Sensor element for determining the oxygen content and a method of preparing the same
First Claim
1. A sensor element which, when placed in contact with a sample containing oxygen, is capable of indicating the oxygen content in said sample, said sensor element comprising a cured silicone polymer carrier matrix which is permeable to oxygen molecules and a chemically modified, solubilized, oxygen-sensitive fluorescent indicator substance which is generally homogeneously embedded within said cured silicone polymer carrier matrix, said oxygen-sensitive fluorescent indicator substance, upon excitation, emitting light of a certain wavelength and of varying intensity depending on the amount of oxygen from said sample in contact therewith, said sensor element being produced by a method which comprises the steps of(a) combining an oxygen-sensitive fluorescent indicator substance with tertiary butyl chloride,(b) catalytically reacting said oxygen-sensitive fluorescent indicator substance and said tertiary butyl chloride and recovering a solubilized fluorescent indicator substance,(c) mixing said solubilized fluorescent indicator substance with an uncured silicone polymer to form a homogeneous mixture, and(d) curing said mixture to form said sensor element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an O2 sensor element which contains a fluorescent indicator substance, a polymerized silicone polymer is used as a carrier material in which the indicator substance is incorporated in solubilized form and in an at least approximately homogeneous distribution. Solubilization of the indicator substance may essentially be performed in analogy to Friedel-Crafts alkylation of aromatics, which will increase solubility of the indicator substance in the polymer carrier without affecting quenching behavior.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A sensor element which, when placed in contact with a sample containing oxygen, is capable of indicating the oxygen content in said sample, said sensor element comprising a cured silicone polymer carrier matrix which is permeable to oxygen molecules and a chemically modified, solubilized, oxygen-sensitive fluorescent indicator substance which is generally homogeneously embedded within said cured silicone polymer carrier matrix, said oxygen-sensitive fluorescent indicator substance, upon excitation, emitting light of a certain wavelength and of varying intensity depending on the amount of oxygen from said sample in contact therewith, said sensor element being produced by a method which comprises the steps of
(a) combining an oxygen-sensitive fluorescent indicator substance with tertiary butyl chloride, (b) catalytically reacting said oxygen-sensitive fluorescent indicator substance and said tertiary butyl chloride and recovering a solubilized fluorescent indicator substance, (c) mixing said solubilized fluorescent indicator substance with an uncured silicone polymer to form a homogeneous mixture, and (d) curing said mixture to form said sensor element.
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11. A method of producing a sensor element which, when placed in contact with a sample containing oxygen, is capable of indicating the oxygen content in said sample, said sensor element comprising a cured silicone polymer carrier matrix which is permeable to oxygen molecules and a chemically modified, solubilized, oxygen-sensitive fluorescent indicator substance which is generally homogeneously embedded within said cured silicone polymer carrier matrix, said oxygen-sensitive fluorescent indicator substance, upon excitation, emitting light of a certain wavelength and of varying intensity depending on the amount of oxygen from said sample in contact therewith, said method comprising the steps of
(a) combining an oxygen-sensitive fluorescent indicator substance with tertiary butyl chloride, (b) catalytically reacting said oxygen-sensitive fluorescent indicator substance and said tertiary butyl chloride and recovering a solubilized fluorescent indicator substance, (c) mixing said solubilized fluorescent indicator substance with an uncured silicone polymer to form a homogeneous mixture, and (d) curing said mixture to form said sensor element.
Specification