Due to increasingly stringent limits for NOx emissions, there is now more interest than ever in cost-effective, precise, and durable exhaust gas sensor technology for combustion processes. This study presents a novel multi-gas sensor with resistive sensing principles for the determination of oxygen stoichiometry and NOx concentration in the exhaust gas of a diesel engine (OM 651). A screen-printed porous KMnO4/La-Al2O3 film is used as the NOx sensitive film, while a dense ceramic BFAT (BaFe0.74Ta0.25Al0.01O3-δ) film prepared by the PAD method is used for λ-measurement in real exhaust gas. The latter is also used to correct the O2 cross-sensitivity of the NOx sensitive film. This study presents results under dynamic conditions during an NEDC (new European driving cycle) based on a prior characterization of the sensor films in an isolated sensor chamber with static engine operation. The low-cost sensor is analyzed in a wide operation field and its potential for real exhaust gas applications is evaluated. The results are promising and, all in all, comparable with established, but usually more expensive, exhaust gas sensors.
Keywords: characterization; emissions; engine testing; exhaust gas; gas sensor; high temperature; multi-layer; nitrogen oxides; oxygen stoichiometry; sensor concept; thick-film technology; thin-film technology.