Optical sensors with reflective materials

An optical sensor for use in analyzing the amount of oxygen gas in a sample, comprising a support and a single detection layer, wherein said detection layer

• has a thickness in the range of about 0.2 to 15 μm,
• has an outer surface for contact with the oxygen-containing sample,
• has a response time of less than about 0.7 seconds, and
• comprises a mixture of:
• (a) platinum octaethyl porphyrin;
• (b) a reflective material having a highly efficient reflectance of the wavelengths of excitation and of emission of the platinum octaethyl porphyrin, wherein said reflective material comprises one or more reflective materials selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, antimony oxide, barium sulfate, magnesium oxide, and blush polymer pigments, the reflective material representing about 5% to 65% by weight of the detection layer;
• and
• (c) a copolymer of ethylhexylmethacrylate and methylmethacrylate.

An optical sensor for use in analyzing the pH of a sample, comprising a single detection layer and a support, wherein said detection layer

• has a thickness in the range of about 0.2 to 15 μm,
• has an outer surface for contact with the sample,
• has a response time of less than about 0.7 seconds, and
• comprises a mixture of:
• (a) a luminescent material selected from the group consisting of acridines, fluoresceins, rhodamines, and pyrenes;
• (b) a reflective material having a highly efficient reflectance of the wavelengths of excitation and of emission of the platinum octaethyl porphyrin, wherein said reflective material comprises one or more reflective materials selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, antimony oxide, barium sulfate, magnesium oxide, and blush polymer pigments, the reflective material representing about 5% to 65% by weight of the detection layer;
• and
• (c) ethyl cellulose.

An optical sensor for use in analyzing the pH of a sample, comprising a single detection layer and a support, wherein said detection layer

• has a thickness in the range of about 0.2 to 15 μm,
• has an outer surface for contact with the sample,
• has a response time of less than about 0.7 seconds, and
• comprises a mixture of:
• (a) a luminescent material selected from the group consisting of acridines, fluorseceins, rhodamines, and pyrenes;
• (b) a reflective material having a highly efficient reflectance of the wavelengths of excitation and of emission of said luminescent material, wherein said reflective material is selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, antimony oxide, barium sulfate, magnesium oxide, and blush polymer pigments, the reflective material representing about 5% to 65% by weight of the detection layer;
• and
• (c) a copolymer of N,N-dimethylacrylamide and N-tert-butylacrylamide.

An optical sensor comprising a support and a detection layer comprised of two or more detection regions coated in a pattern on the support, wherein one of the two detection regions

• has a thickness in the range of about 0.2 to 15 μm,
• has an outer surface for contact with an analyte-containing fluid,
• has a response time of less than about 0.7 seconds, and
• comprises a mixture of:
• (a) a luminescent material selected from the group consisting of acridines, fluoresceins, rhodamines, pyrenes and porphyrins;
• (b) a reflective material having a highly efficient reflectance of the wavelengths of excitation and of emission of said luminescent material, the reflective material representing about 5% to 65% by weight of the detection layer;
• and
• (c) a polymeric binder.