Abstract: A method of operating an electrochemical gas sensor includes: a) exposing, for a first predetermined duration, the electrochemical gas sensor to an atmosphere containing a target gas while the gas reaction capability of the electrode assembly is substantially reduced from a working level, such that target gas is collected within the housing; b) increasing the gas reaction capability of the electrode assembly to a level at which it consumes collected target gas and thereby outputs a signal to the sensing circuit, including an initial transient decay signal; c) monitoring the transient decay signal; and d) analysing the rate of decay of the transient decay signal to determine whether the performance of at least one component of the electrochemical gas sensor is within acceptable limits. An apparatus for operating an electrochemical gas sensor, adapted for connection to an electrochemical gas sensor via a sensing circuit for control thereof, can carry out the disclosed method(s).

Abstract: The conventional micropump and the conventional micromixer have the following problems. In a mechanical or hydrodynamic method, the structure of the inside of a flow path is complex so as to easily cause clogging, and manufacturing cost is high, and dead volume is large. Additionally, in an electrical method, the conventional micropump or the conventional micromixer was incapable of operating with a liquid having the concentration of a physiological saline that is important in the medical or biological field although the structure of the flow path is simple. These problems are solved by applying an AC voltage to a pair of electrodes in which an electrode-to-electrode gap between the pair of electrodes is vertically arranged and by generating the flow of a fluid in the direction opposite to gravity along the electrode-to-electrode gap.

Abstract: Electrochemical transducer arrays are already known from the prior art. According to the invention, the transducer array is provided with at least one flexible, planar metal substrate on which at least one flexible insulator having a firm connection between the metal surface and the insulator surface is disposed. The metal substrate and the insulator disposed thereon are structured in such a manner as to give metal areas which are electrically insulated the one from the other and which serve as sensor areas. The metal substrate used is self-contained so that the structured metal areas can be contacted from the lower side.

Abstract: In vitro electrochemical sensor that provide accurate and repeatable analysis of a sample of biological fluid are provided. In some embodiments, the sensors have a measurement zone that has a volume less than the volume of the sample chamber. The measurement zone could have a volume of no more than about 0.2 ?L.

Abstract: Electrochemical probes for corrosion monitoring in an environment that may cause the formation of electron-conducting deposits and the method for making such probes were described. The probes have long exposed electrodes. Except for the tip section, all surfaces of the exposed electrodes are coated with a coating or covered with electrically insulating tubing, so that only the tip section has uncovered metal that serves as the active areas of the electrodes. The coating or tubing material is such that the deposits cannot easily form on its surfaces. Because the electrical bridging between the active areas of any two electrodes requires the deposition of an evenly distributed layer of the electron-conducting deposits along the path from one area to the other area, the coated surface reduces the possibility of short-circuiting for the active areas of the electrodes. These probes are especially suitable for applications in systems containing hydrogen sulphide (H2S).

Abstract: An amperometric sensor includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a reference electrode. The sensor further includes a switch to selectably electrically connect the first electrode as a working electrode and to electrically connecting the second electrode as an auxiliary electrode during a first time interval. During a second time interval, the switch electrically connects the first electrode as the auxiliary electrode and electrically connects the second electrode as the working electrode. The switching of the two electrodes is repeated continuously as amperometric measurements are performed. Preferably, the sensor includes an ultrasonic transducer proximate the working electrode and the auxiliary electrode to clean the electrodes.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the use of dielectrophoretic forces for the arbitrary manipulation of micrometer- and nanometer-sized particles and to devices capable of arbitrarily manipulating micrometer- and nanometer-sized particles by means of dielectrophoretic forces within a two- or three-dimensional region. The devices and methods of the invention are capable of arbitrarily controlling the velocities, locations, and forces applied to a particle, arbitrarily specifying a force or set of forces at a location in space, and determining friction and/or drag coefficients of a particle, and are thus well-suited for a range of applications including cell sorting, drug delivery, as a diagnostic tool for determining membrane stiffness, and in the heterogeneous integration of micro- and nano-components through directed assembly.

Abstract: A microfluidic system for creating encapsulated droplets whose shells can be further removed comprises: two electrode plates and a spacing structure disposed between the two electrode plates. One of the electrode plates has three reservoir electrodes and a plurality of channel electrodes. The three electrodes are respectively used for accommodating a shell liquid, a core liquid, and a removing liquid which is able to remove the shell liquid. The channel electrodes are used for communicating droplets among the three reservoir electrodes. Via these arrangements, the microfluidic system can create a quantitative shell droplet and a quantitative core droplet, and then merge the shell and core droplets to form an encapsulated droplet. Moreover, the shell of the encapsulated droplet can be removed by mixing it with the removing liquid. This invention is further provided with a method for creating an encapsulated droplet with a removable shell.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems, methods, and devices for determining the concentration of an analyte in a sample. The use of linear, cyclic, or acyclic voltammetric scans and/or semi-integral, derivative, or semi-derivative data treatment may provide for increased accuracy when determining the concentration of an analyte in a sample. Hematocrit compensation in combination with the data treatments may reduce the hematocrit effect with regard to a glucose analysis in whole blood. In another aspect, fast scan rates may reduce the hematocrit effect.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatuses for detecting hemoglobin in patient samples. The apparatuses include a primary electrode and a reference electrode. The apparatus is configured to measure current or voltage generated between the primary electrode and the reference electrode in response a redox reaction catalyzed by hemoglobin. The apparatuses can detect a variety of hemoglobins, including dimeric hemoglobin associated with malaria. Also disclosed are biosensor systems including the apparatuses and methods of using the biosensor systems.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for passivating metal substrates, including ferrous substrates, such as cold rolled steel and electrogalvanized steel. The methods comprise the steps of depositing an electropositive metal onto at least a portion of the substrate, followed immediately by electrophoretically depositing on the substrate a curable, electrodepositable coating composition. The present invention also relates to coated substrates produced by the above methods.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electrochemical biosensor measuring device which comprises at least two photodiodes for emitting light beams at regular time intervals in a sequential manner, with the insertion of an electrochemical biosensor thereto, and a detector for sensing the emitted light beams, thereby identifying the production lot information recorded on a production lot information identification portion on the electrochemical biosensor. Thus, the device enjoys economic advantages of not requiring a high-priced optical filter in detecting the light absorbed through or reflected from the production identification information recorded in biosensor and a complicated software algorithm to recover the production lot information.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrochemical cell comprising a vibratile electrode (eg a vibratile microelectrode).

Abstract: A cathode electrophoretic deposition (EPD) suspension is provided by mixing an ionomer solution with an electrolyte. An anode EPD suspension is provided via mixing carbon nanomaterial (CNM)-supported catalyst with a solution of the same composition as that of the cathode EPD suspension. Ultrasonication and high-speed stirring are executed on the cathode and anode EPD suspensions, thus turning them into homogenous suspensions. There is provided a low-voltage EPD apparatus incorporated with a porous material to separate it into anode and cathode compartments. The anode and cathode EPD suspensions are filled in the anode and cathode compartments, respectively. An inert gas is introduced into the anode compartment for stirring the anode EPD suspension. An electrode base substrate is used as the anode of the EPD apparatus. A low-voltage direct current (DC) power supply is used to supply DC low voltage to the EPD apparatus, thus evenly coating a catalyst layer on the substrate.

Abstract: A hydrogen quantity sensor can directly measure hydrogen contained in a hydrogen storage device with simple and easy means. The hydrogen quantity sensor comprises a detecting electrode comprised of a hydrogen storage alloy disposed inside a hydrogen storage vessel, a standard electrode disposed to confront the detecting electrode; and an electrolyte member disposed between the detecting electrode and the standard electrode. The detecting electrode, the standard electrode and the electrolyte member constitute a sensor portion to measure hydrogen concentration within the hydrogen storage alloy as an electromotive force value.

Abstract: A method including depositing a powder on a substrate to form a first layer thereon, wherein the layer includes a Pt group metal, Si and reactive element selected from the group consisting of Hf, Y, La, Ce, Zr, and combinations thereof. Deposited on the first layer is a second layer including Al to form a coating with a ?-Ni+???Ni3Al phase constitution. In preferred embodiments, the second layer is deposited with an organo halocarbon activator.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide devices and methods for extracting nucleic acid molecules from solution using electric fields. The structures and methods of embodiments of the invention are suited to incorporation into micro and nano fluidic devices, such as lab-on-a-chip devices and micro total analysis systems.

Abstract: A control device for a gas sensor is configured to: receive a mode command to specify one of a plurality of sensor energization modes including at least a gas concentration detection mode, a protection mode and a pre-energization mode; switch a sensor element of the gas sensor into the one of the plurality of sensor energization modes according to the mode command; judge satisfaction of a certain condition where the mode command is to specify the gas concentration detection mode and the sensor element is in any of the plurality of sensor energization modes other than the pre-energization mode at the time of receipt of the mode command; and prohibit the sensor element from switching over to the gas concentration detection mode when the certain condition is satisfied.

Abstract: The disclosure provides for reagent compositions for biosensors comprising release polymers, methods of making such biosensors and films of reagent compositions comprising release polymers. The reagent compositions comprise a release polymer and an effective analyte detecting amount of an enzyme an enzyme cofactor and a redox compound capable of acting in a biosensor as (i) a redox mediator associated with a working electrode (ii) a redox couple associated with a reference electrode or (iii) the redox mediator associated with the working electrode and the redox couple for the reference electrode.

Abstract: Techniques are generally described that include electrokinetic pumping an emulsion comprising an ionic fluid and a nonpolar fluid to promote flow of the ionic fluid by electro-osmotic flow and drag the nonpolar fluid by viscous drag forces. In some examples, the electrokinetic pump may be utilized to deliver one or more reagents within a fluidic reactor system, such as a micro-scale reactor system. In some additional examples, a reagent may be dissolved in the nonpolar fluid of a first emulsion and pumped through the electrokinetic pump to a mixing channel to allow the reagent of the first emulsion to react with a reagent of second emulsion to form a reactive product.