Metal oxide-based gas sensor research: How to?

The paper critically reviews the state of the art in the field of experimental techniques possible to be applied to the study of conductometric gas sensors based on semiconducting metal oxides. The used assessment criteria are subordinated to the proposed R&D approach, which focuses on the study, and subsequent modelling, of sensors’ performance in realistic operation conditions by means of a combination of phenomenological and spectroscopic techniques. With this viewpoint, the paper presents both the to-date achievements and shortcomings of different experimental techniques, describes – by using selected examples – how the proposed approach can be used and proposes a set of objectives for the near future.