A Study on Pattern Analysis of Odorous Substances with a Single Gas Sensor

Abstract

This study used a single metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) sensor to classify the major odorous gases hydrogen sulfide (<TEX>$H_2S$</TEX>), ammonia (<TEX>$NH_3$</TEX>) and toluene (<TEX>$C_6H_5CH_3$</TEX>). In order to classify these odorous substances, the voltage on the MOS sensor heater was gradually reduced in 0.5 V steps 5.0 V to examine the changes to the response by the cooling effect on the sensor as the voltage decreased. The hydrogen sulfide gas showed the highest sensitivity compared to odorless air under approximately 2.5 V and the ammonia and toluene gases showed the highest sensitivity under approximately 5.0 V. In other words, the hydrogen sulfide gas reacted better in the low temperature range of the MOS sensor, and the ammonia and toluene gases reacted better in the high-temperature range. In order to analyze the response characteristics of the MOS sensor by temperature in a pattern, a two-dimensional (2D) x-y pattern analysis was introduced to clearly classify the hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and toluene gases. The hydrogen sulfide gas was identified by a straight line with a slope of 1.73, whereas the ammonia gas had a slope of 0.05 and the toluene gas had a slope of 0.52. Therefore, the 2D x-y pattern analysis is suggested as a new way to classify these odorous substances.