We have made great progress in both developing solid state sensors for coal combustion control and understanding the mechanism by which they operate. We have fabricated and tested numerous sensors and identified the role electrode microstructure plays in sensor response. We have developed both p-type (La{sub 2}CuO{sub 4}) and n-type (WO{sub 3}) semiconducting NO{sub x} sensing electrodes. We have demonstrated their respective sensing behavior (sensitivities and cross-sensitivities), related this behavior to their gas adsorption/desorption behavior and catalytic activity, and in so doing verified that our proposed Differential Electrode Equilibria is a more comprehensive sensing mechanism. These investigations and their results are summarized below. The composition and microstructure of the sensing electrode is the key parameters that influence the sensing performance. We investigated the effect of electrode microstructure on the NO{sub x} sensitivity and response time using a La{sub 2}CuO{sub 4}-based potentiometric sensor. Temperature dependence, cross-sensitivity and selectivities of a La{sub 2}CuO{sub 4}- and WO{sub 3}-based potentiometric NO{sub x} sensor were investigated both in N{sub 2} and in a simulated exhaust gas. We performed temperature programmed reaction (TPR) and desorption (TPD) experiments to determine the reaction and adsorption characteristics of O{sub 2}, NO{sub x}, CO, CO{sub 2}, and their mixtures on …