Electro-chemical sensor
First Claim
1. A method of measuring an analyte concentration in a fluid which comprisesexposing an electrochemical sensor to the fluid, where the sensor comprises at least one electrode and at least one electrochemically active species able to undergo reversible electrochemical reduction and oxidation reaction in response to electrical potential applied to the electrode, said reaction being modified by the presence of an analyte species, andapplying varying potential to the sensor to bring about the reduction or oxidation reaction while observing current flow;
- wherein the said electrochemically active species is encapsulated within separate polymer particles and analyte molecules pass through the separate polymer particles for the redox reaction to take place inside the encapsulation.
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Abstract
An electrochemical sensor for the presence or concentration of an analyte has at least one electrode and at least one electrochemically active species able to undergo electrochemical reaction in response to electrical potential applied to the electrode, where the said reaction is modified by the presence of the analyte. This sensor has the novel characteristic that at least one said electrochemically active species is encapsulated within polymer particles. These particles are preferably formed from an amorphous polymer with a glass transition temperature above the temperature of the fluid to which the sensor is exposed. The encapsulating polymer protects the analyte species from degradation, but a small analyte such as a hydrogen or bisulfide ion can pass through the polymer and undergo reaction at the active species.
23 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of measuring an analyte concentration in a fluid which comprises
exposing an electrochemical sensor to the fluid, where the sensor comprises at least one electrode and at least one electrochemically active species able to undergo reversible electrochemical reduction and oxidation reaction in response to electrical potential applied to the electrode, said reaction being modified by the presence of an analyte species, and applying varying potential to the sensor to bring about the reduction or oxidation reaction while observing current flow; wherein the said electrochemically active species is encapsulated within separate polymer particles and analyte molecules pass through the separate polymer particles for the redox reaction to take place inside the encapsulation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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