Gas Sensing Characteristics of a WO₃ Thin Film Prepared by a Sol-Gel Method

Abstract

Preparation and characterization of a WO3-based thin film gas sensor are reported. The WO3 film was prepared on a polished alumina substrate by a sol-gel method using an aqueous mixture solution of ammonium metatungstate hydrate and poly-vinyl alcohol, and fabricated into the gas sensor by forming interdigital electrodes on the surface. The characterization was conducted by measuring the electrical resistance change in NO, H2, and NH3 ambient as a function of gas concentration. It is revealed that the sensor has a specific sensitivity to NO, NO is detected as oxidizing gas although it is expected to be reducing gas, and the resistance changes with gas concentration in accordance with the Langmuir isotherm plot.

Keywords

• gas sensor
• sensing mechanism
• NO gas
• WO₃
• sol-gel method