Potentiometric ammonia sensor with InVO4 sensing electrode.

• InVO 4 was first applied to the sensing electrode for potentiometric ammonia sensor. • The sensor has considerable sensitivity of -86.7 mV/decade and response value of −143 mV to 320 ppm NH 3 at 600 °C. • The sensor with InVO 4 electrode exhibits good NH 3 sensitivity, selectivity and durability. Orthorhombic InVO 4 powder was synthesized by precipitation method and sintered at 900, 1000 and 1100 °C to prepare the sensing electrodes for potentiometric ammonia sensors. The influence of sintering temperature on electrode morphology and NH 3 sensing properties was investigated at 600 °C operating temperature. With the increase of sintering temperature, the layer thickness decreases and porosity increases for InVO 4 electrode. The resulting reduction of gas-phase consumption of NH 3 and the increment of three-phase boundary (TPB) enhance the NH 3 sensitivity from −79.9 mV/decade of 900 °C to −86.7 mV/decade of 1000 °C. The 1100 °C-sintered sensor has the lowest sensitivity of −25.9 mV/decade due to the TPB reduction caused by over-loosened electrode from more intense sintering. The response and recovery times decrease from 68 s and 151 s for 900 °C-sintered sensor to 19 s and 29 s for 1100 °C-sintered sample. The highest NH 3 response is obtained at 600 °C with the response values of −143 mV to 320 ppm and −13 mV to 10 ppm NH 3. The recovery rate accelerates with increase of operating temperature from 550 to 650 °C, but response rate slows down. The low cross-sensitivity to various gases especially NO x indicates good NH 3 selectivity of the sensor due to the outstanding electrocatalytic activity of InVO 4 for NH 3 oxidation electrode reaction. Considered the good NH 3 sensitivity, selectivity, repeatability, durability and resistance to oxygen/vapor interference, it is believed that InVO 4 is a promising ammonia sensing electrode material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]