Reference electrode and method for manufacturing a reference electrode

An electrochemical sensor comprising:

• a reference electrode including an electrical conductor, a salt bridge provided for contact with a measuring fluid, and a medium electrically conductively connecting the electrical conductor and the salt bridge to each other, wherein the medium and the electrical conductor are completely isolated with respect to the measuring fluid, wherein the salt bridge comprises a polymer matrix and a conducting salt, wherein the conducting salt is formed from a cation and an anion, and wherein the cation and/or anion are at least partially kept from leaching in the polymer matrix;
• at least one additional electrode;
• and
• a measurement circuit electrically conductively connected to the reference electrode and the additional electrode, and which is configured to generate electrical measuring signals representing a concentration or activity of an analyte in the measuring fluid.

A method for conditioning or regenerating a reference electrode, the reference electrode including an electrical conductor, a salt bridge provided for contact with a measuring fluid, and a medium electrically conductively connecting the electrical conductor and the salt bridge to each other, wherein the medium and the electrical conductor are completely isolated with respect to the measuring fluid, wherein the salt bridge comprises a polymer matrix and a conducting salt, wherein the conducting salt is formed from a cation and an anion, and wherein the cation and/or anion are at least partially kept from leaching in the polymer matrix, wherein the medium electrically conductively connecting the electrical conductor and the salt bridge to each other is configured as an intermediate layer in electrically conductive contact with the conductor and the salt bridge, the method including steps of:

• immersing at least a region of the reference electrode comprising the salt bridge and a counter electrode arranged on a side of the salt bridge facing away from the electrical conductor in an electrically conductive fluid;
• applying a voltage across the salt bridge, for example between the electrical conductor and the counter electrode, in such a way that the intermediate layer and/or a redox-active substance with which the intermediate layer or polymer matrix of the salt bridge is optionally modified is either oxidized or reduced, as desired.