Multi-gas microsensor assembly
First Claim
1. A multi-gas microsensor assembly comprising:
- (a) a sensor module, said sensor module comprising(i) a sensor, said sensor comprising(A) a non-conductive solid substrate,(B) a plurality of sensing electrodes positioned on said non-conductive solid substrate,(C) a reference electrode positioned on said non-conductive solid substrate,(D) a counter electrode positioned on said non-conductive solid substrate,(E) wherein at least two of said sensing electrodes share said reference electrode and said counter electrode,(F) a solid polymer electrolyte ion-exchange membrane having a first side in intimate contact with each of said sensing electrodes, said reference electrode, and said counter electrode, said solid polymer electrolyte ion-exchange membrane having at least one gas diffusion opening aligned with each of said sensing electrodes,(G) wherein at least a portion of said reference electrode is positioned between the at least two sensing electrodes sharing said reference electrode and wherein at least a portion of said counter electrode is positioned between the at least two sensing electrodes sharing said counter electrode, and(ii) a sensor housing, the sensor housing having a cavity, the sensor being disposed within the cavity of the sensor housing; and
(b) an electronics module, said electronics module comprising(i) an electronics housing, the electronics housing having a cavity,(ii) electronics disposed within the cavity of the electronics housing, said electronics including a multi-potentiostat, the multi-potentiostat being coupled to the sensor so as to simultaneously and independently control at least two of the sensing electrodes;
(c) wherein one of the electronics module and the sensor module is positioned over the other.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-gas microsensor assembly for simultaneously detecting carbon dioxide and oxygen in real time. According to one embodiment, the assembly comprises a non-conductive, solid substrate. A plurality of sensing electrodes, a single reference electrode, and a single counter electrode are positioned on one side of the non-conductive, solid substrate. In addition, all of the electrodes are in intimate contact with the same side of a solid-polymer electrolyte anion-exchange membrane, the solid polymer electrolyte membrane having at least one gas diffusion opening aligned with each sensing electrode. The sensor is operated in a three-electrode potentiostatic mode, in which a constant potential is maintained between the sensing and reference electrodes, and the current is measured between the sensing and counter electrodes. Control of the electrodes is achieved with a small bi-potentiostat. The design of the bi-potentiostat allows at least two different sensing electrodes to share the same counter and reference electrodes.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A multi-gas microsensor assembly comprising:
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(a) a sensor module, said sensor module comprising (i) a sensor, said sensor comprising (A) a non-conductive solid substrate, (B) a plurality of sensing electrodes positioned on said non-conductive solid substrate, (C) a reference electrode positioned on said non-conductive solid substrate, (D) a counter electrode positioned on said non-conductive solid substrate, (E) wherein at least two of said sensing electrodes share said reference electrode and said counter electrode, (F) a solid polymer electrolyte ion-exchange membrane having a first side in intimate contact with each of said sensing electrodes, said reference electrode, and said counter electrode, said solid polymer electrolyte ion-exchange membrane having at least one gas diffusion opening aligned with each of said sensing electrodes, (G) wherein at least a portion of said reference electrode is positioned between the at least two sensing electrodes sharing said reference electrode and wherein at least a portion of said counter electrode is positioned between the at least two sensing electrodes sharing said counter electrode, and (ii) a sensor housing, the sensor housing having a cavity, the sensor being disposed within the cavity of the sensor housing; and (b) an electronics module, said electronics module comprising (i) an electronics housing, the electronics housing having a cavity, (ii) electronics disposed within the cavity of the electronics housing, said electronics including a multi-potentiostat, the multi-potentiostat being coupled to the sensor so as to simultaneously and independently control at least two of the sensing electrodes; (c) wherein one of the electronics module and the sensor module is positioned over the other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A multi-gas microsensor assembly comprising:
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(a) a multi-gas sensor, said multi-gas sensor comprising (i) a non-conductive solid substrate, said non-conductive solid substrate having a first side, (ii) a plurality of sensing electrodes, each of said sensing electrodes being positioned on said first side of said non-conductive solid substrate, (iii) a reference electrode, said reference electrode being positioned on said first side of said non-conductive solid substrate, (iv) a counter electrode, said counter electrode being positioned on said first side of said non-conductive solid substrate, (v) wherein at least two of said sensing electrodes share said reference electrode and said counter electrode, and (vi) a solid polymer electrolyte ion-exchange membrane, said solid polymer electrolyte ion-exchange membrane having a first side in intimate contact with each of said sensing electrodes, said reference electrode, and said counter electrode, said solid polymer electrolyte ion-exchange membrane having at least one gas diffusion opening aligned with each of said sensing electrodes; (vii) wherein at least a portion of said reference electrode is positioned between the at least two sensing electrodes sharing said reference electrode and wherein at least a portion of said counter electrode is positioned between the at least two sensing electrodes sharing said counter electrode; and (b) a multi-potentiostat, the multi-potentiostat simultaneously and independently controlling at least two of the sensing electrodes of the multi-gas sensor. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A multi-gas sensor, the multi-gas sensor comprising:
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(a) a non-conductive solid substrate, said non-conductive solid substrate having a first side; (b) a plurality of sensing electrodes, each of said sensing electrodes being positioned on said first side of said non-conductive solid substrate; (c) a reference electrode, said reference electrode being positioned on said first side of said non-conductive solid substrate; (d) a counter electrode, said counter electrode being positioned on said first side of said non-conductive solid substrate; (e) wherein at least two of said sensing electrodes share said reference electrode and said counter electrode; and (f) a solid polymer electrolyte ion-exchange membrane, said solid polymer electrolyte ion-exchange membrane having a first side in intimate contact with each of said sensing electrodes, said reference electrode, and said counter electrode, said solid polymer electrolyte ion-exchange membrane having at least one gas diffusion opening aligned with each of said sensing electrodes; (g) wherein at least a portion of said reference electrode is positioned between the at least two sensing electrodes sharing said reference electrode and wherein at least a portion of said counter electrode is positioned between the at least two sensing electrodes sharing said counter electrode. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification