Miniature multifunctional electrochemical sensor for simultaneous carbon dioxide-pH measurements

Claim 1

A MINIATURE PROBBE CONTANING A HYDROGE ION SENSING ELECTRODE AND A CARBON DIOXIDE SENSOR WHICH COMPRISES A FLEXIBLE, ELONGATED ELECTRODE LEAD, THE ELECTRODE LEAD COMPRISING A METALLIC BASE MEMBER, AN ELECTROCHEMICALLY ACTIVE REGION SHOWING ELECTROCHEMICAL RESPONSE TO PH CHANGES ADHERING TIGHTLY TO AND IN ELECTRICAL CONTACT WITH ONE END PORTION OF THE BASE MEMBER OF THE ELECTRODE LEAD, AND ELECTRICAL INSULATION SURRONDING THE BASE MEMBER THEREBY FORMING A HYDROGEN ION SENSING ELECTRODE: A SECOND METAL ELECTRODE LEAD SPACED FROM THE BASE MEMBER OF THE FIRST ELECTRODE LEAD BY THE A REGION OF SILVER AND SILVER HALIDE OTHER THAN FLUORIDE THEREON A REGION OF SILVER AND SILVER HALIDE OTHER THAN FLUORIDE THEREON, AN ELECTROLYTE CONTACTING BOTH THE ELECTROCHEMICALLY ACTIVE REGION AND AT LEAST THE SILVER AND SILVER HALIDE REGION OF THE SECOND ELECTRODE LEAD, AND AN OUTER SHEATH OF A HYDROGEN ION AND CARBON DIOXIDE PERMEABLE DIFFUSION BARRIER MATERIAL ENCAPSULATING THE ELECTROCHEMICALLY ACTIVE REGION, AT LEAST THE SILVER AND SILVER HALIDE REGION OF THE SECOND ELECTRODE LEAD, AND THE ELECTROLYTE THEREBY FORMING A CARBON DIOXIDE SENSOR, THE DIFFUSION BARRIER MATERIAL BEING A HYDROPHOBIC ELASTOMER POLYMER WITH A DIELECTRIC CONSTANT OF FROM 4 TO 12 CONTAINING A HYDROPHOBIC AND LIPOPHILIC H+ION CARRIER.