Abstract: The reference electrode comprises an electrode plug and a chamber (16) closed at the rear containing an electrolyte. The chamber (16) has an aperture (23) covered by a membrane (26) of a material permitting diffusion of ions therethrough, but whose surface is closed for proteins and similar macromolecular substances. A diffusion tight diaphragm element (27) having a through-going orifice (30) located radially within the aperture is situated on the outer side of the ion diffusion membrane (26) relative to the chamber, and the orifice (30) is smaller than the aperture (23).

Abstract: A sensor designed to determine the amount and concentration of analyte in a sample having a volume of less than about 1 &mgr;L. The sensor has a working electrode coated with a non-leachable redox mediator. The redox mediator acts as an electron transfer agent between the analyte and the electrode. In addition, a second electron transfer agent, such as an enzyme, can be added to facilitate the electrooxidation or electroreduction of the analyte. The redox mediator is typically a redox compound bound to a polymer. The preferred redox mediators are air-oxidizable. The amount of analyte can be determined by coulometry. One particular coulometric technique includes the measurement of the current between the working electrode and a counter or reference electrode at two or more times. The charge passed by this current to or from the analyte is correlated with the amount of analyte in the sample.

Abstract: A gas sensor for measuring concentration of a gas component in a measured gas, including a solid electrolytic substrate and at least two electrodes fixed to the substrate. At least a first electrode of the electrodes is disposed in the environment of the measurement gas, at least one of electrodes is polarized by applying a bias current or bias voltage, and a change in the potential of the polarized electrode is measured to thereby measure the concentration of the target gas.

Abstract: The protective shield arrangement for an exhaust sensor and method of making and using the same is achieved by providing a protective shield for an exhaust gas sensor that comprises a porous mesh material formed as a cap for placement over an end portion of a sensing element. This is formed by a method that comprises providing a unitary piece of the mesh material, and folding the mesh material to form the cap. Thereby, gas passes through the tortuous pathway created by the mesh material to be sensed by the sensor.

Abstract: A method for measuring a target constituent of an electroplating solution using an electroanalytical technique is set forth in which the electroplating solution includes one or more constituents whose by-products skew an initial electrical response to an energy input of the electroanalytical technique. The method comprises a first step in which an electroanalytical measurement cycle of the target constituent is initiated by providing an energy input to a pair of electrodes disposed in the electroplating solution. The energy input to the pair of electrodes is provided for at least a predetermined time period corresponding to a time period in which the electroanalytical measurement cycle reaches a steady-state condition. In a subsequent step, an electroanalytical measurement of the energy output of the electroanalytical technique is taken after the electroanalytical measurement cycle has reached the steady-state condition.

Abstract: A biosensor includes: an insulating substrate; an electrode system formed on the insulating substrate which has a working electrode and a counter electrode; and a reaction layer formed on the insulating substrate which contains an oxidoreductase and an electron acceptor. The electron acceptor is ferricinium ion derived from ferrocene electrolyte.

Abstract: The present invention provides for techniques for transporting materials using electrokinetic forces through the channels of a microfluidic system. The subject materials are transported in regions of high ionic concentration, next to spacer material regions of high ionic concentration, which are separated by spacer material regions of low ionic concentration. Such arrangements allow the materials to remain localized for the transport transit time to avoid mixing of the materials. Using these techniques, an electropipettor which is compatible with the microfluidic system is created so that materials can be easily introduced into the microfluidic system. The present invention also compensates for electrophoretic bias as materials are transported through the channels of the microfluidic system by splitting a channel into portions with positive and negative surface charges and a third electrode between the two portions, or by diffusion of the electrophoresing materials after transport along a channel.

Abstract: A multiplexed capillary electrophoresis system with cooling sufficient to prevent overheating during chiral separation. The system includes a thermally insulated enclosure enclosing a bundle of capillary tubes, a light source and photodetector. A heat transfer system is provided for cooling closely spaced portions and spread apart portions of the capillary tubes to an extent sufficient to prevent overheating of the tubes and contents thereof due to the heat generated during chiral separation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the separation of oxygen from an oxygen-containing fluid using novel membranes, formed from perovskitic or multi-phase structures, with a chemically active coating. The process exhibits exceptionally high rates of oxygen flux. The process uses membranes that are conductors of oxygen ions and electrons, which are substantially stable in air over the temperature range of 25° C. to the operating temperature of the membrane.

Abstract: An analyte detection system is provided with calibration information uniquely specific to the set of test strips to which the sample is to be applied. The calibration information may be stored in permanent memory of the testing device, such that the device is discarded after use of all the test strips in a kit, or it may be stored in a calibration chip accompanying the set of test strips and distributed therewith, thereby enabling re-use of the testing device with a different set of test strips and associated calibration chip.

Abstract: An exhaust gas sensor element having an electrochemical cell, a protective material in fluid communication with the electrochemical cell, and a reactive inhibitive coating disposed over the protective material. The reactive inhibitive coating prevents the reaction of compounds with acids(e.g., phosphates) in the exhaust gas, which may form a dense glass layer on the outside of the gas sensor. The reactive inhibitive coating is either an alkaline earth oxide ethoxide, and/or carbonate that is deposited on the gas sensor to a thickness so as to preferably provide an excess of either the alkaline earth material.

Abstract: The analysis flow cell provided with a thin-film or thick-film sensor is designed so that the input and outlet for the fluid to be investigated are on opposite sides of the sensor layer and so that there is at least one passage (24) transverse to the sensor film, which can be in the sensor film or beside it in a layer of carrier. The sensor can be a biosensor, in which a thin layer of platinum, gold, or graphite is coated with a biosensor material.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an electrode and a field effect transistor having excellent ion selectivity using a noncyclic peptide. In order to achieve the above object, the ion sensor of the present invention using a noncyclic peptide is an ion sensor where a noncyclic peptide is contained in a sensing membrane. The said noncyclic peptide may contain at least two kinds of natural amino acids or non-natural amino acids. The ion sensor of the present invention may be constituted by an ion-selective electrode or by an ion-selective field effect transistor. Examples of the main responding ion are magnesium ion, lead ion, potassium ion, calcium ion, nickel ion, copper ion, zinc ion and cadmium ion.

Abstract: An improved disposable test strip for use in amperometric measurement of analytes in complex liquid media, such as blood, which has three or more electrodes has been developed. This strip is designed so that different electrical potentials can be maintained between a common pseudo reference/counter electrode and each of the other electrodes upon the imposition of a common potential by an amperometric meter. This capability is imparted to the test strip by providing different circuit resistances for each of these other electrodes. The test strip can be utilized to measure a single analyte such as glucose with a background compensation via a “dummy” electrode or it can be used to measure the concentration of multiple analytes.

Abstract: A first ceramic sheet and a second ceramic sheet are bonded via an adhesive layer so as to form a closed hollow space between them. A tapered portion with a slant surface is formed at an inner end of the adhesive layer so as to protrude into the closed hollow space. The thickness t1 of the adhesive layer is equal to or smaller than 40 &mgr;m, and the protruding length L1 of the tapered portion is equal to or larger than 2.5 t1.

Abstract: A heater is inserted into an inside chamber of a sensor element until a tip end of the heater is surely brought into contact with a bottom surface of the inside chamber. Next, a metallic holder is attached on an outside surface of the heater. Then, the metallic holder is slid along the outside surface of the heater toward the bottom surface of the sensor element to engage the metallic holder with an edge of the sensor element.

Abstract: A gas sensor for measuring an amount of a measurement gas component, including a solid electrolyte having an internal space, a gas-introducing port for introducing measurement gas from an external space into the internal space, diffusion rate-determining means between the internal space and the gas-introducing port, and inner and outer pumping electrodes for pumping-processing oxygen contained in the measurement gas. The diffusion rate-determining means includes slits each having, when viewed in a plane substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal extension axis thereof, two dimensions, with at least one dimension of each slit being not more than 10 microns.

Abstract: A method and device for the detection of substances such as nitrotoluene, trinitrotoluene, dinitrotoluene, or derivatives, wherein a working electrode and an opposing electrode are contacted with the substance via a viscous electrolyte layer and a voltage is applied to the working electrode whose value is increased and decreased at least once with substantially equal beginning and end values within a predetermined time period, wherein the current strength is determined during this at least one measurement cycle in dependence on the applied voltage, is distinguished in that a plurality of measurement cycles are scanned, and differences of current values of sequential measurement cycles are determined and, in the event of the occurrence of a cathode current maximum, the associated voltage value is determined, held constant and the current strength extracted.

Abstract: An electrochemical sensor to measure the activity of a metallic component in a molten metal, comprising the molten metal as the measuring electrode, a reference electrode containing the metallic component to be measured, separated from each other by a liquid ion-conducting halide comprising the metallic component to be measured and immobilized in a non-conducting porous support fabricated from a material inert or almost inert to the molten metal, the halide and the reference electrode material, and whereby the reference electrode further comprises an external connection comprising an electric wire held in an electric isolating material which is chemically inert or almost inert to the molten metal and the reference electrode material, characterized in that the sealing of the reference electrode which is adapted to be sealed is done by a high temperature cement and by the molten metal itself and by a gas tight sealing of the external connection above the melt, and the reference electrode is introduced by a melt

Abstract: This invention relates to a low impedance cell potential measuring electrode assembly typically having a number of microelectrodes on an insulating substrate and having a wall enclosing the region including the microelectrodes. The device is capable of measuring electrophysiological activities of a monitored sample using the microelectrodes while cultivating those cells or tissues in the in the region of the microelectrodes. The invention utilizes independent reference electrodes to lower the impedance of the overall system and to therefore lower the noise often inherent in the measured data. Optimally the microelectrodes are enclosed by a physical wall used for controlling the atmosphere around the monitored sample.