Proton acceptance type sensor, hydrogen gas sensor and acid sensor

Abstract

The present invention provides a low-cost hydrogen gas sensor, which exhibits high sensory selectivity for protons and operates at room temperature, and can also provide a highly sensitive sensor capable of fulfilling the important functions of detecting hydrogen gas and preventing leakage accidents in production plants that use hydrogen gas as a carrier, in hydrogen gas storage facilities, and in so-called fuel cells that use hydrogen gas as an energy source. In addition, the sensor is also effective as an acid sensor for hydrofluoric acid and the like. The present invention relates to an acid and hydrogen gas sensor, wherein protons are brought into contact with an organic compound containing an introduced pyridine ring (such as pyridine-DPP), and the change in electrical resistivity, photoconductivity, or optical absorption band for the organic compound that accompanies proton addition is detected.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a sensor with favorable sensory selectivity for protons (H+), and relates particularly to a hydrogen gas sensor and an acid sensor. BACKGROUND ART [0002] In recent years, the use of a variety of gases within the production processes for products has become common, and in production plants for semiconductors, because gas-based chemical reaction processes are employed on single crystal silicon substrates, volatile or toxic gases are widely used. Hydrogen gas is used in large quantities as the carrier gas for these gases. However, hydrogen gas is itself highly explosive, and any leaks of hydrogen gas must be detected immediately. [0003] In addition, there is now much concern about the depletion of fossil fuels such as petroleum, and many different options are being researched as potential replacement energy sources. Hydrogen can be readily obtained by the electrolysis of water, and generates water as a combustion product, with no ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] The present invention has been developed in view of the conventional technology described above, and provides a low-cost proton acceptance type gas sensor such as a hydrogen sensor or acid sensor, which exhibits favorable sensory selectivity for protons, and operates at room temperature.

Problems solved by technology

However, hydrogen gas is itself highly explosive, and any leaks of hydrogen gas must be detected immediately.

However, because hydrogen is the lightest and smallest molecule it is prone to leakage, and because it also ignites readily and combusts rapidly, it is an extremely dangerous gas.

As a result, there are limits on the levels of miniaturization, weight reduction, power consumption reduction, or cost reductions that can be achieved for this type of sensor, and it is thought that these sensors will be unsuitable for a large variety of applications.

However, in this hydrogen gas sensor, because the catalyst layer is formed by screen printing, controlling the film thickness is difficult, leading to large fluctuations in the film thickness, and making control of the properties of the sensor difficult.

In addition, this hydrogen gas sensor also suffers from the drawback of having a high operating temperature of approximately 400° C.

Hei 01-250851, but the process for producing this non-gas-sensitive thin film layer is difficult, meaning cost increases are unavoidable, and the control costs associated with controlling the properties of the sensor also increase.

In addition, there have been reports of gas detection elements that use a vapor deposition film of phthalocyanine, but these elements are used for monitoring the level of electrical conductivity accompanying gas adsorption and desorption, exhibit no selectivity between electron-donating and electron-withdrawing gases, and suffer from extremely unstable operation.

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