Electrical conductivity in AlN-CuO composites

Water vapor is an important constituent of any gas and in many applications is regarded as a contaminant that needs to be monitored and controlled. It is also immense importance in the pyrohydrolytic reaction of new exotic non-oxide engineering ceramics such as silicon carbide and silicon nitride. Together with CO/sub 2/, water vapor is the largest contributor to the 'greenhouse' effect. Thus there is a need for greater attention to humidity sensor selection for a given application. AlN-CuO composites (2% is equal or < CuO is equal or < 50% by weight) have been studied to exploit them as novel humidity sensors over wide ranges of moisture levels and temperature. Development of benign microstructure with open porosity has been attempted by varying the composition and firing conditions. The impedance data acquired on the composites over the frequency range 5 Hz to 13 MHz, revealed a bulk response in the form of a single semicircular relaxation in the complex Z/sup */-plane. A systematic variation of electrical conductivity with CuO content in the composites has been explained in the light of percolation theory. (author)