Abstract: The invention relates to a reference electrode for electrolytic cells having an ion-conducting solid electrolyte, to sensors comprising the reference electrode of the invention and to their use of the reference electrode for analyzing gases.

Abstract: A solid electrolyte sensor device for determining gas concentrations in measurement gases, with a sensor formed by a solid electrolyte which is arranged between at least two electrodes. The electrodes are permeable to gas and at least one of the electrodes faces the measurement gas. An electrical device is also provided for detecting and processing concentration-dependent sensor output values. For the purpose of permanently preventing disruptive adsorption of measurement gas components on the sensor or on the corresponding sensor electrode, an adjustable oxygen source is arranged in the vicinity of the sensor electrode which faces the measurement gas so that oxygen or oxygen radicals can be introduced into the measurement gas via this oxygen source for the oxidation of the measurement gas.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the concentration of gases in a mixture of gasses by means of a gas sensor composed of three electrodes 1,2,3 and a solid electrolyte 4 upon the surface of which are secured the electrodes. A voltage Us being composed of a dc component Udc and an ac component Uac is applied to at least two electrodes, the measuring electrode 1 and the counter electrode 2. Us is controlled with reference to the reference electrode 3. The voltage components Udc and Uac of the voltage Us are chosen so that the metal salt formed by the ions of the solid electrolyte 4 with the gaseous components to be detected is again decomposed. The ion, current flowing between the electrodes is measured in dependence upon the voltage as applied. The concentration of the several gasses can be determined by known mathematical methods from the functional relation between the ion current and the voltage Us.