Fluorescent polymers useful in conjunction with optical PH sensors
First Claim
1. A fluorescent polymer composition useful in an optical sensor for the measurement of pH in a fluid sample, comprising a copolymer of (a) a water-dispersable urethane olefin precursor containing recurring ether linkages, and (b) a copolymerizable monomeric fluorescent indicator species, wherein the ratio of fluorescent indicator species to urethane olefin precursor in the copolymer is selected to provide the copolymer with an apparent pKa of at least about 6.6 to about 8.0.
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Abstract
An optical sensor is provided for measuring the pH of a fluid sample. The sensor is formulated using a fluorescent polymer composition comprising a copolymer of a water-dispersable, polyether-containing urethane olefin precursor and a fluorescent monomer species, wherein the ratio of precursor and fluorescent monomer species is such that a predetermined apparent pKa is provided. The sensor is prepared by coating the distal end of an optical waveguide with the fluorescent polymer composition, and curing the copolymer contained in the composition, e.g., by exposure to radiation of a suitable wavelength.
50 Citations
13 Claims
- 1. A fluorescent polymer composition useful in an optical sensor for the measurement of pH in a fluid sample, comprising a copolymer of (a) a water-dispersable urethane olefin precursor containing recurring ether linkages, and (b) a copolymerizable monomeric fluorescent indicator species, wherein the ratio of fluorescent indicator species to urethane olefin precursor in the copolymer is selected to provide the copolymer with an apparent pKa of at least about 6.6 to about 8.0.
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13. A fluorescent polymeric composition useful in an optical sensor for the measurement of pH in a fluid sample, comprising a copolymer of (a) a water-dispersable urethane olefin precursor containing recurring ether linkages and having the structural formula ##STR4## wherein R is O or NH, R'"'"' is H or lower alkyl, Ar is a monocyclic aromatic moiety, either unsubstituted or substituted with one to four substituents selected so as not to interfere with polymerization or use of the cured polymer in the pH sensor, X is a polyether linkage containing approximately 2 to 100 recurring mer units having the structure [-(CH2)n -O-], and n is an integer in the range of 1 to 6, inclusive, and (b) a copolymerizable, monomeric fluorescent indicator species selected from the group consisting of fluorescein, carboxyfluorescein, fluorescein acrylamide, fluorescein isothiocyanate, coumarin, seminaphthorhodafluorescein, seminaphthofluorescein, naphthofluorescein, hydroxypyrene trisulfonic acid and dichlorofluorescein, said species modified so as to enable copolymerization with the urethane olefin precursor, wherein the ratio of fluorescent indicator species to urethane olefin precursor, in equivalents, is in the range of about 0.001 to about 0.100.
Specification