Effect of hydrogen gas on magnetic properties of alloys of ferromagnetic metals with Pd and its application in hydrogen gas sensing

The mass-production of fuel-cell vehicles and the eventual transition to the hydrogen economy will require safe, inexpensive and reliable sensors capable of simultaneously detecting low concentrations of leaking hydrogen and measuring broad ranges of hydrogen concentration in storage and energy generating systems. Although several competing sensor technologies can potentially be used in this role, just a few of them have thus far demonstrated a combination of all desirable characteristics. This group of devices also includes magneto-electronic sensors that can detect the presence of hydrogen gas in a range of hydrogen concentrations from approximately 0.05–100% at atmospheric pressure with the response time approaching the industry standard of one second. The hydrogen gas sensing mechanism underpinning the operation of magneto-electronic sensors is based on the physical processes of ferromagnetic resonance, magneto-optical Kerr effect and anomalous Hall effect that enable one to measure hydrogen-induced changes in the magnetic properties of structures combining Pd with one or several ferromagnetic metals such as Co, Fe or Ni. In this chapter, we overview the physical foundations of emergent ferromagnetic Pd-alloy-based magneto-electronic hydrogen sensors and compare their characteristics with those of high-performing multilayer thin film-based counterparts that have already demonstrated a potential to find commercial applications.