General points on development and use

In this chapter, we will focus on the development of different types of sensors and their performance. All of this will be hnked to certain kinds of applications. 

The development of a gas sensor is necessarily associated with that of the sensitive element. Nevertheless, it implies other developments linked to the heating element s conception, as well as the electrode s conception and conditioning. 

In general, the sensor s elaboration will have to take into account certain functional criteria (its autonomy, the nature of its environment while functioning) and economic criteria, often linked to the fabrication cost and, consequently, the elaboration process. 

As far as the autonomy is concerned, it mostly depends on the electric consumption, the majority of which is used to heat the sensitive element. 

As far as the environment is concerned, we have to consider the nature of the interfering gases, their aggressive character on the physico-chemical plan and the presence of dust in the environment studied. 

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