Nanostructured perovskite gas sensors prepared by high energy ball milling

该建议旨在利用高能球磨(HEBM)技术获得的纳米结构混合氧化物的独特结构特征来开发高性能和低成本的气体传感器。气体传感器广泛应用于从家庭安全和过程控制到环境污染物监测和汽车工业的不同领域。对环境的关注和更严厉的立法的实施导致了对以负担得起的成本越来越灵敏和准确的传感器的更大需求。最近的研究表明，纳米金属氧化物正在成为开发具有更好气敏性能的气敏传感器的关键材料。由于其高比表面积和小颗粒尺寸，预期的改进是相当可观的。然而，此类材料的制造技术在废物处理、大规模生产和成本方面面临挑战。HEBM是一种低成本、高性能的氧化物纳米催化剂的合成技术，具有广泛的市场应用前景。催化剂和气体传感器功能之间的内在相似性让人相信，HEBM也是氧化物传感器的合适制造路线。因此，本提案的目标是首先证明HEBM在传感器应用中的适用性。然后，研究项目将集中于一些配方的合成和筛选，以揭示工艺参数和化学组成对纳米结构氧化物(即通式为ABO3的钙钛矿结构)的物理化学和气敏性能的影响。最后，随着对工艺和材料特性的深入了解，我们的目标是优化氧化物配方和制造工艺，以开发具有良好结构、高性能和负担得起的成本的传感器。该项目完成后，预计HEBM将被认为是一种适用于钙钛矿型气体传感器的制造技术，该技术将转移到加拿大工业；该技术已经在其他应用领域积极开发类似技术。

This proposal aims to exploit the unique structural features of nanostructured mixed oxides obtained by the high energy ball milling (HEBM) technique to develop high performance and low cost gas sensors. Gas sensors are widely used in different fields from domestic safety and process control to monitoring environmental pollutants and the automotive industry. Environmental concerns and the implementation of tougher legislation have led to greater demand for more and more sensitive and accurate sensors at an affordable cost. Recent research indicates that nanostructured metal oxides are becoming the key materials for the development of gas sensors with improved gas-sensing properties. The expected improvements are considerable due to their high surface area and small particle size. However, manufacturing techniques of such materials face challenges with respect to waste treatment, mass production and cost. HEBM is one of the synthesis techniques with proven marketable capabilities for fabrication of low cost and high performance oxide-based nanocatalysts. Innermost similarities between the catalysts and gas sensor functions let believe that HEBM is a suitable manufacturing route for oxide sensors as well. It is therefore the goal of this proposal to first prove the suitability of HEBM for sensor applications. The research projects will then focus on the synthesis and screening of a number of formulations to reveal the effect of process parameters and chemical compositions on the physicochemical and gas sensing properties of nanostructured oxides (namely perovskite structures with a general formula of ABO3). Finally, with a deeper understanding of process and material characteristics, we aim to optimise the oxide formulation and manufacturing process to develop sensors with favourable structures, high performance and at an affordable cost. At the completion of this program, it is expected that HEBM will be recognized as a suitable manufacturing technique for perovskite gas sensors and the technology will be transferred to Canadian industry; already active in the exploitation of similar technology in other application areas.