Electrochemical detector and method for producing same

• US 9,541,518 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2012
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Yoshihisa, Nakatani, Seiichi, Ogura, Tetsuyoshi, Hirano, Koichi, Takahashi, Makoto, Arimoto, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ball, J. Christopher
• Application Number:
  US14/131,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20140151225A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,490 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/30 Electrodes, e.g. test electrodes; Half-cells G01N27/414 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3277 being a redox reaction, e.g. detection by cyclic voltammetry voltammetry per se G01N27/42, G01N27/48
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/16 for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing

Abstract

An electrochemical detector is an electrochemical detector for detecting a substance in a liquid by generating a redox cycle, the electrochemical detector comprising: a first working electrode having a first electrode surface, a second working electrode having a second electrode surface, and a plurality of insulating spacer particles, wherein the first and second electrode surfaces are placed so as to face each other so that an electric field is formed between the first and second electrode surfaces, and the plurality of spacer particles are placed along the first and second electrode surfaces so as to separate the first and second electrode surfaces from each other.

Claims

1. A method for producing an electrochemical detector, comprising:

a step of placing a plurality of spacers on a first working electrode having a first electrode surface; and

a step of placing a second working electrode having a second electrode surface so as to face the first electrode surface so that an electric field is formed between the first and second electrode surfaces, wherein

each of the spacers is particulate,

the step of placing the plurality of spacers and the step of placing the second working electrode are performed a plurality of times so that a plurality of detection units are placed along a direction parallel to the electric field, and

each of the detection units has the first working electrode, the second working electrode, and the plurality of spacers.

2. The method for producing an electrochemical detector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a step of forming the first working electrode on one main surface of the first insulating substrate; and

a step of forming the second working electrode on one main surface of the second insulating substrate.

3. The method for producing an electrochemical detector according to claim 2, comprising:

a step of forming a third electrode on the one main surface of the first insulating substrate; and

a step of electrically connecting the second working electrode and the third electrode via a connection member.

4. The method for producing an electrochemical detector according to claim 2, comprising:

a step of forming at least one of a reference electrode and a counter electrode on the one main surface of the first insulating substrate.

5. The method for producing an electrochemical detector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a step of forming the first or second working electrode on each of both main surfaces of an insulating intermediate substrate and placing the intermediate substrate between the adjacent two detection units; and

a step of forming the first or second working electrode on one main surface of an insulating end substrate and placing the end substrate on an open side of the detection unit.

6. An electrochemical detector for detecting a substance in a liquid by generating a redox cycle, the electrochemical detector comprising:

a first working electrode having a first electrode surface;

a second working electrode having a second electrode surface;

a plurality of insulating spacers;

a first insulating substrate, the first working electrode being formed on one main surface of the first insulating substrate;

a third electrode formed on the one main surface of the first insulating substrate; and

a connection member for electrically connecting the second working electrode and the third electrode, wherein

the first and second electrode surfaces are placed so as to face each other so that an electric field is formed between the first and second electrode surfaces,

the plurality of spacers are placed along the first and second electrode surfaces so as to separate the first and second electrode surfaces from each other,

each of the spacers is particulate,

the electrochemical detector comprises a plurality of detection units which are placed along a direction parallel to the electric field, and

each of the detection units comprises the first working electrode, the second working electrode, and the plurality of spacers.

7. The electrochemical detector according to claim 6, wherein each of the spacers is formed of at least one shape selected from spherical and cylindrical.

8. The electrochemical detector according to claim 6, wherein a separation distance between the first and second working electrode surfaces is 20 nm or more and 3 μ

m or less.

9. The electrochemical detector according to claim 6, wherein a surface density of the spacers on the first or second electrode surface is 0.01/mm² or more and 1/mm² or less.

10. The electrochemical detector according to claim 6, comprising at least one of a reference electrode and a counter electrode.

11. The electrochemical detector according to claim 6, wherein

each of the first and second working electrodes contains at least one kind of metal selected from gold and platinum.

12. The electrochemical detector according to claim 6, wherein

each of the first and second working electrodes is formed of a paste composition containing conductive carbon powder.

13. An electrochemical detector for detecting a substance in a liquid by generating a redox cycle, the electrochemical detector comprising:

a first working electrode having a first electrode surface;

a second working electrode having a second electrode surface;

a plurality of insulating spacers;

an insulating intermediate substrate placed between the adjacent two detection units; and

an insulating end substrate being placed on an open side of the detection unit, wherein

the first and second electrode surfaces are placed so as to face each other so that an electric field is formed between the first and second electrode surfaces,

the plurality of spacers are placed along the first and second electrode surfaces so as to separate the first and second electrode surfaces from each other,

each of the spacers is particulate,

the electrochemical detector comprises a plurality of detection units which are placed along a direction parallel to the electric field,

each of the detection units comprises the first working electrode, the second working electrode, and the plurality of spacers,

the first or second working electrode is formed on each of both main surfaces of the insulating intermediate substrate, and

the first or second working electrode is formed on one main surface of the insulating end substrate.

14. The electrochemical detector according to claim 13, wherein each of the spacers is formed of at least one shape selected from spherical and cylindrical.

15. The electrochemical detector according to claim 13, wherein a separation distance between the first and second working electrode surfaces is 20 nm or more and 3 μ

m or less.

16. The electrochemical detector according to claim 13, wherein a surface density of the spacers on the first or second electrode surface is 0.01/mm² or more and 1/mm² or less.

17. The electrochemical detector according to claim 13, comprising at least one of a reference electrode and a counter electrode.

18. The electrochemical detector according to claim 13, wherein

each of the first and second working electrodes contains at least one kind of metal selected from gold and platinum.

19. The electrochemical detector according to claim 13, wherein

each of the first and second working electrodes is formed of a paste composition containing conductive carbon powder.

20. The electrochemical detector according to claim 13, comprising a first insulating substrate, wherein

the first working electrode is formed on one main surface of the first insulating substrate.