A fast and sensitive catalytic hydrogen sensor based on a stabilized nanoparticle catalyst

This paper presents a miniaturized catalytic gas sensor for hydrogen detection. Due to its micro technological design and high porous nanoparticle based platinum catalyst, a very short response time <; 150 ms and a high sensitivity of about 2.2 mV / 100 ppm hydrogen is achieved, whereat the power consumption is very low. The nanoparticles are stabilized by functionalization with an organic network of surfactants adsorbed on the nanoparticle´s surface. In this way a distinct improvement of the long-term stability can be observed. Nanoparticle based structures or porous structures without this stabilization suffer from degradation as a result of agglomeration.