Giner, Inc.

Perkinelmer Las, Inc.

Other

Joslin Diabetes Center, Inc.

Electric Power Research Institute Incorporated

The Perkin-elmer Corporation

Perkinelmer Health Sciences, Inc.

Jose D Giner

Anthony B LaConti

Otto J Prohaska

Mourad Manoukian

Robert A Frosch

Harry Lerner

John S Soeldner

Kathleen J Cahill

Nancy D Kackley

Herbert H Stark

A miniaturized gas sensor including film type electrodes, and a solid ionomer electrolyte, for the detection of toxic gases, i.e., carbon monoxide, and other oxidizable or reducible gases and vapors is described. The all-solid planar sensor cell has two or more film type electrodes arranged on a non-conductive planar surface of a supportive material. The electrodes are discrete and in intimate contact with the same solid polymer ionomer membrane. The sensor cell contains no liquid electrolyte and is operated in a potentiostatic or potentiodynamic mode. The unique feature of the sensor cell is that high sensitivity to a select gas or vapor is achieved by a novel three-phase contact area design for a sensing electrode which is easily accessible to the gas sample via small diffusion openings or holes that penetrate through the solid polymer ionomer membrane layer above the sensing electrode. A significant signal to background noise enhancement is achieved for these film type sensor cells by processes that increase the three-phase contact area.

Film-type solid polymer ionomer sensor and sensor cell

A miniaturized gas sensor comprised of thick- or thin-film type electrodes, on a non-conductive supportive substrate, and in contact with a solid ionomer electrolyte, for the detection of toxic gases, i.e., carbon monoxide, and other oxidizable or reducible gases and vapors is described. The all-solid planar sensor cell has two or more film type electrodes arranged on a non-conductive planar surface of a supportive substrate. The electrodes are discrete and in intimate contact with the same solid polymer ionomer membrane. The sensor cell contains no liquid electrolyte and is operated in a constant-voltage, potentiostatic or potentiodynamic mode. A high sensitivity to a select gas or vapor is achieved by a novel three-phase contact area design for a sensing electrode which provides contact with the solid ionomer electrolyte, as well as the gas sample via diffusion openings or holes that penetrate through the supportive substrate.

Hybrid film type sensor

Film type solid polymer ionomer sensor and sensor cell

A method of in situ protection against corrosion of steel reinforcing bars in freshly poured concrete by application of a potential (anodic or cathodic), thereby enhancing the corrosion resistance of the steel for the life of the reinforced concrete structure.

Method of imparting corrosion resistance to reinforcing steel in

A fuel cell comprising an anode, a cathode and an aqueous carbonate electrolyte, and including means for feeding carbon dioxide to at least one of the anode and cathode during operation of the cell. The addition of carbon dioxide provides a higher current density at a working potential.

Aqueous carbonate electrolyte fuel cell

An electrochemical sensor capable of determining the partial pressure of various gases (e.g., CO, CO.sub.2, H.sub.2 S, alcohol vapors, hydrocarbons, NO.sub.x, etc.) and, optionally, substantially concurrently, but independently, oxygen content in gases and liquids. The sensor measures the amount of chemisorbent species formed either electrochemically by partial reduction (such as 'Reduced-CO.sub.2 ' in the case of CO.sub.2) or partial oxidation (in the case of alcohol) or non-electrochemically via specific adsorption (in the case of CO and hydrocarbons) on platinum or other metals. The charge required to oxidize this chemisorbed species is proportional to the amount of adsorbate on the electrode surface which is made a reproducible and reliable function of the partial pressure of the gas to be measured. By the proper selection of the sensor construction and electrical parameters, high sensitivity, fast response time, and high selectivity can be obtained.

Gas sensor and method of using same

A redox flow battery with a positive half-cell compartment containing bromide ion, bromine and a complexing organic liquid for bromine, and a negative electrode half-cell compartment containing chromium ion, and including electrolyte fluid communication therebetween.

Redox battery including a bromine positive electrode and a chromium ion

Glucose sensing apparatus for use in biological fluids comprising an electrode and a voltage source connected to the electrode to cause a current to flow therethrough, in which the voltage applied to the electrode is varied in a sweep ranging from a first limit to a second limit and back toward the first limit, and the current at the electrode is integrated with respect to time during at least a portion of the voltage variation selected to produce a total charge sensitive to glucose concentration and relatively insensitive to other components in the fluid; alternatively the current is measured at a point in a specific region of the voltage variation.

Method for sensing the concentration of glucose in biological fluids

Glucose sensor

There is disclosed an electricity producing cell of the reduction-oxidation (REDOX) type divided into two compartments by a membrane, each compartment containing a solid inert electrode. A ferrous/ferric couple in a chloride solution serves as a cathode fluid which is circulated through one of the compartments to produce a positive electric potential disposed therein. A chromic/chromous couple in a chloride solution serves as an anode fluid which is circulated through the second compartment to produce a negative potential on an electrode disposed therein. The electrode is an electrically conductive, inert material plated with copper, silver or gold. A thin layer of lead plates onto the copper, silver or gold layer when the cell is being charged, the lead ions being available from lead chloride which has been added to the anode fluid. If the REDOX cell is then discharged, the current flows between the electrodes causing the lead to deplate from the negative electrode and the metal coating on the electrode will act as a catalyst to cause increased current density.

Catalyst surfaces for the chromous/chromic REDOX couple

Catalyst surfaces for the chromous/chromic redox couple

A device for the passive electrolytic separation of the components of a gas mixture comprising an ion-transfer medium with an anodic and cathodic surface, means for electronically short-circuiting the anodic and cathodic surfaces, and means for controlling and stabilizing the partial pressure of a gas to the anode and cathode. In operation, a gaseous mixture containing a gas which participates in a reversible electrochemical reaction at the anodic and cathodic surfaces of an electrolytic cell and inert gases are fed to the anode of the separator while the anodic and cathodic surfaces are short-circuited. The pressure of the gaseous mixture is controlled in order that the partial pressure of the gas to be separated from the mixture of gases is maintained at a higher partial pressure at the anode than at the cathode. The partial pressure differential, due to the short-circuiting of the separator, will cause the flow of the reactive gas to be separated from the anode side of the cell to the cathode side where it is recovered. The device and method provide for the passive electrolytic separation of gases with an overall high efficiency.

Growing community of inventors

Brookline, MA, United States of America

Jose D Giner