Patent ID: 8361308

Claim:
A method of detecting carbon dioxide comprising: introducing a gas to an electrochemical sensor including a non-conductive solid substrate, at least one each of a metal oxide sensing electrode comprising a metal oxide of composition MO 2 , where M is Ir or Ru, a reference electrode and a counter electrode positioned on said substrate, and a solid polymer electrolyte anion-exchange membrane in intimate contact with said metal oxide sensing electrode, said reference electrode, and said counter electrode; measuring the current generated from the electrochemical reduction of the sensing electrode metal oxide to M 2 O 3 , wherein the current flowing between the sensing electrode and the counterelectrode is proportional to the carbon dioxide concentration in the gas; and regenerating the sensor by applying at least one electrical pulse; wherein ions released from the membrane react with the counter electrode during carbon dioxide detection and these same ions are released from the counter electrode for ion exchange into the membrane during electrical regeneration.