochemical sensors（第二章电化学传感器）.pdf

Chapter 2 Electrochemical Sensors Chapter 2 Electrochemical Sensors he oldest electrochemical sensors date back to the 1950s and were used for oxygen monitoring. TMore recently, as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) began requiring the monitoring of toxic and combustible gases in confined space applications, new and better electrochemical sensors have been developed. By the mid-1980s, miniaturized electrochemical sensors became available for detection of many dif- Fig. 1. Electrochemical Sensors ferent toxic gases in PEL ranges, with the sensors ex- hibiting good sensitivity and selectivity. Currently, a variety of electrochemical sensors are being used ex- tensively in many stationary and portable applications for personal safety. Figure 1 shows a small collection of such electrochemical sensors. The physical size, geometry, selection of various components, and the construction of an electrochemi- cal sensor usually depends on its intended use. Quite often, the final design results in a compromise between various performance parameters of the electrochemi- cal sensor. The most common misconception about electrochemical sensors is that they are all the same. In fact, the appearance of the electrochemical sen- sors used to detect various gases may be similar, but their functions are markedly different. Consequently, Hazardous Gas Monitors Gas Molecules Micro Ammeter one can expect varying performance from each of these sensors, in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, re- Anode Cathode sponse time, and operating life. + – For example, a low concentration gas sensor with very high sensitivity