Optical sensor for the measurement of pH in a fluid, and related sensing compositions and methods
First Claim
1. A membrane useful in an optical sensor for the measurement of pH in a fluid sample, comprising a fluorescent polymeric matrix of 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, in equivalents, 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.
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Citations
40 Claims
- 1. A membrane useful in an optical sensor for the measurement of pH in a fluid sample, comprising a fluorescent polymeric matrix of 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, in equivalents, is selected to provide the copolymer with an apparent pKa of at least about 6.6 to about 8.0.
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11. An optical sensor for measuring pH of a fluid sample, comprising:
an optical waveguide having a distal end portion for contacting the fluid sample, and a proximal end portion for communication with means for receiving a signal from the distal end portion, and wherein the distal end portion has a pH sensor means 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 urethane olefin precursor to fluorescent indicator species in the copolymer, in equivalents, is selected to provide the copolymer with an apparent pKa of at least about 6.6 to about 8.0. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 39)
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24. A method for making an optical sensor for measuring the pH of a fluid, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an optical waveguide having a distal end portion for contacting the fluid, and a proximal end portion for communication with means for receiving a signal from said distal end portion; (b) coating said distal end portion with a solution containing a water-dispersable urethane olefin precursor containing recurring ether linkages, and a copolymerizable monomeric fluorescent species; and (c) effecting polymerization. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 40)
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- 34. A membrane 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 ##STR7## 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 from the group consisting of halogen, lower alkyl, and nitro, X is a polyether linkage containing approximately 2 to 100 recurring mer units having the structure .paren open-st.(CH2)n --O.paren close-st., 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 incorporating a reactive moiety 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