Gas sensing properties of electrically conductive Cu(I) compounds at elevated temperatures

Changes in the electrical conductance at 240 °C of a number of copper(I) compounds including CuI, CuBr, Cu2Te, Cu12Sb4S13, (CuI)2P14, and of NiO were measured following the exposure to the gases ammonia, nitrogen dioxide, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and propane. Analytical sensitivity and kinetic parameters were compared quantitatively. The high diversity of sensitivity patterns makes these compounds promising candidates for use in sensor arrays. Principal component analysis of the data obtained with a virtual sensor array enabled highly selective sensing of five of the six analytes studied using only two principle components. Activation energies of the charge transport in the materials were determined.