Solvent-Crazed Polymer Oxygen Sensor with Porphyrin Dye
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional oxygen sensors are complex to fabricate, prone to degradation, and have limited applicability due to compatibility issues with support materials, leading to non-optimal physical-chemical and sensing properties, which restricts their use in high-accuracy and reproducible measurements, especially in applications like packaging and biopharmaceuticals.
Innovation Solution
The development of optochemical sensor elements using solvent-crazed polymeric materials with controlled nanometer-sized pores impregnated with long-decay photoluminescent dyes, such as platinum(II) and palladium(II) porphyrin complexes, which allow for improved sensing and quantification of analytes like oxygen, pH, and temperature through altered photoluminescence parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional polymeric sensors are used with support materials, then sensor structure is provided, but adhesion problems and formation of mixed phases occur leading to heterogeneity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the separate support material from the sensor structure. The polymeric sensor element itself is formed as a self-supporting membrane without requiring additional support substrates, thereby eliminating adhesion issues and mixed phase formation between sensor material and support material.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines the sensor active layer and support structure into a single integrated polymeric membrane. The sensor element is formed as a self-supporting structure where the polymeric matrix serves both as the sensing medium and structural support, eliminating the interface between separate components.
2Reliability
If complex fabrication procedures are used for traditional sensors, then sensor functionality is achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines multiple fabrication steps into a single solution casting process. The sensor element is formed by casting a polymeric solution containing the indicator dye, followed by drying to form a self-supporting membrane, eliminating the need for separate coating, curing, and assembly steps required in traditional sensor fabrication.
Solution Approach 2:
The polymeric membrane serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, acts as the sensing medium for oxygen detection, and contains the indicator dye for optical signal generation. This multi-functionality simplifies the overall sensor design and fabrication compared to traditional multi-component sensor systems.
3Reliability
If traditional sensor materials are used, then sensing capability is provided, but degradation and limited applicability occur
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite polymeric membrane containing the indicator dye dispersed within the polymeric matrix. This composite structure provides mechanical strength and stability from the polymer while maintaining the optical sensing properties of the dye, resulting in a sensor that is both durable and functionally reliable for long-term use.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach simplifies sensor fabrication, enhances sensitivity and selectivity, and provides robust, reproducible optical sensing systems suitable for various applications, including packaging and biopharmaceuticals, with improved durability and accuracy compared to traditional sensors.
Implementation Method 1
O2 is a quencher of long-decay fluorescent and phosphorescent dyes, so it can be 'sensed' directly by luminescence quenching
Implementation Method 2
the indicator dye is a long-decay photoluminescent dye... phosphorescent platinum(II)- and palladium(II) complexes of porphyrin dyes
Data Source
AI summary
An optochemical sensor element suitable for sensing an analyte comprises a polymeric material in which at least a portion of the polymer material is solvent crazed to provide a multiplicity of pores of controlled nanometer size, and an indicator dye impregnated into the pores, in which optochemical sensor element the indicator dye is a long-decay photoluminescent dye selected from the group consisting of: phosphorescent platinum(II)—and palladium (II) complexes of porphyrin dyes such as octaethylporphine, coproporphyrin, octaethylporphine-ketone, benzoporphine, tetra (pentafluorophenyl) porphine, chlorin e6; fluorescent complexes of ruthenium (II), osmium(II), iridium(III) and europium (III); or derivatives or close analogs of these dyes. The sensor element in the presence of the analyte alters a photoluminescence parameter thus allowing sensing and/or quantification of the analyte.