SENSOR WITH ION EXCHANGE RESIN ELECTROLYTE

• US 3,714,015 A
• Filed: 09/04/1970
• Issued: 01/30/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leonard W. Niedrach
• Original Assignee: Leonard W. Niedrach
• Inventors: Niedrach, Leonard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, T.
• Application Number:
  US05/069,650
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 136/86R,86F 204/1T,195
• US Class Current: 204/415
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/404 Cells with anode, cathode and cell electrolyte on the same side of a permeable membrane which separates them from the sample fluid , e.g. Clark-type oxygen sensors

Abstract

A sensor has an elongated flexible current collector, an electrochemically active region in electrical contact with a portion of the current collector, a second elongated flexible current collector surrounding the first current collector, a second electrochemically active region in electrical contact with a portion of the second current collector, a first layer of electrical insulation disposed between the first and second current collectors, a second layer of electrical insulation disposed over the second current collector, an ion exchange resin electrolyte contacting both electrochemically active regions, and an outer sheath of diffusion barrier material encapsulating at least the electrochemically active regions and the electrolyte. Methods of manufacturing sensors including polarographic oxygen sensors are also described.

Claims

1. A sensor comprising a first elongated flexible current collector, an electrochemically active region in electrical contact with a portion of the current collector, a second elongated flexible current collector surrounding at least partially the first current collector, a second electrochemically active region in electrical contact with a portion of the second current collector, a first layer of electrical insulation disposed between the first and second current collectors, a second layer of electrical insulation disposed over the second current collector, an ion exchange resin electrolyte contacting both electrochemically active regions, and an outer sheath of diffusion barrier material encapsulating at least the electrochemically active regions and the electrolyte.

2. In a polarographic oxygen sensor as in claim 1, in which the outer sheath is an oxygen diffusion barrier material.

3. In a polarographic oxygen sensor as in claim 1, in which the first current collector is a palladium wire, the first electrochemically active region is hydrided palladium with a surface coating of platinum black, the second current collector is gold, the second electrochemically active region is silver, the electrolyte is quaternized polystyrene in its phosphate form, the first insulation is polyester resin lacquer, and the second insulation and diffusion barrier are hexafluoropropylene-vinylidene fluoride rubber.

4. In a polarographic oxygen sensor as in claim 1, in which the second electrochemically active region is in the form of a wire spiral and the wire spiral surrounds a portion of the electrolyte.

5. In a polarographic oxygen sensor as in claim 1, in which at least one continuous opening extends outwardly from an exposed, non-insulated portion on the first current collector through the first insulation, second current collector and second insulation, the first active region is in electrical contact with the exposed portion on the first current collector, the second active region is in electrical contact with the second current collector at said continuous opening, and the electrolyte fills the opening thereby contacting both active regions.