Inventors:
Greg Monty - Vernon Hills IL, US
Kwok Ng - San Jose CA, US
Mohshi Yang - Austin TX, US
Richard Finh - Austin TX, US
Assignee:
Nano-Proprietary, Inc. - Austin TX
International Classification:
G01N 7/00
Abstract:
The present invention provides for novel hydrogen sensors and methods for making same. In some embodiments, such novel hydrogen sensors are continuous-range hydrogen sensors comprising Pd—Ag nanoparticles arrayed as nanowires or two-dimensional shapes on a resistive surface. Such continuous-range hydrogen sensors are capable of measuring a wide range of hydrogen gas concentration over a wide temperature range. Unlike existing hydrogen sensors that experience a large change in resistance at a certain hydrogen concentration, the continuous-range hydrogen sensor of the present invention changes resistance continuously over a broad range of hydrogen concentration. This continuous change varies slowly with hydrogen concentration and is predictable such that the continuous-range hydrogen sensor can be used to measure hydrogen concentration continuously from a few ppm to 40,000 ppm level or higher over a broad range of temperatures (e. g. , −40 C. to +150 C. ).