An application of (4YSZ)0.93(Fe2O3)0.07 in limiting current oxygen sensor

(4YSZ)0.93(Fe2O3)0.07 and 9 mol% Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2 (9YSZ) were synthesized by co-precipitation method and their crystalline structure, microstructure, electronic conductivity, total conductivity were characterized. A limiting current oxygen sensor was assembled with (4YSZ)0.93(Fe2O3)0.07 dense diffusion barrier and 9YSZ solid electrolyte by Pt sintered-paste method. Influences of temperature (T), oxygen concentration (x(O2)) and water vapor pressure (p(H2O)) on sensing characteristics of the limiting current oxygen sensor were investigated. The crystalline structure of (4YSZ)0.93(Fe2O3)0.07 and 9YSZ belong to cubic structure with $${\bf{Fm}}\overline{{\bf{3}}}{\bf{m}}$$ Fm 3 ¯ m . The total conductivity of (4YSZ)0.93(Fe2O3)0.07 is higher than that of 9YSZ and the electronic and total conductivities of the samples meet the linear relationship with 1000/T. The limiting current oxygen sensor exhibits excellent sensing characteristics under test conditions. The effects of T, x(O2) and p(H2O) are as follows: Log(IL·T) depends linearly on 1000/T, IL depends linearly on x(O2) and IL is not significantly dependent on p(H2O).