# US 2024/0201146 A1 · Disposable thin-film platinum hydrogen reference electrode

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- Number: US 2024/0201146 A1
- Document ID: US20240201146A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/068,246
- Filed: 2022-12-19
- Published: 2024-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2022-12-19
- Assignees: Dionex Corporation
- Applicants: Dionex Corporation
- Inventors: Jun Cheng; Yan Liu; Gary L. Gleave
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240201146A1

## CPC

- G01N 30/64: Electrical detectors
- G01N 27/301: {Reference electrodes}
- G01N 27/302: {pH sensitive, e.g. quinhydron, antimony or hydrogen electrodes (ion selective electrodes G01N27/333, glass electrodes G01N27/36)}
- G01N 2030/027: {Liquid chromatography}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

The present invention relates to, in general, a disposable electrically insulating substrate surface comprising a platinum hydrogen reference electrode system structure, the use of such a substrate in a flow-through electrochemical cell assembly and methods of manufacturing said substrate. For example, in some embodiments, a disposable electrically insulating substrate surface comprising a platinum hydrogen reference electrode system structure, wherein the platinum hydrogen reference electrode system comprises an electrically conductive and electrochemically active platinum hydrogen reference electrode system region bound as a layer, directly or indirectly, to said substrate surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A disposable electrically insulating substrate surface comprising a platinum hydrogen reference electrode system structure, wherein the platinum hydrogen reference electrode system comprises an electrically conductive and electrochemically active platinum hydrogen reference electrode system region bound as a layer, directly or indirectly, to said substrate surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The disposable substrate of claim 1, wherein the substrate surface further comprises a working electrode structure comprising an electrically conductive and electrochemically active working electrode region bound as a layer, directly or indirectly, to the substrate surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The disposable substrate of claim 2, wherein the substrate further comprises a counter electrode structure comprising an electrically conductive and electrochemically active working electrode region bound as a layer, directly or indirectly, to the substrate surface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The disposable substrate of claim 1, wherein the platinum hydrogen reference electrode system structure comprises a thin-film platinum cathode electrode and a thin-film platinum anode electrode.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The disposable substrate of claim 2, wherein the working electrode structure and/or the counter electrode structure is a thin-film working electrode and/or a thin-film counter electrode.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The disposable substrate of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the reference electrode system structure, the working electrode structure and/or the counter electrode structure is from about 100 Å to about 30,000 Å thick.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The disposable substrate of claim 1, wherein the reference electrode system region, the working electrode regional and/or the counter electrode region is formed by vapor deposition of electrically conductive and electrochemically active material, directly or indirectly, onto said substrate.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The disposable substrate of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises an organic polymer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The disposable substrate of claim 8 in which said organic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyester (either polyethylene terephthalate or polyethylene naphthalate), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (Kel-F), polycarbonate, polyolefine, polyimide or polyetherimide.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The disposable substrate of claim 1, wherein the reference electrode system region, the working electrode region and/or the counter electrode region is bound through an intermediate adhesion layer to said substrate.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The disposable substrate of claim 10, wherein the adhesion layer is formed by vapor deposition onto said substrate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The disposable substrate of claim 10, wherein the adhesion layer is between about 50 Å and 5,000 Å thick.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The disposable substrate of claim 10, wherein the adhesion layer is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, tungsten, chromium, and alloys thereof.

### Claim 14 (depends on 2)

The disposable substrate of claim 2, wherein the working electrode and/or counter electrode region comprises a metal or a carbonaceous material.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

A disposable substrate according to claim 1 for use in a flow-through electrochemical cell assembly for a chromatography system, wherein the flow-through electrochemical cell assembly for a chromatography system further comprises:
A cell body including a counter electrode in the form of the cell body or a wire;
A working electrode at a wire type insulated from the counter electrode; and
A gasket defining a sample flow pathway extending between an inlet and an outlet of the detection cell and in fluid contact with the cell body including the counter electrode and the working electrode; wherein the platinum hydrogen reference electrode system is in fluidic contact with the counter and working electrodes and the platinum anode electrode is operably connected to a positive pole of a power supply and the platinum cathode electrode is operably connected to a negative pole of the power supply.

### Claim 16 (depends on 2)

A disposable substrate according to claim 2 for use in a flow-through electrochemical cell assembly for a chromatography system, wherein the flow-through electrochemical cell assembly for a chromatography system further comprises:
A cell body including a counter electrode in the form of the cell body or a wire; and
A gasket defining a sample flow pathway extending between an inlet and an outlet of the detection cell and in fluid contact with the cell body including the counter electrode and the working electrode on the disposable substrate; wherein the platinum hydrogen reference electrode system is in fluidic contact with the outlet counter and working electrodes and the platinum anode electrode is operably connected to a positive pole of a power supply and the platinum cathode electrode is operably connected to a negative pole of the power supply.

### Claim 17 (depends on 3)

A disposable substrate according to claim 3 for use in a flow-through electrochemical cell assembly for a chromatography system, wherein the flow-through electrochemical cell assembly for a chromatography system further comprises:
A cell body; and
A gasket defining a sample flow pathway extending between an inlet and an outlet of the detection cell and in fluid contact with the cell body, the counter electrode, and the working electrode on the disposable substrate; wherein the platinum hydrogen reference electrode system is in fluidic contact with the cell body, counter and working electrodes, and the platinum anode electrode is operably connected to a positive pole of a power supply and the platinum cathode electrode is operably connected to a negative pole of the power supply.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

A flow-through electrochemical cell assembly for a chromatography system comprising:
a disposable substrate according to claim 1;
A cell body including a counter electrode in the form of the cell body or a wire;
A working electrode at a wire type insulated from the counter electrode; and
A gasket defining a sample flow pathway extending between an inlet and an outlet of the detection cell and in fluid contact with the cell body including the counter electrode and the working electrode; wherein the platinum hydrogen reference electrode system is in fluidic contact with the counter and working electrodes and the platinum anode electrode is operably connected to a positive pole of a power supply and the platinum cathode electrode is operably connected to a negative pole of the power supply.

### Claim 19 (depends on 2)

A flow-through electrochemical cell assembly for a chromatography system comprising:
a posable substrate according to claim 2;
A cell body including a counter electrode in the form of the cell body or a wire;
A working electrode block including a working electrode at a wire type insulated from the counter electrode; and
A gasket defining a sample flow pathway extending between an inlet and an outlet of the detection cell and in fluid contact with the cell body, counter electrode and the working electrode; wherein the platinum hydrogen reference electrode system is in fluidic contact with the outlet cell body, counter and working electrodes and the platinum anode electrode is operably connected to a positive pole of a power supply and the platinum cathode electrode is operably connected to a negative pole of the power supply.

### Claim 20 (depends on 3)

A flow-through electrochemical cell assembly for a chromatography system comprising:
a posable substrate according to claim 3;
A cell body consisting of a non-conductive polymer; and
A gasket defining a sample flow pathway extending between an inlet and an outlet of the detection cell and in fluid contact with the cell body, counter electrode, and the working electrode; wherein the platinum hydrogen reference electrode system is in fluidic contact with the cell body, counter and working electrodes, and the platinum anode electrode is operably connected to a positive pole of a power supply and the platinum cathode electrode is operably connected to a negative pole of the power supply.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The flow-through electrochemical cell assembly of claim 18, wherein at least a portion of the substrate surface is exposed to the sample flow channel.

### Claim 22 (depends on 18)

The flow-through electrochemical cell assembly of claim 18, wherein the perimeter wall comprises a gasket forming a fluid-tight seal at the periphery of said sample flow channel.

### Claim 23 (depends on 18)

The flow-through electrochemical cell assembly of claim 18, wherein the reference electrode system region, the working electrode regional and/or the counter electrode region is exposed directly to said sample flow channel, without an intermediate layer.

### Claim 24 (depends on 18)

The flow-through electrochemical cell of claim 18, wherein the sample flow inlet is in fluid communication with a liquid chromatographic separator or flow injection analysis apparatus.