Elaboration and characterization of humidity sensors for environmental monitoring

The water content in surrounding air is an important factor for the well-being of humans and animals, as the level of comfort is determined by a combination of two factors: relative humidity and ambient temperature. Humidity is also an important factor for operating certain equipment such as high-impedance electronic circuits, electrostatic-sensitive components, high-voltage devices, fine mechanisms, etc. Nonetheless, moisture is the ingredient common to most manufactured goods and processed materials. Thus, humidity sensors have been receiving wide attentions since decades. Yet, despite the high request, major advances in these sensors in terms of simple structure, lower cost, better selectivity, durability and reliability are always needed. Throughout the years, a large number of materials based on polymers, composite and ceramics have been tested, due to their own features and specific operating conditions. However, great attention has been paid to ceramic materials due to their chemical inertness which allow them to operate in harsh conditions. Amongst the different studied humidity sensors, impedance-based ones are used most commonly. The operation principle of the impedance sensors is based on the dependence of the impedance (or either capacitance or resistance) of the sensor element recognizing the nature and amount of water molecules on the surface or in the bulk. The resistance or impedance of the resistive-type sensor decreases as the relative humidity (RH)increases. Ions or electrons, or both of them, are the conduction carriers for resistive-type humidity sensors. The common construction of the resistive-type ceramic humidity sensors consists of a ceramic substrate with noble metal interdigitated electrodes coated with humidity sensing ceramic materials, both deposited by screen-print technique [1]. Metal oxides and metal oxide based composites are the most popular materials to be used as resistive sensing elements: TiO2, TiO2–SnO2, TiO2–WO3, TiO2–Cu2O–Na2O, KTaO3//TiO2(bilayered), TiO2/KTaO3 (bilayered), TiO2–K2O–LiZnVO4, Al2O3, AlO(OH), SiO2, WO3, Cr2O3–WO3, SnO2, a noble metal doped SnO2, SnO2: ZrO2 (bilayered), single Sb doped SnO2, K+-dopedSnO2–LiZnVO4, MnO2 –Mn3O4, Li+-doped Fe2O3, Au3+ and Li+ co-doped Fe2O3, Li+, Zn2+ and Au3+ co-doped Fe2O3, NiMoO4–MoO3, Li+-doped NiMoO4–MoO3, CuMoO4–MoO3 and PbMoO4–MoO3 [1]. Spinel-type oxides and composites based on spinel-type oxides are also used for humidity resistive sensing elements: MgAl2O4, Sr2+-doped CoAl2O4, Sr2+-doped BaAl2O4, Sr2+-doped ZnAl2O4, MgFe2O4, MgAl2O4–MgFe2O4, Mg0.8Li0.2Fe2O4, Mg0.9Sn0.1Fe2O4, MgFe2O4–CeO2, MgCr2O4–TiO2, Zn2SnO4–LiZnVO4 and ZnCr2O4–K2CrO4 [1]. Finally, Perovskite-type oxides and composites based on perovskites have been used for humidity sensing elements too: NaH2PO4 doped BaTiO3, MnTiO3, Li+ doped Ca0.35Pb0.65TiO3, BaNbO3, LaFeO3, K+-doped nanocrystalline LaCo0.3Fe0.7O3 (La0.93K0.07Co0.3Fe0.7O3) and Sr-doped SmCrO3 (Sm0.90Sr0.10CrO3) [1]. Preparation techniques can considerably affect the physical, chemical and gas sensing properties of the metal oxide sensors. Developments of new preparative routes, as well as compositional variations, are two perspective approaches for the design of highly sensitive and selective gas sensor materials.Reference: [1] T.A. Blanka, L.P. Eksperiandova, K.N. Belikov, Recent trends of ceramic humidity sensors development: A review. Sensors and Actuators B, 228 (2016) 416–442.