ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL

• US 20080264787A1
• Filed: 02/28/2008
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Wang, Yi, Reid, Terence Alan, Karinka, Shridhara Alva, Sanghera, Gurdial, Nagale, Milind P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,354,012 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/403.14
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3272 Test elements therefor, i.e. disposable laminated substrates with electrodes, reagent and channels optical biosensors G01N33/52

Abstract

An electrochemical cell for detection and quantification of analytes in a liquid sample, particularly a liquid sample having a small volume. In a preferred embodiment, the electrochemical cell comprises an assembly of conducting layers and insulating layers. The electrochemical cell can be formed by depositing conducting materials and insulating materials in alternating layers on an insulating substrate. It is preferred that the layer furthest from the insulating substrate be an insulating layer to minimize the damage of the conducting layers during handling of the electrochemical cell. In another embodiment, the assembly of conducting layers and insulating layers can be formed on both major surfaces of the insulating substrate. The assembly can comprise at least one working electrode and at least one other electrode, e.g., a dual-purpose reference/counter electrode.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an electrochemical cell, the method comprising:

providing an insulating substrate;

disposing a plurality of layers on the insulating substrate, the plurality of layers comprising;

at least two conducting layers, wherein one of said conducting layers is a working electrode, said working electrode in contact with at least one reagent, wherein said at least one reagent comprises an enzyme; and

at least two insulating layers, wherein said insulating substrate or at least one of said at least two insulating layers is interposed between said at least two conducting layers, wherein each major surface of each conducting layer is in contact with a major surface of said insulating substrate or a major surface of at least one of said at least two insulating layers; and

forming a first passage extending from a first side of the electrochemical cell to a second side of the electrochemical cell opposite the first side, the first passage being formed through each of said at least two conducting layers and each of said at least two insulating layers to expose edges of each of said at least two conducting layers and each of said at least two insulating layers, said edges collectively forming a wall or walls of said first passage, the first passage capable of receiving a first liquid sample.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a second passage extending from said first side of said electrochemical cell to said second side of said electrochemical cell, said second passage being spaced from said first passage.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said conducting layers of said plurality of layers further comprises a second working electrode and a third electrode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein forming said first passage comprises punching, die-cutting, milling, drilling, ablating, or laser cutting.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein forming said first passage comprises laser cutting with ultraviolet radiation.

6. An electrochemical cell for the detection of glucose in a sample of blood, the electrochemical cell comprising:

an insulating substrate;

a plurality of layers supported by the insulating substrate, said layers comprising;

at least two conducting layers, wherein one of said conducting layers is a working electrode, said electrode in contact with at least one reagent, wherein at least one reagent comprises a glucose specific enzyme; and

at least two insulating layers, wherein said insulating substrate or at least one of said at least two insulating layers is interposed between said at least two conducting layers, wherein each major surface of each conducting layer is in contact with a major surface of said insulting substrate or a major surface of at least one of said at least two insulating layers; and

a passage extending from a first side of the electrochemical cell to a second side of the electrochemical cell opposite the first side, the passage being formed through each of said at least two conducting layers and each of said at least two insulating layers to expose edges of each of said at least two conducting layers and each of said at least two insulating layers, said edges collectively forming a wall or walls of said passage, the passage capable of receiving a liquid sample.

7. The electrochemical cell of claim 6, wherein the glucose specific enzyme comprises glucose oxidase, or glucose dehydrogenase.

8. An electrochemical cell comprising:

an insulating substrate having a plurality of layers thereon, said layers comprising;

at least three conducting layers, wherein the three conducting layers comprise at least a first and a second working electrode, said first working electrode and said second working electrode each being in contact with at least one reagent, wherein said at least one reagent comprises an enzyme; and

at least two insulating layers, wherein said insulating substrate or at least one of said at least two insulating layers is interposed between said at least two conducting layers, wherein each major surface of each conducting layer is in contact with a major surface of said insulting substrate or a major surface of at least one of said at least two insulating layers; and

a passage extending from a first side of the electrochemical cell to a second side of the electrochemical cell opposite the first side, the passage being formed through each of said at least three conducting layers and each of said at least two insulating layers to expose edges of each of said at least three conducting layers and each of said at least two insulating layers, said edges collectively forming a wall or walls of said passage, said exposed edges of said at least three conducting layers forming said first working electrode, said second working electrode, and third electrode of said electrochemical cell, the passage capable of receiving a liquid sample.

9. The electrochemical cell of claim 8, wherein said third electrode is a reference electrode.

10. The electrochemical cell of claim 9, wherein the first working electrode is arranged and configured to perform a first measurement of said liquid sample with said reference electrode.

11. The electrochemical cell of claim 10, wherein the second working electrode is arranged and configured to perform a second measurement of said liquid sample with said reference electrode to verify said first measurement.

12. The electrochemical cell of claim 9, wherein said reference electrode is a first reference electrode, and further comprising a second reference electrode.

13. The electrochemical cell of claim 12, wherein the first working electrode is arranged and configured to perform a first measurement of said liquid sample with said reference electrode, and wherein the second working electrode is arranged and configured to perform a second measurement of said liquid sample with said second reference electrode.

14. An electrochemical cell comprising:

an insulating substrate having a plurality of layers thereon, said layers comprising;

at least two conducting layers, wherein one of said conducting layers is a working electrode, said working electrode in contact with at least one reagent, wherein said at least one reagent comprises an enzyme; and

at least two insulating layers, wherein said insulating substrate or at least one of said at least two insulating layers is interposed between said at least two conducting layers, wherein each major surface of each conducting layer is in contact with a major surface of said insulting substrate or a major surface of at least one of said at least two insulating layers;

a first passage extending from a first side of the electrochemical cell to a second side of the electrochemical cell opposite the first side, the first passage being formed through each of said at least two conducting layers and each of said at least two insulating layers to expose edges of each of said at least two conducting layers and each of said at least two insulating layers, said edges collectively forming a wall or walls of said first passage, the passage capable of receiving a first liquid sample; and

a second passage extending from a first side of the electrochemical cell into the electrochemical cell.

15. The electrochemical cell of claim 14, wherein the second passage extends from a first side of the electrochemical cell to a second side of the electrochemical cell opposite the first side, the second passage being formed through each of said at least two conducting layers and each of said at least two insulating layers.

16. The electrochemical cell of claim 14, wherein the second passage is arranged and configured to receive said first liquid sample.

17. The electrochemical cell of claim 16, wherein said first passage includes said at least one reagent and said second passage includes said at least one reagent.

18. The electrochemical cell of claim 16, wherein said first passage includes said at least one reagent and said second passage includes at least a second reagent different than said at least one reagent.

19. The electrochemical cell of claim 18, wherein said first passage is arranged and configured to perform a first assay for a first analyte with said first liquid sample and wherein said second passage is arranged and configured to perform a second assay for a second analyte with said first liquid sample.

20. The electrochemical cell of claim 14, wherein the second passage is arranged and configured to receive a second liquid sample different from said first liquid sample.

21. The electrochemical cell of claim 20, wherein said first passage includes said at least one reagent and said second passage includes said at least one reagent.

22. The electrochemical cell of claim 14, wherein said at least two conducting layers comprises comprising a second working electrode, said second passage extending through said second working electrode.