Abstract: A method of processing a sensor element includes the steps of: (a) preparing a gas atmosphere containing hydrocarbon, having an air-fuel ratio of 0.80 to 0.9999, and having a small amount of oxidizing gas added thereto; and (b) subjecting a sensor element to a heat treatment in the gas atmosphere at a temperature of 500° C. or higher for 15 minutes or longer. The sensor element includes an electrochemical pumping cell constituted of an oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte and an electrode having a NOx reduction ability. A NOx gas in a measurement gas is reduced or decomposed in the electrode. A NOx concentration in the measurement gas is obtained based on a current which flows in the electrochemical pumping cell at a time of the reduction or decomposition.

Abstract: A sensor includes a housing, at least two electrodes within the housing, an electrolyte providing ionic conductivity between the electrodes and a vent member including a first section including a portion extending through a passage in the housing. The vent member also includes at least one extending member connected to the first section that extends through at least a portion of an interior of the housing. The first section of the vent member is porous so that gas can diffuse from the interior of the housing to an exterior of the housing via the vent member.

Abstract: A detection optics configuration for bio-analysis, in which the direction of incident radiation, the axis of the separation channel, and the direction of collection of the output radiation are coplanar at the detection zone. The detection configuration incorporates ball-end optical fibers to direct incident radiation at and collection of output radiation from the detection zone. The detection optics configuration may be implemented in an improved bio-separation instrument, in particular a capillary electrophoresis instrument.

Abstract: A cartridge-based bio-separation system configured to utilize a pen shaped bio-separation cartridge that is easy to assemble and use with no moving parts and that has an integrated reagent (separation buffer) reservoir. The cartridge includes a body, defining an opening as a detection window for receiving external detection optics, at least one capillary column supported in the body, having a first end extending beyond a first end of the body, wherein the detection window exposes a section along the capillary column, to which the external optics are aligned through the detection window, and a reservoir attached to a second end of the body in fluid flow communication with a second end of the capillary column. The reservoir is structured to be coupled to an air pressure pump that pressurizes the gel reservoir to purge and fill the capillaries with buffer as the separation support medium.

Abstract: A gas sensor (100) includes an oxygen pump cell (135) and an oxygen-concentration detection cell (150) laminated together with a spacer (145) interposed therebetween. The spacer (145) has a gas detection chamber (145c) which faces electrodes (137, 152) of the cells (135, 150). The oxygen-concentration detection cell (150) produces an output voltage corresponding to the concentration of oxygen in the gas detection chamber (145c). The oxygen pump cell (135) pumps oxygen into and out of the measurement chamber (145c) such that the output voltage of the oxygen-concentration detection cell (150) becomes equal to a predetermined target voltage. A leakage portion mainly formed of zirconia is disposed between which electrically connects the oxygen-concentration detection cell (150) and the oxygen pump cell (135).

Abstract: A gas sensor (200) includes a gas sensor element (10) extending in the direction of an axis O, and a housing (50) made of metal, radially surrounding the gas sensor element, and adapted for inserting at least partially into a sensor-mounting hole (350) of a mounting body (300). The gas sensor (200) further includes a resin member (60, 61) which radially surrounds the housing at least partially and having a contact portion (C) in contact with the housing that is at least partially disposed axially frontward with respect to the outer surface of the mounting body (300) around the sensor-mounting hole, and a heat sink member (80) that is in contact with the housing at an axial position the same as or located frontward of the axial position of the front end of the contact portion.

Abstract: An electrochemical test strip is formed from a first insulating substrate layer, a second substrate layer, and an intervening insulating spacer layer. An opening in the insulating spacer layer defines a test cell which is in contact with the inner surface of the first substrate on one side and the inner surface of the second substrate on the other side. The size of the test cell is determined by the area of substrate exposed and the thickness of the spacer layer. Working and counter electrodes appropriate for the analyte to be detected are disposed on the first insulating substrate in a location within the test cell. The working and counter electrodes are associated with conductive leads that allow The second substrate is conductive at least in a region facing the working and counter electrodes. No functional connection of this conductive surface of the second substrate to the meter is required.

Abstract: An electrochemical half cell for application in an electrochemical sensor, wherein a fill electrolyte of the half cell is in contact with an external medium via a liquid junction, characterized in that the liquid junction is controllable as regards its permeability and/or its flow.

Abstract: A gas sensor control system for a gas sensor having a first, a second, and a third cell. The second cell produces a second cell electric current indicating the concentration of oxygen in gas in which the amount of oxygen has already been controlled by the first cell. The third cell produces a third cell electric current indicating the concentration of a preselected component of the gas in which the amount of oxygen has already been controlled by the first cell. A second cell circuit converts the second cell electric current into a voltage as a second cell current-measured value. A current adjuster produces a flow of an adjustment current as a function of the second cell current-measured value so that a third cell circuit converts the third cell electric current minus the adjustment current into a voltage as representing the concentration of the preselected component of the gas.

Abstract: A crimp contact, a gas sensor including the crimp contact for outputting a signal from a sensing portion of a sensor element to an external device, and a method for manufacturing the crimp contact. The crimp contact includes a barrel portion crimped so as to fix a plurality of lead core wires (16) of an electrical lead connected to the external device. A hold portion constituting the barrel portion is formed such that the lead core wires 16 of the electrical lead are disposed in an U-shaped hold portion 77 so as to be crimped between an anvil 120 and a crimper 121. An outer surface of the U-shaped hold portion 77 has a plating layer 85 thereon to thereby constantly secure slidability between a sliding face of the crimper 121 and the outer surface of the U-shaped hold portion 77.

Abstract: Electrotransfer is performed in an instrument that receives electroblotting cassettes and that contains an integrated power supply, controls, and a display that allows the user to monitor and control each of a plurality of cassettes individually through electrical contacts within the housing that mate with corresponding electrical contacts on the cassettes.

Abstract: A gas sensor element has a first cell, a second cell, and a solid electrolyte layer having proton conductivity commonly used by the first cell and the second cell. The first cell has a first cathode and a first anode exposed to the target detection gas containing hydrogen atoms. The second cell has a second anode, a second cathode, and a shield layer with which the second anode is covered. A voltage is supplied to the first and second cells. A gas concentration of the target detection gas is calculated on the basis of a difference between a current of the first cell and a current of the second cell because the current in the first cell is a sum of proton conductivity current and an electron conductivity current. The current in the second cell is an electron conductive current only.

Abstract: An electrode for an electrochemical device includes a conductor, and an active layer formed on the conductor and including a polybenzimidazole polymer that contains at least one of the functional group of the following formula:

Abstract: The blood glucose analysis technique and system described herein address the issue of hematocrit interference when rapidly detecting glucose concentrations. It addresses this issue by using a differential pulse voltammetry technique in which short high, frequency voltage pulses are applied to keep the diffusion layer within the reagent of the working electrode, and the pulses are applied in a limited voltage window (or range) that is below the peak, diffusion-limited current. The readings below the peak are then used to determine glucose concentrations. With this technique, glucose concentrations can be determined relatively fast (e.g., within 5 seconds) and independently of the hematocrit levels of the fluid being analyzed.

Abstract: A current collector wire (1) is over-moulded with a seal (2) made from a thermoplastic elastomer (Santoprene 64) having a (64) Shore A hardness rating. In a three electrode carbon monoxide sensor three current collector wire (1a, 1b, 1c) and seal (2a, 2b, 2c) combinations are inserted into the body (3) through receiving apertures (12a, 12b, 12c) in a side wall of the body, so that the current collectors protrude through connection apertures (12a, 12b and 12c). The outside diameters of the seals and the bores of the apertures are dimensioned to provide an interference fit of the one in the other. The seals are pressed home into receiving apertures in the body (3) to provide compression of the seals against both current collectors and the aperture bores resultant from the interference. Gold-plated phosphor bronze clips (8) are attached which locate on and are retained by barbs on the housing, thereby trapping the current collector wires and providing electrical contact to external circuitry.

Abstract: Voltage is applied across a counter electrode and a working electrode, with which a blood sample is in contact, in such a state that an oxidant in a redox substance is not substantially in contact with a working electrode but is in contact with a counter electrode and a reductant is not substantially in contact with the counter electrode but is in contact with the working electrode, whereby the reductant and the oxidant are respectively oxidized and reduced to measure current produced upon the oxidation and reduction. According to the above constitution, while lowering the voltage applied across the working electrode and the counter electrode, the Hct value of the blood sample can be measured stably with a satisfactory detection sensitivity. This measurement can be carried out with a sensor chip comprising a working electrode (11), a counter electrode (12), and a blood sample holding part (14) having branch parts (18a, 18b).

Abstract: An electrochemical test sensor includes a lid and a base. The base has a length and a width. The length of the base is greater than the width of the base. The base includes at least a working electrode, a counter electrode and at least three test-sensor contacts for electrically connecting to a meter. The at least three test-sensor contacts are spaced along the length of the base from each other. The base and the lid assist in forming a fluid chamber for receiving the fluid sample. The electrochemical test sensor further includes a reagent to assist in determining the concentration of the analyte in the fluid sample.

Abstract: A gas sensor system including a gas sensor; a current control unit; a constant control unit; and a temperature acquisition unit. The gas sensor includes a measurement chamber, a pump cell and an electromotive force cell. The current control unit performs feedback control on current flowing through the pump cell in response to the voltage of the electromotive force cell and in accordance with a control constant which characterizes the feedback control. Further, the constant control unit changes the control constant of the feedback control in accordance with a value (for example, a resistance value of the electromotive force cell) corresponding to the temperature of the gas sensor.

Abstract: A gas sensor element includes an insulating ceramic base, a solid electrolyte body, and a heating element. The solid electrolyte body is disposed in an opening of the insulating ceramic base and has a measuring electrode affixed to one of major surfaces thereof and a reference electrode affixed to the other major surface. The measuring electrode is exposed to gas to be measured. The reference electrode is exposed to a reference gas. The heating element works to activate the solid electrolyte body and is mounted on one of opposed surfaces of the insulating ceramic base on the same side as the major surface of the solid electrolyte body on which the reference electrode is disposed. Specifically, the insulating ceramic base is located between the solid electrolyte body and the heating element, thereby ensuring a desired degree of electric insulation between the heating element and the reference electrode.

Abstract: A remotely readable hydrogen detector is in the form of a tag or card that can be worn on clothing or mounted on a variety of surfaces and can be monitored from a distance for the presence of hydrogen gas. It includes a hydrogen sensor device, which changes in electrical resistivity in response to being exposed to hydrogen gas, that is incorporated into an electric detector circuit, which detects changes in resistivity of the sensor device, and, when such change in resistivity indicates the presence of some predetermined concentration of hydrogen gas, the electric circuit outputs a signal or state that indicates the presence of hydrogen to a transceiver circuit, which can transmit that information to a remote receiver or interrogator/reader via an antenna in the sensor device.