Marion E. Franke

Bio: Marion E. Franke is an academic researcher from RWTH Aachen University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Proton & Dielectric spectroscopy. The author has an hindex of 9, co-authored 14 publications receiving 1547 citations.

Metal and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles in Chemiresistors: Does the Nanoscale Matter?

Abstract: Sensor technology is one of the most important key technologies of the future with a constantly increasing number of applications, both in the industrial and in the private sectors. More and more gas sensors are used for the control of technical processes, in environment monitoring, healthcare, and automobiles. Consequently, the development of fast and sensitive gas sensors with small cross sensitivity is the subject of intense research, propelled by strategies based on nanoscience and -technology. Established systems can be improved and novel sensor concepts based on bottom-up approaches show that the sensor properties can be controlled by molecular design. This Review highlights the recent developments and reflects the impact of nanoscience on sensor technology.

Solvate-supported proton transport in zeolites.

Abstract: Solvate-supported proton transport in zeolite H-ZSM-5 was studied by means of complex impedance spectroscopy. The zeolite shows enhanced proton mobility in the presence of NH3 and H2O that depends on the concentration of the solvate molecule, temperature (298-773 K), and the SiO2/Al2O3 ratio of the zeolite (30-1000). In general, proton conductivity in H-ZSM-5 is most effectively supported in the presence of NH3 and H2O at high concentrations, low temperatures, and low SiO2/Al2O3 ratios (< or = 80). For the aluminum-rich samples desorption measurements reflect different transport mechanisms that depend on the respective temperature range. Up to about 393 K a Grotthus-like proton transport mechanism is assumed, whereas at higher temperatures (393-473 K) vehiclelike transport seems to dominate. The activation energies for NH4+ and H3O+ vehicle conductivity depend on the SiO2/Al2O3 ratio, and the values are in the range of 49-59 and 39-49 kJ mol-1, respectively, and thus significantly lower than those for "pure" proton conduction in solvate-free samples.

Development and working principle of an ammonia gas sensor based on a refined model for solvate supported proton transport in zeolites

Abstract: Some of the work relating to the development of a selective ammonia exhaust gas sensor are reported in this contribution. The sensor itself meets all the technological and economic demands of the automotive industry. As the gas-sensitive material the proton conducting zeolite H-ZSM-5 is used. The selective and concentration dependent interaction of the mobile protons with ammonia, i.e., the resulting change in proton conductivity, is detected directly by means of impedance spectroscopy. The sensor development was supported by a detailed picture of ammonia supported proton transport, deduced from impedance measurements on H-ZSM-5 with different SiO2/Al2O3 ratios in a wide temperature and frequency range. It provides understanding of the transport control parameters, e.g. temperature, composition of the zeolite structure and concentration of the guest molecules, respectively.

Metal oxide gas sensors: Sensitivity and influencing factors

Abstract: Conductometric semiconducting metal oxide gas sensors have been widely used and investigated in the detection of gases. Investigations have indicated that the gas sensing process is strongly related to surface reactions, so one of the important parameters of gas sensors, the sensitivity of the metal oxide based materials, will change with the factors influencing the surface reactions, such as chemical components, surface-modification and microstructures of sensing layers, temperature and humidity. In this brief review, attention will be focused on changes of sensitivity of conductometric semiconducting metal oxide gas sensors due to the five factors mentioned above.

Highly sensitive and selective gas sensors using p-type oxide semiconductors: Overview

Abstract: High-performance gas sensors prepared using p-type oxide semiconductors such as NiO, CuO, Cr2O3, Co3O4, and Mn3O4 were reviewed. The ionized adsorption of oxygen on p-type oxide semiconductors leads to the formation of hole-accumulation layers (HALs), and conduction occurs mainly along the near-surface HAL. Thus, the chemoresistive variations of undoped p-type oxide semiconductors are lower than those induced at the electron-depletion layers of n-type oxide semiconductors. However, highly sensitive and selective p-type oxide-semiconductor-based gas sensors can be designed either by controlling the carrier concentration through aliovalent doping or by promoting the sensing reaction of a specific gas through doping/loading the sensor material with oxide or noble metal catalysts. The junction between p- and n-type oxide semiconductors fabricated with different contact configurations can provide new strategies for designing gas sensors. p-Type oxide semiconductors with distinctive surface reactivity and oxygen adsorption are also advantageous for enhancing gas selectivity, decreasing the humidity dependence of sensor signals to negligible levels, and improving recovery speed. Accordingly, p-type oxide semiconductors are excellent materials not only for fabricating highly sensitive and selective gas sensors but also valuable additives that provide new functionality in gas sensors, which will enable the development of high-performance gas sensors.

Nanoscale metal oxide-based heterojunctions for gas sensing: A review

Abstract: Metal oxide-based resistive-type gas sensors are solid-state devices which are widely used in a number of applications from health and safety to energy efficiency and emission control. Nanomaterials such as nanowires, nanorods, and nanoparticles have dominated the research focus in this field due to their large number of surface sites facilitating surface reactions. Previous studies have shown that incorporating two or more metal oxides to form a heterojunction interface can have drastic effects on gas sensor performance, especially the selectivity. Recently, these effects have been amplified by designing heterojunctions on the nano-scale. These designs have evolved from mixed commercial powders and bi-layer films to finely-tuned core–shell and hierarchical brush-like nanocomposites. This review details the various morphological classes currently available for nanostructured metal-oxide based heterojunctions and then presents the dominant electronic and chemical mechanisms that influence the performance of these materials as resistive-type gas sensors. Mechanisms explored include p–n and n–n potential barrier manipulation, n–p–n response type inversions, spill-over effects, synergistic catalytic behavior, and microstructure enhancement. Tables are presented summarizing these works specifically for SnO2, ZnO, TiO2, In2O3, Fe2O3, MoO3, Co3O4, and CdO-based nanocomposites. Recent developments are highlighted and likely future trends are explored.

Semiconductor metal oxide gas sensors: A review

Abstract: This review paper encompasses a detailed study of semiconductor metal oxide (SMO) gas sensors. It provides for a detailed comparison of SMO gas sensors with other gas sensors, especially for ammonia gas sensing. Different parameters which affect the performance (sensitivity, selectivity and stability) of SMO gas sensors are discussed here under. This paper also gives an insight about the dopant or impurity induced variations in the SMO materials used for gas sensing. It is concluded that dopants enhance the properties of SMOs for gas sensing applications by changing their microstructure and morphology, activation energy, electronic structure or band gap of the metal oxides. In some cases, dopants create defects in SMOs by generating oxygen vacancy or by forming solid solutions. These defects enhance the gas sensing properties. Different nanostructures (nanowires, nanotubes, heterojunctions), other than nanopowders have also been studied in this review. At the end, examples of SMOs are given to illustrate the potential use of different SMO materials for gas sensing.