Catalyst-type optical fiber sensors based on fiber Bragg gratings for hydrogen detection

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24560516
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Measurement engineering
• Research Institution: Yokohama National University
• Principal Investigator: OKAZAKI Shinji 横浜国立大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (50293171)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MIZUTANI Tadahito 宇宙航空研究開発機構, つくば宇宙センター研究開発本部, 研究員 (00401232) ; MARU Yusuke 宇宙航空研究開発機構, 宇宙科学研究所, 助教 (20524101)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: センシングデバイス / 光ファイバガスセンサ / ファイバーブラッググレーティング / 水素漏えい検知 / 白金担持酸化タングステン / 白金担持シリカ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A highly sensitive hydrogen gas sensor based on a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) has been developed. Various potential hydrogen sensor materials were screened by assessing the catalytic activities of oxide-supported platinum particles prepared by a sol-gel method. It was determined that a Pt/SiO2 film was the most appropriate sensor material; exposure of this film to 4 vol% H2 in humid air for 30 s at room temperature produced a temperature change of 65 K. In addition, the Pt/SiO2 was able to respond to a concentration as low as 0.1 vol% H2 in dry air. Two types of sensor structures were fabricated and evaluated. The device incorporating a quartz glass substrate covered with the sensor film on one side was able to detect 0.4 vol% H2 in dry air at room temperature with a response time of approximately 25 min. The other device, in which the sensor film was immobilized on the periphery of the FBG section, exhibited rapid response to 0.6 vol% H2 within 20 s.

Free Research Field

化学センサ、計測工学