(June 8, 2015) A new material changes its conductivity depending on the
concentration of CO2 in the environment. The researchers who developed it have
utilized the material to produce a miniature, simply constructed sensor.
Material scientists at ETH Zurich and the Max Planck
Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam have developed a new type of
sensor that can measure carbon dioxide (CO2). Compared with existing sensors,
it is much smaller, has a simpler construction, requires considerably less
energy and has an entirely different functional principle. The new sensor
consists of a recently developed composite material that interacts with CO2
molecules and changes its conductivity depending on the concentration of CO2 in
the environment. ETH scientists have created a sensor chip with this material
that enables them to determine CO2 concentration with a simple measurement of
electrical resistance.