Aluminium Oxide Moisture Sensor
Get fast and highly accurate gas testing results for dew point, frost point, ppm, or relative humidity results fast, with the aluminium oxide (AL2O3) moisture sensor from Industrial Physics.
Designed by Systech Illinois, our global manufacturer of moisture, gas and oxygen analyzers, this innovative device can be used to test most industrial gases.
The capacitance of the aluminum oxide sensor varies with the moisture concentration. The internal electronics process the signal from the sensor and display the readings clearly on the front display panel.
Aluminium oxide moisture sensor theory
An aluminum layer on a ceramic support is anodized, forming a thin porous layer of aluminum oxide. This is coated with a thin, permeable layer of gold. The gold and the aluminium layers form the sensor electrodes.
Figure 1. Cross-section of aluminium oxide sensor.
The gold layer is permeable to moisture and it’s also conductive. And this forms the second electrode of a capacitor.
The pores in the aluminium oxide layer absorb moisture from the gas stream in amounts directly proportional to the moisture content of the gas stream.
Figure 2. Close-up view of aluminium oxide sensor.
The absorption of water molecules changes the capacitance of the sensor. The capacitance of the sensor is measured and this is converted into the moisture value.
The radius of the pores in the aluminium oxide layer make the sensor specific to the detection of water molecules.
What can you use the aluminium oxide sensor for?
Good news! You can use the aluminium oxide sensor in virtually any scenario in which moisture measurements are required.
Industrial applications for moisture analyzers fall into two areas:
- Gas producers for ensuring product quality
- Gas users to ensure reliability of inert gas blankets.
We work with customers across many industries, in particular with people who operate in the semiconductor, metal treatment and plastics industries.
Typical industries requiring the use of moisture measurement equipment are Semiconductor, Metal Treatment, and Plastics.