Hydrogen Sensor with Palladium Clusters in Porous Glass
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydrogen sensors face challenges with sensitivity and durability, particularly in portable designs, as they often degrade or become irreversibly damaged when exposed to high hydrogen concentrations, leading to unreliable measurements.
Innovation Solution
A hydrogen sensor utilizing a sensor medium with clusters of palladium alloys, yttrium, scandium, lanthanides, actinides, tungsten oxide, and vanadium oxide embedded in a polymer matrix, which allows for multiple passes of electromagnetic radiation, enhancing sensitivity and longevity by compensating for lattice constant differences and preventing damage from hydrogen loading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a thin palladium layer or palladium cluster layer is used to detect hydrogen through optical transmission changes, then the sensor can be made portable and responsive, but the sensor degrades or becomes irreversibly damaged when exposed to high hydrogen concentrations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure consisting of palladium clusters embedded in a porous glass matrix. The glass matrix provides structural stability and prevents degradation while the palladium clusters maintain hydrogen sensing capability. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by combining the responsiveness of pure palladium with the durability of the glass matrix.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous glass rod structure provides a matrix that can absorb and accommodate hydrogen without degradation. The pores allow hydrogen diffusion while the glass structure prevents irreversible damage, enabling the sensor to withstand high hydrogen concentrations repeatedly without losing functionality.
2Measurement precision
If the sensor medium is exposed to high hydrogen concentrations for sensitive detection, then measurement precision improves, but the sensor medium degrades or is irreversibly destroyed
Solution Approach 1:
The porous glass matrix acts as a protective cushion that absorbs mechanical stress and prevents structural collapse of the palladium clusters during repeated high-concentration hydrogen exposure. This beforehand cushioning allows the sensor to maintain measurement precision over extended service periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous structure of the glass rod provides a framework that accommodates hydrogen absorption by the palladium clusters without causing structural failure. The pores allow continuous hydrogen diffusion for precise measurement while the glass walls prevent cluster aggregation or degradation, extending sensor lifespan.
3Measurement precision
If a thicker sensor medium is used to improve sensitivity, then more hydrogen can be absorbed for better detection, but the sensor requires more material and becomes less portable
Solution Approach 1:
The porous glass structure provides high surface area and volume for hydrogen absorption within a compact form factor. The porosity allows efficient hydrogen diffusion and absorption without requiring thick material layers, maintaining portability while improving detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The palladium clusters are embedded within the porous glass matrix structure, creating a nested configuration where the sensing material is distributed throughout the matrix volume. This nesting maximizes the effective sensing material utilization and hydrogen absorption capacity within a compact sensor geometry.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The sensor achieves high sensitivity and long-term stability with minimal material usage, allowing for reproducible hydrogen concentration measurements up to 10% by volume without degrading, and provides explosion protection due to its optical functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor medium with clusters of palladium alloys, yttrium, scandium, lanthanides, actinides, tungsten oxide, and vanadium oxide
Implementation Method 2
The sensor medium has clusters which contain or consist of a palladium alloy, yttrium, scandium, at least one lanthanide, at least one actinide, tungsten oxide and/or vanadium oxide
Implementation Method 3
the clusters are embedded in a matrix made of a polymer. As a result, the changes in the lattice constants of the material from which the clusters consist or which contain the clusters can be compensated for in the presence of different hydrogen concentrations
Implementation Method 4
a radiation source, by means of which electromagnetic radiation is radiated onto a sensor medium, the sensor medium having a transmission coefficient which varies depending on the concentration of hydrogen
Implementation Method 5
with a detector which has at least one Part of the rays transmitted through the sensor medium is detected
Implementation Method 6
The materials preferably form metal hydrides, such as metal-H 3 , with hydrogen
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a hydrogen sensor (10) with a radiation source (17), by means of which electromagnetic radiation is radiated onto a sensor medium (11), wherein the sensor medium (11) has a transmission coefficient that varies as a function of the concentration of hydrogen in the environment (20) of the sensor medium (11), and with a detector (18) that detects at least a portion of the radiation transported through the sensor medium (11). The hydrogen sensor according to the invention is characterized by the fact that a reflector (12, 13) is provided that reflects the radiation transmitted through the sensor medium (11) back to the sensor medium (11). The hydrogen sensor according to the invention is further characterized by the fact that the sensor medium (11) incorporates clusters (25) containing or consisting of a palladium alloy, yttrium, scandium, at least one lanthanide, at least one actinide, tungsten oxide and/or vanadium oxide, and/or a mixture or compound of these materials.