Lead-Free Galvanic Cell-type Oxygen Sensors (O2 Sensors)
Maxell's initiatives with oxygen sensors:
- The technical challenge of eliminating the lead, a hazardous substance, successfully addressed, resulting in lead-free compliance.
- To minimize the risks of soil and water pollution on ecosystems and human health, Maxell will manufacture and sell only lead-free oxygen sensors starting in fiscal year 2025.
- By forming partnerships with equipment manufacturers worldwide, we aim to contribute to the realization of a sustainable society.
- "Lead-Free" means lead content is less than or equal to 0.1wt% in each of the parts (in a homogeneous material) comprising a product.
What is an Oxygen Sensor?
Oxygen, a colorless and odorless gas that constitutes about 21% of the Earth's atmosphere. It is present in the air, and not only supports the respiration of most living organisms but also plays a crucial role in combustion.
Oxygen sensors are devices that measure the concentration of oxygen in various environments. With advancements in sensing technology and the Internet of Things (IoT), these sensors are used in a wide range of fields, including industry, healthcare, and environmental monitoring.
For instance, during vehicle inspections, oxygen sensors are essential for accurately measuring the oxygen concentration in exhaust gases, ensuring compliance with emission regulations.
In medical settings, the integration of oxygen sensors into ventilators and anesthesia machines helps to regulate the concentration of oxygen supplied to patients.
Types and Applications of Oxygen Sensors
Oxygen sensors exist in various types and methods, including galvanic cells, zirconia, magnetic, and optical types, each with unique characteristics. Galvanic cell-type oxygen sensors, such as those produced by Maxell, are notable for their ability to operate at room temperature. They feature a compact and lightweight design and do not require an external power source. These attributes make them user-friendly for measuring oxygen concentration. They are utilized in a variety of applications, including the medical field, exhaust gas measurement, biotechnology equipment, food storage, and educational purposes.
Galvanic Cell-Type Oxygen Sensors and Lead
Galvanic cell-type oxygen sensors are widely used around the world for various applications and typically employ lead for their negative electrodes. Lead is a hazardous substance known for its potential to cause soil and marine pollution, as well as its detrimental effects on human health. While lead naturally occurs in the environment and is consumed in trace amounts daily, human industrial activities can release lead into the environment, contaminating ecosystems and posing health risks. Therefore, minimizing lead emissions has become crucial. Despite the global shift towards lead-free initiatives aimed at eliminating lead from household appliances and other products for the sake of environmental protection and health, oxygen sensors continue to utilize lead due to the absence of established alternative technologies.
Maxell's Lead-Free Technology
Achieving lead-free compliance for galvanic cell-type oxygen sensors has posed a significant technical challenge worldwide, primarily due to the lack of established alternative technologies. However, in 2019, Maxell successfully developed an environmentally friendly lead-free galvanic cell-type oxygen sensor after more than a decade of fundamental research.
This development involved a thorough review of not only the negative electrode but also the main materials used in the sensor, including the positive electrode and electrolyte. Through these improvements, the lead-free sensor exhibits characteristics equivalent to those of conventional products.
With the gradual introduction of lead-free oxygen sensors as alternatives to leaded ones, their functionality has been confirmed in the market. This success has led Maxell to announce that it will cease sales of its main products, leaded oxygen sensors, in March 2025. Subsequently, the company has decided to exclusively offer lead-free oxygen sensors.
Towards a Sustainable Society
Although leaded oxygen sensors are still used worldwide, transitioning to lead-free oxygen sensors can improve the corporate value of equipment manufacturers and decrease environmental pollution in soil and water. By forming global partnerships with equipment manufacturers and promoting the use of lead-free galvanic cell-type oxygen sensors throughout the manufacturing and sales process, we are making significant contributions to the development of a sustainable society.
∗ The information in this article is current as of July 2024.
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