Transparent multi-oxygen sensor array and method of using same

• US 4,781,798 A
• Filed: 05/08/1987
• Issued: 11/01/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Gough, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): TUNG, TA HSUNG
• Application Number:
  US07/047,655
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 204/1 E, 204/1 P, 204/1 Y, 204/403, 204/412, 204/415, 128/635, 128/639-641, 128/643, 128/644
• US Class Current: 205/783
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/404 Cells with anode, cathode and cell electrolyte on the same side of a permeable membrane which separates them from the sample fluid , e.g. Clark-type oxygen sensors

Abstract

A transparent electrochemical oxygen sensor for simultaneously determining oxygen concentration at different locations on a biological surface that is capable of being positioned over the region sought to be measured and includes an array of independently functioning oxygen-sensitive electrodes, a counter electrode, and a reference electrode.

Claims

1. A transparent electrochemical sensor for determining the concentration of a gas at or near biological surfaces comprising:

a transparent support base;

a connecting strip comprising a plurality of respective leads attached to an edge of said base;

a plurality of sensing electrodes, each of 20μ

to 100μ

diameter, arrayed on a surface of said support base at a spacing of 40μ

to 200μ

for simultaneously sensing said gas at different regions at or near said biological surface, each of said sensing electrode being independently connected to a respective one of said leads and electrically insulated from all of the others of said sensing electrodes;

a reference electrode on said surfce and connected to a respective one of said leads;

a counter electrode on said surface and connected to a respective one of said leads; and

an electrolyte solution on said surface and in contact with said sensing electrodes, said reference electrode and said counter electrode.

2. A transparent electrochemical sensor as described in claim 1 wherein said gas is oxygen.

3. A transparent electrochemical sensor as described in claim 1 wherein said transparent support base is made of glass.

4. A transparent electrochemical sensor as described in claim 1 wherein said transparent support base is made of a flexible or rigid halogenated hydrocarbon polymer film.

5. A transparent electrochemical sensor as described in claim 1 wherein said sensing electrodes are made of a noble metal.

6. A transparent electrochemical sensor as described in claim 1 wherein said sensing electrodes are situated on said support base in a two-dimensional array.

7. A transparent electrochemical sensor as described in claim 6 wherein said two-dimensional array comprises between eight to thirty-two sensing electrodes.

8. A transparent electrochemical sensor as described in claim 1 wherein said sensing electrodes are coated with insulating material.

9. A transparent electrochemical sensor as described in claim 1 wherein said sensor is covered with a porous oxygen-permeable material which has good optical properties.

10. A transparent electrochemical sensor as described in claim 9 wherein said porous oxygen-permeable material is transparent.

11. A transparent electrochemical sensor as described in claim 10 wherein said porous oxygen-permeable material is selected from the group consisting of polymers of poly(dimethylsiloxane-carbonate), polyethylene or tetrafluoroethylene.

12. A transparent electrochemical sensor as described in claim 9 wherein said porous oxygen-permeable material encloses an electrolytic solution.

13. A transparent electrochemical sensor as described in claim 1 wherein said reference electrode is composed of silver and silver chloride.

14. A transparent electrochemical sensor as described in claim 1 wherein said reference electrode is situated between said sensing electrodes and said counter electrode.

15. A transparent electrochemical sensor as described in claim 1 wherein said counter electrode is composed of a noble metal.

16. A method of meauring the concentration of a gas on biological surfaces comprising:

providing a transparent electrochemical sensor having a transparent support base, a connecting strip on said base with a plurality of respective leads attached to an edge of said base, a plurality of sensing electrodes each of 20μ

to 100μ

diameter on a surface of said base at a spacing of 40μ

to 200μ

, each of said sensing electrodes being independently connected to a respective one of said leads and electrically insulated from all of the others of said sensing electrodes, said electrodes including a reference electrode and a counter electrode, and an electrolyte solution on said base and contacting said electrodes;

contacting said biological surface with said transparent support base; and

detecting said gas at different regions of said biological surface contacted by said transparent support base.

17. A method as described in claim 16 wherein said gas is oxygen.

18. A method as described in claim 16 wherein said transparent support base is made of glass.

19. A method as described in claim 16 wherein said transparent support base is made of a flexible or rigid halogenated hydrocarbon polymer film.

20. A method as described in claim 16 wherein said sensing electrodes are made of a noble metal.

21. A method as described in claim 16 wherein said sensing electrodes are situated on said support surface in a two-dimensional array.

22. A method as described in claim 21 wherein said two-dimensional array comprises between eight to thirty-two measuring electrodes.

23. A method as described in claim 16 wherein said sensing electrodes are coated with insulating material.

24. A method as described in claim 16 wherein said transparent electrochemical sensor is covered with porous oxygen-permeable material which has good optical properties.

25. A method as described in claim 24 wherein said porous oxygen-permeable material is transparent.

26. A method as described in claim 25 wherein said porous oxygen-permeable material is selected from the group consisting of polymers of poly (dimethylsiloxane-carbonate), polyethylene or tetrafluoroethylene.

27. A method as described in claim 16 wherein said porous oxygen-permeable material encloses an electrolytic solution.

28. A method as described in claim 18 wherein said reference electrode is composed of silver and silver chloride.

29. A method as described in claim 16 wherein said reference electrode is situated between said sensing electrodes and said counter electrode.

30. A method as described in claim 16 wherein said counter electrode is composed of a noble metal.