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handbook of modern sensors

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542 18 Sensor Materials and Technologies<br />

Platinum is a silver-white precious metal which is extremely malleable, ductile,<br />

and corrosion resistant. Its positive temperature coefficient <strong>of</strong> resistance is very stable<br />

and reproducible, which allows its use in temperature sensing.<br />

Gold is extremely s<strong>of</strong>t and chemically inert metal. It can only be attacked by aqua<br />

regia and by sodium and potassium in the presence <strong>of</strong> oxygen. One gram <strong>of</strong> pure gold<br />

can be worked into a leaf covering 5000 cm 2 and only less than 0.1 µm thick. Mainly,<br />

it is used for plating and is alloyed with other metals like copper, nickel, and silver. In<br />

sensor applications, gold is used for fabricating electrical contacts and plating mirrors<br />

and waveguides operating in the mid- and far-infrared spectral ranges.<br />

Silver is the least costly <strong>of</strong> all precious metals. It is very malleable and corrosion<br />

resistant. It has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity <strong>of</strong> all metals.<br />

Palladium, iridium, and rhodium resemble and behave like platinum. They are<br />

used as electrical coatings to produce hybrid and printed circuit boards and various<br />

ceramic substrates with electrical conductors.Another application is in the fabrication<br />

<strong>of</strong> high-quality reflectors operating in a broad spectral range, especially at elevated<br />

temperatures or highly corrosive environments. Iridium has the best corrosion resistance<br />

<strong>of</strong> all metals and thus used in the most critical applications.<br />

Molybdenum maintains its strength and rigidity up to 1600 ◦ C. The metal and<br />

its alloys are readily machinable by conventional tools. In nonoxidizing environments,<br />

it resists attacks by most acids. Its prime application is for high-temperature<br />

devices, such as heating elements and reflectors <strong>of</strong> intense infrared radiation for hightemperature<br />

furnaces. Molybdenum has a low coefficient <strong>of</strong> thermal expansion and<br />

resists erosion by molten metals.<br />

Tungsten is many respects is similar to molybdenum, but can operate even at<br />

higher temperatures. A thermocouple sensor fabricated <strong>of</strong> tungsten is alloyed with<br />

25% rhenium with another wire, in a thermocouple with 5% rhenium.<br />

Zinc is seldom used alone, except for coating; it is mainly used as an additive in<br />

many alloys.<br />

18.1.4 Ceramics<br />

In sensor technologies, ceramics are very useful crystalline materials because <strong>of</strong><br />

their structural strength, thermal stability, light weight, resistance to many chemicals,<br />

ability to bond with other materials, and excellent electrical properties.Although most<br />

metals form at least one chemical compound with oxygen, only a handful <strong>of</strong> oxides<br />

are useful as the principal constituent <strong>of</strong> ceramics. Examples are alumina and beryllia.<br />

The natural alloying element in alumina is silica; however, alumina can be alloyed<br />

with chromium, magnesium, calcium, and other elements.<br />

Several metal carbides and nitrades qualify as ceramics. The most commonly<br />

used are boron carbide and nitrate and aluminum nitrade (Table A.24). Whenever fast<br />

heat transfer is <strong>of</strong> importance, aluminum nitrade should be considered, whereas silicon<br />

carbide has high dielectric constant, which makes it attractive for designing capacitive<br />

<strong>sensors</strong>. Due to their hardness, most ceramics require special processing. A precise<br />

and cost-effective method <strong>of</strong> cutting various shapes <strong>of</strong> ceramic substrates is scribing,<br />

machining, and drilling by use <strong>of</strong> computer-controlled CO 2 laser. Ceramics for the

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