Sensing elements and methods for uniformly making individual sensing elements

A method for making an optical sensor capable of sensing an analyte, which method comprises:

• placing a sensing composition precursor on a continuous web thereby forming a continuous precursor-containing web;
• forming a continuous sensing composition responsive to the analyte from said sensing composition precursor included in said continuous precursor-containing web, thereby producing a sensing composition-containing web, said continuous sensing composition being sized and structured to be dividable among a plurality of sensing elements;
• and
• placing a continuous opaque layer or film on said continuous sensing composition, thereby forming a composite structure.

A method for making an optical sensor capable of sensing an analyte, which method comprises:

• placing a sensing composition precursor on a continuous web, thereby forming a continuous precursor-containing web;
• forming a continuous sensing composition responsive to the analyte from said sensing composition precursor included in said continuous precursor-containing web, thereby providing a sensing composition-containing web, said continuous sensing composition being sized and structured to be dividable among a plurality of sensing elements;
• and
• placing a continuous adhesive layer on said continuous web so that said continuous web is located between said continuous adhesive layer and said sensing composition thereby forming a layered composite.

A method for making an optical sensor capable of sensing an analyte, which method comprises:

• placing a sensing composition precursor on a continuous web, thereby forming a continuous precursor-containing web;
• forming a continuous sensing composition responsive to the analyte from said sensing composition precursor included in said continuous precursor-containing web, thereby providing a sensing composition-containing web, said continuous sensing composition being sized and structured to be dividable among a plurality of sensing elements;
• and
• wherein said sensing composition comprises:
• an aqueous first phase comprising a pH sensitive indicator component which is effective to provide a signal in response to the concentration of analyte in a medium to which said sensing composition is exposed, said analyte being effective to alter the pH of said primary phase;
• and a hydrophobic second phase which is permeable to said analyte and impermeable to ionized hydrogen, wherein said hydrophobic phase lies between said aqueous phase and said medium to which said sensing composition is exposed, wherein said sensing composition is substantially free of partitioning species other than the analyte of interest which can migrate from one phase to the other in response to a change in pH in said aqueous phase and which substantially affect said concentration dependent signal.

An article formed by

• continuously placing a sensing composition precursor on a continuous web thereby forming a continuous precursor-containing web;
• placing a continuous adhesive layer on said continuous web so that said continuous web is located between said continuous adhesive layer and said sensing composition, said continuous adhesive layer includes an adhesive composition and a non-adhesive release membrane in contact with said adhesive composition, said continuous adhesive layer being placed so that said adhesive composition is in contact with said continuous web and a layered composite is formed;
• and
• forming a continuous sensing composition responsive to the analyte from said sensing composition precursor included in said continuous precursor-containing web, thereby producing a sensing composition-containing web, said continuous sensing composition being sized and structured to be dividable among a plurality of sensing elements.

A sensing composition precursor comprising:

• an indicator component responsive to an analyte;
• a polymer precursor which, after polymerization, is effective as a matrix material for said indicator component;
• and
• a light activated polymerization catalyst component selected from the group consisting of cyclopentadienyl trimethyl platinum, derivatives thereof and mixtures thereof in an amount effective to promote polymerization of said polymer precursor after being activated by light energy.

A sensor for measuring the concentration of an analyte in a medium comprising:

• a sensing element produced by continuously placing a sensing composition precursor on a continuous web thereby forming a continuous precursor-containing web;
• forming a continuous sensing composition responsive to the analyte from said sensing composition precursor included in said continuous precursor-containing web, thereby producing a sensing composition-containing web, said continuous sensing composition being sized and structured to be dividable among a plurality of sensing elements;
• and forming a plurality of sensing elements from said sensing composition-containing web, each of said plurality of sensing elements including a sensing composition layer, and securing an individual sensing element formed from said sensing composition-containing web to a sensor fixture;
• an excitation assembly positioned and adapted to provide an excitation signal to said sensing element;
• a detector assembly positioned and adapted to detect an emitted signal from said sensing element, said sensing element being capable of providing said emitted signal in response to being exposed to said excitation signal;
• and
• a processor assembly positioned and adapted to analyze said emitted signal in determining the concentration of said analyte in said medium.

A sensor for measuring the concentration of an analyte in a medium comprising:

• a sensing element produced by continuously placing a sensing composition precursor on a continuous web thereby forming a continuous precursor-containing web;
• placing a continuous adhesive layer on said continuous web so that said continuous web is located between said continuous adhesive layer and said sensing composition, said continuous adhesive layer includes an adhesive composition and a non-adhesive release membrane in contact with said adhesive composition, said continuous adhesive layer being placed so that said adhesive composition is in contact with said continuous web and a layered composite is formed;
• forming a continuous sensing composition responsive to the analyte from said sensing composition precursor included in said continuous precursor-containing web, thereby producing a sensing composition-containing web, said continuous sensing composition being sized and structured to be dividable among a plurality of sensing elements and forming a plurality of sensing elements from said layered composite, each of said plurality of sensing elements including a sensing composition layer, a web layer and an adhesive layer, removing an individual sensing element from said non-adhesive release membrane, and securing said individual sensing element removed from said non-adhesive release membrane to a sensor fixture;
• an excitation assembly positioned and adapted to provide an excitation signal to said sensing element;
• a detector assembly positioned and adapted to detect an emitted signal from said sensing element, said sensing element being capable of providing said emitted signal in response to being exposed to said excitation signal;
• and
• a processor assembly positioned and adapted to analyze said emitted signal in determining the concentration of said analyte in said medium.

A sensor for measuring the concentration of an analyte in a medium comprising:

• a sensing element produced by placing a sensing composition precursor on a continuous web thereby forming a continuous precursor-containing web;
• forming a continuous sensing composition responsive to the analyte from said sensing composition precursor included in said continuous precursor-containing web, thereby producing a sensing composition-containing web, said continuous sensing composition being sized and structured to be dividable among a plurality of sensing elements;
• and placing a continuous opaque layer of film on said continuous sensing composition, thereby forming a composite structure, wherein said continuous sensing composition is useful in sensing the concentration of a gas in a medium, wherein said opaque film is formed by polymerizing an opaque film precursor comprising an opaque agent and a polymeric material precursor, and said continuous sensing composition and said continuous opaque film are present as layers each having a substantially uniform thickness;
• an excitation assembly positioned and adapted to provide an excitation signal to said sensing element;
• a detector assembly positioned and adapted to detect an emitted signal from said sensing element, said sensing element being capable of providing said emitted signal in response to being exposed to said excitation signal;
• and
• a processor assembly positioned and adapted to analyze said emitted signal in determining the concentration of said analyte in said medium.

A sensor for measuring the concentration of an analyte in a medium comprising:

• a sensing element produced by providing a sensing composition precursor comprising a sensing component, a polymer precursor, and an effective amount of a light activated polymerization catalyst component;
• and forming a sensing composition responsive to the analyte from said sensing composition precursor, by exposing said sensing composition precursor to sufficient light energy to activate said light activated polymerization catalyst component and to partially polymerize said polymer precursor, and exposing said partially polymerized polymer precursor to elevated temperature to further polymerize said partially polymerized polymer precursor and securing a sensing element including at least a portion of said sensing composition to a sensor fixture;
• an excitation assembly positioned and adapted to provide an excitation signal to said sensing element;
• a detector assembly positioned and adapted to detect an emitted signal for said sensing element, said sensing element being capable of providing said emitted signal in response to being exposed to said excitation signal;
• and
• a processor assembly positioned and adapted to analyze said emitted signal in determining the concentration of said analyte in said medium.

A sensor for measuring the concentration of an analyte in a medium comprising:

• a sensing element produced by placing a sensing composition precursor on a continuous web, thereby forming a continuous precursor-containing web;
• forming a continuous sensing composition responsive to the analyte from said sensing composition precursor included in said continuous precursor-containing web, thereby providing a sensing composition-containing web, said continuous sensing composition being sized and structured to be dividable among a plurality of sensing elements;
• and placing a continuous adhesive layer on said continuous web so that said continuous web is located between said continuous adhesive layer and said sensing composition thereby forming a layered composite, wherein said continuous web comprises a material which is polymeric, said sensing composition precursor comprises a sensing component and a polymer precursor, and said forming comprises polymerizing said polymer precursor;
• an excitation assembly positioned and adapted to provide an excitation signal to said sensing element;
• a detector assembly positioned and adapted to provide an excitation signal to said sensing element;
• a detector assembly positioned and adapted to detect an emitted signal for said sensing element, said sensing element being capable of providing said emitted signal in response to being exposed to said excitation signal;
• and
• a processor assembly positioned and adapted to analyze said emitted signal in determining the concentration of said analyte in said medium.

A sensor for measuring the concentration of an analyte in a medium comprising:

• a sensing element produced by placing a sensing composition precursor on a continuous web, thereby forming a continuous precursor-containing web;
• forming a continuous sensing composition responsive to the analyte from said sensing composition precursor included in said continuous precursor-containing web, thereby providing a sensing composition-containing web, said continuous sensing composition being sized and structured to be dividable among a plurality of sensing elements;
• and wherein said sensing composition comprises:
• an aqueous first phase comprising a pH sensitive indicator component which is effective to provide a signal in response to the concentration of analyte in a medium to which said sensing composition is exposed, said analyte being effective to alter the pH of said primary phase;
• and a hydrophobic second phase which is permeable to said analyte and impermeable to ionized hydrogen, wherein said hydrophobic phase lies between said aqueous phase and said medium to which said sensing composition is exposed, wherein said sensing composition is substantially free of partitioning species other than the analyte of interest which can migrate from one phase to the other in response to a change in pH in said aqueous phase and which substantially affect said concentration dependent signal;
• and forming a plurality of sensing elements from said layered composite, each of said plurality of sensing elements including a sensing composition layer, a web layer made of said continuous web and an adhesive layer including an adhesive composition and a non-adhesive release membrane in contact with said adhesive composition, said continuous adhesive layer being placed so that said adhesive composition is in contact with said continuous web, removing an individual sensing element from said non-adhesive release membrane, and securing said individual sensing element removed from said non-adhesive release membrane to a sensor fixture, wherein said continuous web comprises polycarbonate, wherein said analyte is carbon dioxide, and wherein said pH sensitive indicator component comprises HPTS:
• an excitation assembly positioned and adapted to provide an excitation signal to said sensing element;
• a detector assembly positioned and adapted to provide an excitation signal to said sensing element;
• a detector assembly positioned and adapted to detect an emitted signal for said sensing element, said sensing element being capable of providing said emitted signal in response to being exposed to said excitation signal;
• and
• a processor assembly positioned and adapted to analyze said emitted signal in determining the concentration of said analyte in said medium.

A sensor comprising:

• a sensor fixture including a surface adapted to be exposed to a medium containing an analyte the concentration of which is to be determined;
• and
• a sensing element produced by continuously placing a sensing composition precursor on a continuous web thereby forming a continuous precursor-containing web;
• forming a continuous sensing composition responsive to the analyte from said sensing composition precursor included in said continuous precursor-containing web, thereby producing a sensing composition-containing web, said continuous sensing composition being sized and structured to be dividable among a plurality of sensing elements;
• and forming a plurality of sensing elements from said sensing composition-containing web, each of said plurality of sensing elements including a sensing composition layer, and securing an individual sensing element formed from said sensing composition-containing web to a sensor fixture, secured to said sensor fixture, said sensing element being located relative to said surface so as to be exposed to said medium when said surface is so exposed.

A sensor comprising:

• a sensor fixture including a surface adapted to be exposed to a medium containing an analyte the concentration of which is to be determined;
• and
• a sensing element produced by continuously placing a sensing composition precursor on a continuous web thereby forming a continuous precursor-containing web;
• placing a continuous adhesive layer on said continuous web so that said continuous web is located between said continuous adhesive layer and said sensing composition, said continuous adhesive layer includes an adhesive composition and a non-adhesive release membrane in contact with said adhesive composition, said continuous adhesive layer being placed so that said adhesive composition is in contact with said continuous web and a layered composite is formed;
• forming a continuous sensing composition responsive to the analyte from said sensing composition precursor included in said continuous precursor-containing web, thereby producing a sensing composition-containing web, said continuous sensing composition being sized and structured to be dividable among a plurality of sensing elements and forming a plurality of sensing elements from said layered composite, each of said plurality if sensing elements including a sensing composition layer, a web layer and an adhesive layer, removing an individual sensing element from said non-adhesive release membrane, and securing said individual sensing element removed from said non-adhesive release membrane to a sensor fixture, said sensing element being located relative to said surface so as to be exposed to said medium when said surface is so exposed.

A sensor comprising:

• a sensor fixture including a surface adapted to be exposed to a medium containing an analyte the concentration of which is to be determined;
• and
• a sensing element produced by placing a sensing composition precursor on a continuous web thereby forming a continuous precursor-containing web;
• forming a continuous sensing composition responsive to the analyte from said sensing composition precursor included in said continuous precursor-containing web, thereby producing a sensing composition-containing web, said continuous sensing composition being sized and structured to be dividable among a plurality of sensing elements;
• and placing a continuous opaque layer or film on said continuous sensing composition, thereby forming a composite structure, wherein said continuous sensing composition is useful in sensing the concentration of a gas in a medium, wherein said opaque film is formed by polymerizing an opaque film precursor comprising an opaque agent and a polymeric material precursor, and said continuous sensing composition and said continuous opaque film are present as layers each having a substantially uniform thickness, secured to said sensor fixture, said sensing element being located relative to said surface so as to be exposed to said medium when said surface is so exposed.

A sensor comprising:

• a sensor fixture including a surface adapted to be exposed to a medium containing an analyte the concentration of which is to be determined;
• and
• a sensing element produced by providing a sensing composition precursor comprising a sensing component, a polymer precursor, and an effective amount of a light activated polymerization catalyst component;
• and forming a sensing composition responsive to the analyte from said sensing composition precursor, by exposing said sensing composition precursor to sufficient light energy to activate said light activated polymerization catalyst component and to partially polymerize said polymer precursor, and exposing said partially polymerized polymer precursor to elevated temperature to further polymerize said partially polymerized polymer precursor, wherein said light energy is selected from the group consisting of visible light energy, ultraviolet light energy and mixtures thereof, secured to said sensor fixture, said sensing element being located relative to said surface so as to be exposed to said medium when said surface is so exposed.

A sensor comprising:

• a sensor fixture including a surface adapted to be exposed to a medium containing an analyte the concentration of which is to be determined;
• and
• a sensing element produced by placing a sensing composition precursor on a continuous web, thereby forming a continuous precursor-containing web;
• forming a continuous sensing composition responsive to the analyte from said sensing composition precursor included in said continuous precursor-containing web, thereby providing a sensing composition-containing web, said continuous sensing composition being sized and structured to be dividable among a plurality of sensing elements;
• and placing a continuous adhesive layer on said continuous web so that said continuous web is located between said continuous adhesive layer and said sensing composition thereby forming a layered composite, wherein said continuous web comprises a material which is polymeric, said sensing composition precursor comprises a sensing component and a polymer precursor, and said forming comprises polymerizing said polymer precursor, secured to said sensor fixture, said sensing element being located relative to said surface so as to be exposed to said medium when said surface is so exposed.

A sensor comprising:

• a sensor fixture including a surface adapted to be exposed to a medium containing an analyte the concentration of which is to be determined;
• and
• a sensing element produced by placing a sensing composition precursor on a continuous web, thereby forming a continuous precursor-containing web;
• forming a continuous sensing composition responsive to the analyte from said sensing composition precursor included in said continuous precursor-containing web, thereby providing a sensing composition-containing web, said continuous sensing composition being sized and structured to be dividable among a plurality of sensing elements;
• and wherein said sensing composition comprises:
• an aqueous first phase comprising a pH sensitive indicator component which is effective to provide a signal in response to the concentration of analyte in a medium to which said sensing composition is exposed, said analyte being effective to alter the pH of said primary phase;
• and a hydrophobic second phase which is permeable to said analyte and impermeable to ionized hydrogen, wherein said hydrophobic phase lies between said aqueous phase and said medium to which said sensing composition is exposed, wherein said sensing composition is substantially free of partitioning species other than the analyte of interest which can migrate from one phase to the other in response to a change in pH in said aqueous phase and which substantially affect said concentration dependent signal;
• and forming a plurality of sensing elements from said layered composite;
• each of said plurality of sensing elements including a sensing composition layer, a web layer made of said continuous web and an adhesive layer including an adhesive composition and a non-adhesive release membrane in contact with said adhesive composition, said continuous adhesive layer being placed so that said adhesive composition is in contact with said continuous web, removing an individual sensing element from said non-adhesive release membrane, and securing said individual sensing element removed from said non-adhesive release membrane to a sensor fixture, wherein said continuous web comprises polycarbonate, wherein said analyte is carbon dioxide, and wherein said pH sensitive indicator component comprises HPTS, secured to said sensor fixture, said sensing element being located relative to said surface so as to be exposed to said medium when said surface is so exposed.