STEADY-STATE AND TRANSIENT-BEHAVIOR OF THICK-FILM TIN OXIDE SENSORS IN THE PRESENCE OF GAS-MIXTURES

In this paper, a new nonlinear diffusion-adsorption model for the stea dy-state and transient response of thick-film tin oxide gas sensors in the presence of multicomponent gas mixtures is discussed in detail. T he model, which takes into account gas interaction during the adsorpti on process, accurately accounts for the sensor behavior for a wide ran ge of gas concentrations. The model predictions were validated by meas uring binary mixtures of ethanol, toluene and ethylbenzene with commer cially available thick-film tin oxide gas sensors. New parameters that may be useful for identifying components in a gas mixture were obtain ed by adjusting experimental and theoretical transients.